The Travel Column

Frosted In

"San." Bryce said hoarsely. "How in the world can you see anything?" At least Bryce was right at something. I could see his point. For the past hour, the car had traveled through a mountain pass, and the air was getting colder as we traveled further up. 

"I can make out the yellow markers on the road, for now." Sandra pressed her lips together and kept driving. We were going at approximately 8 miles an hour. I looked into Nat's eyes and sighed. They were so peaceful, Nathaniel's green eyes. I snuggled up against him, and he took me in open arms. 

"pak pak pak," I turned my head up at the sound coming from our window.

"scrrrrritch pak pak pak" Something was making its way through the ice. I crawled up to the noise, and a sheet of ice fell away.

"SANDRA, FLOOR IT!" I yelled, as the piercing eyes of Not-Carson centered in on my face. I leapt to the back of the...back, and Nat caught me by the shoulders. 

"He's back," I whispered. The car sped to an okay 40 mph. I curled up with Nat again, feeling safer when in his arms. I tousled his hair. 

"Just keep your cool, Sto." Nat ran his hand up my back. 

"Hope you two lovebirds are comfy," Carol leaned her head over the seat and giggled. "Looks bumpy up ahead." I smiled at her and sighed. Through where the ice fell, I couldn't see Carson any longer.

Carol was right, and not in a good way. I was bumped about the back of the car, but at least we were going. I crawled up to the window again, just as we were lurched back (to the front), thus beginning the descent of the mountain. 

"Get in front!" Carol yelled. I helped Nathaniel over the seat, and we hung on to I-don't-know-what for our lives. I could hear the squeals of the tires in the slick ice, with no avail. I bit my lip as the mere thought of death flashed through my eyes. I sqeezed my eyes to slits and tried to peer through the window. 

Like the tires, my peek had no avail, as the car crashed into a hemlock tree. I rocketed forward through the windshield, as I felt my head black out again. 

Even though I get scared by a lot of things, there is nothing scarier than bloody snow. Unfortunately, this was the first thing I saw when I fell back into consiousness. Who's hurt?? Went through my head immediately.  When I checked my own vital signs, I found the miserable answer: me. My hair was slick with blood, as was my face. I melted snow absentmindedly between my hands and wiped my face. My head screamed dizzy, but I pushed on. At that moment, there was no common sense, my logic turned into instinct. I ran. The texture under my worn shoes was like sand, sucking my ankles in. I felt my shoulders get caught.

"I thought you were dead already!!" two strong hands led me towards the trees. I felt that same cylinder on my neck, its cold being giving me chills. I followed, as one word went through my confused mind.

Bryce.