2#02

2

A piercing, intense ache surged through my body, causing me to cry out in anguish.

Altair cradled Saoirse in his embrace, his eyes devoid of emotion as he gazed down from his vantage point.

It seemed inconceivable that this aloof individual was scheduled to become my husband in just 24 hours.

Pushing aside my distress, I summoned all my remaining energy to lift myself and declared resolutely, "There's a snowslide coming. If we backtrack, we can find shelter nearby. We should head there immediately."

Altair's expression softened minutely as he glanced in the direction I indicated.

Saoirse, with tears cascading down her cheeks, whimpered, "I'm so frail. What should I do, Altair?"

Without uttering a word, Altair lifted Saoirse into his arms.

"I'll transport you."

He tossed the rucksack at my feet, gesturing for me to hasten and follow.

The earlier climb had depleted my already scarce energy reserves. Clenching my jaw, I gathered the strength to plead, "Altair, can't you allow her to walk? I'm hurt and can barely move."

Altair cast a glance back at me, his eyes piercing.

"You're the specialist here. Just endure it; you'll manage. Saoirse is different; she's unfamiliar with this place and has a temperature. Stop exaggerating, Maliah, and get moving!"

Without another look, he hastened his pace towards the shelter.

Grudgingly, I grasped the rucksack and staggered after him.

Altair moved swiftly, and soon, he vanished from view.

Suddenly, the earth trembled, and a thunderous roar filled the air; the avalanche was upon us.

I couldn't discern how much time had elapsed, but then I was jolted into consciousness. Darkness had already enveloped the area.

My coworker, Ravenna Roswell, was striking my face, her tears falling uncontrollably.

Night had fallen deeply, and the medical team couldn't ascend, but my colleagues had finally arrived.

"Your betrothed returned with that woman, claiming he didn't see you. We suspected something had occurred. We searched with the locator for hours before finding you. Maliah, hold on; we'll get you down for treatment."

The team leader's voice was heavy with emotion as he gripped my hand.

By then, I could barely draw breath.

"Ravenna, do you have the audio recorder?" I whispered, my voice feeble. "I need to say something."

I had been entombed in the snow for so long that hope had already deserted me.

A part of my essence seemed to drift away, observing as Ravenna performed chest compressions, her face streaked with tears.

I trailed them back to the base, but Altair had already taken Saoirse to the town below.

The remaining colleagues were unsettled, their discomfort palpable like an impending storm.

"Maliah's fiancé said that woman had a fever and insisted on taking her first. He shows no concern for Maliah at all. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was engaged to someone else."

A weighty silence descended upon the group, the words suspended between us like a cloud of uncertainty. They held a modest funeral for me and arranged for my remains to be returned home.

An inexplicable force gripped my soul, pulling me away, and I found myself beside Altair.

He sat next to Saoirse, feeding her gently, cooling the spoon with his breath to ensure it wasn't too hot before bringing it to her mouth.

"Altair, are we leaving like this? What about Maliah?" Saoirse's voice was tinged with remorse.

"Maliah's the professional. She trained for a year before joining the team. I'm certain nothing happened to her," Altair replied, continuing to feed Saoirse. She feigned delicacy, pushing the spoon away with pretended reluctance.

Altair smiled indulgently, finishing the remaining cereal directly from the bowl. This struck me as odd; he had an almost obsessive need for cleanliness and would never consume leftovers.

Just then, his phone chimed, a message appearing on the screen.

He opened it, and my faint voice resonated through the room.

"Altair, I'm dying. I will despise you for the rest of my existence."

His expression changed instantly, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face before he swiftly turned off the phone.

"Altair, is something amiss?" Saoirse's voice interjected, her tone laced with worry.