“I’m thinking we might be able to shave off some distance if we cut cross country,” he continued before I could reply. “I’m fairly certain trying to find the roads from the highway isn’t going to help us any. They’ll be closed off and unplowed, making them just as difficult to cross. What do you think?”
“Have you got a compass, Boy Scout?” I asked worriedly, as I looked up, only to get snow in my eyes. Blinking rapidly, I stared at him. “I’m just thinking we don’t have much to guide us in the way of landmarks.”
“Did I not say I was an Eagle Scout? Of course I have a compass! It’s just a small one though, on the tip of the flashlight on my key chain.”
“Ooh, a flashlight, too. You are Mr. Prepared,” I teased. “Forgive me if I offended you.”
Sniffing as if I’d greatly put him out, he pretended to consider. “I’ll think about it. I’d never drag you off into the country without knowing where I was going. But, if you prefer to stay on the road, there’s always the chance that someone else or a plow may come by. I was just trying to save some hiking time. As far as landmarks, many cabins run along the edge of the river. If we follow it we are bound to hit one, eventually.”
“Let’s follow the river, then. It seems like the most direct route and it doesn’t curve around too much, from what I remember.”
“The river it is.” Adjusting our course, we made our way down the embankment on the other side, pausing to carefully climb over a barbed wire fence, before continuing to trudge on. Right away, we both realized this was going to be a long, arduous journey.
Chapter Four
My legs felt like gelatin, rubber sticks that couldn’t possibly hold my weight up for much longer. All conversation between Micah and me had stopped, except what was absolutely necessary. I’d lost track of the number of fences we’d scaled and was now feeling so slow that soon Micah would have to practically drag me along behind him. Despite my warm clothing, it seemed as if one sharp kick to my limbs would shatter them into pieces.
Micah’s heavy breathing mixed in the quiet air with mine. There were no other sounds except our feet crunching through the snow and the babble of water in the middle of the creek where it wasn’t quite frozen over, yet.
“You doing okay?” Micah puffed out, glancing over his shoulder at me. “Do we need to stop and take a break?”
“I’m afraid if we do, I’ll never get moving, again. Let’s just keep pressing forward.”
“All right. There’s bound to be a cabin soon; but it’s hard to see ahead with the snow still coming down so hard.”
“I know. I hope we do find something quickly. I don’t know how much longer I can stand this. I can’t even imaging how you are doing—carrying that pack like you are.”
“Keep hanging in there, Felicity. You’re tough. You always have been. I promise I’ll get you to safety, somehow.” He dug the key ring from his pocket again, checking our course. Things must’ve been good because he continued on without speaking.
The trees grew thicker and came clear down to the water’s edge in places, causing us to weave around in and out of them to make any progress. We tried to keep the river to our left, but occasionally had to wander away, depending on how clumped the roots and underbrush were. Micah was relying heavily on the compass to keep us headed in the right direction; and I was extremely grateful for his preparedness when we finally got back to the water’s edge, after traveling some distance away from it and around the dense forest areas.
“How are you doing?” he asked, again.
“I’m exhausted.” I moved closer to the edge of the river where some of the heavy drifts gave way to smoother icy surfaces. My legs hurt badly, even though they were numb from the cold.
“Felicity, I wouldn’t walk so close. Who knows how thick the ice is?”
Too late. I heard the cracking sound beneath my feet and one of my legs broke through into the shallow depths beneath, causing me to lose my balance completely. Falling hard against the ice, it shattered, plunging the entire left side of my body into the freezing water. My bitter shriek rang through the air at the shock.
“Felicity!” Caleb shouted, reaching out and extending his hand, while trying to stay off the ice, himself. Gripping me strongly, he gave me the leverage to pull myself back up. “Are you hurt?” he asked as I fell into the snow bank, shivering violently.
Unable to speak because my mouth was chattering so badly, I merely shook my head no.
“We need to find shelter right away. You’re going to get hypothermia if we don’t.” Visions of him building an igloo at our currently location suddenly filled my head. It still sounded cold, though, and the thought wasn’t very comforting.
Holding my hand toward him, I signaled for him to pull me up. “We need to keep moving.” I managed to choke out through my pin prickled lips.
“Aw, please don’t cry. I don’t think my heart can take it,” he moaned, as he wrapped his arm around my waist and helped me to my feet. My whole body hurt. “What do you think about me helping you change clothes? I know your coat is wet, too; but we could at least get you partially dry with the extras we brought.”
I could hardly move. He’d have to strip me down and redress me, but modesty was the least of my worries at the moment. “Okay,” I muttered. I’d take any dry I could get.
Holding me up, Micah glanced around. “It looks like there’s a nice over hang in the branches of those trees just down the way. Can you make it there? That will give us a little cover from the snowfall, at least while we peel you out of these things.”
Nodding, a loud groan escaped me as I stepped forward, the cold water squishing through my boot and sharp cold pains shot through my leg. I hobbled slowly toward the trees with Micah guiding me, trying to keep my teeth from chattering and body shivers to a minimum. I could tell he was worried.
When we finally reached the intended area, he propped me against the tree and went for the buttons on my jacket.
“M . . . Micah, look,” I said, lifting my hand and pointing through the trees behind him. “C . . . Cabin.”
Turning, he squinted through the snow. “I don’t see it.”
“I . . . I don’t either, b . . . but I swear I saw it.” My teeth were banging together hard and I was shaking violently.
“Are you okay right here for a moment?” he asked, lifting his gloved hand to brush some of my wet hair past my shoulder and I nodded, sliding down the trunk of the tree so I could sit, my legs unable to hold me any longer. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
I would’ve laughed if I could’ve. There was no way I was moving. Period .
The swirling snow quickly enveloped him as he disappeared in the direction I pointed. A moment of panic passed over me. It was like watching my lifeline evaporate. I knew I wouldn’t make it without him; and suddenly, I was so extremely grateful for the comfort of having him beside me. I realized in that moment that I did, indeed, trust him with my life.
Staring off into the mist white, I folded my arms tightly around me, attempting to preserve some of my rapidly diminishing body heat. It seemed like he was gone for a long time and I tried to listen carefully for any crunch of his boots, but everything seemed so quiet.
Finally, he reappeared, like some sort of ghostly apparition in front of me. A sigh of relief escaped me. “You were right. There’s a cabin just across a small clearing from us. There’s a fence we’ll need to climb around the property, but it looks like there’s a woodshed, too. I think we’re in luck.
Twisting my mouth in what I hoped was a smile, I stared at him weakly. “Good.”
“Can you walk?”
“Don’t know.” Numbness was quickly settling completely through my body. Grabbing me by the arms, he pulled me to my feet.
“Where’s the bag?” I asked, noticing his back was bare.
“I left it by the fence so I could help you more. I think I’m going to need to carry you.” Bending quickly, he easily swept me off my feet. I was mortified.
“No! Too heavy,” I chattered.
“Whatever. Even sopping wet you’re like carrying a bag of feathers.” He moved along rather quickly, following the previous trail he’d cut through the snow. I did my best to hang onto his neck, hoping my wet clothes wouldn’t make him too uncomfortable. Allowing myself the luxury of leaning my head against his broad shoulder, I closed my eyes, not wanting to see any more snow, simply wishing I could fall asleep.
“Stay awake, Felicity,” Micah shouted in my ear, shaking me. “Do you hear me? Don’t go to sleep!”
“So tired,” I whispered, letting my eyes drift shut, again.
“Felicity! If you don’t open your eyes I’m going to drop you in the snow right now!” His voice sounded funny, like he was afraid.
My eyelids fluttered open and I stared up at his square masculine chin. He was so handsome. “W . . . what’s wrong?”
He glanced down at me, his concern evident. “It’s too cold. You can’t go to sleep. Besides, I need you awake to get you over the fence. I can’t climb it and carry you, too.”
“O . . . Okay.” A fresh set of shivers raced through me. I didn’t think I would ever be warm again. “How far?”
“We’re almost to the fence where I left the bag. When we get there, I’ll lift you clear of the barbed wire, but it’s up to you to get your feet under you and stand on the other side. Otherwise, you’ll fall.”
“All right.” I couldn’t manage speaking more than one or two words at a time. I’d willingly try to do anything he asked me at this point. All I wanted was to be in that cabin.
“Here we go,” Micah said when we reached the fence. “Are you ready?” I nodded and he lifted me over, dropping my feet from his arms so I could stand. “I’m going to let go now.”
“Okay,” I replied. He released me and my legs crumpled beneath me, sending me face first down into the snow. I couldn’t even manage to put my hands out to break my fall.
I heard him hop the fence and then he was standing beside me, scooping me into his arms once more. “The bag,” I said, noticing it still sitting on the ground as we walked away.
“I’ll come back for it. We need to get you inside, first.”
I wanted to weep with relief when he climbed the steps to the wide covered porch. The place was dark inside, but he kicked the door with his foot anyway, in an attempt at a knock. Setting me carefully into a wooden, outdoor rocking chair, he first tried the doorknob before he looked around, spying a small hatchet hanging from a hook on the wall near the far end. “This ought to work,” he said, aiming it for one of the small square glass panes in the window of the door.
The sound of breaking glass filled the air and he used the hatchet to clear all the shards before sticking his hand through and turning the lock. The door swung open.
Dropping the hatchet, he gathered me in his arms and ushered me inside. “Dang. It’s not much warmer in here is it?” A recliner was situated in a cozy looking living area around an empty wood-burning fireplace. He deposited me there before opening the two other doors that led to other rooms. A few minutes later, I heard water running and he reappeared.
“We’re in luck. They have a gas water heater that’s full of hot water. I’m going to stick you in the shower and let you warm up while I run out and get the bag. Then I’ll get a fire started.”
I didn’t argue as he helped me into the bathroom, even the warm steam felt inviting. He helped me shrug from my coat and boots and put me inside the tub, clothes and all.
“I figured you were wet all ready and the important thing is to warm you up. Sit in here and relax, okay? I’ll be right back to help you get out of your clothes, but I don’t want that bag to get soaked out in the weather.”
I nodded and he hurried to the door. “Micah!” I called weakly and he turned to face me. “Thank you. For everything.”
He winked at me. “Anytime, baby. I do anything for you.” He disappeared before I could say anything else. I settled my head back against the wall, relishing the warmth seeping into my clothing around me as the shower slowly filled the tub with water. My skin burned and prickled with the change in temperature, but I didn’t care. It was heat; and it was wonderful to start feeling my body parts, again. I’d be content to sleep right here, right now, if I didn’t think I’d drown.
Staring through the steamy room at the closed door, I felt very thankful that after going through such an ordeal, it was with Micah. He’d worked so hard to get me here, even though he was injured, too. As soon as I could stop shaking, I would see if there were supplies here to take care of him.
Chapter Five
I finally managed to stand. After peeling off the rest of my clothes, I released the drain in the tub, letting the water run out. Eyeing a bottle of shampoo in the corner, I poured a generous amount in my hand. It was so cold I was surprised it wasn’t frozen. I lathered my hair before vigorously rubbing it over the rest of my body, trying to get my blood flowing, again. When I finally turned the water off, I realized my dilemma. The room was still chilly and I was completely wet, with no dry clothes. I was shaking, again, by the time I finished wringing out my clothes and hanging them over the shower rod.
As far choosing a cabin to break into, I felt like we were fairly lucky from what I’d seen so far. The place seemed to be well furnished and cared for. The thick, plush towels hanging on the rack beside the tub attested to that fact. Drying off with one, I wrapped it tightly around my body, tucking it in at the top of my chest, before grabbing the second one and twisting it around my head. Opening the door, I was greeted immediately by the flickering flames of a roaring fire in the fireplace.
“Micah?” I called, not seeing him anywhere.
“I’m upstairs. Be right down.” His voice carried through the cabin and I heard his boots clunking down the stairs. “I was finding a quilt for you to cuddle up—.” He stopped speaking as he came into the room, his eyes drifting over me as he swallowed hard. Suddenly I felt self-conscious.
“Sorry about the towels.” I apologized. “My clothes were wet and I didn’t have anything else.”
“You’re fine,” he replied, moving toward the fire and holding the blanket in front of it. “I can see you’re still shivering, though. Let’s get this around you and get you warmed up. My bag got wet outside and some of our stuff is damp. That’s why I didn’t bring them to you. I was going to dry them first.”
I walked over to the fire, anxious to feel its warmth, and held my hands close to it. “No worries. I know you’ve been busy trying to help me. Thank you.”
He smiled, making my heart flutter. “You’re welcome. Let’s wrap you in this.” Draping the blanket over me, I couldn’t contain the sigh that escaped me when it touched my skin.
“This feels like heaven.”
“Would you like me to drag that recliner a little closer, so you can lay in it?” he asked.
“No, thank you. I think I’ll just sit right here on the floor in front of the flames for right now. I want to be as close as I can.”
“Just be careful to keep the blanket away from it. I don’t want you getting that hot!”
“Okay,” I replied, laughing as I sat down on the thick rug and tucked the blanket beneath my feet. “Did you happen to find any Band-Aids in your search of the house? I wanted to fix that gash on your head.” I stared up at him as he shrugged out of his coat.
“I didn’t make it that far, yet; but I’ll look.”
“I can go look. You don’t have to do everything. Come sit down and rest for awhile. You’ve had a rough day, too.”
“You’re the one who almost froze to death. I’d appreciate it if you’d stay right where you are. I can go look for medical supplies. Hopefully they have something for a headache, too.”
“Are you sure you’re all right? What if you have an internal head injury or a concussion?” Fear laced through me. I couldn’t let anything bad happen to him. “Did you check to see if we have any cell service?”
&
nbsp; “I did. There’s nothing. But don’t worry, I’m fine. I just think some of the aches from the accident are catching up with me, not to mention our very long, treacherous hike.”
“We both need to rest.” I patted the place beside me. “Come sit with me.”
“Give me just a few more minutes, okay? Then I’ll settle down next to you.” I watched him as he walked toward the kitchen area and began moving the dining chairs one by one close to the fire. Then he opened his bag and began lifting out articles of clothing, carefully draping them over the chairs. “It shouldn’t take too long for these to dry. They didn’t get very wet; but I didn’t want you in damp clothes, considering how cold you already were.”
“That works for me.”
Once he’d hung our spare clothing, including our underwear, which seemed sort of risqué, looking at them laying there next to each other, he took out our food and electronic devices. “Thankfully, all of these things look okay.”
“Good. I practically live on my iPad,” I said with a laugh.
“I know what you mean. I take mine everywhere.” He glanced over at me. “Are you hungry?”
“A little. But I want you to go look for Band-Aids, first. I can’t relax looking at that deep cut.”
He shook his head and chuckled. “All right. I’ll be right back. The master bedroom is upstairs, with it’s own bathroom. That’s probably the best place to look.”
“Do we have electricity here?”
“It’s not on. I already checked. But the hot water heater and the cooking stove are both gas, with pilot lights, plus we have the fireplace. I will scavenge around for any food they might have stored here.”
“Your head, first.” I reminded him.
“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled. “I kind of like it when you’re bossy.”
I rolled my eyes. “Go on.” I laughed to myself as he disappeared back up the stairs. It was incredible how at ease I felt around him, as if his earlier explanations had washed away the year of hurting that had built up inside me. Having him gone from my life had left a huge hole in my heart. We may have been young, but there was no doubt I was in love with him. I used to dream of our future together and what it would be like. When would we get married? What jobs would we have? How many kids? I imagined us old together, with our grandkids sitting on our knees as we looked over their heads and smiled at one another from our rocking chairs. I just knew our life with each other would be amazing.