« Leo… what happened? » I asked him, worried.
He looked up at me, tired but calm, and gave a small smile.
« We didn’t leave him. »
At first, I didn’t understand. Then another parent, Jill, came over and filled in the gaps.
She told me the trail is six miles long and not easy. It had steep climbs, loose ground, and narrow paths where you had to watch every step. That seemed reasonable enough and what I expected, until she told me, « Leo carried Sam on his back the entire way! »
« Leo… what happened? »
I felt my stomach drop as I tried to picture it.
« According to my daughter, Sam told them Leo kept saying, ‘Hold on, I’ve got you,' » Jill shared. « He kept shifting his weight and refused to stop. »
I looked at my son again. His legs were still shaking.
Then Leo’s class teacher, Mr. Dunn, approached us, his expression tight.
