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My crampons bite into the thin cracks, gaining precarious purchase as I pull myself up. Hand over hand, foot over foot, I inch upward through sheer force of will. The wind threatens to rip me off and send me plummeting. But I grit my teeth, focusing solely on each tiny bit of progress.
My pounding heart betrays my underlying fear.
Each new handhold splinters like glass against my battered fingertips as frostbite begins taking its ruthless toll. I think about Rylan, wishing I would have swallowed my pride and stayed with him.
But as the next ridge nears, hope flickers. Once that crest is reached, safer terrain awaits. Just a little longer enduring this hazardous path. Each precarious step brings me closer to deliverance from peril.
I grit my teeth against the agony, pushing away from the sheer rock face. Upward is the only escape. The clumsy climb persists, fingers numb and fumbling on the icy holds. My heart thunders, the chill of terror sinking deeper.
But the distant ridge offers a lifeline. Beyond lies kinder ground. With steely patience, these threatening heights can be outlasted. I must prevail.
I pause to catch my breath, taking stock of my climbing gear. My carabiners are still securely fastened, the belay device locked in place. I tug on the rope anchored above, testing its stability. It holds firm. Small miracles out here.
Reaching into my pack, I grab an energy gel for a quick boost. I'll need it for this next tricky section studded with loose shale and sheer ice. The meager sugar rush helps steady my nerves.
Scanning above, I plot my route through the jagged outcroppings. Just a hundred more feet of technical climbing, and I'll be clear of this danger zone. I repeat my grandmother's mantra. Courage, wisdom, strength.
Nearly an hour later, I finally haul myself over the last icy ledge, clearing the hazard at last. Arms trembling, I collapse and gulp thin air, allowing myself a brief rest after conquering the mountain's latest trial.
Approaching the crumbling rock face, I pull out a collapsible trekking pole from my pack, extending it to probe ahead. The pole helps distribute my weight and prevent slipping on the slippery slope. Slowly but surely, I edge my way across the hazard.
The wind whips my hair as I climb higher, threatening to throw me off balance. I stop to wrap a buff tightly around my head, restoring equilibrium. Being caught unprepared, even for a moment, could mean disaster.
I'm near the ridge when a low rumble shakes the mountainside. I look up to see a blanket of snow peeling off the rocky outcroppings above.An avalanche. Barreling straight toward me!
Perched on the narrow ledge, there's no shelter or alcoves to take cover in. I'm utterly exposed to the oncoming snow. Acting on instinct, I drive my axe hard into a crack, tying myself to it just as the avalanche hits with tremendous force.
The crushing wall of snow pummels relentlessly, nearly wrenching my grip free. I cling desperately as the anchor line strains and creaks, threatening to give way. The barrage is blinding and disorienting. I can't even tell which way is up, completely at the avalanche's mercy.
My tether catches, wrenching me to an agonizing stop, a worrying snap resonating through the line. Blackness takes mebriefly before I find myself dangling thousands of feet above the valley, pain searing through my body.
“Rylan,” I whimper weakly, wishing he were here.
The pain means I'm alive. I didn't sustain paralysis. I kick frantically, seeking any purchase on the sheer cliffside. The rope cuts cruelly into my ribs, my full weight suspended from the anchors above. Each breath is a monumental struggle as I face the possibility of imminent death.
Summoning my last vestiges of strength, I pull myself up inch by torturous inch until I reach the ledge, collapsing in a battered heap. I lay gasping, taking stock of my injuries, stunned to have survived. The wind howls as if mocking my suffering.
But looking down, I’ve barely made progress after an entire grueling day of climbing. I crossed the point of no return some time ago. Tears burn my eyes as the bleak reality sets in. I pushed too far up this hellish route. Now escape is impossible.
As exhaustion weighs down my battered body, all I can think of is Rylan. Why? I never needed a man before in my life. Why him? Why now? Why does it feel so natural to crave his presence, even if all he’ll do is lecture me?
I feel so weak. I have to do this on my own. Having no choice, I dig into the side of the mountain, creating myself a small cavern to set up camp for the night. I can only pray tomorrow I’ll make it much further.
I have no choice.
It’s climb or die.
11
RYLAN
It’s been over an hour since I had eyes on her. I knew she was going to get in trouble, but the avalanche was not something I foresaw. I scramble up my own cliffside in double time, the thin air burning my lungs. In a mad dash, I traverse the rocky slopes, searching for any sign of her.
The image is seared into my mind, the massive blanket of snow tearing free from the rocky outcroppings high above. Time slowed as the cascade gained momentum, barreling down the steep incline towards the sheer drop-off.
Up ahead, a sheer cliff face emerges from the mist. My heart sinks as I spot a lone figure perching desperately halfway up the precipitous incline.It's Iara!
She's carved out a makeshift hollow in the snowpack, trying to shelter herself from the elements. Rushing to the cliff's edge, waves of relief and fear crash over me. She's alive but trapped on the hazardous route she stubbornly chose. Her gear and supplies are strewn haphazardly across the narrow ledge where she cowers. She won't survive long in this state.
