The Rope Had Been Cut!

---Aaron---

With Lionel here, we discussed the logistics of the battle: amounts of supplies, estimated travel time, how to invade the stronghold, special tactics…Before we knew it, several hours had passed.

"Indigo, I think we should head back; Kath must be getting worried." I said during a lull in the conversation. Indigo and Lionel shared a glance.

"Yeah, we should. Has the blizzard let up?" Indigo asked. Lionel repeated the question to some of the soldiers sitting by the entrance. One of them put his ear to the rock, listened, and reported that no, the blizzard was still going.

"Indigo, I really don't want you and Aaron to be walking around in a blizzard. How about you two just stay here?" Lionel suggested.

Indigo looked at me. I could tell she wanted to stay here, but Katherine was still waiting for our return. "Kath is by herself in the other cave. I'll head back, and Indigo, you can stay here if you want." I offered an alternative solution.

"I don't want you to go back alone though; if anything happens, neither side will know." Indigo frowned. "How about I go back with you, grab my stuff, and then come back? We can have a soldier accompany me back."

Lionel was frowning slightly, but he nodded. Indigo and I got ready to head out again. To make sure that we don't get separated, Rachel tied a rope between Indigo and me, with about four feet of slack in between us. Since the rope between the two caves was already set up, all we had to do was just follow it back. Lionel ordered the soldiers to move the boulder.

"Be careful. Remember, you can always turn back; I won't close the entrance until you return." Lionel told Indigo, who smiled.

"Thanks, Lionel. Don't worry, Aaron and I will be fine. We already made the trip once, so it'll be a faster trip now that we know where to go."

"Still, be careful, since we suspect that Lord Victor is behind this blizzard." Lionel didn't look appeased.

"Once we arrive at the other cave, we'll tug on the rope twice to let you know." I reminded Lionel. "And if—if—something does happen, there will be three tugs. But I really don't think—"

"Don't jinx it, Aaron," Rachel said. "Let's hope that nothing happens."

"We're going to be here forever if you guys keep worrying," Indigo said. "Aaron, let's go."

A last round of good-byes, and we headed back out into the chilling wind and snow. This time, I was in the front. With one hand on the rope that's now stretched between the two caves, I started our long trudge back. My stride was larger than Indigo's so every few steps I would feel the rope between us pull taut, and then relax when Indigo caught up. The rhythmic tension told us that the other person was still here.

It seemed darker than when we first came. We must've been about halfway through when the winds picked up suddenly, tossing armfuls of snow at us. I bowed my head and pushed on, trying to fight against the elements. Visibility was reduced to nearly zero, and with the harsh snow slicing across my face, it was better to close my eyes. I wanted to call out Indigo's name and make sure she was still there, but every time I opened my mouth I got a mouthful of icy snow. Only the increase and decrease of tension in the rope told me that she was still there.

The wind howled through the mountain pass. The blizzard increased in force. The snow was almost up to mid-thigh, and it was getting harder and harder to walk. Every step was plunging through another patch of snow. My entire body felt chilled to the bones; I could hardly feel my legs anymore. 'Just a bit further'…I gripped the rough rope and took another step.

"Woah!" I stumbled and fell as a large gust of wind slammed into me sideways. The blizzard threatened to overtake me and bury me under the drifts of white. I kept my grip on the rope, holding onto it as someone would to driftwood in a storm. It was cold, cold, so cold, and snow was falling into my coat, covering my face, smothering me. With much difficulty, I forced myself back up to my feet, using the rope as leverage.

I took a couple of steps forward and then halted. I fell, and since there was rope between Indigo and me, she should've been pulled down as well. So why was the rope slack?

"Indigo, are you alright?" I shouted over my shoulder, spitting out the snow that dashed into my mouth. There was no response except for the howl of the wind. "Indigo? Can you hear me?"

I turned around to look, but all I saw were swirls of snow in the darkness. I tugged on the rope between us. No response. I tugged harder, and realized that the rope felt wrong. It was too slack. 'Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no…' My heart was pounding, and I feared what I would discover. Slowly, I pulled the rope towards me, hand over hand. There was no resistance on the other end.

Then I felt the end of the rope. I brought it up to my face and squinted in the snow. Its end was frayed, as if it had been cut. The rope between Indigo and I had been cut. Where was Indigo?!

"Indigo!" I shouted, fear and worry leaking into my voice. Snow filled my mouth. "Indigo, where are you?!" I retraced my steps. Indigo was only a few paces behind me, but now there was no sign of her. Our steps had already been filled in by the blizzard, erasing all traces that Indigo might have left behind.

I dug around in the snow with my mitten-covered hands, hoping to uncover something, anything. Maybe Indigo had been buried in the snow. Maybe she dropped something as a clue. Snow leaked into my clothes. My ears were so cold they were beginning to feel hot instead. I could no longer feel my hands and legs. I tried to turn around to dig in another direction, but stumbled and fell on my behind. This time, I couldn't get up.

The wind blew past me, and I seemed to hear Lord Victor laugh mockingly at my despair and fear. I sat there in the middle of the snowstorm, half-buried in the snow. Shakingly, I held the rope that once tied Indigo to me. I kept thinking about what could have happened, and I kept coming to the same conclusion: Indigo had been kidnapped by Lord Victor. That was the only possibility, and I hated it.

Snow fell faster and faster, covering me with cold flakes and filling in the shallow hole I had dug. I wanted to sit here and never move again. How am I supposed to tell everyone that Indigo had been kidnapped? We can't even go after her in this weather. A small voice nagged at the back of my mind: 'It was your fault. Your fault. Your fault.'

I shook myself out of my stupor. If I stayed out here any longer, I will be buried in snow and die of hypothermia. Then no one would know what had happened. Indigo has been kidnapped; the first thing to do was notify the others. I decided I would meet up with Katherine first, fill her in, and then both of us can go to Lionel's cave together to discuss our next steps.

With much difficulty, I found the rope line between the two caves and gave three hard yanks in the direction of Katherine's cave. To mark the spot where Indigo disappeared, I tied my scarf in a knot around that portion of the rope line. Then I forced myself to my feet, gripped the rope line, and continued the trek back to our cave, alone.