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3
ASPEN
Tearing another small piece of fabric from the bottom of my shirt, I twist it, making sure it won’t rip more than I want it to. I drape it over my leg and pick up the two sticks I’ve selected. They were the straightest and most stable looking I could find.
I try to line them along my leg while wrapping the makeshift string around and quickly realize that making a brace looks much easier on TV than it does in real life.
It takes me another five minutes before finally getting the thing on and feeling like it’s helping more than hurting. Once I feel it’s secure, I try again to put some weight on my leg, slightly pushing myself off the ground.
“Motherfucker!” I curse out loud in pain, dropping back onto my ass quicker than I even thought about getting up.
Just when I thought this couldn’t get any worse, the clouds above me turn an angry gray. The wind picks up, growing colder with each second, and my shaking intensifies. The only plus side is that my leg is still numb and only hurts when I try to move it.
Looking around, I consider my options of remaining where I am or moving. I doubt I’ll be able to get far on my hands and knees, and with the storm moving in, my visibility will lessen. The worst possible case would be to get caught in a storm, the cold being the biggest contender. If I don’t find shelter, I’ll die out here. I can tell, feel it with every thump of my still-beating heart.
I blink back the tears in my eyes; this isn’t over yet. The trembling of my body intensifies, and I reach for the second flare gun out of desperation. It’s darker now, so maybe the first flare was missed, or maybe they’ve sent someone out to find me already.
Shooting the gun now might help them locate me better. I nod my head at the thought and lift the flare gun into the air, ready to shoot it. At the last moment, I freeze.
What if this is my last chance? What if no one is looking for me yet? What if no one saw the shot?I look up at the gun, my arm still raised in the air. No matter what I do, the risk of death is imminent. I have to at least try.
We weren’t that far from Corium when we crashed. Letting out a sigh, I pull the trigger, sending the last hope of being found into the air. I watch it explode, lighting up the night sky.
The wind continues to pick up, so I wrap my arms tighter around my middle, wishing for a blanket and a cup of Brittney’s hot cocoa. The thought of never seeing her again hits me right in the chest.
I didn’t even say goodbye. In fact, I didn’t really think anything through before I climbed on that helicopter. All I knew was that I had to get out of that school; to think being out here in the forest all alone terrifies me as much as being in that school. At least there I had the warmth of my room, a bed, and a meal in my belly. Well, if you can call those shakes a meal.
Everyone hated me, and I was miserable, but I was safe, kinda. At the very least, I wasn’t freezing to death like I am out here. The wind whips through the trees, and the first drops of rain fall just as the tears I’ve been keeping at bay slip down my cheeks.
I drop my chin to my chest and squeeze my eyes shut, knowing that this is the end for me. I’m going to die. The tears continue to fall, and I don’t even bother to wipe them away. My body shakes, shivering uncontrollably as the icy rain comes down harder.
Harsh wind and rain pound against my already beaten body. It’s all I feel, all I can hear… until there is something else. It’s like a whisper through the trees, a small light in the darkness. I brush it off, not wanting to plant a seed of hope.
Aspen…I can almost hear Quinton calling my name. Maybe I’m going insane. Or I’m already dead, and this is hell. Quinton won’t come for me. Then I hear it again. This time it’s clearer than before.
“Aspen!” a voice booms through the storm, and adrenaline pumps in my veins again at the thought of a rescue. I try to move, pushing away from the tree, but the numbness in my legs makes it impossible, and I end up on my side on the wet ground.
Fear of them missing me zips down my spine, and I yell out against the wind, “I’m here. I’m right here.”
Fat drops of rain pelt my face, but I continue to stare in the direction of the voice. I spot a flash of light through the trees and lift my arms, flailing them so that I’m seen.
The light moves, and it looks like it’s coming toward me.
Oh, god. I’ve been found. I’m being rescued.
“Aspen?” The voice that says my name connects to an image in my mind, and I look up as he points the flashlight in his hand down at my face.
Quinton.
“Fuck… Are you okay? Can you walk?”
I shake my head, still shocked he’s standing here in front of me. Maybe this is a dream?
He drops to his haunches so he can look me in the eye. His deep voice garners my attention, and when his fingers grasp my chin, I almost melt into his hand. “I know you’re in shock and probably hurt, but we need to move fast, or we’re gonna freeze to death.”
All I can do is shake my head slightly. I know we’re going to freeze because I’m halfway there already.
“The truck I drove out here broke down, but if we can make it back, we’ll at least have shelter for the night.”
