Page 22 of Going Down

I turn my board straight down the hill, picking up speed and taking over Cadence’s position faster than my heart pounds. Using the edge, I curl at the closest point to the tower that Dash is climbing. Landing on my ass, I watch him scale upward to see if he can get close enough to the boy.

“I’m almost there, Hunter,” Dash shouts his name. He must be one of his ski school students.

“I can’t hold on,” Hunter cries.

“You can, bud. Kat and I will get you down safe. Don’t worry.

“I can’t! My fingers are slipping!” Hunter yells. “My hands are all sweaty!”

My mind doesn’t have time to wonder how he got into this predicament. It never does. All I have time to register is that it’s either dumb luck that Hunter slid off the seat near a tower or, if he falls the wrong way, it could make everything worse.

Dash throws off his gloves and wraps his bare fingers around the freezing steel. Reaching out, he can just touch Hunter’s hood when the breeze blows.

A panicked girl the same age has her hands wrapped around Hunter’s. As she struggles, the chair shakes.

“Lean back in the seat, sweetie,” I tell her. Put your body as close to the cushion as you can.” She’s a hero in her own right. The last thing we need is for both of them going over. “You’re doing great. We’ll get you an honorary Ski Patrol patch when this is all over.” And all the fucking hot chocolate she can drink. “What’s her name, Dash?”

“Krissa.”

“Krissa, there is a never-ending supply of hot chocolate tokens for you when this is all over.” I yell over the voices of the gathering crowd. “You’re totally boss, girl. We’re right here with you.”

“Listen, dude,” Dash says to Hunter. “I need you to kick off your skis. Pretend it’s the way you do it in class. Push one foot back against your heel. You’ll feel the click and release.”

“I can’t. I’ll fall if I do that!”

“You got this, Hunter. As soon as the extra weight is gone you’ll feel better and we’re going to get to you. I swear it.”

“Me too?” Krissa asks, her face washed in fear.

“Not yet. But we’re not leaving you up there,” I reply.

She nods an okay.

Step by step, Dash calmly talks Hunter through getting the first ski off. The effort leaves the boy tired. Hunter lifts his opposite leg to repeat the process, losing his grip. Dash catches his hood as he tumbles free. The second ski clangs against the tower with enough force to disconnect from Hunter’s ski boot.

Krissa screams and Hunter yells for Dash to save him. Dad and Cadence dart to move the skis out of the way.

“I don’t have him for long, Kat!” Dash leans away from the structure, trying to angle himself toward the largest patch of blown snow. The only thing stopping Hunter’s coat from strangling him is the layers of clothing underneath. He chokes out a sob.

“Let go.” I’m at least twelve feet below. My instructions are likely to get me injured. If Hunter hits me with his solid boot it’s going to hurt like a bitch, but as of now, I don’t care. Dash needs to know I’m backing him up. In the reverse situation, he’d tell me to let Hunter fall too.

“No!” Hunter screeches. “I’ll break my fucking legs!”

An eight-year-old swearing would be laughable in any other situation.

The Ski Patrollers on duty have just shown up on the snowmobiles. Because it’s us, they stick to crowd control and focus on getting the ladder fixed and getting Krissa down. There’s a second toboggan to whisk her away in case she goes into shock.

“Hunter…Hunter…Can you see me?”

“Yes.” His voice is shrill.

“Can you see the man over there?” I point to my dad.

“Yes!” He repeats.

“That’s my dad. He’s a doctor for broken bones. If anything happens to you we’re right here, right now ready to take care of you. This is our job and we’re all working together. Dash is going to let go.” I turn my eyes to meet Dash’s so he’ll open his fist before Hunter can protest.

Hunter tumbles. His solid boot collides with my shoulder, but I still manage to grab him before he hits the snow. Our helmets bang together and I fall to my knees, biting my tongue so that I don’t teach Hunter a slew of new cuss words.

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