The Long Dark- A Journey Through Frozen Hell

Timberwolf Mountain

The sled maneuvered, following the snowy trail up the mountain.

It was mostly open ground with lots of hills and steep cliffs that made the two wary.

If one rock hit the sled and caused it to bounce, it's game over because it's about a hundred feet down, and they haven't even made it to the start of the trail.

Yukari was uneasy, looking down below, praying that they did fall, the snow would either cushion it, or at least their deaths would be quick.

Still, they pushed on. At this point, they had no choice.

They stopped when a giant knocked down tree blocked their path.

It had fallen off of the side of the mountain and onto the trail.

They couldn't go around it because one way led into a rock wall, and the other led down to the bottom.

Miho sighed, stepping off of the sled.

"What do we do now?" Yukari asked.

Miho didn't answer as she climbed over the fallen tree and shouldered her rifle.

"Stay with the sled. I'll be back." Miho said.

Yukari watched as her friend walked up the mountain by herself.

It would have been okay if it wasn't called Timberwolf Mountain, which unease Yukari, remembering her experience with Timberwolves.

Miho breathed heavily from the altitude and the frozen air filling her lungs.

Miho briefly looked down before looking back up and spotting a large brown Timberwolve standing before her, snarling with malicious intent.

Miho, this time, was not surprised or scared but annoyed.

The Timberwolf charged at her, bitting her leg, but the thick snowboots protected her.

Without hesitation or guilt, Miho, with all of her might, kicked the wolf in the jaw with her other boot.

The wolf jumped back as Miho raised her rifle and swung it.

The wolf ran back, staying away and trying to keep its distance from the crazy girl before running away.

Miho continued walking up the mountain as Yukari was bored.

Yukari played with the dogs, but when that was boring, she spotted the bear bedroll Miho made before climbing in it on the sled and was happy to be warm.

Miho was not. She was not warm. She was hungry, annoyed, and wanting to get off of this island.

Still, she made her way up, hoping to find something when she reached the top, which took her an hour to do.

When she made it, she could see a small platform that had something leaned against it.

She walked to it and saw it was a pair of skis and the poles too. Next to them was a note that had been wedged in the podium, which Miho took and read.

Something happened to the power. The lifts won't work, and neither will the lights. Everyone thinks the power just went out and will come back on. Something tells me otherwise.

Miho pocketed the note and picked up the skis.

Clumsily and with some effort, she put them on and tried to use them for a minute to find out how to use them before taking them off and looking around the mountain.

Most of the valley was empty, even the side where the prison would be.

Something about how isolated she and Yukari were was unsettling. especially how they haven't seen another human being who wanted to kill them since they left.

Suddenly, she saw it.

Buried in the wilderness, where you would miss it, a satellite was poking above the trees. Besides, it was a large building that was masked by the trees, and you would have missed it.

Miho quickly grabbed the note, drawing the brief map before putting on the skis and hurrying down to Yukari.

Yukari laid on the bedroll, awaiting her friends' return when she heard a scream.

Yukari jumped up with her rifle, listening to trace where it was when Miho shot around the corner at fast speeds before hitting the tree and flipping over it.

Yukari gasped and ran to Miho, who lay on the ground.

"Are you okay?!" Yukari asked.

Miho laughed as Yukari stared at her in shock.

Yukari helped Miho up as she took off the skis.

"I found these." Miho said, handing them to Yukari.

"What else?" Yukari asked.

"I think I found the radio telescope. It's a little further east, maybe a mile or two." She said.

"Yes! We need to hurry. It's past midday, and we need to get there before a blizzard or aurora happens." Yukari said.

As Miho climbed on the sled, Yukari put on the skis.

Miho didn't stop her as Yukari set off, quickly moving down the mountain faster than the sled.

Miho tried to keep up, but balancing the sled was harder than it looked.

Yukari was having the time of her life, not feeling fear or dread of dying for the first time since she got here. It really made her forget, even if it was for a minute.

Yukari reached the base of the mountain, waiting for Miho until she reached the bottom.

After their unofficial race, Yukari climbed on the sled, tying her skis down at the front, and they carried on, trying to get to the radio telescope before sundown.

Even though the dogs could easily get there because of their speed, they could rush with the risk of hitting a tree and damaging a sled or hurting themselves.

They managed to break through the wilderness and onto a snow-covered dirt road.

"Do you think this road will take us to Suzuki Radio Telescope?" Yukari asked.

Miho thought about it.

"Maybe. I want to follow it, but I also don't want to get lost." Miho said.

"Jace told me she was driving to it, so this might be the road to it."

"Let's follow it then." Miho said.

The sled turned right, following the barely visible road at a faster pace, making some progress.

Miho looked at her haphazardly scribbled map, trying to find any of the landmarks she made.

...

The sun was now the red glow hanging above the sky, telling the two girls about the coming danger.

Yukari had already fallen asleep, wrapped in the bear skin bedroll, keeping the wind out.

Miho was exhausted from steering the sled as well as the dogs.

But as the sun set, the aurora came out in its green glory.

The dogs glowed green, and their eyes were glowing white, but they weren't aggressive.

Miho already knew, but Yukari would be surprised.

The sun had now set as Miho scanned the trees and steered, allowing her friend to rest.

Miho began to lose hope, thinking this was pointless. They came this far for nothing only for her and Yukari to die out here, in the woods, in the snow.

Suddenly, like some greater force planned this, when the sled turned around the corner, there it was. Suzuki Radio Telescope.

Miho stopped the sled, patting Yukari, waking her up.

Yukari stared at the radio telescope in amazement, looking through the barricaded windows that illuminated the light.

They approached the door as Miho looked at Yukari before knocking.

They silently waited for an answer.

"I don't think anyone is in there." Yukari said.

"Who goes there!?" A deep voice yelled through the steel door.