AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Maybe two of us can keep going and two can stay behind and radio for Olavi?” Doris said. “Alice and I can stay.”
“I’m not staying out here with the bears,” Alice barked.
“Wait. Bears? Here? Right now?” Doris whipped her head back and forth. “Nevermind. I don’t want to stay with the bears either!”
“No one is staying with the bears,” Marge said decidedly. “It’s gonna be tight, but we can all squeeze on the one snowmobile.
“Will we all fit?” I asked.
“We’re gonna have to.” Marge shrugged. “No other option if we want to make it on time. We could radio Olavi to come get us, but that could take a while. Your call.”
“If we can fit, we go,” I said quickly. “I need to get to Rachel.”
“Then let’s get going.” Marge pushed up off her knees, and we followed her back to the remaining snowmobile. After getting it turned around facing the correct way, she climbed on first. “Okay. Sylvie, behind me. Doris, behind Sylvie. Alice, you’re going to sit sideways across my lap.”
“Won’t I fall off?” she asked.
“I won’t let you fall. And thank God for that puffy snowsuit so your boney ass doesn’t dig into my thighs. Now, everyone climb on. Squish tight and let’s go!”
I jumped on behind Marge, and Doris jumped on behind me. It was extremely tight, and taking a deep breath proved difficult, but it was manageable.
“You’re up! Hop on!” Marge patted her lap.
“But my dresses! They won’t fit!” Alice stared at the Louis Vuitton bag she’d laid across the hood of the snowmobile.
Marge huffed. “Forget the dresses, Alice! They’re gone! A lost cause!”
“But ... those are couture! I can’t just leave them here!”
“If you want to stay with them, that’s your choice. But we’re leaving. Now.”
Alice glanced at the dresses then let out a small wail as she lifted the bag and pressed it to her chest. “Mommy, loves you, my babies,” she said to the bag. “I’m so sorry. I’m so so sorry. You didn’t deserve this fate. None of you did. You were wonderful couture, and you’ll live on in photos.”
“It’s okay, Alice,” I soothed. “Set them next to the other snowmobile, and Olavi will find them when he comes for it.”
“They won’t survive in the wild that long,” she sighed. “It’s over. They’re goners. A true fashion tragedy.”
“Should we say a few words?” Doris asked.
“Cripes! We don’t have time for this!” Marge said. “Drop the bag and get your bony ass on my lap.”
Alice frowned then gently laid her bag on the ground on the side of the trail, blowing it a soft kiss before climbing onto Marge’s lap.
“Chin up, Alice,” Marge said. “On the bright side, there are gonna be some well-dressed bears trouncing around Finland.”
Alice glared, and Marge flipped her visor down. “Visors down, and let’s go!”
We flipped our visors as well, and I grabbed Marge’s waist tight and prepared for the impulsion I knew was coming. We took off like a shot, and I heard a little muffled squeal from Doris behind me as her grip tightened. We flew down the trail, our lone headlight illuminating the winding path through the woods, though the increasing snow made it more and more difficult to see as we progressed.
I glanced at my watch. If Olavi was right, we should be arriving near the outskirts of the city soon. I stared over Marge’s shoulder and Alice’s head as I watched with bated breath for any sign of civilization. Finally, when I’d started to lose hope and worried we’d taken a wrong turn and were lost in the woods, a flicker of lights shone through the trees.
The city! We’d made it!
With hope fluttering inside my heart that I may be reunited with Rachel tomorrow, I squeezed Marge tighter as she guided the snowmobile down the small hill toward the lights ahead.
She slowed to a stop and flipped up her visor. “This is it! We can hop off the snowmobiles here and call for a cab to grab us on the road right up there. I’m going to hide the key for Olavi and take a quick picture. I’ll let him know where this snowmobile is and about where we left the last one. He should have no problems finding them tomorrow.”
“I can’t believe we made it!” Doris squealed as she jumped off.
