Page 54 of Mountain Impact

“Good.”

Good?

The shiver intensified.

“Amélie, come on, we need to get out of here.”

Amélie didn’t react to her words. Instead, she began speaking in a strange monotone.

“What I told you on the phone was true, you know. I’ve realized I can’t go on without Pierre.”

“It’ll get easier, Amélie, it’ll―”

Amélie raised her hand imperiously, raising her voice. “No. What I mean is, I don’t want to go on without Pierre.” Her eyes narrowed. “But I don’t think Pierre and I should be the only ones to pay. Not when you were the one who let him die.”

“What?”

“He trusted you. The last time he went to see you, he was so relaxed afterwards. Somehow, I think you put the idea in his mind.”

The jab hit deep. Isolde had often wondered exactly the same thing―if Pierre could have misinterpreted anything she said. The fog made it hard to think―it surrounded their bodies but also seemed to be clouding her mind.

Had Pierre given any warning that day that she’d ignored?

Isolde steeled herself against the familiar guilt. She couldn’t change what had happened a year earlier―but she could still try to help Amélie.

“No. You have to listen to me, Amélie, I had no idea. I would never―”

“I knew you’d try to talk your way out of this.” The young woman’s eyebrows almost joined together in the middle of her forehead, her face a mask of hatred. “It’s what you do, right? You’ve convinced everyone that it wasn’t your fault.”

“As much as I regret Pierre’s death, it wasn’t my fault, Amélie,” Isolde said softly. “Come on, let’s head back down and talk about this.”

Amélie went on as if Isolde hadn’t spoken.

“I’ll let you in on a secret. When Pierre died, I was pregnant. I hadn’t told him yet. It was my secret. I was almost three months along, but he was so sad about that stupid job, it never seemed like the right moment to tell him. So I waited.”

“Oh no, Amélie,” Isolde said. “I’m so sorry.” Her hand reached out towards the woman, even though there were still a few bodies of air between them. “What happened to the baby?”

“It happens sometimes, the doctors said. But I think the baby just wanted to go with Pierre. And now, it’s time for me to join them both.”

Isolde’s heart thundered. She wondered if she was the only one who could hear it.

“It’s not the answer, Amélie. I know it hurts now, but―”

“Shut up, just shut up,” Amélie said. She pressed her hand against her temple, hard. “You weren’t there when Pierre needed you, and he took his own life. Now you’re going to jump too.”

“What? Have you lost your mind, Amélie?

In response, Amélie dug into her backpack and came up with a gun. She brought the barrel up, so it pointed straight at Isolde. Fury burned in the widow’s eyes.

“Is that Pierre’s weapon?” Isolde asked, unnecessarily.

“Nobody ever asked me for it, so I kept it. As a souvenir―I never thought I’d use it. But it’s fitting, isn’t it? I’ve been practicing in the forest. If you don’t jump, I’ll have to shoot you.”

Isolde was frozen in terror. She dug her nails into her palms and took a deep breath.

Isolde imbued her shaking voice with as much strength as she could. “I’m not going to jump, Amelie.”

Amélie tightened her finger on the trigger.