fortunately he was right. Thought Mark.And so, they bedded down for the night in the death zone. A height where the body is dying starved, from life giving oxygen.When Mark awoke in the morning he knew his feet were frozen. He felt disconnected from the world around him emotionally, spiritually, physically to a degree he had never experienced on any previous expedition. It was the worst night he had ever experienced in his life. He just wanted to get home. Rheinberger was in a worse shape than Mark, but both were still able to stand and make a start for camp five. If they could just get to camp five they would be all right. They only made a hundred or so meters before Rheinberger collapsed. He was in real trouble. Shivering uncontrollably, acting very spacey and irrational, and basically unable to do anything more for himself.Mark was not going to give up easily. He forced Rheinberger to his feet and he tied both of them together. He was going to get Rheinberger down, even if he was going to have to drag him. After another couple of meters Rheinberger tripped and fell, dragging Mark with him. Mark clung to a rock as Rheinberger toppled haplessly over an edge. Let go! Mark shouted in desperation. Youre dragging me down! Luckily the rope broke and Rheinberger only fell a few meters to a ledge. His jacket sprayed open.Mark descended to him and saw the radio. The radio he had forgotten all about. He radioed base camp who were happy to hear from him, as they had feared the worst. They told him to leave Rheinberger and go get some oxygen tanks that were at the first step and take them back up. Rheinberger was in no condition to walk unless he had oxygen, so Mark reluctantly descended to the first step telling Rheinberger that he would be right back.When he arrived there, so exhausted and sore, base camp told him to rest, suck some gas and wait for a man who was coming up from camp five to help. This made Mark very un...
