I took a bracing breath. I slid down the remaining rungs so only my hands held me in Owen’s too-large gloves. I was slipping with every second; the jump would be made with or without my consent.
“Three … Two … One … Happy New Year!” I screamed as I let go.
The ground came up so much faster than I thought it would. It was both hard and squishy. It moaned with anoomph.
That wasn’t the ground; that was Owen. His strong arms once again banded around me.
He was shouting questions at me that I could hardly make out through the blood pounding in my ears.
“I did it! I did it! Oh my God, I did it!” I shouted, flailing my arms in victory. I think I hit his face as he continued to brace my hips.
“You did it!” he shouted, a goofy grin on his features as he moved the flashlight to inspect me.
“I feel like a god! I should book a backpacking trip to Europe. I should skydive. I should finally sign up for that fitness class!” Even I could tell that last one was a promise I wouldn’t keep outside the heat of the moment.
I spun and realized I was now straddling him where he lay supine on the ground. “Why are you lying down?”
“For the view,” he said dryly.
“Not really the time.” I scooted off him, slipping as I came to stand. I held out a hand and helped lift him. I was strong.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asked.
“No, no, I’m fine. Are you?” I patted his face.
“I’m fine. You hit my junk when you landed, but other than that, I’m fine.”
“Oops, sorry.”
“I’m used to it. I’m gonna tie us together now. Hold the flashlight,” he explained.
I couldn’t stop whooping as he tied us together. I kept hitting his arms—in a loving way. “I can’t believe we did it.”
“I’m just relieved to be on the ground.” He tugged on the rope, testing the knot, and I fell into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and jumped up to kiss his face. I was high on adrenaline and not shattering my bones. He blinked dazedly down at me before a wind pushed me further against him.
“Let’s get moving,” he said, but not before bending to press one more kiss against my cheek. It thrilled me.
I didn’t care if it was motivated by his brush with death. I still liked it.
“Stay as close as possible,” he instructed.
“You know where to go?” I tilted to see around him, but as was the theme of the day, I only saw a darkness.
The problem with being on the ground now was that the emergency cabin had completely disappeared. I was completely turned around and discombobulated from the jump and couldn’t even tell which way was up. It was still so eerie that anything could be seen at all. Blackness was all around where the flashlight wasn’t. In the light, the beam showed drifts ofwhite and never-ending snow falling sideways, like a bad dream impossible to wake from.
He turned in the direction of the supposed cabin, which was, unfortunately, directly into the wind. I had my eyes mostly closed, holding the flashlight, but feeling my way and being mostly pulled along by Owen. His size and strength brought me comfort. It was unimaginably loud. I hadn’t expected that. Only the comforting crunch of his boots could be heard, in addition to the screaming wind battering at my face and neck.
The bags on my feet were a terrible idea. Sure, they were dry, but I had no traction. I gave up trying to stomp through the shin-deep snow after only a few yards. Instead, I attempted to glide, being carried along as I was.
By the third fall, Owen stopped and turned.
“Maybe the bags weren’t such a good idea,” I shouted.
He looked down at me and then behind him. “It’s okay. We aren’t that far.” He bent and scooped me up.
“Owen! You can’t carry the bag and me!” I tried to grab the straps of the bag. “At least let me carry the bag.”
He looked at me, waiting.
