((Continued from here))
The truck was warm, but still Penny shivered. The paramedics had some extra clothes in the truck that were warmer than what she had on. The boys went up front and Anita helped her get changed. Penny had tried on her own, but with her shivering she had struggled. She asked Anita for help. She still wore Anita's paramedic coat. Both the clothes and coat were too big for her. She wanted Anita to at least take her coat back, but there was a firefighter coat in the ambulance that she put on. It was too big for Anita too, and that made Penny laugh a little bit. They both probably looked ridiculous.
After that they laid her down on a gurney and covered her with blankets. The truck began to move, and even though Penny couldn't see, she knew it was slow. Getting out of the house had shown her how much snow had fallen. It was more than she had ever seen before. She had also seen her reading tree. It had snapped and landed on the house. That had hurt to see.
Penny was still shivering. She asked Anita why and to her surprise, Anita answered. Penny had hypothermia and that meant her body was loosing heat faster than it could produce it. That sounded scary, but Anita was calm and that helped Penny to remain the same. Their speed picked up and she heard one of the men up front say they had gotten behind a snow plow. Hope seemed to blossom in every one after that. It all ended when they suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" Anita asked the driver.
"Plow stopped," the response came back. "Driver heading this way."
The front doors opened and the men exited, but they opened the back door and came in, accompanied by another man. The plow driver Penny assumed. He informed them that the snow was too high even for his plow. It was stuck. The men seemed dejected, but Anita remained calm. Penny didn't know how. She was feeling scared.
"Where are we?" she finally asked, looking outside.
"The Sanctuary of Ascendant Flame is the closest building, but we have to hike to get there. Should we just stay here?" he answered.
That seemed the best plan to Penny, but Anita shook her head. "This isn't stopping anytime soon. We have either until we run out of fuel or until we're buried and start breathing in exhaust fumes. Pack up the water bottles, rehab snacks, and medical supplies. Tether them to a back board. I'll wrap up Penny. We can make a makeshift harness to help me carry her. This coat is big enough I should be able to keep her underneath to keep her warm."
They all went to work, including the plow driver. Anita began to wrap Penny in blankets. "I'm scared." Penny finally said.
Anita looked at her, compassion in her face. "I know, honey," she said. "We're close to safety. It will be nice and warm there and we'll get you all taken care of." Anita put a hand on her cheek. It was warm. "You're going to be okay. I promise."
The work done, they began to use straps to attach Penny to Anita. They then covered Anita with the coat and buttoned it up. It wasn't very comfortable, but Penny understood why this was best. She didn't complain. They then began their trek towards the building. One of the medics and the plow driver was in front of them with shovels trying to clear some of the snow to make the going easier. It was hard for them to keep up with how much snow was falling. The other medic was behind them pulling the the back board with supplies like a husky carrying a sled.
It wasn't easy going. Penny was still shivering. She didn't speak much, but Anita kept saying comforting words. Penny felt guilty. If they hadn't stopped for her, the medics might have made it to safety. She didn't say it, but she felt it. The cold out here was worse. Even with the blankets, coat, and Anita's warmth. Penny turned her head the best she could to get a look. She could see the building. It was so close, but so far away at the same time.
"We just need to get there?" she asked Anita. "They we're safe." Anita confirmed it and even with her calming presence, Penny was losing hope. She was scared she was going to die out here and bring these nice people with her.
I want us to live and all we have to do is make it there for that to happen. the thought kept repeating itself in her head over and over again. I want us to live and all we have to do is make it there for that to happen.
Penny reached her hand out towards the building the best she could while tethered to the woman carrying her - a desperate reach for the safety near them. As she did, a warm light spread through her abdomen. Its contrast to the cold around her made it almost painful. She gasped and then saw threads of fire and air go in front of them. When they were gone, there was a melted path through the snow. The warm light was gone, replaced only with the cold.
Penny felt incredibly tired then. She had trouble remembering what was going on. She felt so confused and so cold. "Warm light is gone. Cold...so cold... her voice was quiet as Anita began to run.
The truck was warm, but still Penny shivered. The paramedics had some extra clothes in the truck that were warmer than what she had on. The boys went up front and Anita helped her get changed. Penny had tried on her own, but with her shivering she had struggled. She asked Anita for help. She still wore Anita's paramedic coat. Both the clothes and coat were too big for her. She wanted Anita to at least take her coat back, but there was a firefighter coat in the ambulance that she put on. It was too big for Anita too, and that made Penny laugh a little bit. They both probably looked ridiculous.
After that they laid her down on a gurney and covered her with blankets. The truck began to move, and even though Penny couldn't see, she knew it was slow. Getting out of the house had shown her how much snow had fallen. It was more than she had ever seen before. She had also seen her reading tree. It had snapped and landed on the house. That had hurt to see.
Penny was still shivering. She asked Anita why and to her surprise, Anita answered. Penny had hypothermia and that meant her body was loosing heat faster than it could produce it. That sounded scary, but Anita was calm and that helped Penny to remain the same. Their speed picked up and she heard one of the men up front say they had gotten behind a snow plow. Hope seemed to blossom in every one after that. It all ended when they suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" Anita asked the driver.
"Plow stopped," the response came back. "Driver heading this way."
The front doors opened and the men exited, but they opened the back door and came in, accompanied by another man. The plow driver Penny assumed. He informed them that the snow was too high even for his plow. It was stuck. The men seemed dejected, but Anita remained calm. Penny didn't know how. She was feeling scared.
"Where are we?" she finally asked, looking outside.
"The Sanctuary of Ascendant Flame is the closest building, but we have to hike to get there. Should we just stay here?" he answered.
That seemed the best plan to Penny, but Anita shook her head. "This isn't stopping anytime soon. We have either until we run out of fuel or until we're buried and start breathing in exhaust fumes. Pack up the water bottles, rehab snacks, and medical supplies. Tether them to a back board. I'll wrap up Penny. We can make a makeshift harness to help me carry her. This coat is big enough I should be able to keep her underneath to keep her warm."
They all went to work, including the plow driver. Anita began to wrap Penny in blankets. "I'm scared." Penny finally said.
Anita looked at her, compassion in her face. "I know, honey," she said. "We're close to safety. It will be nice and warm there and we'll get you all taken care of." Anita put a hand on her cheek. It was warm. "You're going to be okay. I promise."
The work done, they began to use straps to attach Penny to Anita. They then covered Anita with the coat and buttoned it up. It wasn't very comfortable, but Penny understood why this was best. She didn't complain. They then began their trek towards the building. One of the medics and the plow driver was in front of them with shovels trying to clear some of the snow to make the going easier. It was hard for them to keep up with how much snow was falling. The other medic was behind them pulling the the back board with supplies like a husky carrying a sled.
It wasn't easy going. Penny was still shivering. She didn't speak much, but Anita kept saying comforting words. Penny felt guilty. If they hadn't stopped for her, the medics might have made it to safety. She didn't say it, but she felt it. The cold out here was worse. Even with the blankets, coat, and Anita's warmth. Penny turned her head the best she could to get a look. She could see the building. It was so close, but so far away at the same time.
"We just need to get there?" she asked Anita. "They we're safe." Anita confirmed it and even with her calming presence, Penny was losing hope. She was scared she was going to die out here and bring these nice people with her.
I want us to live and all we have to do is make it there for that to happen. the thought kept repeating itself in her head over and over again. I want us to live and all we have to do is make it there for that to happen.
Penny reached her hand out towards the building the best she could while tethered to the woman carrying her - a desperate reach for the safety near them. As she did, a warm light spread through her abdomen. Its contrast to the cold around her made it almost painful. She gasped and then saw threads of fire and air go in front of them. When they were gone, there was a melted path through the snow. The warm light was gone, replaced only with the cold.
Penny felt incredibly tired then. She had trouble remembering what was going on. She felt so confused and so cold. "Warm light is gone. Cold...so cold... her voice was quiet as Anita began to run.