Thunderhead

31

Carnaby half jumped, half fell the last few yards to the narrow ledge called Halliday’s Roost, landed awkwardly in a churn of powdered wind-driven snow. For a moment, he lay sprawled, then gathered himself, made it to his feet, tottered to the hollow concealing the drifted entrance to the hut. He lowered himself, crawled down into the dark, clammy interior.

“Terry,” he called hoarsely. A wheezing breath answered him. He felt his way to the boy’s side, groped over him. He lay on his side, his legs curled against his chest.

“Terry!” Carnaby pulled the lad to a sitting position, felt him stir feebly. “Terry, I’m back! We have to go now, Terry…”

“I knew…” the boy stopped to draw an agonizing breath, “you’d come…” He groped, found Carnaby’s hand.

Carnaby fought the dizziness that threatened to close in on him. He was cold—colder than he had ever been. The climbing hadn’t warmed him. The side wasn’t bothering him much now; he could hardly feel it. But he couldn’t feel his hands and feet, either. They were like stumps, good for nothing… Clumsily, he backed through the entry, bodily hauling Terry with him.

Outside the wind lashed at him like frozen whips. Carnaby raised Terry to his feet. The boy leaned against him, slid down, crumpled to the ground.

“Terry, you’ve got to try,” Carnaby gasped out. His breath seemed to freeze in his throat. “No time… to waste… got to get you to… Doc Link…”

“Lieutenant… I… can’t…”

“Terry… you’ve got to try!” He lifted the boy to his feet.

“I’m… scared… Lieutenant…” Terry stood swaying, his slight body quivering, his knees loose.

“Don’t worry, Terry.” Carnaby guided the boy to the point from which they would start the climb down. “Not far, now.”

“Lieutenant…” Sickle caught at Carnaby’s arm. “You… better… leave… me.” His breath sighed in his throat.

“I’ll go first,” Carnaby heard his own voice as from a great distance. “Take… it easy. I’ll be right there… to help…”

He forced a breath of sub-zero air into his lungs. The bitter wind moaned around the shattered rock. The dusky afternoon sun shed a reddish light without heat on the long slope below.

“It’s late,” he mouthed the words with stiff lips. “It’s late…”