Wednesday, December 17, 2008

A Walk for Christmas

The drive to Aspens was filled with excitement and silent prayers. Ten days before Christmas would be upon them. Sarah wondered if she was doing right by dragging her kids out on what could be a wild Goose chase. What happens if they get there and Jake's body has been found? What does she tell her children then? Would they blame her for his death? Would they ever be able to find it in themselves to look at her again, let alone love her? She had to push these thoughts back. Positive thoughts were all she could afford to have right now.
"Mom, do we know where we are going? How do we even know where Dad's car went off?
"I talked to the police before we left, Mark. They told me they were keeping the area roped off until they could get back to it. We should see the roped area before we get into town."
"Are you sure you can do this mom?"
"This is about your Father, Ellie. I Will do it and we Will find him! And then, we will go back home and we will begin living again. I spoke with Dr.Greely too. He was not happy to hear what I was planning. He wanted to see me first. I asked him if my legs were capable of walking without issue and he said they always were."
Sarah omitted the part where he told her that for a time, her legs could simply collapse until the muscles rebuilt. It was something she neither cared to believe nor felt the kids needed to hear. If it happened, then it happened.
"Mom..." Sarah felt a hand on her shoulder. "I am so sorry for the way I have..."
Sarah shushed her daughter in the tenderest tone she had. "There are no sorries in this, Ellie. I have been a fool for too long. IF you can see past that for me, then all is as it should be."
"I love you Mom! I have always loved you. We will find Daddy and bring him home." Sarah felt Ellie sobbing against her shoulder. She wanted nothing more than to hold her daughter and let her feel all her love.
"Alright you two. You need to stop this or I will be crying next. I need clear eyes to see in this stuff."
Sarah looked up and saw the snow covering the road in front of them. The headlights made it clear that they were driving straight into a storm. She closed her eyes and prayed. She prayed for their safe travel and she prayed for the man that had held her heart for as long as she could remember.
Jake had made his way past the icy edges of the rock wall. He could feel the burning in his arm. He was glad he had worn a heavy coat, where ever it was he had been going. Short moments of images flashed through his mind. None long enough to put a name to. She was beautiful, he knew that. He was confused at why he never saw her legs. The image always appeared to be sitting in a chair. The sounds of the trees creaking in the wind bothered him. He was far enough down to not feel it, but he could still hear it's fierceness. Suddenly there was a sound behind him. Branches snapped and snow was being drudged through. The sound came closer with each snap of the branches. Jake searched the ground for a weapon. A branch or pointed stick, anything to protect himself against whatever it was that followed him. He found some rocks sticking out from the snow. Quickly he kicked at them until two broke loose. He reached down and scooped them into his hands.
"Come on, whatever you are, I am not going to be an easy meal. You will be too tired to eat me when you are finished with me!" The small Jack-pine in front of him bent to the sides. He heard the low growls before he saw their eyes. There was no doubt in his mind what they were. One of the wolves had moved to the backside of him. The other now stood in front of him. The pink of it's gums was showing, just above the set of razor sharp teeth that glistened in the moonlight. Growling and shaking it's head from side to side, it made a half circle around Jake. The wolf behind him held it's position as if only trying to make sure Jake did not move. The wolf in front suddenly crouched just as Jake tossed one of the rocks at it's head. Hitting it directly in the head, the wolf cried out once and shook it's head. And then, it leaped directly at Jake, fangs bared and eyes raging with anger and hunger. Jake threw the other rock. He heard a loud Crack! The sound shook the snow beneath his feet. Tree branches, filled with snow shuddered and dropped the snow from their clutches. Surely he had not hit the wolf that hard. He had closed his eyes just as the wolf had lept at him. He felt the weight of the creature on him as he fell to the ground. He waited for the second wolf to join in, but no second attack came. The first wolf laid on Jake's body, it's weight pinning him to the ground. Jake could feel something warm running onto his stomach where his jacket had torn open. He touched it with his fingers. Warm and sticky. The blood ran over his body. He knew somehow that the blood was not his own. But how? Jake slowly opened his eyes. He stared into the blank, opened eyes of the wolf. He heard another sound above him. Jake turned towards the shuffling of snow, expecting to see the face of the second wolf. Instead, he was looking up at a man. A man that looked as if he had not seen civilization in a very long time. The man was holding a rifle in one hand. He kicked the body of the wolf off of Jake.
"Looks like you got yourself into a mess. Much as I don't like them wolves eating folks, I don't really like folks either."

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