9: Chris

Chris and Larissa continue the hike after Mike and Jesse bail, battling heat and sunburn. Their water tastes like rust, which explains why Woofarine refuses it. When Chris calls Mike for directions, Mike sounds drunk and reveals the route’s timing assumes running. Realizing they’re deep in the reserve, Chris downplays Mike’s condition to Larissa, then they decide to press forward rather than backtrack.

They take inventory, share sparse snacks, and choke down rust flavored with electrolyte powder. They joke about first-date hikes, survival shows, and Chris’s deer phobia, using humor to manage stress. As they walk, Chris admires Larissa’s resilience and recalls how her presence brightens her home. He begins to open up about his mother’s death.

The moment shatters when Woofarine grabs a large snake. Chris hoists the dog by his harness while the dog disembowels the snake, splattering Larissa. A passing cyclist runs over the snake, ending it. They recover with dark humor, then find a creek to wash off. Larissa rinses her shirt; Chris, facing the heat risk, gives her his shirt and wears her backpack, avoiding her offer to apply sunblock.

On the trail again, Larissa reflects on not following the familiar “door” in emergencies, reinforcing her choice to continue forward. They trade personal histories: Larissa dropped out in eleventh grade due to her father’s neglect and homelessness; Chris was an only child of older parents. Larissa prompts Chris to share that his mother died of liver failure and that he struggles with nightmares and sleep.

Thunder rolls in. They try to outrun the storm but are drenched by a torrential downpour. Spotting an outhouse, they take shelter from lightning in a filthy, fly-ridden stall while Chris restrains Woofarine from eating trash. Soaked, sunburned, and exhausted, they laugh at the absurdity, and Chris realizes he wouldn’t change the ordeal; the shared adversity deepens their connection even as he remains concerned about Mike’s drinking.