One of his hands slipped halfway up the rope; Samantha pressed both hands to her mouth to keep from screaming. Wendell clung to the wall with one hand for a moment until he swung himself back to the handhold and continued up to the rope. He tied it around his waist and then waved to Samantha. She began to haul him up the wall, the coarse rope burning through the fabric of her coat to cut into her hands. By the time Wendell reached the top, her hands were bleeding and her coat was shredded. Wendell gaped at her before squeaking, "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Help me get Prudence up."
"We should leave her there with the boat," he said. "She's too heavy to pull up."
"We can't leave her there. If you're not going to help, then get out of the way and I'll do it myself," Samantha said. She took off her shirt to wrap around her hands. Again Wendell seemed ready to faint. Then he shook himself back to full alertness and gave his jacket to her.
"Here, use this," he said. She took the jacket, putting her shirt back on. Wendell took off his vest to cover his hands. They waited for Prudence to climb up to the rope. She paused with each step, looking back down as though considering whether or not to stay behind as Wendell had suggested.
"You can do it, Prudence," Samantha called down. Prudence continued her slow climb up, finally reaching the rope. She secured it around her waist and then motioned to Samantha and Wendell. They began hauling her up, Wendell's face turning as red as when they had rowed ashore.
Once Prudence reached the top, she collapsed into Samantha's arms, sobbing and surrounded by an odor Samantha knew all too well from childhood. She stroked Prudence's hair and whispered, "It's all right. You made it."
"I shouldn't have come," Prudence said. "You should have taken someone brave."
"No, Prudence, don't be silly. You're fine. You did it." She untied the rope from Prudence's waist and then helped her friend stand. They took a few cautious steps along the gravel at the side of the road.
"What is this?" Wendell asked.
"It's a highway," Samantha said. "If we follow it we're bound to find a town somewhere."
Prudence screamed and threw herself to the ground. Samantha turned around to see an automobile rumbling down the road towards them. "That's an automobile," Wendell said in disbelief. "They do exist."
Samantha squinted to make out the broad, silver front-end of a pick-up truck with a yellow bowtie glinting in the sun. The truck slowed as it approached them, finally pulling off onto the shoulder. The driver's side door opened and a man stepped out. Samantha bit down on her lip to keep from screaming at the sight of a ghost.