Chapter 6
Noah
Lost in thought, I gaze out of the window. The dense mist behind the glass doesn’t bode well. It stretches through the dense pine forest in front of the mountain rescue center, creeps up to the tree line, and merges with the rain-laden clouds that veil the peaks of the surrounding mountains.
"What a day," Anita sighs as she steps beside me, handing me a steaming cup of coffee. "It’s time for summer to kick in."
With an approving grunt, I take the cup from her and take a sip.
She leans against my desk, her search and rescue uniform pants creasing. "Are you bored yet?" she asks with an encouraging smile.
"Boredom is good." If it’s quiet here at the center, at least no one is in danger.
She scrutinizes me for a moment, and I immediately feel uncomfortable. I shift back and forth on my desk chair but can’t find a comfortable position. "Hmm," she eventually says, absentmindedly blowing on the hot liquid in her cup. "Tell me..."
Quickly, I raise my hand. Whatever question she has, I certainly won’t answer it just to fuel the gossip in the village. No, thank you. I’ve had more than enough of such experiences.
"Work calls," I turn to the screen, which still has the inventory list open. The other three monitors on my desk display a map of the area, the emergency call portal, and the internal communication program. "Thanks for the coffee."
In my peripheral vision, I see Anita’s bewildered expression. She brushes her tousled curls away from her face but keeps leaning against my desk. She’s probably searching for words.
She’d better leave it. Because there aren’t any.
For safety’s sake, I pretend that the orders for bandages and office supplies demand my full attention. I type article names and quantities into the list with so much determination that the clicking of the keyboard fills the silence between us.
"It was nice chatting with you," Anita murmurs and finally turns away.
Internally, I breathe a sigh of relief. Today is my first day back at work, and so far, I’ve managed to avoid all my colleagues. Martin brought me up to speed without deviating from the topic for even a second. And without looking me in the eye. My presence made him uncomfortable, but at least he didn’t pretend. And as long as I can keep the others at bay like I just did with Anita, everything will be fine.
So what else do we need?
Gauze bandages, fingertip bandages, and compresses. I survey all the products in the online shop. Among this supplier's offerings, I spot a range in an elegant gold-and-black design.
Elina would love these. And those subtly sparkling plasters as well.
Inevitably, I imagine her sticking one on her fingereven though she’s not even injured while batting her eyelashes.
At that very moment, the emergency phone rings. I jerk upright and clumsily reach for the headset. Now, my full concentration is required.
"Mountain Rescue, Semmtal Emergency Center," I say while simultaneously creating a new entry in the emergency portal.
The first thing I hear is the loud pattering of rain.
"Help! We need help!" The woman’s voice sounds strained. Her breath is labored. In the background, another woman screams in agony.
"Where are you located?" My gaze shifts to the screen displaying the map. I activate the GPS signal tracker, which should be able to trace the call, but I can’t pinpoint their position.
"Oh my God. Oh my God." The woman on the other end of the line bursts into a fit of sobs. "She’s bleeding. Everywhere!"
The caller is clearly on the verge of a panic attack.
"I want you to take a long, deep breath for me. Can you do that?" I try to sound composed, even though my own pulse quickens. Then I audibly exhale, hoping she can hear it.
It’s meant to encourage her to do the same, and indeed, a few seconds later, I can hear her quivering breath ebb and flow.
"Very good. And now, tell me your name," I continue in a soft voice. At the same time, I alert the paramedics through our internal communication system, placing them on standby.
"Miri." She sniffs heavily. "She’s going to die," she whispers, her voice choked.
