me.
“Baby, can you move?”
She doesn ’ t answer
but pulls her arms down, then stirs and is able to get almost to a sitting
position. This means there ’ s no damage
to her back and I let out a sigh of relief. I pick her up and pull her onto my
lap, rubbing her arms. She ’ s shivering
and when I press my face to hers I flinch. Her checks are as cold as the snow
around us. I need to get her out of here before she ’ s fully overcome by hypothermia.
“Natalia, I should call the ski patrol. They ’ ll bring a stretcher and get you out of here.”
“No.” Her eyes widen slightly, then she closes them again. “Please… Jake.
You help me. If anyone… knows I ’ ve been
out here… I will get fired. Please. Please help me,” she whispers and it seems
to take the last of her strength. Her head drops to my shoulder.
I envelope her in my arms, knowing as stupid as it is not to call the ski
patrol, I will do anything she asks me. I try to share some of my body heat.
She ’ s shivering. Desperation claws its way up my
chest.
“We need to get out of here. Can you walk?”
She trembles as I pull her up with me. Her clothes and boots are covered
in snow and I brush it off so she can move a little easier. I can ’ t help her and carry both of our skis, so I stab
them in the snow by a tree and wrap my arm around her waist to support her. We
are not too far from the base and I know the mountain well enough to recognize
a trail that cuts down to the villa where I ’ m staying.
Natalia leans on me, making a huge effort to walk, but she doesn ’ t give up. I try to come up with reassuring words
to keep her focused as we make our way down. She is trembling and I know it won ’ t be long before her body can ’ t take anymore.
Just as we are a few yards from my cabin, she whispers my name. As I tip
my head down she collapses and passes out.
I pick her up in my arms and carry her the rest of the way to my cabin.
And I think we are safe.
Chapter 15: Natalia :
I can ’ t stop the shaking. My body
convulses from hypothermia as Jake brings me into his villa. I ’ m not sure if this is a dream, or if he ’ s really here. He slides me onto the couch and
immediately starts taking my clothes off. I want to help him, but my limbs are
unresponsive and numb from fatigue and lying on the snow. Jake holds my face in
his hands and says my name. I manage to open my eyes and he sighs, from relief,
I think. His eyes are etched in worry as he says soothing words and tells me to
try to stay awake.
“I ’ m going to fill up the bathtub,
okay? I ’ ll be back in just a second.”
I don’ t
want him to go, but I nod, leaning back onto the couch. My eyelids are heavy. I
am so tired. I let them drop, even though he told me not to.
He ’ s back and says my name again.
Then holds my hands and squeezes them.
“You are so cold,” he says. I feel cold, but want to tell him the cold
comes from within. My jacket is off. He removes my sweatshirt and ski pants
with some effort. I wish I could help, but my body feels as if it ’ s made out of led. He strips off the rest of my
clothes until I am left in a camisole and my underwear. I ’ m not wearing a bra and feel exposed, but I don ’ t care. Jake carries me to the bathtub and slowly
slips me in. The water is too hot and I gasp from the shock. Jake holds my arms
and tells me it ’ s okay. It ’ s just warm, he says I need to get used to it. I
think he ’ s scared because he keeps
repeating it ’ s going to be okay. I ’ m safe. I lean back onto the bathtub and he holds
my hand.
“Natalia, try to stay awake, okay?”
The way he says my name brings tears to my eyes.
“Jake…”
“Shh,” he says. “You are going to be fine.” He pulls out his phone and
calls Dani. Why is Jake calling Dani? He tells her I ’ m okay, then says his villa number. He tells her
I need dry clothes. I am exhausted and close my eyes while they talk. Jake
doesn ’ t let go of my hand.
A
“Baby, can you move?”
She doesn ’ t answer
but pulls her arms down, then stirs and is able to get almost to a sitting
position. This means there ’ s no damage
to her back and I let out a sigh of relief. I pick her up and pull her onto my
lap, rubbing her arms. She ’ s shivering
and when I press my face to hers I flinch. Her checks are as cold as the snow
around us. I need to get her out of here before she ’ s fully overcome by hypothermia.
“Natalia, I should call the ski patrol. They ’ ll bring a stretcher and get you out of here.”
“No.” Her eyes widen slightly, then she closes them again. “Please… Jake.
You help me. If anyone… knows I ’ ve been
out here… I will get fired. Please. Please help me,” she whispers and it seems
to take the last of her strength. Her head drops to my shoulder.
I envelope her in my arms, knowing as stupid as it is not to call the ski
patrol, I will do anything she asks me. I try to share some of my body heat.
She ’ s shivering. Desperation claws its way up my
chest.
“We need to get out of here. Can you walk?”
She trembles as I pull her up with me. Her clothes and boots are covered
in snow and I brush it off so she can move a little easier. I can ’ t help her and carry both of our skis, so I stab
them in the snow by a tree and wrap my arm around her waist to support her. We
are not too far from the base and I know the mountain well enough to recognize
a trail that cuts down to the villa where I ’ m staying.
Natalia leans on me, making a huge effort to walk, but she doesn ’ t give up. I try to come up with reassuring words
to keep her focused as we make our way down. She is trembling and I know it won ’ t be long before her body can ’ t take anymore.
Just as we are a few yards from my cabin, she whispers my name. As I tip
my head down she collapses and passes out.
I pick her up in my arms and carry her the rest of the way to my cabin.
And I think we are safe.
Chapter 15: Natalia :
I can ’ t stop the shaking. My body
convulses from hypothermia as Jake brings me into his villa. I ’ m not sure if this is a dream, or if he ’ s really here. He slides me onto the couch and
immediately starts taking my clothes off. I want to help him, but my limbs are
unresponsive and numb from fatigue and lying on the snow. Jake holds my face in
his hands and says my name. I manage to open my eyes and he sighs, from relief,
I think. His eyes are etched in worry as he says soothing words and tells me to
try to stay awake.
“I ’ m going to fill up the bathtub,
okay? I ’ ll be back in just a second.”
I don’ t
want him to go, but I nod, leaning back onto the couch. My eyelids are heavy. I
am so tired. I let them drop, even though he told me not to.
He ’ s back and says my name again.
Then holds my hands and squeezes them.
“You are so cold,” he says. I feel cold, but want to tell him the cold
comes from within. My jacket is off. He removes my sweatshirt and ski pants
with some effort. I wish I could help, but my body feels as if it ’ s made out of led. He strips off the rest of my
clothes until I am left in a camisole and my underwear. I ’ m not wearing a bra and feel exposed, but I don ’ t care. Jake carries me to the bathtub and slowly
slips me in. The water is too hot and I gasp from the shock. Jake holds my arms
and tells me it ’ s okay. It ’ s just warm, he says I need to get used to it. I
think he ’ s scared because he keeps
repeating it ’ s going to be okay. I ’ m safe. I lean back onto the bathtub and he holds
my hand.
“Natalia, try to stay awake, okay?”
The way he says my name brings tears to my eyes.
“Jake…”
“Shh,” he says. “You are going to be fine.” He pulls out his phone and
calls Dani. Why is Jake calling Dani? He tells her I ’ m okay, then says his villa number. He tells her
I need dry clothes. I am exhausted and close my eyes while they talk. Jake
doesn ’ t let go of my hand.
A
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