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losing her foot reeled through her mind, causing her to panic inside.

"Roger-we need to stop soon! I just got water down in my shoe, and I need to dry my foot and change out my socks."

Roger knew if it got to the point that Melissa couldn't walk, they'd be in huge trouble.

The snow started coming down in what seemed like solid sheets, dramatically lowering their visibility. They were caught in a maze of trees. Roger wanted to scream in frustration, but he knew it wouldn't do any good.

He looked at his wife, bundled up to where he could barely see her deep green eyes and a few strands of her brown hair. She was so afraid, and there was nothing he could do. There wasn't even a place to build a fire. The ground was just too damp.

They finally found a small area that looked like a sink hole. Roger asked Melissa to stand in the middle of it, while he dug out a hole barely enough to shelter them. The dirt was soft and fertile. Roger just hoped it was insulating. He lined it with as many pine branches as he could.

Again they huddled together as the world around them slowly turned white.

"I love you so much, Roger." Melissa said, her words somewhat muffled by her coat.

"I love you, too." Roger said as he put his arms around her.

"We're going to die here, aren't we?" Melissa felt her tears freezing to her face.

Roger held her tighter and spoke to her more softly, "No, we're not going to die. Don't talk like that. We're going to be rescued really soon. Then we're going to go home to our nice warm house. You're going to be great mom, and I'll be the dad I've always wanted to be. We're going to watch our children grow up, and we'll be able to tell them of this little adventure. It'll even get passed down to our grandchildren-until they get so tired of hearing it. You hear me, Melissa?"

She didn't respond. Her body had gone limp. Roger tried to shake her awake, but she didn't wake up. Had she gone into shock? Hypothermia?

"Oh, please NO! WAKE UP MELISSA! STAY WITH ME! I CAN'T LOSE YOU!"

"Hey! Are you OK down there?!"

A bright light suddenly fell on both of them. Roger held up his hand and could make out the silhouette of a large man.

"We need help down here! Please!" Roger replied.

...................... .............................. ..........

"I honestly thought you were a couple of crazy skiers that had gone off the trail. I'm so glad I found you," Ronny said to Roger with relief. Had they continued going northeast, they were an eighth of a mile away from a ski trail. All the skiers had been told to seek shelter, but Ronny was one of several people making sure that they listened.

Melissa was now conscious and being checked out by the ski lodge's staff doctor. She had gotten treatment in time that she wasn't going to lose any of her toes.. She sipped at her hot chocolate, smiling at Roger-she had heard him earlier, though it was through a fog in her mind.

Roger smiled back and then stared out the window at the snow hitting the lodge window. He could barely make out the neighboring mountains. It was a beautiful and terrifying landscape-never again would he take it for granted.

Learn more about this author, Patricia Gilliam.
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