Page 95 of Mountain Void

“It doesn’t look very solid,” she said, looking back at Lorenz, and he could see, in her eyes, the fear she was trying so hard to hold back.

“It’ll hold,” Lorenz said. At the very least, it would buy them some time. “Now the shutters.”

“Sit down first, so we don’t have to worry about picking you up off the floor. Théo and I will take care of the shutters, won’t we?”

Théo nodded quickly.

Lorenz lowered his weight onto the chair carefully. The room dipped as he did so, tilting dangerously to the left. He bit his lip, the new, sharp pain forcing the world back into place.

He had to stay alert.

“The shutters,” he insisted.

Charlie and Théo worked systematically through the room. When they were done, the room felt even smaller. Closed in.

“What about the back door?” Charlie asked, pointing at the back door. That was the door Pelletier had escaped through. Lorenz had already pushed a heavy armoire against it. Nobody was coming in that way.

“It’s okay. Sit on the couch, Théo. Stay away from the windows.”

His vision dimmed at the edges, then steadied as he forced fresh air into his lungs.

Charlie kneeled down next to him. “Lorenz, what can I do? Do you have any painkillers in your backpack?”

This time, Lorenz remembered not to shake his head. “No painkillers.” He needed to stay alert. “There should be a clean T-shirt, though.”

He hissed when Charlie used it to put pressure on the side of his head.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“It’s better now.” He was telling the truth. She and Théo were safe, and standing right in front of him. That was all he needed.

Charlie settled on the couch next to Théo, wrapping the boy in her arms. Both of them looked at Lorenz.

“Ry will have made it back. The team will be here soon. We just need to wait until—

A sound.

From outside.

Just a soft crunching on the snow.

Lorenz’s spine straightened, his aches momentarily forgotten.

“Did you hear that?” Charlie whispered.

“Are those your friends?” Théo asked, his voice very young.

The sound came again, too soft. His friends would have no need to skulk around.

Lorenz was already on his feet before he consciously decided to stand. Pain crushed his ribs, but pain was good. Pain would keep him upright.

He crossed the room until he was standing beside the door.

It came again.

A crunch.

To the left, this time.