He dropped onto his stomach, everyone following suit, each straining as far as they could reach to shovel the remaining snow surrounding Cassie out with their hands rather than risk hurting her with shovels. Painstakingly, they uncovered Cassie inch by inch until she was visible six feet down.
Frigid air seared Joel’s lungs.
Shadows covered the sky in the dawn of night.
Faster. They needed to work faster, then find shelter. Get Cassie and everyone warm somehow before they all froze to death.
Clicking on the flashlight from his pack, he swept it over Cassie’s face, praying the light would reveal her alert and conscious. She inched her arm up to shield her eyes or attempted to, but it barely budged—as if frozen stiff. But her beautiful green eyes blinked—her lashes caked with snow, no doubt the avalanche had tripped her sunglasses from her face as well.
Ice crystals clung to her hair peeking out of the flower-patterned stocking cap.
“We’ve got you,” he said. “We’ve got you.” His chest tight, he raked his gaze over her—thankfulness and concern churning in his gut.
Blue lips. Shivering. Pale face with white spots.
“She’s in hypothermia! We need to get her someplace warm and fast.”
“Joel.” Izzy rested a hand on his shoulder.
“What?”
“Her leg.” His sister gestured down.
His gaze tracked to Cassie’s right leg crooked sideways at the knee. No bones protruding, thank goodness. Perhaps a badly twisted knee, a torn tendon. So many things it could be. But examining her leg needed to wait. The priority was hefting her up out of the hole before snow collapsed in around her.
“We found her,” Iz yelled in the background of his focus, her flashlight sweeping back and forth.
Talbot’s joined hers.
Joel studied Cassie’s face pinched in sorrow, or was it relief? On the brink of crying, but no tears fell. “We need water. She’s dehydrated.” His words cast white clouds in the beam of Izzy’s flashlight.
Izzy grabbed the pack off her back. “I’ve got some.” Reaching into her bag, she fished out a bottle of water and tossed it to him.
Catching it, he jumped down to Cassie’s side and brought the bottle to her blue lips.
“Here, sweetheart,” he said, not even pausing to consider why that had slipped from his lips. Joy at finding her alive was what mattered, that and getting her shelter and warmth. The rest of the crew appeared at his side one by one until the full party encircled the hole.
“What do we do?” Devon asked. “Is she all right?”
“She will be.” He’d make sure of that. Whatever she needed to heal, he’d give.
“What do we need to do?” Devon asked again.
“I need a coat,” Joel said, taking off his without hesitation.
“Joel,” Izzy said, concern lacing her voice. “Youalready have hypothermia. I see all the signs. Get someone else’s.”
“I’ll be fine. Plus, I’d wager nearly all of us are experiencing some level of hypothermia.” They’d been out in the elements too long, and with a blizzard howling around them, it was only going to get worse.
Devon and Talbot’s cousin Lyle handed him their coats.
“Thanks. We need to build a makeshift gurney and get her out of here.”
“What do you need?” Brady asked.
“We need to widen the hole so two of us can fit down here to lift her out. I also need two long sticks—thick as you can get.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem with all the debris,” Devon said.
