She stirred again.
Enrico, not wanting to wake her, straightened his posture and directed his attention to the fire in front of them, keeping himself from dozing off. The night in the mountains was growing colder, with snowflakes drifting down relentlessly. Inside the cave, only the small fire provided the barest hint of warmth. Enrico held her tightly, yet he didn’t feel cold at all.
…
The Folsom family members, having ventured into the mountains deep into the night, were struggling against the harsh climate and sought shelter from the wind. Beinice, overweight and wrapped in thick clothing, was barely able to walk by the time night fell. Despite his exhaustion, he couldn’t afford to stop and trembled as he followed the others ahead.
Blanca, holding a flashlight, walked in front, the beam of light cutting through the dense snowfall. Suddenly, Beinice saw Blanca step onto a wrong path and slip downward. She barely managed to steady herself by grabbing a nearby branch.
“Blanca!” Beinice hurriedly rushed to her, panting heavily, only to see her hands covered in cuts. Blanca said nothing, her face expressionless as she continued walking forward.
“Blanca!” Beinice grabbed her arm. “Listen to me. We need to find shelter and wait until morning to keep searching.”
“Let go,” Blanca replied coldly, pulling her arm away.
Beinice’s voice turned stern. “You think the mountains are safe just because it’s winter? There are still dangerous beasts here, and the terrain is treacherous. If you keep wandering aimlessly, not only will we fail to find Marian, but you might end up dead.”
“Then stop following me,” Blanca retorted, breaking free and walking on.
“I’m not afraid of dying! I’m afraid you’ll die!” Beinice shouted after her. “Our family has barely held on since Grandpa passed. We’re already so few, and with our sister in her condition, do you really want me to lose another sibling?”
Blanca froze at his words.
Turning slowly, she looked at Beinice, her face pale beneath the bandage on her head. “Beinice, I haven’t told you the truth in years. If it weren’t for the Folsom family, I would’ve been dead the year Marian disappeared. That was my punishment.”
“Blanca…” Beinice’s frown deepened.
“You saw how thinly Marian was dressed. There’s barely any food in these mountains. I can wait until daylight, but what about her?” Blanca said steadily. “I’ve already failed her twice. I’ve made mistakes over and over again. If giving my life spares her some suffering, then that’s what I deserve.”
Beinice sighed. “You and Marian, both so stubborn-one won’t admit she misses her daughter, the other refuses to acknowledge her mother.”
Blanca’s gaze dimmed. This was her burden to bear. Marian wasn’t at fault.
Seeing he couldn’t persuade her, Beinice grabbed her arm once more. “Fine. I’ll go with you. We’ll find her together.”
They continued deeper into the forest, searching for Paige, hoping they could still turn things around.
…
The night grew eerily quiet, with only the occasional strange howls from the mountains breaking the stillness. The unsettling sounds persisted until the first light of dawn.
Inside the cave, the fire had nearly burned out, leaving only faint embers. Ice stalactites dripped from the cave’s ceiling, with some falling to the ground. Paige was curled up in Enrico’s lap, fast asleep, covered tightly in the large snow jacket. Enrico sat against the stone wall, his face sharp and rugged, with tired eyes barely open. One hand rested on Paige, keeping the jacket snug around her, while the other held a stick of burnt wood. His head began to droop before he suddenly jolted awake.
His eyes, red with fatigue, glanced down at her, then at the now-lit sky outside the cave. He let out a sigh of relief.
“Paige, wake up. We need to move,” he whispered.
The mountains could change in an instant. After one night, their way back might be blocked. They had to leave quickly.
Paige was sleeping deeply, her head resting comfortably on his leg.
Enrico chuckled softly and reached down to pinch her cheek. “Come on, wake up. Once we’re out of the mountains, you can sleep all you want.”
But as his fingers touched her skin, he felt an alarming heat.
“Ugh…” Paige groaned softly, shrinking deeper into his arms, clearly displeased by the touch.
Enrico’s face grew serious as he pressed his hand to her forehead-burning hot. She had a fever.
He quickly grabbed the first-aid kit, rummaging through it until he found a box of fever medication. After reading the instructions, he set it aside and gently lifted Paige, tapping her cheek. “Paige, wake up. You can’t sleep any longer.”
Paige stirred, her head leaning against his shoulder. Slowly, she opened her eyes, squinting at Enrico’s face. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice hoarse, much raspier than it had been the night before.
Her throat felt raw and sore, and her head spun as she tried to sit up, nausea sweeping over her.
So cold… Why did she feel so cold?
“You have a fever. Take this medicine first,” Enrico said, holding her close as he fumbled with the pills.
Paige swayed weakly in his arms, her dizziness worsening.
A fever…
She let out a weak laugh. “I survived all kinds of weather on Wind Island without ever getting sick. But now, after leaving with you, I’ve grown so delicate.”
A single day in the mountains, and she’d already fallen ill.
“Stop talking,” Enrico chided softly, looking at her worriedly. He gently placed the pills at her lips. “Open up. Take your medicine.”
Paige obediently opened her mouth, swallowing the pills. Enrico brought a water bottle to her lips, slowly tipping it as she drank. The cold water eased some of the discomfort in her throat and stomach.
Enrico frowned. “The water’s cold. Don’t drink too much.”
But Paige ignored him, gulping down the entire bottle.
Seeing her like this, Enrico couldn’t bring himself to stop her. He simply watched as she finished the water, then let her rest her head on his shoulder again.
“Give me a little while,” Paige murmured, her eyelids heavy. “Once the fever goes down, we’ll leave.”
She knew she was only holding him back in this state. She needed to regain her strength.
Paige tried to force her eyes open but soon lost the battle, drifting back into an uneasy sleep…