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The asshole has fallenasleep as we ascend the Sawtooth Mountain Range. Our family cabin is close to the main road, although we passed it ten miles back. The snowflakes have turned to the size of saucers in the hour since exiting onto the mountain roads toward Tofte.
I push at his shoulders, waking him up. “What, we there?”
“No, we’re not fucking there. I’m driving slower than a grandma going to church on Sunday. I need your eyes to keep a lookout.”
“Um, sorry?” he asks, still half asleep.
“Snow drifts pile up quickly, and they cover the lines on the road.”
“Sure, no problem.” I glance over briefly at Clark, and he’s holding onto his door with white knuckles.
“You okay, man?” This isn’t the cool and collected Clark Farmer, and I know it has every bit to do with his father’s fatal car accident two years ago. Clark Farmer is the calm and collected ray of sunshine, and people fall over themselves to be in his space.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just drive, eyes on the road.”
The snowfall is faster than my windshield wipers can keep up with, even on the quickest speed. Clark is quiet as we continue to the resort with each slow mile. “It’s coming down harder and harder. I’m unsure if we should continue to the retreat. Maybe…”
“Maybe what? We can’t just sit in the car overnight.” His words are delivered with an urgency and a frenzy I’ve not heard from Clark in the twenty years I’ve known him.
“Yes, you’re right, Einstein.” I remain calm. No reason for the both of us to freak the fuck out. “My family cabin is back about ten miles. Let me turn around, and we can hunker down there for the night.” I stop in the middle of the road to check cell service, which is sparse up here. “It doesn’t look like we have a signal, but our cabin has a landline. I’ll call Micah to let them know we’re stuck for the night. Hopefully, tomorrow we can make it.”
We’ll be there in less than a half hour. I don’t expect other vehicles on the road, but I don’t want to take my chances and begin a three-point turn to commence in the other direction. “You can also inform Rex Helms since you two are attached at the hip. That way, no one will think I killed you.” It’s meant as a tease to lighten the mood.
I don’t know why I care. I shouldn’t worry about his comfort at this moment. We wouldn’t be in this predicament if we had gotten an earlier start. “Hey, man, you hear me?” I ask, cranking the wheel as I reverse, attempting to stay on the road, as something pulls the car back when I try to drive forward. “Ah, fuck, hold on.” I crank the wheel in a different direction to give me more traction, and the tires begin to spin. But as I ease off the gas because it’s doing nothing, the car is pulled into the large ditch on the other side of the road. “Fuck.” I hit my steering wheel as if adding bruised hands to this already fucked up situation would help.
“Fuck, what, Lynol? What the hell is happening?”
“We’re stuck.” Not only are we stuck, but the car is also at an angle as if we’re about to launch into space and my windshield is broken on the driver’s side window.
“And?”
“We’ve passed the turn to my cabin almost ten miles ago. There’s no way in these conditions we can make it, but there’s an old friend’s cabin, which is less than a mile back. I know it’s going to be hard, but…”
“I’m not staying in this car only to freeze to death.” He begins to open his door, but his side is against the earth of the ditch.
I push at mine the best I can while on my back, staring at all the snow descending on us. “It looks as if we can get out on my side. Hand me the tire iron in the glove compartment, would you?” He doesn’t ask me why I have one. I’d found a small one that fits perfectly I could use for defense if needed. He gives it to me without question, and I clear the glass away to avoid cuts. “You’ll have to try to crawl over, but let me climb down first. And if the car shifts, I’d rather it not fall on me.” I’m waiting for some sort of comeback or snide comment. It doesn’t come. It’s how I know Clark isn’t simply scared but he’s petrified.
“Hey, man. We can’t pull anything out of the trunk since it’s at the bottom of the ditch. Do you have a heavy coat or anything you can use in your backpack?”
“Yeah, it’s lighter, but it’s in the back seat. I’ll try to grab it when I shift over to your side.”
“Mine is back there, too. Do you mind grabbing it?” I ask.
“Sure.” His voice wavers, and this has turned into a life-or-death situation in a matter of minutes. It won’t be helpful if Clark freaks out on me, so I handle him with care.
He begins to shiver, and my own body temperature is affected by the blowing snow hitting both of us.
I can push myself up and swing my legs over the open window, though it’s challenging. “Wish you worked more on your pull-ups and not running your mouth all the time, Lynol.” It’s good to hear him joke. Maybe he won’t go into shock.
I’m attempting to compute how far up in the air I am. With the car’s width, I can’t imagine it’s more than ten feet, but I don’t climb down because I’m not willing to take the chance and accidentally pull the vehicle over onto me. We have a mile to hike in this snow. The last thing I need is a twisted ankle. I stretch it out a little due to the cold already kicking in.
“Can you just jump already? I have it harder than you, so…” I ignore Clark’s whining and push off, landing on my hands and knees in the soft, deep snow.
“Did you break your neck?” In his question, I can hear his teeth clattering.
“You seem optimistic at the thought, Farmer,” I return. “Okay, instead of running your mouth, let’s go!” I holler loud enough for him to hear me.
“Hold on to your panties there, Xan. I need to grab both packs.”
