Sleigh Ride to Love

by Rosemary J. Anderson

  Drawing a deep breath, Holly opened her mouth only to close it again with a snap.

  “Goodnight, Holly.”

  “Night.” Pastime, pastime, did he really call what they did, their emotional and physical joining, a pastime?” She couldn’t believe it. What did he think she was—some bloody board game?

  Huffing and puffing, she turned on her side and, hunching her shoulders, resolutely closed her eyes. She’d think about it again in the morning.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Holly opened her eyes with difficulty. It was morning and she couldn’t believe it was already time to get up, but Zachariah’s insistent hand on her shoulder told her it was.

  “Yes, yes, I’m awake,” she grumbled, already pulling back the covers. “But we’ve hardly had any time here at all.”

  “We’ve been here four hours and I want to get off, ASAP.”

  Four hours—never. Pulling on her boots, Holly felt like she’d only been asleep for minutes.

  Food eaten, dogs seen to, and cabin left clean and tidy, Holly completed the packing up of the animal food.

  “Ready?”

  She swiveled around to face Zachariah who had come up behind her.

  “Yes, yes all ready,” she whispered a trifle breathlessly. Having him this close to her was doing something extraordinary to her libido.

  “Right, we’ll get off but remember, Holly, that we’ll have to keep on going for a while at any rate.” He gave her an intense look. “No breaks.” He waited and Holly bit her tongue. “We’ve about thirty miles or so to go until we reach Unalakleet, so barring any accidents or anything untoward happening we should reach the checkpoint in about six hours.” He looked searchingly into Holly’s eyes. “So, do you think you can make it?”

  No, no and no, she wanted to scream, of course I can’t make it, I can barely make it onto my sled. But obviously it would never do to let him know that she was that exhausted, that defeated, so instead, she pinned a smile onto her cold, pinched face and shrugged uncaringly. “Yes, of course I can make it, no problem at all.”

  “Good.” Pulling her into his arms, Zachariah found her cold lips with his. The kiss was everything she could have ever hoped for. It was sublime, conveying gentleness and sensuality, yet filled with masterful purpose. His mobile mouth took her sweetness and gave back courage, and determination. And forgetting her resolution never to let him touch her again, she pressed closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving herself up to the sensuous enjoyment of his touch. But all too soon it was over and as he released her, she wanted to cry out for more. Instead, now filled with resolve, she stepped onto her runners and attempted to hold back the tears when his hand reached out and gently covered hers.

  * * * *

  Soon they were speeding along the open plain. It was almost completely treeless and the ground frozen solid. It was a tedious journey and the time hung heavily. The clouds were white and billowy, filled with snow and looking like puffs of frothy meringue, and the temperature had dropped to below zero. And the howling wind blew with biting intensity in her face, tossing the hair peeping from beneath her hood around her face like the snakes of Medusa.

  The signs set on four-foot-high tripods passed in a blur and Holly forgot about the mileage of the journey and instead let her imagination wander to a time in the future when she would be married to Zachariah. She grinned. He would sweep her off her feet and marry her out of hand and the wedding would be beautiful with her in a slinky white dress and a tiara. Their home would be a big house with an enormous garden near his work at the hospital in Anchorage. The dogs of course would live with them because they were more like family than working canines, and there would be a cat, a donkey and some lovely little brown ducks swimming on a pond, and of course there would also be children. She pondered thoughtfully on this idyllic future. Yes, there would be at least four children, two boys with their father’s dark good looks, and two pretty little girls with her fiery temper and violet eyes. Yes, in this dream of hers there would be a happy ever after.

  Becoming aware of the changing scenery, Holly gathered her wits, and forgetting her beautiful daydream began to concentrate on the trail ahead. Trailing through a thickly wooded area they crossed the Chiroskey River, and slowing down she began peddling, making sure she had full control of her sled and dogs. Eight miles on the river she made a sharp turn, dropping back down onto the Unalakleet River. Holly following as closely as she could in Zachariah’s wake noticed that he was carefully observing the signposts. The heavy clouds full of snow finally began to shed their load and flakes began falling thick and fast, swirling and eddying around, dancing in the wind like fairies on an iced birthday cake.

  It was hours before they were back on the river, which made them in Holly’s estimation only eight miles from Unalakleet. Feeling like she’d been holding her breath for the last eight miles she released it in a heartfelt whoosh and breathed a sigh of relief. Trees and scattered cabins were now becoming part of the scenery, and that small sign of civilization lifted Holly’s spirits. Eventually, they began to climb a hill and Holly knew from her father’s description that at the peak she would be able to see Unalakleet on the far side of a frozen lagoon.

  The hill ascended, they headed across the ice to the town and each yard travelled was a master class in skating. The dogs slipped, the sleigh slewed from side to side, and Holly could hear her heart pounding like a big bass drum. Finally they were there. Met on arrival by a member of the checkers team, Zachariah and Holly were immediately directed to the parking area by the school where they could safely bed down their dogs.

  The dogs taken care of, Holly then took the opportunity to have a hot shower and hang some of her wet gear in the boiler room. Hanging her coat next to Zachariah’s she reached out and touched it, imagining him wearing it and how it felt when he took her in his arms. Opening the coat she wrapped it around herself and sniffed its lining, it smelt of Zachariah, of sweat, lemon, and wood smoke, a very male smell that caused her heartbeat to quicken. Quickly moving away as another musher entered the boiler room, she mumbled a quick hello and, feeling hot in the face, almost ran out of the room in the search for Zachariah.

  A tasty meal of steak and jacket potatoes accompanied by hot coffee consumed, Zachariah suggested to Holly that a few hours’ sleep was essential before they worked out their strategy for the coming days. The journey from Unalakleet to the next checkpoint was going to be far from easy and they would need to be well rested and have their wits about them to get safely through. Holly listened to this statement from Zachariah with a sinking feeling of dread, and fearfully wondered just, how much more could she take? Making their way to the school where the sleeping bags had been arranged behind the gym, Holly was soon snuggled down next to Zachariah, listening with a tired ear to the muffled snores and mumblings of the other mushers as they settled in for a few hours of well-earned rest. Turning on her side to face Zachariah, she, in what she was later to think of as a moment of madness, reached out and touched his face. Zachariah murmured slightly in his sleep and it was then the insanity took over.

  “I love you,” she whispered softly as she turned onto her stomach and fell instantly asleep.

  In the darkness Zachariah’s deep brown eyes snapped open.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Climbing onto the runners Holly took a deep sustaining breath. Next stop Shaktoolik! Feeling drained and as if she’d been pulled through a hedge backward, Holly wondered why Zachariah was acting a bit off. It seemed to have started at breakfast when he’d been very quiet, eaten quickly and left her to finish her meal whilst he went to see to the dogs. Quickly gulping down her substantial breakfast, she’d paid a visit to the toilet and made her leisurely way to the yard. Unsmiling, Zachariah had handed her team over to her and moved his sled off. She pursed her lips, she’d gotten used to the quick kiss he usually left her with, but this morning it appeared kissing wasn’t on the menu.

  Shaktoolik was around thirty-five m
iles away, but Holly understood that the trail wasn’t a difficult one and she gave thanks for that, although Zachariah, she noted, was again taking great care to follow the markers. Five miles on they passed a minor settlement which Holly recalled was called Power and then, as they began to travel upward, she noticed they were passing Blueberry Point, which was around eight hundred odd feet high. Continuing to climb for some time, they then eventually began descending back to the shoreline. The weather was holding out, and although cold, the snow had finally eased off. The scenery was much as before and Holly was counting the minutes until she could have another break.

  Before the start of the race the Iditarod had seemed adventurous and romantic, but in reality it was bloody hard work, cold and exhausting and she would be glad when it was over.

  “I guess I just wasn’t cut out to rough it,” she muttered to herself. “Give me the home comforts of hot water, a comfy bed, good food and a decent toilet any day.”

  Around twenty-six miles from Shaktoolik they passed the fishing camp of Egavik and after crossing the creek they began to make another steep climb when disaster happened. Holly’s sleigh somehow slewed to the left and toppled over, sending her sliding across the ground to stop heavily against a tree, hitting her head. The dogs, kicking up a raucous, alerted Zachariah and immediately he pulled his team over. Jumping from his runners he tied the team to a tree and, raced toward Holly’s inert figure.

  Holly felt dizzy and, gingerly sitting up, she rubbed the egg-sized lump on the back of her head.

  “Ouch.” She moaned painfully, it was very tender to the touch and, feeling slightly dizzy, she feared that at any moment she was going to spill her guts.

  “Holly, are you okay?”

  “Do I look okay?” she snapped belligerently because although injured she still hadn’t forgotten his silent treatment of this morning.

  “No, but there’s obviously not much wrong with you going by your tone.”

  “Oh, very doctorish!”

  “Well, let’s just have a look at you.” He held two fingers in front of her eyes. “How many?”

  “How many what?”

  Zachariah gazed steadily at her and she looked self-consciously away.

  “Right, shall we try this again?” Repeating the action he waited patiently for Holly to sullenly respond that he was holding up two fingers.

  Checking her head and watching in a calm, remote manner as she threw up her breakfast, he decided that she had a slight concussion and that an hour or two’s rest would benefit them both.

  Thankfully, Holly accepted the cup of tea Zachariah handed her Sipping gratefully, she lethargically listened to Zachariah obviously trying to take her mind off her headache by gently talking about his good friends, Gabriel and Abigail Strong. He had her, if not laughing raucously, chuckling softly as he made light of his friends meeting. He explained that their marriage had begun strangely with an advertisement in a newspaper. And now, a daughter, the acquisition of a dog and a couple of years later, they were idyllically happy, living in a remote part of Alaska amongst bears. Zachariah had a knack for storytelling, and soon she had all but forgotten the thumping in her head. And as he talked of his friends and his beautiful goddaughter he became more animated, whilst Holly’s heart became more emotionally tangled at his boyish vulnerability.

  Pulling a battered photograph from his pocket, he passed it to Holly. Slowly she looked down at the picture, it was of Zachariah holding a beautiful child of about eighteen months in his arms and his face was alight with love. The child had a handful of his hair in her fiat and was gazing adoringly up at him and in that instant her heart melted. Watching his face Holly wondered if the time would come when he would look at her with such love.

  Three hours later, the sled thankfully undamaged, the dogs fed, and Holly feeling slightly better, especially after the quick, hard kiss Zachariah had bestowed on her, they were on their way. Zachariah had given her another searching examination and had, with reservations, proclaimed her fit enough to continue. Although she felt as if she’d still got a fever as he’d examined her. The impersonal touch of his fingers against her skin, against the curve of her breast as he’d listened to her chest had caused heat to flood over her and an ache to settle in the intimate parts of her body. She’d stirred restlessly and he’d looked enquiringly at her, a look which she’d returned with a bland expression of her own. It had taken an enormous effort of will not to push him down, rip the clothes from his body and kiss every beautiful inch of him. Crossing her legs in the hopes of assuaging the aching need, she’d almost begged to be fucked when he’d felt her neck and shoulders, his gentle hands bringing her nerve ending to tingling attention. But it had been the far from impersonal kiss that had stirred up her blood. Absently she touched her lips, where his mouth had caressed hers. Why had he kissed her like that? Like, she paused trying to put into words what the kiss had been like. Like—the world had stopped.

  The hours passed and soon Zachariah was heading them northeast into a wooded valley which would take them around a 750-foot hill, followed by two more.

  Holly doggedly faced these obstacles with some trepidation, quaking with nerves. Her eyes burning in her face she stared straight ahead as she began the ascent. She couldn’t afford to allow her thoughts to wander at this time. Another accident would be more than she could bear. She had a terrible sinking feeling that she must hold the record for the person who’d had the most accidents along the Iditarod trail.

  The first and second hills conquered, Holly’s thoughts turned to the final hill. Word had it that this hill was supposed to be even more difficult, and somehow Holly didn’t think she could face it, not right now anyway. So with this in mind she shouted at the top of her voice to Zachariah that she intended to stop.

  Zachariah walked steadily back toward Holly. Sitting on her runners, her head in her hands and tears falling down her cheeks, she looked a sorry state. Perching beside her, Zachariah silently put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. The tears really came then. Opening the floodgates, she sobbed and sobbed, her shoulders shaking and her chest heaving. Waiting until she had pulled herself together to some degree, he then lifted her chin and, wiping her cheeks, bent his head and kissed her softly and tenderly on the lips.

  “I’m s–sorry, Zachariah.” She hiccupped.

  “No need, Holly. Lost your nerve?”

  Nodding against his chest, she whispered a tearful yes.

  “Nothing to be ashamed of, we all lose our nerve at times, and in this case it’s understandable.”

  Nodding again, Holly snuggled up against his chest and there they sat, each lost in their own thoughts until Zachariah stated that a cup of tea was excellent for nervous tension.

  A cup of tea later, a good nose blowing, and some casual conversation, and Holly was feeling a lot better, and, although still strung up with nerves, was persuaded to carry on.

  The ascent of the third hill proved to be every bit as nerve racking as Holly had imagined it to be. But she coped. Conquering her nerves she kept her gaze steady and focused as they climbed progressively up the middle to an altitude of around a thousand feet. Most of the trail upward had been in wooded areas but some parts, unfortunately, had been exposed to the elements and in these places Holly prayed for divine intervention. Feeling the wind cold against her skin and the flakes of snow diminishing her vision, and experiencing the hallucinatory euphoria of a dizzying altitude had Holly rigid with fear. One slip and she believed she would plummet to certain death, to land in a mangled heap a thousand feet below. Thankfully the dogs were sure of foot and experienced with the rough elevated terrain, and so for them the trail held no such trepidation.

  Ultimately they reached their goal and began the next part of the journey, that of the descent, which in Holly’s opinion was even more horrific than the assent. But, eventually they were down and back to climbing to the next stage. Night was beginning to fall and, looking toward the west, Holly was relie
ved to see the lights of Shaktoolik in the distance. Breathing deeply she consoled herself with the thought that it was not far to the checkpoint, just approximately fifteen miles, and Holly prayed they would be fifteen uneventful miles. Passing the abandoned buildings of old Shaktoolik, she felt a sense of liberation at the thought that in next to no time they would be speeding their way up the main street of Shaktoolik.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The checkpoint at Shaktoolik was in the National Guard Armoury, and after checking in, Holly followed Zachariah’s lead and, on still shaky legs, collected fresh, cold water from the pump station. However, except from sparing the time to feed the dogs and grab a quick snack for themselves, they didn’t intend to stop. Zachariah was concerned about the weather. A storm would mean that there would be no movement out of Shaktoolik that night. Next stop Koyuk.

  * * * *

  Running alongside the snow fence that kept Shaktoolik out of the seemingly bottomless drifts, Holly kept a keen eye open for markers. Going through the gate that exited the town, she felt like she was entering the twilight zone as everything in her immediate vision was white. The endless drifts of windswept snow piled high into dunes, reminding her of Hollywood’s sci-fi portrayal of a distant planet. The moon shining weakly behind a veil of mist added to the surreal ambience. Following closely behind Zachariah, her gaze wandered, and the shadowy sight of reindeer lighted a glimmer of excitement in her soul. Reindeer and snow, it was almost too perfect, a picturesque vision just made for the front of a Christmas card.

  Making good time, Holly sped along the tundra, the wind in her face. The dogs were doing well and gave yaps of excitement as they sought to catch up to Zachariah’s team in front. The miles passed and across from Reindeer Cove she could see the one-hundred-foot-high rock that was Island Point. Soon the cove was left behind and ahead was nothing but flat, white, monotonous country. However, soon that was to change as the snow started. It came unexpectedly and heavily, thick white flakes that fell solidly, blown about by the penetrating wind that appeared to come from nowhere. She felt as if she was in a hurricane, the swirling winds that within minutes drifted the snow into deep banks that had to be traversed. And the noise, it was unbelievable. How could snow be noisy? The wind howled like a wild banshee as it swept the snow off the ground and seconds later dropped it crackling and screeching like a ton of bricks onto her unsuspecting head. Switching on the lamp above her head, Holly peered through the white curtain as she attempted to make out the whereabouts of Zachariah. Visibility slowly got worse, and slowing down she leant heavily on the brake, peddling along the snow-strewn ice in an attempt to maintain a modicum of control.