Love me till the end

Chapter 13

Luke wasn't very far away when he heard Charlie cry out his name. The alarm he detected in her voice was clear and sharp and sent a ripple of fear down his spine. He'd heard the howls of the wolves, too and knew there were packs that roamed the woods close by his home.

"Luke, help!"

"Charlie!" he shouted and ran in the direction he'd heard her call out. The adrenaline was pumping through his blood like fuel. If anything happens to her-

"Luke, I'm here!"

"Stay put and keep talking so I can find you!" he shouted back, sprinting through the trees in the direction of her voice. It was snowing hard now, the white powdery stuff covered Luke's footsteps as fast as he made them.

"I'm over here!" She barely got the words out when Luke broke through a cluster of pines to where Charlie had stopped. He halted when he saw her, ready to blast her for being so foolish when a loud cracking sound split the air.

It became extremely silent.

Their eyes met.

Another, louder crack followed the first one.

Charlie's eyes widened with confusion and surprise. She glanced down at her feet and then back at Luke. "What is it?"

The sound became louder. And for the first time Luke realized she wasn't standing on solid ground. "Charlie, God, baby don't move."

Charlie froze, obviously realizing it, too. He watched in horror as the ice beneath her feet continued to break outward in the pattern of a spider's legs, the snow turning darker where the water came through.

"Luke..."

For as long as he lived he'd never forget the frightened softness in Charlie's voice. Her gaze clung to his as though just doing that made her safe. Helplessness held him immobile, and knowledge of the inevitable. Before either of them had a chance to do anything the ice gave way and Charlie went under.

"Charlie!"

She came up gasping for air, her arms flailing in a wild attempt to stay above the freezing water, but her water-laden clothes weighed her down and made it difficult.

"Luke!" she screamed, gagging at the water rushing down her throat.

Her head went under again. Panic raced through Luke. He quickly sprinted as close as he could to her before dropping down onto the ice. He inched his way toward her.

"Luke."

It was a struggle to keep his tone from showing the fear he felt. "I'm here, sweetheart." He was flat on his stomach, crawling toward her until he was as close to the edge of the jagged ice as he dared go. Unfortunately, it wasn't close enough to reach her. And he knew if he went in too their chances of survival were slim to none.

"Luke, I ca-can't get o-out," Charlie stammered. She tried desperately to claw her way out on top of the ice. But every time she grabbed the ragged edge it just broke away in her hands, tossing her back into the icy water.
Luke could see she was shivering violently and knew he had only minutes to get her out before hypothermia set in. Each time Charlie sank beneath the surface, fear that she wouldn't resurface nearly paralyzed him. His hand went to his belt and he quickly undid it and then slipped it through the loops. Snapping it free he tossed it to her.

"Grab it, Charlie, I'll pull you out."

She missed it the first time. "I can't."

"Yes you can."