Back above, Liam and the others stood near the edge of the slope, peering down at the churning mudslide that descended all the way to where Dylan was hanging on for dear life, his body suspended against the cliff by nothing more than a stubborn tree branch.
"Dylan, are you okay?!" Sheila shouted, her voice carrying as she carefully positioned herself closer to the edge, boots planted firmly despite the unstable ground.
"Uh… yeah," Dylan called back. "Well, not really, but I'm alive." He let out a shaky chuckle that echoed faintly upward. "I'm kind of just hanging onto dear life right now." He shifted slightly, the branch creaking in protest. "So, uh… mind figuring out a way to get me out of this predicament? I don't think this thing's gonna support me much longer. Especially not with this extra thirty pounds of gear I'm wearing."
"Just hold on tight," Sheila said quickly, forcing reassurance into her tone. "We'll get you out of there."
