next to the ones Ariana and Te’oma had been sleeping in. A single animal skin lay on top of the rock-hard, wooden floor. He looked longingly at the lovely bed he had had, the one that Xerxes now occupied.
Xerxes blew out all the candles, bar one. “We need a little light for when nature calls,” he said.
Xerxes, Julius and Ariana fell asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows. Ariana snored like a steam train and mumbled in her sleep. Te’oma stared up at the roof. The light from the candle reflected over the exposed area of the glacier, causing the light to dance in all directions. His mind was troubled. He knew he was not doing this trip by himself, yet he still felt alone.
Ariana tossed and turned. Te’oma turned to look at her. She was very beautiful. It was just a pity that this was as peaceful as she got. She mumbled some incoherent words, then flung her arm across herself. Her hand landed on Te’oma’s. Her skin was warm and soft. Te’oma held her hand in his. Ariana squeezed it, mumbled again, then continued to snore. The night was long and bitterly cold.
***
It was dark in the cave. The morning sun had no effect this far below the glacier. Luckily, Xerxes had his own personal alarm clock. Alto woke at the crack of dawn every day and leapt onto Xerxes’ bed to lick his face, something that Xerxes did not enjoy.
Surprisingly, this day Julius was already awake, preparing a breakfast for them all, if you could call some steamed vegetables and a bowl of soup breakfast.
“You’re up early,” said Xerxes.
“I had a hard time sleeping,” replied Julius.
“Yes, it does take some getting used to down here,” said Xerxes.
“Apparently, not for everyone,” said Julius as he pointed to where Te’oma and Ariana lay, still hand in hand.
“Oh, I see,” said Xerxes, rather awkwardly.
Alto leapt off Xerxes’ bed, running straight over the top of Ariana and Te’oma, and scratched at the door to be let out. “Alright, alright,” said Xerxes.
Ariana and Te’oma opened their weary eyes. “Good morning,” said Julius, standing directly over them with a big smile on his face.
“What are you so happy about?” said Ariana.
Julius looked down at their hands and grinned. Ariana quickly pulled her hand away from Te’oma’s. “Yuck, get off me!” she said.
It was a clear day. The sun beamed down over the glacier, causing an incredible amount of glare. It was still bitterly cold and the clouds hung over the land below, but up there it just felt nicer.
Te’oma, Ariana and Julius waited at the edge of the glacier, looking out at the seemingly endless mountains that lay before them. They had their packs full of supplies and Xerxes had given them each containers to hold as much fresh water as they could.
“Are you sure you understand the way?” asked Xerxes, who seemed unusually nervous.
“Of course. Across the glacier, across the dunes, through the mountains and up the cliffs. Got it. It’s all on the map,” said Ariana.
“You make it sound so easy,” replied Xerxes.
Xerxes lead them back down the mountain to an old trail he knew of. If you weren’t looking for it, you would hardly know it was there, but he insisted that it was the quickest way across the glacier. “This is as far as I can take you,” he said.
“We are eternally grateful for your assistance,” said Julius.
They turned and looked at the forbidding path that lay in front of them. All they could see was a tiny dirt track that weaved its way through towering walls of ice.
“Well, we’ve waited long enough. Let’s get moving,” said Ariana as she marched off down the path. Julius and Te’oma set off after her.
“Te’oma.” said Xerxes. “Wait one minute.”
Te’oma went back to Xerxes’ side. Julius and Ariana did not notice and continued on.
Xerxes’ demeanour changed. He stared at Te’oma with a powerful gaze. “There are many dangers that lie on the path before you, some more obvious than
Xerxes blew out all the candles, bar one. “We need a little light for when nature calls,” he said.
Xerxes, Julius and Ariana fell asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows. Ariana snored like a steam train and mumbled in her sleep. Te’oma stared up at the roof. The light from the candle reflected over the exposed area of the glacier, causing the light to dance in all directions. His mind was troubled. He knew he was not doing this trip by himself, yet he still felt alone.
Ariana tossed and turned. Te’oma turned to look at her. She was very beautiful. It was just a pity that this was as peaceful as she got. She mumbled some incoherent words, then flung her arm across herself. Her hand landed on Te’oma’s. Her skin was warm and soft. Te’oma held her hand in his. Ariana squeezed it, mumbled again, then continued to snore. The night was long and bitterly cold.
***
It was dark in the cave. The morning sun had no effect this far below the glacier. Luckily, Xerxes had his own personal alarm clock. Alto woke at the crack of dawn every day and leapt onto Xerxes’ bed to lick his face, something that Xerxes did not enjoy.
Surprisingly, this day Julius was already awake, preparing a breakfast for them all, if you could call some steamed vegetables and a bowl of soup breakfast.
“You’re up early,” said Xerxes.
“I had a hard time sleeping,” replied Julius.
“Yes, it does take some getting used to down here,” said Xerxes.
“Apparently, not for everyone,” said Julius as he pointed to where Te’oma and Ariana lay, still hand in hand.
“Oh, I see,” said Xerxes, rather awkwardly.
Alto leapt off Xerxes’ bed, running straight over the top of Ariana and Te’oma, and scratched at the door to be let out. “Alright, alright,” said Xerxes.
Ariana and Te’oma opened their weary eyes. “Good morning,” said Julius, standing directly over them with a big smile on his face.
“What are you so happy about?” said Ariana.
Julius looked down at their hands and grinned. Ariana quickly pulled her hand away from Te’oma’s. “Yuck, get off me!” she said.
It was a clear day. The sun beamed down over the glacier, causing an incredible amount of glare. It was still bitterly cold and the clouds hung over the land below, but up there it just felt nicer.
Te’oma, Ariana and Julius waited at the edge of the glacier, looking out at the seemingly endless mountains that lay before them. They had their packs full of supplies and Xerxes had given them each containers to hold as much fresh water as they could.
“Are you sure you understand the way?” asked Xerxes, who seemed unusually nervous.
“Of course. Across the glacier, across the dunes, through the mountains and up the cliffs. Got it. It’s all on the map,” said Ariana.
“You make it sound so easy,” replied Xerxes.
Xerxes lead them back down the mountain to an old trail he knew of. If you weren’t looking for it, you would hardly know it was there, but he insisted that it was the quickest way across the glacier. “This is as far as I can take you,” he said.
“We are eternally grateful for your assistance,” said Julius.
They turned and looked at the forbidding path that lay in front of them. All they could see was a tiny dirt track that weaved its way through towering walls of ice.
“Well, we’ve waited long enough. Let’s get moving,” said Ariana as she marched off down the path. Julius and Te’oma set off after her.
“Te’oma.” said Xerxes. “Wait one minute.”
Te’oma went back to Xerxes’ side. Julius and Ariana did not notice and continued on.
Xerxes’ demeanour changed. He stared at Te’oma with a powerful gaze. “There are many dangers that lie on the path before you, some more obvious than
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