Stuck in the Snow
1009 Words
*Ashley*
My heart races as the car spins wildly, the world outside a blur of white and dark trees. And the whole life flashing before your eyes kinda proves to be true… Well not my whole life, just the fact that I kinda have no life, and I won’t have one as long as I live in this charade.
I brace for impact, squeezing my eyes shut, wondering if I am going to die now. But instead of the crash I expect, there’s a sudden jolt, and the car lurches to a stop, tilting precariously in a snow-filled ditch. I let out a shaky breath, feeling the rush of adrenaline start to fade. I open my eyes and see Lucas, his face pale but composed.
“Are you okay?” he asks, glancing at me, and for a moment I see both concern, guilt and relief in his eyes.
“I think so,” I reply, my voice shaky. I take a moment to check myself… just a few bumps and scrapes, along with a rapidly beating heart. “What about you?”
“Just a scratch on my arm,” he says, waving it off. I can see that beneath his calm exterior, he’s shaken. The gravity of what just happened starts to settle in, and I push the panic down. We’re alive. That’s what matters.
I fumble for my phone, but of course, there’s no signal. My stomach drops. “My phone doesn’t have any signal, what about yours?”
He pulls it out, then shakes his head. “Nope, no signal either… I guess it it the mountains and the snow.”
“What do we do now?” I ask, looking outside at the thickening snow. It’s falling heavier now, swirling around us like a ghostly veil. “Can we walk to the hotel?”
Lucas shakes his head again, “Not in this weater, it is about 5 miles and that is up hill.”
I sigh, knowing he is right, I am not dressed for a 5 mile hike in the snow. “So we stay here? Hoping someone finds us?”
“We can’t stay in the car,” Lucas says, his voice firm. “It’s going to get too cold. We need to find shelter.”
“Shelter?” I echo, glancing around. The road is empty, the trees silent. “But where?”
Lucas scans the hillside and points. “Look! There’s a cabin up there.”
I squint through the flurry of snow and see a dark shape tucked between the trees, barely visible. “It looks… far,” I say hesitantly.
“It looks to be about a quarter of a mile up, but it’s our best shot… and much shorter than the hotel. We can’t risk walking along the road in this weather. Cars might not see us,” he replies, determination in his voice.
“A quarter of a mile?” I wince at the thought of trudging through the snow. “What if we get lost?”
“We won’t,” he assures me, but I can see the worry in his eyes. “We stick together, and we’ll be fine…. We can see it the whole way.”
I nod, swallowing the fear that rises in my throat. It’s either this or freeze in the car. “Okay. Let’s go.”
As we step out into the cold, a gust of wind hits me, and soon I shiver uncontrollably. My thin coat feels inadequate against the biting chill, and we are still only halfway there. I wrap my arms around myself and try to shake off the cold, but it seeps into my bones.
“Here,” Lucas says suddenly, and to my surprise, he shrugs off his coat and wraps it around my shoulders. “You need this more than I do.”
“Lucas, no. You’ll freeze.” I protest, but he just shakes his head, a lopsided smile on his face.
“I’ll be fine. Just focus on keeping warm.” He pulls his sweater tighter around himself, and I can’t help but feel a rush of gratitude mixed with embarrassment. This is the kind of heroic gesture I’ve only ever seen in movies, and I definately did not expect it from him.
“Thank you,” I say softly, feeling the warmth of his coat envelop me. It smells like him… fresh and clean… and I can’t deny that it helps ease the cold.
We start trudging through the snow, each step a struggle as it drifts against our legs. The snow crunches beneath our feet, and I steal glances at Lucas. He seems focused, his jaw set, but I can see the fatigue creeping in.
“Are we almost there?” I ask after what feels like an eternity of walking. My legs ache, and the cold is biting at my skin.
“Yes almost,” he replies, glancing back at me. “Not very long to go now.”
I take a deep breath, trying to ignore the exhaustion settling in. The snow continues to fall, thick and heavy, reducing visibility. I can’t shake the feeling of isolation… the world feels so distant and quiet, and I can’t help but think about how quickly everything changed.
As we reach a clearing, I spot the cabin more clearly. It’s small and rustic, but it looks sturdy, and definately whole and usable. Relief floods through me. “There it is.” I exclaim, my spirits lifting.
But as we approach, my heart sinks. The door is locked tight. I give it a gentle push, hoping it might magically open, but it doesn’t budge. “It’s locked,” I say, disappointment creeping into my voice.
“Let’s check the windows,” Lucas suggests, moving around to the side. I follow, shivering despite the warmth of his coat.
Each window is boarded up, the place looking abandoned. “What now?” I ask, feeling the weight of the cold settling in again.
- Writer
