“I know.” Hugh’s words were testy as his eyes studied his restricted legs.
“It was suggested that we all vote on whether to leave or not tomorrow morning,” Parker replied stiffly after a moment of tense silence. “The avalanche hasn’t melted fully yet. Plus, we have two injured people in this cave: you and Angela. Tomorrow morning, we’ll see if the avalanche has melted enough for us to have clearance to leave. Each of us will vote on whether we should risk leaving the cave to get help.”
Panic flooded Hugh’s face. “But it’s warm and safe here,” he pointed out. “And what if those planes come back?”
“They might come back. Might is the operative word here,” Justin stated.
“Which explains why what you say is happening out there with the avalanche seems impossible? “Hugh drew a breath. “If Tony was here, he’d know whether this is an act of God or not.”
“Hugh,” Justin said in exasperation, “your mate Tony doesn’t know God, or the Bible.”
Hugh frowned. “Of course he does. He–”
“Uh...” Parker cut in, looking from one to the other. “I think we’re going off topic here...”
“The point is,” Justin began as he stretched out on his sleeping platform, “Hugh’s leg won’t get better holed up in this cave, and he needs medical help. Same thing for Angela. She’s barely hanging on.” Justin stared up at the ceiling as he continued. “What if there’s more snow and the copters can’t return? We can travel in the snow, but a copter? Bad weather makes it difficult for them. We’re voting tomorrow morning so sleep on what you think we should do.”
“Indeed,” Parker agreed, “because your vote will be counted, Hugh.”
Chapter 19
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“Neen, it’s time.”
Nina raised her eyes from Ange whom she had been watching over for the last two hours She had taken over from Rita, and now Rita had returned to tell her what Nina already knew: it was time for them to vote. Would they stay or go? And if they voted to go, who would that actually be? She looked down at Ange again. Ange had barely moved since she had been watching over her. Angela’s eyes and mouth remained tightly closed, and her breathing so shallow that sometimes she had panicked in the belief that her friend had stopped breathing.
“Last night I was sure I knew which way I was going to vote,” she whispered to Rita now, and raised her head to meet Rita’s hopeful ones. She had seen the stress take its toll on Rita over the last four days, as it had all of them. But now she saw hope, which hadn’t been there when they had crashed four days ago. What was happening with the avalanche had been the catalyst for the new lease of life that she saw amongst the remaining members of their group. It was, Nina admitted, the reassuring fact that they weren’t out here alone. It was huge. It was everything. “Last night I felt certain of what we should do.”
Stepping into the room, Rita laid a hand on her shoulder, and Nina rested her cheek against it, needing the comfort. “Go with how you feel,” Rita advised, her voice soothing. “Go with what resonates with your s-spirit and gives you peace. Whatever you decide, whichever way any of us decide, it’s our individual vote and we’re all entitled to it.”
“It feels like a test.” Nina raised her head to meet Rita’s steady gaze. “That’s what it feels like, a test,” she repeated. “Like we have this opportunity to get out of here, but at such a risk. I have a choice to be free, but I’m almost afraid to take it in case it all goes wrong and blows up in my face.”
“I hear you.” Rita moved to sit beside her on the edge of Angela’s sleeping platform. “But having slept on it last night, it wouldn’t make sense for all of us to leave here at the same time anyway. And with both Ange and Hugh injured, we couldn’t.”
Rita was right, Nina knew. And it was something she had thought of too. Ange and Hugh, especially Ange, was in a critical condition. Moving her wouldn’t make sense as they would be dependent on others carrying them. Others who had to walk themselves. And walking was their only option out of here, she thought with a sinking heart. Angela’s condition hadn’t changed overnight. Jake had continued to be tight-lipped on what that meant. She had a feeling it wasn’t good.
“Neil thinks Jake’s diagnosis of hypothermia is likely right,” Rita remarked. “Though Jake’s not a doctor, he’s got more experience and training than the rest of us. With Justin a close second. Come on.” Rita rose. “We can’t do anything for Ange sitting here. Let’s do this, and see what comes next.”
The others were waiting in the cave corridor. They stood as opposed to sitting down as they had the night before to pray. The only people missing where Ange, Hugh and little Luke.
When several seconds went by with no one saying anything, Neil decided to take charge. “Well, we all know why we’re here...”
The rest of them nodded, looking at one another as if trying to gage, from facial expressions alone, which way each other was going to vote. But it was hard to tell, Nina realized. Whether they all knew it or not, everyone’s expressions were identical: thoughtful eyes and pursed lips.
“We can only vote once,” Neil reminded them, “and the majority carries the vote. Though we’ve had all night to think about it, it doesn’t mean the choice is easy.” He smiled at Rita. “Rita and I have had the thought that it probably wouldn’t make sense for all of us to leave. That’s just not feasible with the condition that both Ange and Hugh are in.”
The rest of them nodded, clearly having reached the same conclusion.
“For now,” Neil said, “Justin and Jake have reported that the avalanche has now cleared.”
Nina gasped in amazement, her gaze shooting to Justin and Jake. “You’ve been out this morning?” she demanded. “You’ve seen it? What–?”
“It has.” Jake grinned at her amazed expression. “I reckon it’s got to take at least another week at the least to melt completely, but I believe we can get across with how much has already melted...” His eyes shifted to the rest of them. “If our votes go that way.”
Nina drew a deep breath. She had been so consumed with which way she was going to vote, she had forgotten that Jake believed that for them to even contemplate leaving the cave the avalanche would have to melt considerably overnight. Considerably.
Another miracle.
“Did you ask Hugh which way he wanted to vote?” Rita asked Parker.
Shocked gazes shot to Neil, and then to Parker.
Parker’s gaze, Nina saw, deliberately remained on Rita’s as he smiled at her generosity. “Yes. Thank you, I did. I’ll cast his vote on his behalf.”
Rita merely nodded, and then drawing a deep breath, said, “Well, shall we?”
“Yeah.” Jake said. “And just so we’re all clear: we can either all stay here where it’s warm and safe, but both Angela and Hugh aren’t getting the medical attention they need–”
“And,” Justin cut in, “we don’t know when, or if...outside help from a rescue team is on the way, or even if they’ll be able to get through because of the weather. Or, a small number of us leave and try to make our way to the nearest village for help.”
“If whoever goes manages to find help out there,” Jake reminded them. “Whoever leaves could walk for hours and not find help. Heck, they could end up needing to build another snow cave because we get lost and don’t end up anywhere.”
Nina sighed. “Please.”
Neil gently squeezing her arm. “It is a good idea to consider all the facts and possibilities beforehand, as people who work in the legal profession we know that firsthand.” He smiled ruefully.
She nodded.
“I’m going to vote purely by faith.” Rita stated. “Because I know that’s what Ange would do.”
It was true, Nina acknowledged silently, Ange would vote that way.
“I’m not going to go by what I can see,” Rita continued. “That’s done nothing for me so far. I vote some of us go and get help.”
A moment of silence followed
her words before Justin said. “I’ve made up my mind last night. I’m with Rita. I vote we go.” With that he stepped back and out of the small circle they had formed, effectively leaving the others to cast their votes.
Nina drew a ragged breath as a tense silence in the cave’s corridor intensified. Two votes gone. Five remained.
“Hugh votes that we stay and wait for help.”
Parker’s words fell like weights into the strained silence.
“To stay?” Neil blurted in stunned surprise. “I would’ve thought he wanted some of us to go for help.”
Parker shook his head. “I thought he would too, but...” He glanced towards the exit of the cave where the punishing weather awaited them. “I think he doesn’t want to burden anyone with going out there and trying to find help.”
Jake’s eyes were hard. “He should’ve thought about that before causing our jet to crash.”
Nina’s eyes met Neil’s of their own volition, and it was clear they were both thinking the same thing as Jake.
“Jake?” Neil prompted.
Everyone’s attention turned to Jake and he nodded. “A few of us should go get help.”
Nina had known that would be his vote, but it was his next words that she knew would stay with her for some time.
“Freedom is something you take,” he explained matter-of-factly, causing everyone to stare at him. “When you see a chance to be free you don’t hesitate or ask permission. You just take it. We’re not free here.” His gaze swept the snowed walls of their dwelling. “We have a way out now. We didn’t before, so I vote we take freedom and go.” And like Justin, he too stepped back, out of the circle.
For a moment no one seemed able to speak as they all just continued to stare at him.
“Well.” It was Rita who finally broke the silence. She had remained beside Neil, his arm curved around her waist. “That’s three votes to go so far, and one vote for us to stay.” She drew a long breath. “Three more votes to go.”
“I vote a few of us go too.” Neil’s words were clear and decisive. He met Parker’s eyes. “We both have sons out here...and both of them need medical attention, though for different reasons.”
Nina glanced at Justin whose gaze was focused on the ground.
“Luke seems fine,” Neil remarked in amazement, “but still.” He drew a deep breath. “I don’t want to take any chances. I’d like to have him looked at. The odds are high that we may not come across anyone today–”
“Don’t say that,” Nina and Rita said in unison.
Neil gave a small smile. “I like to be realistic. From what I can see–”
Rita laid a hand on his arm. “But it’s not about what we can see, babe. That’s what having faith is about. The avalanche melting has had nothing to do with what we saw, but what we didn’t.”
Neil looked away. “Well I’d wish He’d answer why He answers some prayers but ignores others.”
Rita sighed, and Nina’s heart ached for both of them, though it was a question she felt was no doubt asked by many.
A short awkward silence fell over the group before Justin cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Do we even need to continue voting?” He frowned. “It’s four to one right now. It’s four yeses to go. Only one person – Hugh – wants to stay. It’s clear that the majority want to leave–”
“But it can’t hurt for everyone to have their vote.” Jake shrugged, and then arched a brow at both Nina and Parker. “Over to you two.”
“I vote we find help too.” Parker said immediately. “Like Eu – Jake said earlier, we have a way out now. We didn’t before. Plus, there’s the baby, and...” He glanced at his bandaged arm, grimaced. “I really don’t want this to become infected.”
“Neen.” Neil drew her gaze to him. “You’re the last one.”
She didn’t understand why she was so nervous. Justin had been right: the vote already had its outcome. It was inevitable now the course of action they would be taking. But even so, if they made it out and managed to find help, she would remember this moment forever. The rest of the group were silent as they waited for her vote. Taking a deep breath she drew it out slowly. “No risk, no reward,” she said softly, and let her gaze meet each of theirs briefly before saying, “I vote we go get help, and I volunteer myself to go. Who’s coming with me?”
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Thank you for reading SPIRAL and TORN!
The group’s story concludes in the third and final book, AWAKEN, which is coming soon. To read a sneak peek of the first chapter of AWAKEN, turn the page...
AWAKEN
Chapter 1
“You’re not going out there to find help, Nina,” Jake said immediately, his tone hard and decisive. “We – I,” he emphasized, “Won’t let you. The avalanche has melted, we now have clear passage to go out and find help, but we can’t let you go. Angela is still holding on but only just, two people are already dead, we have a baby here who hasn’t eaten solid food in days, not to mention that all our supplies are gone and we’re surrounded by nothing but snow and mountains. We need to make the best choices going forward.”
Nina shuddered as memories of the plane crash assailed her once more. “I understand all that, Jake, but–”
So we’re low on energy,” he cut in. “But we have to do this.” He huffed out an impatient breath, his face gaunt and his eyes bleak. “Four days we’ve been stuck in this snow cave. We can’t waste a moment. But this is something that we, the men, will take care of.”
“He’s right,” Neil put in before Nina could utter a single word. “This is something the men do, Neen.”
Nina was appalled. “If you guys think I’m going to just sit here–” she began.
“Nina,” Justin cut in, his voice strained. “We wouldn’t be worthy of the title men if we let you out go out there and do something that we as men should be doing.”
“What they’re saying is true, Neen.” It was Rita who spoke. Her arm around Neil’s waist, Rita looked at Nina with perplexity. “Why would you want to go trekking through snow when you can stay here where it’s warm and safe? You really want to go out in that?” She tossed her head in the direction which indicated the outside of their snow cave. “Leave that to the men, Nina, they’ve got, like, ten times as much strength and energy than we’ll ever have. Let them go and be grateful.”
Nina groaned inwardly; she saw what Rita was saying – to an extent – but this wasn’t an ordinary situation, this was about survival. Besides, since the age of seventeen when her parents died in a car crash she had single-handedly raised three younger siblings all under the age of twelve, and the role of man and woman had soon meshed together. That hadn’t been her choice, but it had been something she couldn’t have changed. To her, it had simply been the case of whatever needed to be done, she did. She hadn’t had the luxury of gender sensibilities. Rita, on the other hand, was accustomed to having a man around to do certain things. First her father, and then her husband Neil. But that hadn’t been her life, Nina reflected. Old habits die hard, and though her siblings were grown and she was no more hands-on with their lives, that characteristic trait of her being a fixer, problem solver and getting things done remained ingrained in her. She doubted it would ever totally leave her.
“I’m happy to go for help,” Justin said, and looked at Neil and Jake. “Does one of you want to come with me? It’s probably best if a minimum of two people go.”
He didn’t ask Parker, Nina noted. Since the recent discovery that Parker was not his biological father, but actually Jake’s, a son that Parker never knew he had, she could see how much Justin was struggling emotionally.
“I’ll go with you,” Neil said to Justin. “There’s got to be someone out there who can help us.”
Jake frowned. “It might be better if I go, Neil. You’ve got young family here with your little boy Luke. I haven’t.”
“Okay then. You and Justin went last time, Jake, to get Ange and Neen and... and Emily. You tw
o can’t keep being the ones to go.”
“It’s fine, really,” Jake replied without inflection. Justin seconded that with a brief nod. “You’ve got a wife here and a young kid here,” Jake continued. “They need you more than we do. Justin and I will be fine.”
They all watched as Jake and Justin hurried towards their rooms and then emerged moments later, gloves on and their ski jacket hoods pulled low over their foreheads.
Nina pressed her hand to her stomach and tried not to be anxious as the two men discussed which route they should take. Was it right to feel anxious when she had voted that they go in search for help? Was it right to still feel anxious when she herself had volunteered to go for help? She decided it was. After all, she would be surprised if Jake and Justin didn’t feel anxious. They were doing this completely on blind faith and instinct. Neither of them had a map of the area, and so would be going straight into the mouth of the recently melted avalanche.
The avalanche that, from their first day out here, had blocked any possible escape route for them.
The avalanche that their prayer only the day before had melted.
She still couldn’t believe it; had pinched herself more than once last night when she had retreated to her area of the cave to check on Angela again and then try to get some sleep. What a story to tell her younger sister Hazel and their twin brothers when she sees them again. And she was getting back to London, she assured herself. All of them, including Ange.
A moment later Jake and Justin stood by the cave entrance. All except Hugh, who, still immobilized by his broken leg, remained in his room deep inside the snow cave. Nina was acutely aware that this was the first time that they were really splitting up as a group. This wasn’t a case of simply going for water or even for a walk, she realized. This time, two of them were going to look for help in an area unfamiliar to them. Were they mad? she wondered with sudden panic. Were they crazy and about to sign their own death warrants? She bit down hard on her lip, steadying herself and reminding herself to keep it together.
Spiral and Torn Books 1 and 2 of The Salzburg Saga Trilogy Page 27
