Frozen Fear

Chapter 18

Everest stared at the roof with Marshall besides her, whispering in his sleep. She tried to rest again. It had not been a while since both had snuggled under the blankets at their hospital bed, waiting for an expected surprise from the other pups at the HQ. She did not want to wake her boyfriend, because she feared he asked if everything was alright.

The thought echoed in her head. Was everything alright now? Everything seemed to blur when she recalled the near death experiences she lived away from her family and friends. Certainly it was not the first time she felt like that. Life in the antartic tundra, her previous life, was not easy. But the sheer fear she felt during the past couple of weeks was different. It was the first time she felt powerless.

Everest turned over the clock on the wall. She was not tired, but she did not want to get off the bed. The weight of the experience with Marshall was gone for good. The warmth feeling coming from the sheets was tempting, but she was uneasy. When would be the time when one of them faced death straight to the eye again? She felt cold when the thought crossed her head. Now she did not fear for her only, but for everyone.

Everest rested her body close to Marshall, who had stopped talking in his sleep and now just quietly snored. She felt his heartbeats so close, in relaxing intervals. Marshall... she loved him with all her heart. She was forever thankful for becoming her knight in shining armor. Everest felt her eyes fill with tears, but blinked to avoid a whine that would have awaken the Daltmatian.

The future was uncertain. Everest had that feeling for the first time. But something strange happened. She stood on the bed, and shook Marshall in the process, who started to wake up. There she looked at her sleepy boyfriend yawn and return the look.

"Is everything alright, Everest? 

Then she realised that it was the first time she feared for the future, because it was the first time she ever had a reason to look forward to it. She was excited to start the first day of the rest of her life with Marshall, Jake, her friends, and the new ones she still did not know yet. She felt alive again. All because of him, the pup who was staring at her with loving eyes right there. Even if they did not know what would happen the next day, month, or decade, she knew she wanted to live her live along with him. Because she was free from the fear.

"Everything is perfect", she answered with the biggest smile she had ever shown in her live, and could not hold the tears any longer. Marshall returned one of his own.

I love you.