Baby It's Cold Outside

‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Here?’

I nodded and she started digging too, clearing the snow away with her hands.

I walked towards the middle of the snow again, looking out towards town. I could see an ambulance driving slowly up the hill and I was glad.

Behind me, the male walker was pulled out of the snow. He was completely covered, his frosty eyebrows making him look like a yeti. He was shivering, but he seemed fine. One of the rescue team helped him down the slope to the waiting paramedics.

His companion wasn’t so lucky. She’d not been buried nearly so deep, but she’d obviously broken her leg and as soon as Penny and another rescuer pulled her out, she fainted. Within seconds they’d hoisted a stretcher up to her and Penny began strapping her on. It was a very slick operation; I was really impressed.

There were lots of people below me now. I could see paramedics, police, more mountain rescue teams, and above us a helicopter hovered like a fat dragonfly. I was pleased they were all there but the only person I really needed was Harry. I knew it would be harder to find whoever had been travelling in that car and I wanted her help.

‘Esme,’ a shout made me jump. It was Harry. Of course it was Harry. She had a knack of showing up whenever I needed her. She was below me, on the ground, waving madly and talking to Willie. He’d been reluctant to let me up, but Harry had obviously worked her own brand of Jedi mind trick on him, because he was already wrapping another belt round her waist and plonking a helmet on her head.

Harry began scaling the sloping side of the mound, more nimbly than I had. Soon she was by my side.

‘There’s someone in a car under the snow,’ I gasped at her. ‘I’ve found two walkers but I need your help for this.’

Harry nodded, taking it all in immediately and not looking fazed in the slightest.

‘Okay,’ she said. ‘We can do this.’

She turned away from me, then thought for a moment, turned back and gave me a quick hug.

‘I’m glad you’re all right,’ she mumbled.

I gripped her hand.

‘It’s harder, isn’t it?’ I said. ‘If they’re inside.’

Harry nodded.

‘Nothing we can’t handle,’ she said through chattering teeth, taking my other hand so we faced each other. I was aware of Penny watching me intently, but no one else paid us any attention. They were mostly watching Willie, who was on his radio. From the way he was looking up, I guessed he was talking to the helicopter. Everyone looked very grim-faced.

‘Don’t worry about them,’ Harry said. ‘Concentrate.’

Together, we reached out with our minds. I was so much stronger with Harry by my side, but it still took a while for us to find a small energy – a tiny pulse that meant someone was alive under the snow. There was no voice this time, just a faint beating heart.

Harry felt it at the same time. She pulled me over the icy surface to where the pulse was stronger.

‘Unconscious?’ I said.

‘I guess so,’ Harry agreed.

‘I think it’s just one person,’ I said.

But Harry frowned.

‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘There’s something else.’ She was concentrating hard.

‘There’s definitely someone here, though,’ I said. ‘Let’s get them digging.’

I waved to Penny.

‘Here!’ I called. ‘The car is here. There was just one passenger, I think.’

‘And a dog,’ Harry said in a rush. ‘It’s a dog,’ she said to me.

The mountain rescuers flocked round and started digging, using shovels this time. Harry and I stood still, our arms around each other, watching.

It felt like time slowed down as the team dug, but eventually one of the men shouted.

‘We’ve got the car! It’s upside down.’

The rescuers huddled round, obviously working out the best way to get the driver out.

Down below us was a hubbub of activity. I could see people in their yellow jackets going from house to house along the road closest to the avalanche, knocking on doors and hustling groups of people down the street towards the town square. I felt a flicker of fear. What was happening? Why were they evacuating?

‘Harry?’ I started. She turned to me, her brown eyes large in her white, scared face.

‘Harry!’ another voice called. We both looked down at the ground. Louise stood there, wearing a fluorescent vest and waving madly.

‘She came down with me to help out,’ Harry said, a flash of pride in her eyes. ‘She’ll have been organising everyone.’

‘You need to come down,’ Lou called. ‘It’s not stable.’

Harry and I exchanged a glance.

‘We’ll be down in a minute,’ Harry shouted. She looked over to where the team were clambering into the hole they’d dug in the snow in an attempt to free the driver.

‘Now!’ Louise shouted. I caught the fear in her voice.

‘Harry,’ I said again. ‘I think we should go down.’

Below, Willie was talking into his radio. Bobby stood up from where he was crouching near the hole, and came over to us.

‘We’re all going down,’ he said. ‘Except a couple of people.’

‘What about the driver?’ I asked.

‘And the dog,’ Harry said. I gave her a look and she shrugged.

‘Go down,’ Bobby said firmly. ‘The chopper says the snow is shifting. That lot could all come down. You need to go.’

My legs started shaking violently.

‘Come on H,’ I said, tugging her hand. ‘Let’s go.’

We joined most of the rescue team as they trooped down the steep side of the heap of snow. There were ropes to hold on to now, but I still lost my footing a couple of times. I was exhausted, emotional and shaking like a leaf.