Page 62 of Mountain Void

Charlie’s heart slammed against her ribs. He was going to go under any second. And if he did, what would she do? Did she have it in her to dive in after him? Into that dark hole …

She kept crawling.

“Charlie,” Lorenz said, his voice louder now, or so it seemed to her. “Stop there.”

She froze, but he was too far away; he couldn’t see what she could—that the boy was losing his grip. That he was going to go under.

“I can reach him,” she whispered.

The boy was less than an arms-length away. But here the ice here looked thinner—duller, veined with pale cracks. Charlie stretched out her arm. So close.

Icy water seeped up, soaking her sleeves, biting into her skin.

She gritted her teeth and stretched further. The tip of her fingers finally brushed the boy’s skin.

Just a little more.

She slid forward. The ice creaked—was that sound louder?

Her hand wrapped around the boy’s shockingly cold wrist.

“I’ve got you,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’m not letting go.”

No matter what, she would not let go.

She pulled.

The ice cracked.

“Charlie …” Lorenz warned.

Charlie didn’t stop pulling. The boy’s upper body came out of the water, his weight dragging at her arms, much heavier than she’d expected. She gritted her teeth and kept going.

Exhilaration filled her. Almost there. For a second, she was sure they were going to make it.

Then the ice dipped.

There was no crack this time—no warning—just a sickening give beneath her chest.

No.

“Charlie!” Lorenz yelled.

Charlie felt herself slide inexorably forward. The boy screamed as his body plunged back into the water.

“I’m not letting go,” she cried.

The cold swallowed her, crushing the air from her lungs, the shock brutal.

“I’m here, Charlie,” a voice said from behind. Lorenz. He was on his belly, inching towards them.

“How—“

“Take the rope,” he said, throwing something toward her. It landed on the ice beside her, close enough that she could reach it—if only she had three arms.

“I can’t. I can’t let go,” she said. The boy’s head was still out of the water, but lolling forward. He was in no shape to hold on to anything at this point. If she let go of him now, he’d simply go under.

“Let go with one hand, Charlie. I need you to grab the rope and slip it under your arms.”