A Season of Firsts

Chapter 34 - Rescue

A day before December 31st

AIDEN

When I find Blaze with Emma, I don't have time to think things through. My brain simply makes the connection and I see red when I realize what he's doing.
I won't let him. Over my dead body if anything.

I run forward to grab his hood and pull back with everything I've got, and catching him unawares, I manage to force him to the ground. But he no longer has her in his arms.
Then I see that she is about to disappear off the edge, as the snow slides away, taking her with.

"Emma!" I shout. I don't know if she can hear me through the snow and wind, but that doesn't matter.

I haul myself forward and just as she's about to slip off, I catch her. Suddenly, I feel Blaze's hands on me from behind. He's trying to push us both off now.
I lift my leg and thrust it back, donkey style. Satisfied with the noise that comes from him when my foot hits his stomach, I finish dragging Emma to safety.

All of a sudden my feet are kicked out from beneath me and I land on my chest, my breath leaving me in a rush. I try to think past the dizzy aching of my head. I'm vulnerable on the ground, I need to move. I roll onto my back and launch myself up.
Blaze is ready for me.
This is the first time I've seen him properly, up close and in person. He's built solidly, with large biceps and meaty fists. He's tall, and his eyes are dark.
This is the part where I'd like to say that I can take him down easily, but...he's almost twice my size in width. And I don't mean he's fat.
When he comes for me, lunging forward, I know he'll be able to knock me down. I decide I'll just face him head on. I won't be a coward.
Then I feel a hand on my ankle. It takes me a moment to realize it's Emma. She pulls on my leg so that I fall to the side, and we both watch, on the ground, as Blaze passes by us, his face changing from menacing to frightened as he realizes his mistake.

It's too late for him to slow down in time and he falls off the peak, without a sound.

Emma gasps, and my heart stops beating for a moment. I may have felt something near to hate for Blaze, but I didn't intend for anyone to die. "I didn't mean to," she whispers. "I didn't really mean for him to fall."

I turn to her on my side, still heaving from having the air knocked out of me. "Emma, it's not your fault. You were trying to help me."

But she's shaking, tears dripping off her chin. I reach out to cup her cheek and feel that she's ice cold. "Emma, listen to me. We're going to get off this mountain now. The storm is only getting worse."

She shakes her head. "I killed him, didn't I?"

"No," I sit and pull her up as well by her trembling shoulders. "No, Emma. Listen to me. It's going to be okay. I promise it will be okay."

Her eyes look glazed over and a tear has frozen on the tip of her nose. I use my thumb to brush it off. Then I stand and walk over to where Blaze fell. I have to see for myself if he's really gone.
What I see relieves me: a small ledge, not very big but big enough, juts out from the mountain, and Blaze's body lies sprawled upon it. He might still be alive.

Please, God, let him be alive. I don't want Emma to have to live with this.

"Emma, we have to go now. We need to go and get help. I saw Blaze on a ledge, he might still be alive." I speak quickly and urgently. Emma looks up at me. When she doesn't move to get up, I crouch beside her. "Are you hurt?"

I run my eyes over her face, noticing for the first time the big, ugly bruise on the right side of her face.

"No. I'm fine." She says, snapping out of her trance and getting up. I get up with her.