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Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of against the Odds ad free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research. 26 year old Adrian Esteban bends down to check if the water is boiling on his camp stove. He's wet and cold and could really use a cup of tea, but even so, he can't stop grinning. He's so psyched that he and four of his hiking companions made it to the top of Half Dome, especially in the middle of a lightning storm. Half Dome towers nearly a mile over the valley floor here in California's Yosemite National Park. It's one of the tallest exposed granite peaks in the world, and here at the summit, far above the tree line, lightning strikes are a real risk. It's a little after 6pm on Saturday, July 27, 1985. The five young men are huddled in a tiny natural enclosure formed by a pile of huge granite slabs perched atop a sheer cliffside. Adrian and his friend Tom Rice stumbled on it months ago and decided to call it the Cave. It's the perfect place to get out of the rain, which is pelting Half Dome as thunder booms all around them. Whoo. Bring it on lightning. This is intense. Wow. This is so cool. After a long day of hiking, everyone is thrilled to have finally made it to the top. Some, like Tom, have stripped off their wet shirts and shorts and fished out dry clothes from their backpacks. Their plan is to wait out the storm in the cave, then sleep out under the stars. They're here to celebrate Tom's 28th birthday, and Adrian can't think of any place he'd rather be or any other guys he'd rather be with. Flashes of lightning illuminate the cave's dim interior like strobe lights in a dark nightclub. Adrian is loving it. He exchanges a grin with one of the other hikers, Brian Jordan, who's just 16 years old. Brian and his twin brother Bruce were last minute additions to the hiking party, but Adrian was happy to have them along. He's particularly impressed by Brian. The nine hikers went at different paces, but Brian has made it to the top while his brother still hasn't appeared. Three other hikers from their party are lagging behind too, but Adrian can see how exhausted Brian is. The boy slouches down on the cave floor, his back leaning against a slab of granite. The cave seems to amplify everything the rain has now turned to hail and the hailstones clatter loudly on the rocks above their heads. They have to shout to hear each other. Adrian pours himself some tea and looks up. Hey, anyone want to join me on the King's Chair? If Half Dome is one of Adrian's favorite places in the world, then King's Chair is his favorite part of Half Dome. You reach it from the cave by sliding over a boulder, then scooching forward on a flat chunk of granite that hangs over the cliff but is still sheltered by the granite slabs above. He maneuvers to the spot now and lets his feet dangle over the edge. Below him are thousands of feet of nothingness. It's dizzying. It's also a hell of a place to watch a lightning storm. He hears someone sliding down next to him and turns to see another of his hiking buddies, Bob frith. Bob is 24 with thick dark hair and an upbeat personality. He and Adrian work together at a tech company in Silicon Valley. A bolt of lightning streaks across the sky and Bob lets out a whoop. This is his first time on Half Dome and he is clearly loving it. Wow. Oh this is so awesome. What did I tell you? There is no place like Yosemite. They stare wide eyed at the ribbons of lightning that dance above them. Then Adrian hears something weird. He turns to Bob. Whoa. Did you hear that? Hear what? That buzzing sound. Dude, are you high? I don't hear anything. But Adrian is sure that it's not his imagination. He yells the question back to the other guys but they don't respond. Maybe they can't hear him over the stor. Then he looks at his arm and sees the hair standing on end. This is strange. He decides to crawl back into the cave. He turns around, lifting one hand to find a grip and then it's as if the entire mountain has exploded around him. There's a blinding light, a loud cracking noise, and then the smell of burnt flesh. Adrian wants to scream but nothing comes out of his mouth. He feels himself slam into one of the rock walls and escape. Searing heat rips through him. Suddenly it's as if he's outside his own body. He can look down and see himself. And that's when he realizes. I'm about to die. Being a serious business owner takes hard work, patience and a drive to keep moving forward. So it's important to find a serious business card that goes the extra mile. With the VentureX business card from Capital One, you earn unlimited double miles on every purchase. And with big purchasing power, you can spend more and earn more. This is your sign to take your business to the next level. The Capital One VentureX business card what's in your wallet term supply seecapitalone.com for details Adobe Acrobat your team's home base. Collaborate within a shared PDF space. You've got your docs, your plans, your specs and then invite the crew to build what's next. Talk up the teamwork using a 3D render. They think that this design could be a contender. When somebody wonders what's the next steps, AI helps you finish the rest. Bolts are tight now your plan's refined. Run a smoother business when you're on the line. Do that with Acrobat learn more@adobe.com do that with Acrobat. From audible originals I'm mike corey and this is against the od. Towering over Yosemite Valley, Half Dome is one of the world's most distinctive granite monoliths. Getting to it requires a challenging 14 mile round trip hike, which includes a scary ascent on cables installed on the final steep stretch. Still, thousands of hikers attempt to reach Half Dome Summit each year to be rewarded by breathtaking views. On July 27, 1985, a group of young hikers set out for the all day trek to Half Dome's peak when storm clouds began approaching. A few of them kept climbing toward the summit. They made it and retreated to a cave like granite enclosure to wait out the lightning and rain. What they thought would be a safe shelter turned out to be anything but. This is episode one the Storm. 24 year old Bruce Weiner steps off the trail and takes a swig of water. He runs a hand across his sweaty forehead. He's so winded he's practically gasping. This climb is no joke. It's a little afternoon on July 27, 1985 and he's one of nine hikers that set off together this morning, bound for Half Dome. Of all the guys in the group, Bruce knows just one of them, Bob Frith. Bob and Bruce went to college in upstate New York and after graduation, Bob moved to California. Ever since, he'd been trying to get Bruce to join him. The climate is perfect, he wrote, and the women are beautiful. Bruce was sold. Finally, a few weeks ago, he made the move. Bruce had barely unpacked when Bob told him about this weekend trip, promising that it would be awesome. One of Bob's buddies, a guy named Tom Rice, is about to turn 28. The friend group is celebrating by hiking to the top of Half Dome and camping out on the summit under the stars. And how could Bruce Say no. This would be a way to make some new friends and really challenge himself. He might be in over his head, though. They've only been going for a few hours and he's already losing steam. He made it through the first part of the hike up the Mist trail, more than 600 steps that overlook a massive waterfall. But that was just the beginning. Now he's climbing even more steps on his way toward the top of yet another waterfall. It's truly awe inspiring, but his capacity for wonder is being overtaken by his fatigue. And there's still hours to go. Worse, Bob told Bruce that the scariest part is near the end. They'll have to haul themselves up the last 400ft by gripping steel cables that were installed years ago on the steep rock face. It's not a technical climb, but Bob told him that if you lose your footing and aren't holding onto the cables, you could slide down the mountain. Bruce shivers at the thought. Despite the sweat, he bends down and grabs his backpack. The thing is crazy heavy, at least 40 pounds. He and Bob decided to pack all of their things into one backpack, then take turns hauling it up the trail. Now it's Bruce's turn to be a Sherpa. Already Bob has bound ahead on the rugged staircase, his steps quicker without the backpack weighing him down. Bruce adjusts the shoulder straps, feeling them dig into his skin. Then he resumes the long climb out of the ravine. Finally, he's near the top of the falls. The roar of the water is so loud he can't hear anything else. Then he sees Tom Rice, the birthday boy, and he feels his pulse quicken in alarm. Tom is standing barefoot on a boulder that's jutting out of the water. His dark blonde hair flutters in the breeze. One wrong step and he'll tumble into the raging torrent and then over the falls. But Tom is laughing as if he's invincible. Bruce watches in disbelief as Tom steps down from the boulder, then starts stripping off his clothes. All of them. Man, Bruce thinks this guy is nuts. Adrian Esteban shakes his backpack off his shoulders and lets it fall to the ground. He pulls off his T shirt and starts jogging after his buddy Tom Rice, who's running upriver from the lip of the waterfall. The two friends have done this hike up Half Dome a bunch of times before, and this has become a tradition, skinny dipping in the cold waters of the Merced River. But they have to be careful. Even though they're at least 50 yards upriver from the waterfall, if they get caught in the current, they could be swept over the falls. And then it's a sheer drop of almost 600ft. Adrian unlaces his hiking boots, kicking them off, then pulls off his shorts. With a yelp, he dives into the water. Even now, in late July, the water is still icy from the snowmelt higher up. He feels his lungs constrict as his head goes under. Then he pops back to the surface and lets out a whoop. Whoo hoo hoo. Yeah. Adrian lives for these weekends. He looks over at Tom, who's urging other hikers from their group to jump in. First comes 27 year old Bill Pippi, another of Adrian's co workers. Then the 16 year old Jordan twins who are family friends of Bill's. Then Bob Frith and his friend Bruce Weiner. While the others splash around, Adrian and Tom swim towards a large flat rock in the middle of the river, trying to see who can get there first. Adrian's known Tom since high school, but they reconnected four years ago after a tough period in Adrian's life. Back in high school, Adrian was a star athlete, but he drifted after graduation. He got married, then divorced and started hanging out with a bad element, wasting his days getting high. But in his adventures with Tom, adrenaline is the drug of choice. They began pushing each other to their physical limits on long hikes or swims. Sometimes they got reckless, like the time they passed a joint back and forth on a winding road. Adrian on his motorcycle and Tom driving his car. Adrian knows these stunts are stupid and they're dangerous. But when he's cheating death with Tom, he feels alive. There's a splash behind him. He turns to see yet another member of their group has dived in. Now they're all here, splashing and giggling in the water like kids. Seven men in their 20s and two teenage twin brothers. Most of them are completely naked. Tom clambers onto a flat rock and splays out, warming himself in the sun. Adrian glances toward the riverbank and sees other hikers passing by throwing dirty looks their way. Okay, Adrian thinks, maybe we are being a little obnoxious. But screw it. He's not going to let anyone or anything dampen his enthusiasm today. Linda Crozier cannot believe what she's seeing. A bunch of dudes splashing around in the Merced river just a few yards from the lip of a 600 foot waterfall. Are they insane? Then one of the swimmers climbs out and Linda realizes he's stark naked. Linda is 22 and recently graduated from the University of California, Davis with a degree in phys Ed. She also worked as a trainer for school sports teams and in her spare time got certified as an emt. This fall she's starting a master's program in exercise physiology. Linda knows classes will be grueling, so until then she wants to spend as much time as she can outdoors. Linda's group is pausing to rest and watch the hijinks. She exchanges a glance with one of the other hikers in her party, 21 year old Mike Hogue, a veteran of Half Dome climbs. Like Linda, Mike's a trained emt, though neither has had much cause to use their training. Linda shakes her head. Can you believe those guys? Don't they realize that there's families here? Nothing like drunk jocks on the loose in nature, right? Though honestly, I wouldn't mind one of those beers they're drinking right now. Mike looks at Linda and the other four members of their group, which includes Linda's younger brother. Then he stands up and grabs his backpack. It's probably a good idea to get going anyway. I'm not loving these clouds. He points his finger to the west. It's been a perfect morning for hiking, but on the other side of the valley, some dark cumulus clouds are gathering on the horizon. Linda thinks she can hear some rumbles of thunder echoing across the valley. The last place they want to be is on top of Half Dome during a thunderstorm. The peak is well above the treeline and there's no shelter really anywhere, so if they want to reach the peak and get back down before the storm rolls in, they'll need to hurry. Adrian Esteban tips back his beer to catch the last drops. Ben crumples the can and squeezes it into his backpack. They've lounged here on the riverbank long enough. Plus it looks like a storm might be rolling in. He points out the dark clouds in the west to his fellow hikers. Ah, we might want to step it up, guys. There's a murmur of concern from a few of them, but it's Tom Rice who pipes up the loudest. I think it's fine. We just pick up our pace a bit. Besides, once we're at the top, we can just shelter in the cave. Without another word, Tom turns and starts off almost at a trot. In just seconds he disappears around a bend. Some of the others still look doubtful, so Adrian tries to reassure them. Tom's right. If it's raining, the cave will be a perfect shelter. We might get a little wet, but storms pass by fast over Half Dome. With that, he turns and Jogs so he can catch up to Tom. Adrian and Tom have developed their own little competition about who can reach the summit first. They're always pushing each other on, trading friendly insults. Adrian quickens his pace as the path takes him through stands of sugar pines and red firs. The Mist Trail took them up 2,000ft of elevation, and this flatter part is is a welcome break from all the stairs. Still, he knows it won't be long before the trail grows steep again. More switchbacks and stairs await them. The peak of Half Dome is still hours away and nearly 3,000ft above them. The trail will take them above the tree line. First will come Sub Dome, an adjacent, smaller peak that hikers have to tackle first. Sort of the little brother to Half Dome. Years ago, workers arranged massive blocks of granite into a rough staircase leading up Subdome. Once they're past that, they'll be staring straight up at the final 400ft, a stretch of rock so steep they'll have to pull themselves up by cables. It's by far the most dangerous part of the hike. Not only is it steep and slick, but by the time you reach the cables, your legs are shot from six hours of uphill hiking. Adrian glances back. He's already put 50 yards between him and the other seven hikers. It'd be polite if he went at their pace, but this is crunch time. He doesn't want Tom reaching the peak before him. He can't wait until they're all on the summit. Bruce Weiner gives his canteen a shake. It can't be empty already. But it is. He calls out to his hiking buddy, Bob Frith. Bob, hold up. I'm out of water. Bob stops and turns. Are you serious? We have at least another two hours. And you do realize it's all uphill, right? It's a little after 3:30. For two hours, Bruce and Bob have been making their way up the path to Half Dome, and it's been grueling. He'd never admit this to Bob, but Bruce wonders if he should have come at all. This is his first mountain hike ever, and the altitude is getting to him more than he expected. He also thinks it was a big mistake for him and Bob to share a backpack. It's so heavy that it's really slowing them down. Every 15 minutes, he and Bob trade off, but the end result is that the person without the backpack ends up zipping ahead, only to have to wait while the other catches up. As a result, they keep getting passed by other hikers. The rest of the group has moved on ahead of them, somewhere out in front, are Adrian Esteban and Tom Rice. Bruce hasn't seen them since they took off after the swimming. Bob walks back to Bruce and hands him his own canteen, but then yanks it back with a grin. When Bruce goes to grab it, promise he won't drink at all. Bruce is too tired and thirsty for jokes. He grabs the canteen and takes a swig, then hands it back to Bob. They resume walking up the trail through hemlocks and lodgepole pines. Bruce casts a worried look up at the sky. Hey, Bob, I'm not sure if we're gonna make it. That storm is getting closer, but Bob is undeterred. It's fine, dude. Don't worry. Tom and Adrian said storms blow through fast here anyway. And trust me, when we get to the top, it's gonna be worth it, okay? With a sigh, Bruce continues. He's run out of water. His legs are starting to cramp, and now a storm is bearing down on them. He begins to wonder if maybe the universe is trying to tell him something. He didn' to come on this hike to make friends. He can make friends anywhere. But he chases that voice out of his head and continues on up the path. With every step he takes, Half Dome appears more massive. Linda Crozier stops in front of a metal signpost at the base of Subdome. It's almost 4pm and she takes in the sign, then feels a sudden chill. She reads it al for her four hiking companions, including Mike Hogue, who's dribbling water from his canteen onto his sweaty head. Danger. If a thunderstorm is anywhere on the horizon, do not pass this sign. Lightning has struck Half Dome during every month of the year. Linda turns to Mike, raising her eyebrows as if to say, well, what now? After all, he's done this before. Mike runs a hand through his hair, shaking off the water. He looks at the sky, then up the steep face of Sub Dome and its rough granite stairs. Let's keep going. If it looks like the storm's going to hit us, we can turn around. It's a lot quicker coming down than going up. With that, Mike hoists his backpack onto his shoulders and starts the climb. Linda takes off her red baseball cap, wipes her brow, and positions it back on her head. Then she falls in behind Mike. But these steps are not like walking up the stairs to her front porch. The granite slabs are not uniform, and some are so tall she has to use her arms to scramble onto them. The steps climb the face of Sub Dome in a series of switchbacks Linda tries not to look up. She doesn't want to be reminded of how far she has to go. How many steps are there? She wonders. 500? 1000? She counts for a while, but she loses track. Then up ahead, she hears Mike's voice. She looks up to see him chatting with a solitary hiker on his way down. He's an older man, probably in his 50s, carrying a walking stick in one hand. By the time Linda reaches them, she's so out of breath she can only nod and smile at the man. He smiles back. Hey, I was just telling your friend here I got as far as the cables, but the sky was just freaking me out too much. Had to turn around. He lifts his stick, pointing it southwest. See those? Those are thunderheads. I was hoping they'd move around us, but I think we're right in their path. I don't want to be above that tree line before it reaches us. I'd advise you to head down, too. Linda thanks the man, and he nods before resuming his descent. Mike studies the storm clouds, hands on his hips. As if on cue, they hear another rumble of thunder. By now, the rest of the hikers in their group have reached Mike and Linda. She turns to Mike. Okay, I think that's a sign. Mike sighs, then nods. Yeah, yeah, I agree. I don't think it's worth the risk. We can make camp just below the tree line and we can get an early start in the morning. Linda nods, relieved. She doesn't want to be out in the open during a lightning storm. Adrian Esteban moves just off the path to allow two hikers coming the opposite way to pass him. For the past few hours since leaving the river, he and Tom Rice have been keeping up a brisk pace. But as the trail grew steeper, they stopped a few times to rest, munching on trail mix and swigging water. Finally, they're getting close to the base of subdome. As the two men get nearer, Adrian sees they're not hikers but climbers, each laden with coils of climbing rope. Carabiners clink off their gear. Adrian notices that they're practically jogging. That's weird, he thinks. Usually on the way down, the adrenaline has worn off and everyone is being extra careful not to stumble on tired legs. But these guys look like they're late for something. As the two climbers draw near, one of them waves and jabs a thumb back over his shoulder. Hey, fellas, if I were you, I would turn around. We did a climb up Half Dome yesterday and we got caught on the Mountain. In the storm, the lightning was so close we could feel it. It looks like another storm's gonna hit. The young climbers don't even wait for Adrian or Tom to respond. They just keep descending. Tom watches them go, smiling and shaking his head. Nah, there's no way I'm turning back. We've come too far. Adrian shrugs and the two men resume their trek. Soon they're at the base of Sub Dome. Adrian sees the sign that warns of lightning on Half Dome, but ignores it. He knows Tom won't stop and he's not about to get left behind. Then again, is it his imagination or is the thunder that's rumbling across the valley getting louder? He can't recall any other previous Half Dome hike where the weather seemed quite so ominous. Adrian hears voices approaching. He looks up the granite steps of Sub Dome and feels a flush of embarrassment. It's the group of hikers who gave them dirty looks for skinny dipping in the Merced a few hours ago. But if they do recognize Tom and Adrian, they're not showing any signs of it. One of them, a young woman in a red baseball cap, gives them a wave and explains that they decided to turn around and make camp below the tree line. She points up at the clouds now bearing down on Half Dome. We don't want to be anywhere near that. Adrian stands there for a second, considering the young woman's words. But when the other hikers have all passed, he hears Tom muttering, alright, more for us. Tom resumes his climb and Adrian follows. One way or another, they're making it to the top of Half Dome tonight. Bruce Weiner reaches down and he rubs his calf muscles. God, his legs ache. And now the toughest part awaits. The steps up Sub Dome, followed by the cables. He still hasn't seen the cables, but they've taken on scary dimensions in his mind. The light has an eerie quality as the late afternoon sun sinks behind the dark clouds in the west. A flash of lightning pulses somewhere in the distance. He counts the seconds. 1, 2, 3, 4. They say five seconds between lightning and thunder equals one mile. That means this storm is less than a mile away. He turns to Bob. Are we really doing this? Like Bruce, Bob is running on fumes. But there's a gleam in his eye that Bruce knows all too well. A sign that he's not going to give in. We can't go back, man. You saw that kid Brian pass us earlier. Dude, he's like 16. Are you gonna let a teenager show you up? I know, I know, but my legs are freaking killing me here. And if we get to the top, we're just gonna get soaked. Remember what Tom said. There's a cave up there. It'll be fine. Come on, don't be such a wuss. Bob has already turned and begun climbing the seemingly endless steps towards the top of Subdome. He calls back over his shoulder, you can do what you want, Bruce, but I'm not stopping. Bruce sighs. He knows that if he doesn't keep moving, his legs will tighten up even more. Besides, these steps lead someplace he's never been. A place he's told has one of the most gorgeous views on the planet. Just then, a peel of thunder cracks around him. He knows he should be frightened, but in that moment it almost sounds like a starting gun. He wills his legs to keep going and starts ascending the granite steps. Adrian Esteban gazes up at the final stage of their hike to the peak of Half Dome. The cables. They run parallel about four feet off the ground, fastened to steel posts that have been drilled into the granite. There's enough space between them for climbers going up and coming down to pass each other. Between each set of posts there's a wooden plank underfoot, which climbers can stand on to catch their breath. But right now the cables are empty. Looks like everyone has been scared off by the storm. Adrian takes a moment and stares up. Rain has started to fall and fog obscures the peak. From here they can't see the end of the cables, but Adrian knows what lies ahead. A 400 foot climb. Holding onto the cables still, even though he's been here before, he's in awe at how steep the grade is. At some points along the route, the angle is at least 50 degrees. And now, with the clouds starting to spit rain on them, the granite is getting slick. They'll need to be extra careful. He looks over at Tom Rice, still catching his breath from the scramble up subdome. Like Adrian, he's staring up at the cable as if he's waiting for them to speak to him. The two men have been in situations like this before on their expeditions. In snow, in rain, the kind of weather that sends others racing back to their tents or cars. But they live for these moments. When others turn back, they forge ahead. Still, these are steel cables. They'll be gripping, affixed to metal posts on a granite mountainside. There are no trees here, nothing taller than them to serve as a lightning rod. They'll be the lightning rods. A ribbon of lightning rips through the sky, followed by a mighty clap of thunder. Tom turns to Adrian. All right, dude, this is our mountain. And without another word, he grabs the cables and starts hauling himself up. Raindrops batter the granite. Adrian puts a hand on one cable and imagines a surge of electricity pulsing through it, then throwing him off the mountainside. He cranes his head up towards Tom and calls out, hey Tom, listen, whatever happens, I love you, man. He sees Tom stop and turn his head, his hand still gripping the cables. Hey, I love you too, brother. Together, the two men climb one precarious step after another. The storm is on top of them now, but they still keep climbing when the lightning flashes. Adrian briefly lifts his hand from the cables as if that might protect him. He realizes it's stupid, but then again, maybe all of this is stupid. Adrian Esteban feels his heart pound in his chest as he hauls himself up the final 10ft of cables. It took just 15 minutes to climb. That has to be some kind of record. Ahead of him, Tom Rice has stepped past the last metal post and is starting to run across the summit to the cave. The rain is coming down hard now. Thick drops that stream down Adrian's forehead into his eyes. He rubs them away as he passes the last metal post. He made it. Now he's racing toward the cave, lightning flashing and thunder booming all around him. He feels like he's not beneath the storm clouds so much as in them. He makes it to the cave and he ducks to fit inside. Tom is already there and the two men high five each other, giggling like children. All those other people turn back, but they kept going. And they did it. They're at the peak of Half Dome and they have it all to themselves. Outside the enclosure, rain pounds the granite surface. It drips into the cave between the slabs, streaming down the stone walls, pooling at their feet. Adrian checks his watch. It's 6pm but so dark it feels like it's much later. The inside of the cave is hard to make out, except when it's illuminated by a flash of lightning. Just then they hear voices from out on the mountaintop. Adrian pokes his head out and sees the figure of 16 year old Brian Jordan emerging from the top of the cables. He made it too. And he's not alone. With him are Bruce Weiner and Bob Frith. Adrian waves and shouts to get their attention and soon there are five of them crowded into the cave. They're exhausted, but giddy from having made it. And there's nobody. It's all for us. Each of them open their packs, looking to find some dry clothes. Soon the noise in the cave intensifies as the storm lashes the mountain. Adrian looks outside to see that the rain has turned to hail. Hailstones bounce off the granite, then roll down the incline and off the precipice. He's so grateful they made it to this shelter. He hopes there's no one else on the cables. He leans down to light his camp stove and boil water for tea. Then he calls out, hey. Anyone want to join me on the king's chair? Adrian pulls himself over a boulder, careful not to spill his tea. Then he slides out onto a flat ledge and positions himself with his legs hanging over the edge, dangling over nothing but 2,000ft of empty air in a second. Bob sits down next to him. Adrian looks over at him and grins. He lives for moments like these, when he can show something awe inspiring to someone for their first time. Bruce Weiner leans against the wall of the cave and glances down. His boot has come untied. Next to him, Brian Jordan is sitting on the stone floor, his back up against the wall, wedged between two backpacks. He looks exhausted but happy. Outside, the hailstorm is easing, transitioning back to rain. Strobes of lightning illuminate the cave every few seconds, followed by thunder so loud that it hurts Bruce's ears. He bends down to tie the laces, his butt pressed up against the wall for support. He hears Adrian how did the king's chair give a yell? You guys hear that? Bruce is about to yell something back when it feels like he's blown to pieces. One second he's tying his shoe and the next he's spasming, jerking his limbs being pulled in multiple directions at once. Then everything around him goes black. Is he dying? Is he already dead? He doesn't know. It's just darkness. But then he feels pain. A searing, wrenching pain that sweeps through him as if every nerve ending is being set ablaze. The pain is everywhere, especially in his skull. For a second he wonders if his head has exploded. Screams fill the cave. Agonizing cries that bounce off the walls. And then Bruce realizes that the screams are coming from him. He tries to move, but he can't. He opens his eyes or maybe his vision just comes back to him. He's not even sure he sees Adrian, who's crawled back into the cave from the king's chair. He's moaning something, but Bruce can't make out the words. Bruce, splayed on the floor of the cave, turns his head toward Brian Jordan. The teenager is just sitting there, his back against the wall, muttering to himself. We gotta get out of here. Then Bruce sees Brian's chin drop to his chest and he goes completely still. Adrian moans something again, and this time Bruce can hear exactly what he's saying. Oh my God. Oh my God. We've been struck by lightning. Follow against the Odds on the Audible app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to all episodes of against the Odds ad free by joining Audible. From Audible Originals. This is episode one of our two part series Lightning Strike on Half Dome. For against the Odds. A quick note about our scenes. In most cases we can't exactly know what was said, but everything is based on historical research. If you'd like to learn more about this event, we recommend the book Shattered A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite's Half Dome by Bob Magic Produced by Audible I'm your host, Mike Corey. Steve Fennesee wrote this episode. Sound design by Joe Richardson, engineered by Sergio Henriquez original theme music by Scott Velasquez and 2K for freeze on Sync produced by Emily Frost managing Desi Blaylock senior producers Andy Herman and Austin Rackless Executive producer for Audible Jenny Lauer Beckman, Head of Creative Development at Audible Kate Navin, head of Audible Originals North America Marshall Louis, Chief Content Officer Rachel Giazza Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals, LLC Sound Recording Copyright 2026 by Audible Originates LL.