Winter's Bite

Prologue + Chapter 1

'You'll love the mountain-top view.'

Mom looked back from the front seat with a smile, long blonde hair hanging in a french plait over her snow jacket.

'We'll have lunch at a restaurant within a real Tibetian temple.' Dad glanced back through the rearview mirror. 'On an artic lake shore.'

I rolled my eyes. I'd read as much.

'It's where I first kissed your Mom.'

Okay, the guide-book hadn't included that.

'Too much information.'

I covered my ears. Dad and Mom wore alpine sweaters they'd bought at the ski resort's gift-shop. I'd balked when Mom suggested buying me one. Instead I wore a thick cream Arran sweater my aunt had sent from Ireland at Christmas.

'I can't wait for lunch. I'm starved.'

My stomach rumbled.

Mom and Dad exchanged smiles. They'd first met at the Tibetian ski resort we'd just left. This post-Christmas holiday was like their second-honeymoon. I sometimes felt like a spare thumb. They'd both insisted I should accompany them, but at sixteen it wasn't cool watching my parents gooey eyed over each other.

Otherwise, I'd had a pretty good time. The snow-topped mountain ranges were spectacular. I loved the funny roofed temples and mountain villages with their colourful prayer flags. And the skiing helped counter Mom and Dad's starry-eyed courtship. I was lucky really. So many of my classmates came from broken families. I felt grateful my parents still loved each other, even if it embarrassed me sometimes.

Mom put on another dvd as our car crawled up and around a narrow mountain road. Bette Midler strains filled the car.

'Did I ever tell you you're my hero...'

Leftwards, a mountain cliff rose sheer towards the sky. On my right, pine tree clumps led down into a valley far below. Only a thin, green metal rail separated us from the scary drop. I stared down with a shiver.

Dad reached over and held Mom's hand. I smiled, leaning back against the black leather upholstery. I wondered what my best friend Bethany was doing now.

Mom screamed, pulling me from my revery. I looked forward as the car jerked.

'What the...'Dad exclaimed.

A man stood in front of the car. I noticed something familiar about him. With an oath, Dad twisted the steering wheel sideways. Car wheels slipped on the icy path. The car skidded. It swung round, veering towards the thin metal rail lining the road. Dad swivelled the steering wheel, face desperate. His foot pounded the brakes, but still the car slid forward. I screamed as we hit the rail and plunged on. The car hoovered a moment before tilting straight down. We fell.

Mom and Dad screamed. I heard myself scream too. We seemed to fall forever before the back window exploded with a glass hailstorm. Two arms grabbed me and pulled me backwards. Some-one laid me on the snowy ground. I heard a crash as the car impacted somewhere below. The screams stopped abruptly.

I shivered with cold, lying there, blood running down my face. Up here hypothermia could kill me even if my injuries didn't. I should get up, move around. I needed to see if Mom and Dad were alright.

I raised my head. Dizziness hit me. Darkness winked in and out. I would die on this mountainside.

A blurry face lent over me as consciousness faded.