* * * *
It was icy cold and Holly shivered in the north wind that had sprung up. Her hands stuffed into her pockets she watched silently as Zachariah made a last check of his new sled before setting off. The last twenty-four hours seemed to have passed in a haze-filled dream.
“You ready, Holly?” Zachariah’s question brought her abruptly out of reverie.
“What? Oh, oh yes, all ready.”
Smiling gently into her eyes, he cupped her face and, with his sweet, minty breath caressing her cheek, he bent his head and tenderly found her lips with his. The kiss was a master class of seduction, giving and gently taking, yet soothing her frayed nerves and erotically stimulating her senses, and as he dragged his lips from hers he left her wanting more.
Smiling into her flushed face, he gently grazed her cheek with his knuckles before swinging up on his runners.
Watching as Zachariah’s sled moved smoothly toward the ramp, she sighed and theatrically placed her hand over her heart.
“Takotna here we come.”
Chapter Thirteen
It was at early light and it was time to leave McGrath. The checkpoint handlers were lining Holly’s sled up on the ramp amidst excited pushing and shoving from the dogs. Her hands tightened on the handlebar. This was it! Her breath stopped and her heart thumped as the dogs pulled, and the sleigh with an almost discernable whoosh rushed down the plank toward the ice-covered river. Zachariah was already somewhere in front heading across the wide Kuskokwim River toward the mouth of the smaller Takotna River. It was snowing again and although having had plenty of sleep, Holly still felt really tired. Urging her dogs on, she endeavored to keep up with Zachariah’s punishing pace.
The grueling speed meant they were soon climbing, crossing swamps and gliding through dense tree lines. The snow was still falling but she knew Zachariah wasn’t intending to make any stops on this route because the journey to Takotna should only take two to three hours. The first couple of hours passed relatively quickly, and the snow-covered ground made for smooth running. However, on the final stretch disaster happened. Holly, still behind Zachariah was moving fast, when, almost at the bottom of the Tatalina Mountain one of the sleigh’s runners forcibly hit a rut, sending her sled skidding over on its side and her tumbling over its handlebar. Flailing around, she survived. And with some miraculous help of divine intervention, she was saved from getting trampled underfoot by the swing dogs, the dogs nearest to that of the sleigh. Eventually, she was able to grab ahold of one of the lines that connected the team to the sleigh. Steadfastly holding on despite the burning pain in her already injured shoulder, she managed to maintain a modicum of control as she struggled amidst the tangled mass of sleigh, dogs, and leads. Shouting a pain-filled “Whoa,” she continued to be pulled along the ground for a few yards more until her team came to a complete stop, barking and howling their displeasure.
Hearing the commotion behind him Zachariah quickly drew his dogs to a halt.
Tethering the team to a tree by a snub line, he backtracked partway down the mountain.
It was Holly’s dogs he saw first, the lead dogs prancing about kicking up a stink. Catching hold of Zeus’s collar he wasted precious time calming the husky, expertly aware that if the lead dog was calm the others would follow.
The sled was on its side and Holly was lying beside it, her hands still clutching the line, some of the leads wrapped around her feet, and the supplies scattered all over the place.
“Holly.” Zachariah raced over, and turning her onto her back, took in her pale face and closed eyes. “Holly, are you hurt?” His hands were already moving over her body, attempting to ascertain whether there was any obvious injury.
Her eyes opened and she drew a sharp breath.
“My shoulder hurts like hell and I’ve knocked the wind out of myself, but otherwise…”
With Zachariah’s help she gingerly sat up. “Otherwise I think I’m okay.” She looked at him, blinking through the plastic glass of her goggles. “The dogs?”
“The dogs are fine.” He began probing her shoulder through the thickness of her coat. “Does that hurt?”
“Ow! Of course it does, you big oaf, stop poking and prodding me like that.”
“Move your arm, backwards.” He watched her carefully. “And now forwards.”
“I’ve got to see to the dogs.”
“Not yet, not until I’m satisfied you’re okay.”
“I’m okay, stop fussing.” She grumbled, feeling irritated that she’d taken yet another tumble and was beginning to feel a little sick.
“Fine, but if you start feeling sick or dizzy let me know, okay?”
“K.” She breathed impatiently, not prepared to tell him a thing. “Now help me up.”
Holly worked her way down the team of dogs, patting and stroking and giving treats, thankful that all the dogs appeared unharmed.
“Your sled is damaged,” Zachariah said as she walked back to him.
“Oh no, where?”
“One of your runners is badly cracked, and it’s next to useless, and with an even more punishing trail ahead of us I’m afraid it will break altogether.”
“Well, that’s it then, I’m out of the race.” She glared at Zachariah, unreasonably wanting to blame him.
“Oh, so pessimistic, Holly,” he drawled wryly. “Look, we can patch it up for now with duct tape and when we get to Takotna I’ll have a better look at it.”
“Thanks.” Once again in Zachariah’s debt, Holly felt her spirits sink lower than ever before. With a damaged sled it would be unlikely that she could carry on, no matter how optimistic Zachariah was being.
Holly unpacked the supplies that were left on the sled whilst Zachariah checked on his own dogs. No sooner was the sleigh unpacked Zachariah had it turned over and was busy Frankensteining it, securely wrapping the damaged runner with yards of duct tape and large piece of branch to steady the damaged part.
“That should do for now, we’re only a couple of miles from the checkpoint, then we’ll see about doing a more permanent repair.”
“Is it safe?”
“Yes, you’ll not come to any harm using it now. I’ll just hook your team back up, you get repacked and then we’ll get going. Don’t forget to give your dogs a treat before we go.”
* * * *
Takotna at last! Holly felt an enormous sense of relief, at least they had got there safely, and with her sleigh still intact. She drew up beside Zachariah at the community center and followed him to check in. Takotna had a population of only around seventy-five so the place was quiet even though a few mushers were already milling about, intent on spending their compulsory twenty-four-hour layover there. Zachariah staked down his team and fed them whilst Holly unhooked her dogs and began to once again remove her supplies from the sled. That done, Zachariah turned her sleigh over and began to strip the duct tape from the runner and not a moment too soon as the tape was already beginning to disintegrate from the abrasive contact with the ground.
* * * *
An hour later, the runner had been replaced. Holly was amazed at how efficient Zachariah had been. Luckily both of their sleds were made out of bamboo and, unbeknown to her, he had been carrying replacement parts. She sighed, impressed by Zachariah in spite of herself, but she was also disappointed in her own incompetence, knowing full well that she should have also had the foresight to carry substitutions. Her father would never have made that mistake.
“We might as well get something to eat I believe this is the place where we can get a great steak.” He raised an eyebrow and smiled at Holly who was looking somewhat morose. “How about it?”
“But don’t you want to get on?” she felt obliged to say, even though she wanted him to stay. “You’ve wasted so much time helping me one way or another, and it’s not fair for me to expect you to stay with me any longer.”
Reaching out, Zachariah lifted her chin and gazed down into her eyes.
“Believe it or not, Holly, I want t
o stay and help you. Yes, you’re a real pain in the ass, and yes, you’re as obstinate as a donkey, but you’re your father’s daughter and I owe him. So let’s not debate this any longer. I’m staying, you’re doing as you’re told, and we’re eating.” Quickly bending his head he kissed her, a strong, masterful kiss that stirred the senses.
Wanting to hold onto him and deepen the kiss, Holly gave a small moue of disappointment when he pulled away. Ignoring the pout, he caught hold of her arm and turned her in the direction of the kitchen and that steak dinner.
Thirty minutes later they were on their way again, as much as Holly would have liked to stop longer she knew it would be asking a bit too much of Zachariah. He had entered the Iditarod, if not to win to at least finish in a reasonable time and because of her, that now wasn’t going to happen. Concentrating on the trail ahead, she followed Zachariah and began the nine-mile climb to the top of Kuskokwim River drainage and the divide to Innoko River. Next checkpoint, Ophir.
Chapter Fourteen
It was early evening before the snow finally stopped. The route they were on was by comparison with other parts of the journey, reasonable. The first part of the trail was the easiest with well-maintained tracks, however whilst still relatively unproblematic it had slowly got worse as it progressed. Zachariah had set a cracking pace and it took all Holly’s concentration to keep up with him and still maintain full control of her dogs. The wind was in her face and dusk had fallen early which meant visibility was not the best. The torch she had on her hood created a reassuring glow like a halo circling her head and blazed a beam of light across the team of dogs.
It slowly grew darker and the moon cast a silvery trail on the pure, white snow making it shimmer like fairy dust. The time was passing and besides a couple of short stops to see to the dogs, and as Zachariah wanted to reach Ophir before the night really set in, they kept on going.
On the run down from Independence Creek Valley they then travelled the on the south side of the Innoko River toward Ophir. Holly gritted her teeth and reluctantly put up with the cold, fatigue, and the pain in her shoulder, on the sure and certain knowledge that at Ophir they were going to take a short break. The journey so far had been more grueling than she’d imagined, although it had taught her many things about herself and her feelings, especially the feelings she had for Zachariah. She had come to realize that over the nine years she had known him, her feelings for Zachariah were just as strong as they ever were, and that her love for him had endured. Unfortunately, it was a love that was unrequited. Zachariah was still in love with his wife Ellen. She remembered that she had met Ellen once many years ago when she had accompanied her father. Ellen had been there as part of Zachariah’s support team, smoothing the way and dealing with the dispatch of supplies to checkpoints. Ellen had been beautiful and, to Holly’s youthful eyes, like a princess, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. And she had been kind, spending time with a young girl that even then had a crush on her husband. Holly recalled that, being the young girl in question, the support and gentleness of Ellen had impressed her, making her not feel ashamed of her feelings for Zachariah but accept them for what they were, part of a young girl’s journey into adulthood. Beautiful, kind, gentle, and understanding, Ellen had been almost perfection, so how on earth could she ever hope to compete?
Her mind returning to the race, Holly watched the scenery rush past. Soon they would be crossing Ganes Creek, which of course meant they were only about five miles from Ophir, a journey of about an hour. The trail took them along the Innoko River and Holly noticed some old buildings and the abandoned gold dredge, a location that was what it implied, a place men dredged for gold in those long forgotten days. In her mind’s eye she could almost imagine the men scouring the riverbed under a hot relentless sun, rough, sweaty and desperate for a strike. Whilst the woman, coping with the rigors of life in a tent, cooked and cleaned and hoped her husband would soon give up his fever for gold.
Returning to the present, she shook her head to dispel the last flight of fancy and instead concentrated on the trail ahead. Her gloved hands tightening on the handlebar, she squinted against the growing darkness.
Shouting “Haw” to her dogs, Holly completed a left turn past the mining camp.
“Two miles and counting,” she muttered, trying to sound reassuring although it was more for her benefit than that of the dogs.
The two miles passed swiftly and it was with relief Holly saw the sign, State Maintenance Ends, because it signified that the checkpoint was just ahead.
Drawing up at the checkpoint, which was actually someone’s house, Holly wanted to dance a jig in celebration of getting as far as she had, although she had to concede she couldn’t have done it without Zachariah’s help. The cabin door opened and the owners smiled a welcome.
“Sort out your dogs and come inside, there’s a pot of stew on the stove and I’m sure you could do with a hot meal. You must both be exhausted.”
Zachariah smiled and, leaning forward, kissed the woman on the cheek.
“Holly, come and meet friends of mine.” He caught hold of Holly’s arm and pulled her forward. “This is Ben’s daughter, Holly.”
Feeling suddenly shy, Holly smiled slightly tremulously as the woman sympathized with her over the loss of her father.
“Anyway,” she chivvied them on. “Hurry up. We’ll see you inside in a minute.”
The dogs settled, Zachariah and Holly entered the warmth and welcome of the cabin.
“Make the most of it, Holly, as this is the last you’ll see of civilization for some time,” Zachariah intoned catching hold of her hand.
Holly nodded, disturbed by the thought of leaving behind the smattering of civilization they had previously encountered. But hiding her fears behind a ready smile, she breathed deeply, enjoying the atmosphere of warm friendliness, and the delicious aroma of rich beef stew. Tucking into the food with a healthy appetite, Holly said little, but enjoyed the revelry between their hosts and Zachariah. Obviously theirs was a long and trusted friendship.
The food quickly eaten. Zachariah wasted no more time on pleasantries but suggested with a quick smile that it was time they were leaving.
Thanking their hosts for their splendid hospitality, Holly quickly used the facilities and stomped out into the darkness after Zachariah. Next checkpoint, Iditarod.
* * * *
The trail to Iditarod from Ophir was ninety miles of lonely country roads. Zachariah had already told her that the journey there would take at least twelve to eighteen hours barring any unforeseen problems, and to Holly, at this moment, feeling completely and utterly exhausted, eighteen hours felt like a lifetime. The snow had eased up, so visibility was for a change reasonably good, the moon was out and cast a ghostly glow over the barren landscape. Zachariah was leading the way and they were moving fast, the dogs fully rejuvenated after their meal and short rest. They had crossed the Innoko River twice already and were now in the process of crossing an offshoot of Beaver Creek, here there was some overflow where the ice was so thick the excess creek water spilt over, making the surface even more treacherous for both the dogs and sleighs alike. Ploughing through water about a foot deep, Holly slowed right down, worried that her team would lose purchase on the wet ice, risking injuries such as broken legs. The creek swished up the sides of the sleigh like small waves wetting the runners, her boots and the bottom of her pants.
A short distance on and Holly breathed a sigh of relief as she came out of the water. But all too soon she reached the part of the trail she was least looking forward to, the sheer scramble up toward Beaver Mountain Pass. However, as she began to ascend she realized with an extraordinary sense of deliverance that although it was an eight hundred foot rise it was a gentle sloping climb and not the vertical one of her imagination.
* * * *
Hours passed and then thankfully Don’s cabin came into view. It was a ramshackle place made of plywood sheltered in the trees and this was where Zachariah indicated that they
would rest for a while. Pulling up behind his team she noted that he had already entered the cabin. Stepping off her runners and stumbling through fatigue, she did as he had done, and, using a snub line, attached the team to a tree.
“We’ll stop here for a couple of hours, Holly. I’ve just fired up the stove so the place should be warm by the time we’ve fed the dogs.
“K.” Holly nodded, already beginning to sort out the feed for her team.
“Thirty-six miles down and only fifty-four to go to Iditarod,” she muttered quietly to herself.
It was but thirty minutes later that Holly pulled off her coat and was enjoying the warmth of the cabin. The team had been staked down, fed and watered, and paws examined and bootees changed. Zachariah followed her in, bringing with him a flurry of snow and cold air.
“Food?” he enquired, lifting an enquiring eyebrow.
“Mmm, my thoughts exactly, so with that in mind I thought pizza? I packed one or two in with the supplies, because I knew I’d be sick of rehydrated food before too long.”
“Absolutely.”
It wasn’t long before Holly was tucking into her share of a margarita pizza, and she savored every mouthful. Looking across at Zachariah she smiled in companionable appreciation of the food.
Fully replete, Holly sat back, leaning her head against the plywood wall, and closed her eyes. God she was tired, her eyes felt dry and gritty and it was too much of an effort to keep them open.
“Tired, Holly?”
“Yes, of course I’m tired,” she snapped. God talk about stating the obvious. “Don’t tell me…” She opened her eyes and stared a trifle myopically at him. “A veritable superman like you is of course not in the least bit tired?”
Sleigh Ride to Love Page 8
