Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

I wasn’t sure what Jake’s definition of not long was, but I started to get worried when he’d been gone for over two hours.

By the third hour, I was pacing by the door and peeking out the windows every few minutes.

At the fourth hour, I donned my winter gear and went out to look for him. Thankfully, Jake had a pair of snowshoes in the garage. They weren’t easy to walk in, but they kept me from sinking down into the snow with each step.

I went as fast as I could, following the tracks of the snowmobile. It felt like I had been walking for hours when I finally spotted the snowmobile stopped in front of a large mound of snow, but Jake was nowhere to be seen.

“Jake!” I yelled as I hurried closer. “Jake!”

When I reached the snowmobile, I saw him. He was on the ground, awkwardly crumpled at the base of a tree. “No!” I screamed and tried to run to him, cursing the damn snowshoes for slowing me down.

I dropped to my knees beside him, unsure of what to do. “Jake,” I cried and shakily reached out to feel for a pulse. The relief I experienced when I felt his pulse disappeared quickly when I realized he wouldn’t wake up. “Shit. Shit. Shit. I don’t know what to do.” I looked around frantically, as if the answer would somehow magically appear. When my eyes landed on the snowmobile, an idea came to me.

“Hold on, Jake. I’ll be right back. Just hold on for me, okay?”

Wiping the tears from my face, I ran to the snowmobile and prayed I’d be able to get it back to the cabin. After a few moments of confusion, I got it running and raced back to the cabin.

In the garage, I grabbed a rope and the plastic sled and rushed back to Jake.

After carefully rolling Jake’s limp body into the sled, I used the rope to tie it to the back of the snowmobile and slowly towed Jake back to the cabin. From there, I untied the rope and used it to pull the sled into the living room. All the while, Jake remained unconscious. King circled the sled several times before laying down beside it and resting his head on Jake’s chest.

“What in the hell am I supposed to do? Our phones aren’t working!” Suddenly, I remembered something about satellites and ran upstairs to get my phone.

It took me a few minutes to find it, partially because my hands wouldn’t stop shaking, but I managed to locate the satellite messaging feature on my phone. It was new, and I’d never used it before, so I prayed it would work. It was the only option I had.

“Yes!” I shouted excitedly when my phone connected to a satellite. Then I typed out a message to my dad.

Sarah: I’m at Jake’s cabin. My phone isn’t working. I’m using the satellite connection to message you. Jake’s hurt. Snowmobile accident. He won’t wake up. The roads are blocked. I need help. I don’t know what to do.

The reply wasn’t immediate, but it was close.

Dad: Help is on the way. Maybe fifteen minutes. I’ll meet you at the hospital. I love you.

Sarah: Thanks, Dad. I love you, too.

I didn’t know how he was going to get help to me so quickly, but I didn’t question it. Instead, I put out the fire, turned off the generator, and waited.

When I heard the blades of a helicopter chopping through the air, I exhaled in relief and gently ran my hand over Jake’s face. “Help is here.”