Snowy Adventure - Part 3

 Good morning, faithful Friday fiction fans,

It's cold this morning. As in 7º F cold. (That's -14º C in case you were wondering.) No snow. That came last Saturday, stuck around Sunday, and was gone on Monday. It was in the 50s Tuesday, then in the 20s on Wednesday with a bitterly cold windchill. Yesterday was sunny but never got much beyond 21º. Today it is supposed to get just above freezing.

This week has been another good one for writing. Not only have I already gotten 6k written, I'm almost to the end of my secret story. Even though I had to rearrange the last 6k words because I realized the scenes weren't in the right order, I managed to write almost 2k yesterday. I'm really hoping I can reach the end today, but my nieces and nephews are coming over this evening, so I'll have to write at a different time. We'll see what happens. I still need to clean the house. (Do any of you clean your house on Fridays?) And wrap some presents for my niece who is turning 7 today. My sister is going to make a large cookie for dessert.

I also need to do a few more things, but we'll see how much time I have. I know this is short. I guess I just don't have a lot to say right now. Enjoy the last part of this story! I still think it needs a little more in the middle of this part, but I didn't have a chance to write it.

Snowy Adventure

Part 3

 

    “Well, I was just exploring, and trying to find one of those old cabins you mentioned,” Coral tried to explain. “I saw one up there,” and she gestured with the flashlight to a nearby cliff, “but I slipped and kind of hurt my leg, so I thought I’d just sit here and read.”
    “Didn’t you realize no one knew where you were? You caused quite a lot of worry, young lady.” Micah’s voice was stern. “You should have been heading back to the lodge not sitting here reading. I–”
    The radio crackled to life.
    “Micah, can you read me? Come in, Micah.”
    Snatching the radio, Micah let out a sigh. “I read you, Isaiah. I’ve found her. We’ll be heading back. She’s okay.”
    “Glad to hear it. I’ll let the team know.”
    “Thanks. Let my wife know too, please.”
    “Will do. Over and out.”
    Micah silently replaced his radio. “Come on, Coral, let’s head back.”
    Without a word, Coral unzipped her coat and put her book and flashlight in the inner pocket and then zipped her coat shut again. “I’m sorry, Micah,” she whispered. “I wanted to go back, but I couldn’t. My leg hurt too much and I–”
    It was only then that Micah realized his sister had mentioned hurting her leg. “Which one?” His voice became less stern.
    “My right one. I can’t stand on it, Micah, I tried.” Tears filled Coral’s eyes and one spilled down her cheek.
    Crouching down, Micah gently felt the injured leg. It was hard to tell if it was broken or only sprained under the layers of clothes. “Where does it hurt?”
    “My knee. My ankle, and between. I’m not sure exactly except that it all hurts when I tried to walk.”
    “Can you bend you knee?”
    Gingerly Coral did so. “Yeah. Some.”
    Micah pressed a little more firmly on her leg, trying to discover the extent of her injury without resorting to exposing her leg to the cold and snow.
    “Ow!”
    “Sorry, Pink.” Sliding off his pack, Micah quickly pulled two splints and a bandage. “This may not be the most medically correct way to treat an injury like this,” he remarked. “But it will have to do. There’s a storm coming and we need to get back to the lodge before it hits. Are you cold?”
    With her lips pressed tightly together to keep back any cries of pain, Coral shrugged.
    “I’ll take that as a yes. You’ve been sitting here long enough to catch cold if not worse.” He pulled out the emergency blanket and a hot pack which he broke and unzipping his sister’s coat, he slipped the pack inside the front.
    “Why didn’t you come home with Candle?” Micah asked after he had wrapped the emergency blanket around her and then shouldered his pack again. “She’d been back an hour before anyone realized you weren’t back.”
    “I wanted a vacation too.”
    “A vacation?” Micah echoed. “Here, put your arm around my neck so I can pick you up. Did you bring any food along because I’m sure you weren’t this heavy this morning.”
    Coral gave a half giggle. “You wouldn’t know, you didn’t pick me up.”
    “No, but I did the day you arrived.” After calling Candle who was sniffing around a few yards away, Micah started down the slope with his sister in his arms. “Now, what was that about wanting a vacation?”

*

    Coral lay on the couch with her right leg resting on a pillow, the bright pink cast was covered with signatures and little pictures. She looked at it and gave a little sigh. It had been a long night. By the time she and Micah had reached the edge of the trees the snow had become thick and heavy and had it not been for Candle’s ability to find her way, things could have been different for the lodge was not visible in the snow.
    Then there had been the trip to the hospital in Micah’s truck with the snowplow on the front as soon as the storm had stopped at midnight. Her leg had been broken, just a simple break for which she was very thankful, and a strained knee and ankle. The doctor had advised her to only try for one injury next time not three on the same leg.
    Mom and Dad had talked with her about going out by herself but agreed that being laid up with a broken leg was punishment enough.
    Now she resting at the lodge. Everyone else but Grandma who was taking a nap, and Grandpa who was working a cross-word in the other room–if he hadn’t fallen asleep–were outside in the new snow. Giving another sigh, Coral laid down her book and frowned. She could read all she wanted now, and wasn’t asked to help in the kitchen or play with the younger ones. But somehow she wasn’t interested in reading. She missed being wanted and needed.
    A cold nose touched her hand and Coral smiled as she gently stroked Candle’s head. “I’m sorry, Candle,” she said softly, “I should have listened when you wanted to go back to the lodge. You were a lot smarter than I was. Thank you for finding me.”
    She looked up and saw her big brother. “And thank you too, Micah. I don’t think I’ll like the snow quite as much after this.”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Micah said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. “You can enjoy the snow just as much; it’s the exploring on your own you need to be cautious about.” He grinned. “But that cast should keep you from too much mischief. For six weeks at least.”
    Coral wrinkled her nose at him.
 

When do you clean your house?

Do you think this story needs a little more?

Have you ever felt like Coral in wanting a vacation during a vacation?