CHAPTER ELEVEN Blake

I felt better wrapped in the tarp and was certain I was warming up, but I noticed that I was getting drowsy as well. Was it my body reacting to the cold or exhaustion? I felt the symptoms of both. The day had certainly been long with the drive up and the hike, so just being tired was possible. I assumed things were looking up for me after the shivering ended and a deceptive warmth I couldn't figure the source of invaded my body. I tried to wiggle my toes but couldn't tell if I was succeeding at the task. I tried again. Nothing. My hands were trapped at my sides because I'd rolled myself into a nature burrito and couldn't reach my toes.

I knew the symptoms of hypothermia, but for some reason wasn't alarmed even though my fingers felt fuzzy like I'd slept on them. I fumbled with my hands to wake them up. One, two, three, four, and five, I counted, tapping each fingertip against my thigh where my hand was lodged. Now the left one. Nothing. Try again, Blake. I decided to rest a bit more and check again later. Where was I? How'd I get here?

"Wrap your arms around me, Mark," I mumbled. "I'm cold, baby."

"I am," he spoke. I sensed him behind me, snuggled against my back, the place I loved him to be. Big spoon to my little spoon. "You get out of bed this time, baby. It's your turn to turn the heat higher," I whined.

Suddenly Mark was staring at me from across the room. I startled and jumped at seeing him there, white eyes glowing through a fog in the room. I focused on the skin on my back, trying to sense him. He'd just been there, hadn't he? "Baby?" I asked, stretching my arm out to him. "Come back to bed. I'm cold."

"No," he whispered. "You come to me, Blake. Things are beautiful here, and I want to show you everything."

"I miss you," I murmured, hearing my voice echoing from a faraway bright light.

A hand reached out to my extended one. From somewhere beyond my view, Mark's soft voice kept repeating the same words. "Come closer, baby. Come closer."