Chapter 2 #2
“I don’t know,” I say, my grip tightening on the steering wheel as we take the last turn. “But something’s spooked him.”
Raffle continues to whine and bark, his tail stiff as a board, his eyes fixed on something outside the truck. He leaps over Jace, pressing his nose against the glass, pawing at the door like he’s trying to warn us about something.
“We’re almost there,” I mutter, my eyes narrowing as I focus on the road. The lodge is just up ahead, a shadowy silhouette against the snow-covered landscape.
“Should we stop? Something’s really freaking him out, Axel.”
I hesitate, my instincts as a firefighter battling with the logic that tells me we’re almost safe. But there’s something about Raffle’s behavior that I can’t ignore, something that gnaws at my gut.
“I’m gonna park the truck,” I say, my voice steady despite the tension coiling in my chest. “And I want you to let Raffle out.”
Jace’s eyes widen, and he turns to me, incredulous. “Are you crazy? In this weather? We don’t even know what’s out there!”
“Trust me,” I reply, my tone leaving no room for argument. “Raffle’s trying to tell us something, and I’m not about to ignore it. We need to know what’s got him so worked up.”
Jace looks at me for a long moment, then nods reluctantly. “Alright.”
I leap out of the truck, the cold wind cutting through my jacket as I follow Raffle. The dog’s barking is frantic, like he’s found something urgent, something we need to see. Jace, Tanner, and Ben are right behind me, their boots crunching in the snow as we make our way toward the turnoff.
“Raffle, what is it, boy?” I call out, my flashlight beam slicing through the dark, snowy night. Raffle’s already ahead of us, his nose to the ground, barking and growling as he leads us toward the edge of the road.
“Axel, you see anything?” Tanner asks, his breath coming out in visible puffs of steam.
“Not yet,” I reply, but my gut tells me something’s wrong. Raffle wouldn’t be this worked up otherwise.
As we reach the turnoff, Tanner suddenly stops dead in his tracks, his eyes wide. “Holy shit, there’s a car down there!”
I swing my flashlight in the direction he’s looking, and sure enough, there’s a car halfway down the slope, its headlights barely visible through the thick curtain of snow.
It’s stuck against a tree, the front end crumpled from the impact, and its position is dangerously precarious, teetering on the edge of a steep drop.
“Damn,” Ben mutters, his voice grim. “That thing could go over any second. It’s too dangerous.”
I know that. I can’t even tell if there’s someone inside but every last nerve ending in me is telling me I need to get closer, I need to do something.
“I’m not sure if someone’s in there,” I say, my voice steady, “but we’re not taking any chances. Get the gear out of the back. Now.”
Without hesitation, the guys spring into action. Jace runs back to the truck, popping open the trunk to grab our emergency gear—ropes, harnesses, the works. Ben and Tanner are already moving closer to the edge, assessing how we’re going to get down there without causing a landslide.
Raffle’s barking grows more frantic as he circles the edge of the slope, his eyes locked on the car below. It’s like he knows something we don’t, like he can sense the danger.
“Easy, boy,” I murmur, but my heart is pounding. This is bad, real bad. If there’s someone in that car, we don’t have much time.
“Got the gear,” Jace says, returning with the equipment. He hands me a harness, his face pale but determined. “What’s the plan, Axel?”
“We’re going down there,” I reply, slipping the harness on and securing the rope around my waist. “Tanner, you and Ben secure the line up here. Jace, you’re with me. We’re gonna see if anyone’s inside and get them out, fast.”
“Got it,” Tanner says, already tying off the rope to a sturdy tree, his hands moving with practiced precision despite the cold.
Jace nods, tightening his harness. “I’m right behind you.”
We move quickly, Raffle’s barking still echoing in the background as the snow continues to fall. My pulse races as we approach the edge of the slope, the ground unstable beneath our feet. I take a deep breath, pulling the hood of my jacket over my face to protect my eyes from the snow.
With the rope secured, I begin lowering myself down the slope, with Jace following close behind. The snow is thick, making it hard to see, but I keep my eyes locked on the car.
Almost there…
Finally, we’re within reach of the car. The front end is smashed against the tree, the metal twisted and bent, but the rest of it seems intact. I peer through the windshield, wiping away the snow with my gloved hand, and my heart skips a beat.
There’s someone inside.
A woman, slumped over the steering wheel, her face obscured by her hair.
“Jace, we’ve got someone in here!” I shout up to him as he makes his way down. “We need to move fast!”
Jace nods, his expression grim as he reaches me. “Let’s get her out of there.”
Raffle’s barking is louder now, more insistent as if he knows time is running out. I grab the door handle, but it’s jammed, the impact from the crash having bent the frame. I curse under my breath, adrenaline pumping through my veins.
“Help me with this!” I call to Jace, and together we pull, the door groaning as we force it open. Snow and cold air rush inside, but I barely notice. All I can focus on is the woman inside, her breathing shallow, her body limp.
“We’ve got you,” I murmur to her, not even sure if she can hear me. “You’re going to be okay.”
I pull her against my chest to support her head, checking for injuries as I work to free her from the seatbelt. The car creaks ominously, the whole thing shifting slightly, and my heart races. We don’t have much time before this thing goes over.
“Jace, we need to get her out now!” I say, urgency in my voice.
But Jace is frozen, staring down at the woman in my arms. I didn’t get a good look at her face before, but I do now, and my heart stops.
She’s beautiful. Right then, her eyes flutter open, and she looks up at me, dazed. A jolt goes through me.
She moves in my arms, and that brings me back to the present. “Jace,” I bark. “Now.”
He finally seems to break out of whatever trance he was in before. We’ve got seconds, maybe less, before it goes over. The guys at the top are pulling on the ropes, helping us haul her up, and Raffle’s barking reaches a frantic pitch as the car slides further down, hanging on by a thread.
“You’re going to be okay,” I whisper to her. “You’re safe now.”
Just as we make it to the top, there’s a loud crack, and the car breaks free, tumbling down the slope into the darkness below. We’re all panting, covered in snow, but we’ve got her—we’ve got her out.