Stranded by Bracken MacLeod

feel so small and insignificant. Even under the big sky in Montana, there were mountains and rivers to break up the look of the land. It was distant, but there was hope in the grasslands under the big sky. Visible shelter and food. On the ice there was no hope. There was nothing.
    â€œIt’s not a frost heave. Look. It’s red.”
    It was hard to find focus in the white distance, especially with the Arctic Promise rising behind them like a red behemoth. “It’s just a reflection from the Promise ,” Jack said.
    â€œA reflection? That far out?” Kevin asked. Jack shrugged in reply.
    Noah raised a hand to his eyes like the others in the hope it would improve his vision of the distant object. It did little to sharpen what he saw. The remaining fog obscured the distance, the line between land … no, ice … and sky was a gradient of white to blue. A soft line suggesting the edge of the world. But there it was. Kevin was right. There was something out there. Something not ice maybe a mile or two away.
    Brewster turned, his shoes crunching in the snow as he walked quickly away from the men.
    â€œWhere are you going?” Henry asked.
    â€œTo fetch up my binoculars from the wheelhouse,” he replied. A few feet away, he stopped. Letting out a long sigh, he turned and said, “I’m calling it tonight. You guys earned a rest. We’ll get an early start tomorrow morning.” He stalked off, leaving the men to pluck their tools out of the snow, scrambling to keep up. Henry grabbed his sledge and Brewster’s pickax. Noah fell in behind, not wanting to give up trying to see what was in the distance, but also not willing to miss his ride back up to the ship in the FRC. He couldn’t afford to be left behind, not the way Brewster had been ready to lay him out only a few minutes before. If he wasn’t in the fast rescue craft with the others, the Old Man might “forget” to send it back down for him, leaving him to spend the night outdoors.
    As Noah tried to climb aboard the lifeboat with the rest of the crew, Brewster stuck out a stiff arm, holding him back. “You can take the next one.”
    â€œWhat do you mean ‘next one’? It’s not an elevator.”
    â€œYou’re not riding up with me. I’ll send someone to get you.”
    Noah looked to one of the other men for help. Henry and Theo wouldn’t look him in the face. It was hard to tell in the Gumby suit, but Jack might have shrugged again. Brewster slapped the switch and the rescue craft jerked abruptly up. Henry and Jack unwillingly sat while Theo and Kevin reached out for support.
    â€œWait,” Kevin shouted.
    â€œWhat?” Brewster said, halting their ascent. “What’s wrong?”
    Kevin awkwardly swung himself over the edge and lowered himself out of the boat. He dropped the few feet they’d risen back down onto the ice. Jack said, “What are you doing?”
    â€œIt’s cool. I’m gonna keep him company while you guys head up. Nobody should have to wait in this shit by themselves.”
    Brewster’s face turned red again; the vein in the side of his neck visibly pulsed. He didn’t say anything, just slammed the lever up again and resumed their ascent. “Don’t forget about us, ” Kevin called after them. He waved, but no one saw.
    â€œYou probably shouldn’t have done that. There’s no telling when Brewster is going to send that thing back down.”
    â€œMan, he really has it in for you, doesn’t he?” Kevin said as he watched them rise. “How’d you even get a berth if he hates you so much?”
    â€œJust lucky, I guess.” Noah replaced his hood and zipped the suit up over his chin, settling in for a long wait.
    â€œThat’s some real shit luck, brother.”
    â€œYou’re telling me.” Noah thought about shit luck and how many times, despite trying to avoid doing