Read Online Blizzard: Colorado, 1886 by Kathleen Duey and Karen A. Bale - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathleen Duey and Karen A. Bale
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her legs.
Helpless to do anything but scramble for new grips on the frozen ground, Maggie felt herself swinging in a barely controlled circle. As her body reached the halfway point, the roaring gale very nearly tore her loose from the ground, but she managed to hang on. A few seconds later, she felt the full force of the next surge. She was still on her belly, but now she was facing downslope, her feet leading the way uphill.
Maggie could not keep her eyes open. Wind-borne sand and tiny bits of ice cut into her skin. She lifted her head, craning back over her shoulder to try to see the outcroppings above. She got only a secondâs glimpse, but it was enough. She wasnât far off now. If she could follow a slanting path, she would be safe from the drop-off.
It was easier feet first. The wind still snaked its way beneath her and would have ripped her free if she hadnât held on strongly, but now she could use both her handsâand both her feet. Fighting the screaming gale, inching upward, opening her eyes only when she had to, Maggie got closer to the rocky outcropping.
Her mind focused on what she had to do, Maggie felt time slow down. There was nothing in her world beyond the rocks she gripped, then released, easing herself upward. The roar of the wind and the constant stinging pain of the sand and ice in her face seemed to have been there always. When her feet butted against the first of the low rock ledges, it took her a moment to understand that she had made it.
Crawling along the jagged ledges, Maggie finally found her way into a narrow fissure deep enoughto shelter her. For a long time, she lay still, dragging in deep breaths of the freezing air. Then she managed to sit up. The screaming of the wind made her tremble. It was like a wild animal, angry that she had escaped.
Maggie untied her fatherâs bedroll and sat on it to protect herself from the chill of the rock. She slapped her hands together, trying to warm up. She flexed her toes and rubbed her legs. After a long time, she began to feel the painful tingling that meant life was coming back into her hands. A few minutes later, her feet began to warm up enough to ache.
Exhausted, and grateful beyond words to be out of the wind, Maggie opened her knapsack. She held the canteen in trembling hands and took big, greedy swallows of the sugary coffee. It was so cold that it hurt her teeth, but was delicious and she began to feel a little strength returning to her bodyâand a little hope.
Hurriedly, Maggie ate a biscuit and drank more coffee. Then she repacked her things and got cautiously to her feet, staying bent over far enough to remain out of the wind. The sky had darkened, but whether it was late afternoon or simply a falsedusk created by thickening clouds, she wasnât sure. Following the fissure, Maggie made her way forward.
The rock ledges had formed a complex maze. Maggie turned to the left, then to the right, then back again. Just above her head the wind shrieked over the stone. It was still snowing, and in places there were little drifts among the rock.
Maggie straightened up where the fissure deepened. It reminded her of the long gash in Old Man Mountain behind the Elkhorn Lodge. Along one side, a half cave had formed, angling beneath the rock. Maggie blinked, trying to see into the shadows.
A dark shape made her stop midstride. Anything might have taken shelter hereâa lion, a wolf . . . But it wasnât. Almost weeping with relief, Maggie ran to Hadyn. An instant later, her relief froze back into fear. He wasnât conscious, and she wasnât sure he was breathing.
Chapter Nine
Hadyn was curled into a ball, like a child sleeping on a cold night. Maggie slid her knapsack off her shoulders. Fumbling with the ties on her fatherâs bedroll, she crouched beside her cousin. Once she had the thick, quilted blankets unrolled, she spread them out.
Stooping, Maggie worked her hands beneath Hadynâs
Helpless to do anything but scramble for new grips on the frozen ground, Maggie felt herself swinging in a barely controlled circle. As her body reached the halfway point, the roaring gale very nearly tore her loose from the ground, but she managed to hang on. A few seconds later, she felt the full force of the next surge. She was still on her belly, but now she was facing downslope, her feet leading the way uphill.
Maggie could not keep her eyes open. Wind-borne sand and tiny bits of ice cut into her skin. She lifted her head, craning back over her shoulder to try to see the outcroppings above. She got only a secondâs glimpse, but it was enough. She wasnât far off now. If she could follow a slanting path, she would be safe from the drop-off.
It was easier feet first. The wind still snaked its way beneath her and would have ripped her free if she hadnât held on strongly, but now she could use both her handsâand both her feet. Fighting the screaming gale, inching upward, opening her eyes only when she had to, Maggie got closer to the rocky outcropping.
Her mind focused on what she had to do, Maggie felt time slow down. There was nothing in her world beyond the rocks she gripped, then released, easing herself upward. The roar of the wind and the constant stinging pain of the sand and ice in her face seemed to have been there always. When her feet butted against the first of the low rock ledges, it took her a moment to understand that she had made it.
Crawling along the jagged ledges, Maggie finally found her way into a narrow fissure deep enoughto shelter her. For a long time, she lay still, dragging in deep breaths of the freezing air. Then she managed to sit up. The screaming of the wind made her tremble. It was like a wild animal, angry that she had escaped.
Maggie untied her fatherâs bedroll and sat on it to protect herself from the chill of the rock. She slapped her hands together, trying to warm up. She flexed her toes and rubbed her legs. After a long time, she began to feel the painful tingling that meant life was coming back into her hands. A few minutes later, her feet began to warm up enough to ache.
Exhausted, and grateful beyond words to be out of the wind, Maggie opened her knapsack. She held the canteen in trembling hands and took big, greedy swallows of the sugary coffee. It was so cold that it hurt her teeth, but was delicious and she began to feel a little strength returning to her bodyâand a little hope.
Hurriedly, Maggie ate a biscuit and drank more coffee. Then she repacked her things and got cautiously to her feet, staying bent over far enough to remain out of the wind. The sky had darkened, but whether it was late afternoon or simply a falsedusk created by thickening clouds, she wasnât sure. Following the fissure, Maggie made her way forward.
The rock ledges had formed a complex maze. Maggie turned to the left, then to the right, then back again. Just above her head the wind shrieked over the stone. It was still snowing, and in places there were little drifts among the rock.
Maggie straightened up where the fissure deepened. It reminded her of the long gash in Old Man Mountain behind the Elkhorn Lodge. Along one side, a half cave had formed, angling beneath the rock. Maggie blinked, trying to see into the shadows.
A dark shape made her stop midstride. Anything might have taken shelter hereâa lion, a wolf . . . But it wasnât. Almost weeping with relief, Maggie ran to Hadyn. An instant later, her relief froze back into fear. He wasnât conscious, and she wasnât sure he was breathing.
Chapter Nine
Hadyn was curled into a ball, like a child sleeping on a cold night. Maggie slid her knapsack off her shoulders. Fumbling with the ties on her fatherâs bedroll, she crouched beside her cousin. Once she had the thick, quilted blankets unrolled, she spread them out.
Stooping, Maggie worked her hands beneath Hadynâs
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