“Well, speak of the devil.” She said to herself with a smile as she answered the phone. “HI, I was just thinking about you.” She said. There was a pause on the other line and then a male voice that Mia did not recognize spoke.
“Is this Mia?” The man asked tentatively.
“Yes, this is Mia. Who is this? Why do you have Ever’s phone?” Mia was trying desperately not to panic.
“This is the caretaker at the Davis cabin. The temperature is dropping, so I came up here to make sure Ms. Rhodes had enough wood for a fire. I couldn’t get any answer at the door and when I used my key to come in, I found Ms. Rhodes cell phone laying on a table but she isn’t here. I was worried, and you are listed in her phone as an emergency contact.”
Mia felt like someone had pulled the Earth out from underneath her and that she was falling. Her legs wouldn’t hold her upright any longer and she fell heavily onto the couch.
“Ms. Mia? Are you still there?” The caretaker asked, concern heavy in his voice. Mia snapped out of the trance she had fallen into quickly. Ever needed her.
“Yes, I’m here. Listen I’m on my way there now, it will take me about an hour to arrive. Could you please just stay there in case Ever returns? Please call me immediately if you hear from her or hear anything at all.” Mia was already moving around the house searching frantically for her purse and keys.
“Of course. Should I call the authorities?”
“I’ll do that on my way thank you. I’ll see you soon.” Mia hung up before she got a response and ran out the door to her car. Her mind was working in a million different directions. She was terrified, and at the same time she was determined. She would not lose Ever, not if she had anything to say about it.
The violent shivering of Ever’s body woke her. She had somehow made it to the shore, here half of her body still lay in the water. Her face was pressed into the mud and if not for the shaking of her body from the cold she may very well have suffocated right there. Ever moved her arms and dug her frozen fingers into the mud and using all of her effort pulled the rest of her body out of the water and onto the shore. Her body felt frozen to the ground. She moaned as she attempted to pull her body into a fetal position to conserve heat and energy. Ever knew that she wouldn’t be able to make it up the hill and back to the road on her on and if help didn’t come soon, she would die. “I’m so sorry Mia.” She said through chattering teeth.
Mia arranged for the Sherriff’s Department Search and Rescue team to begin a search in the immediate area of the cabin on the drive up. She tried to call Jill but since she was traveling, she was unable to get through. She left a message for her as well as for Mr. and Mrs. Davis letting them know what was going on and that she was headed to the cabin. She assumed that Jill had informed them that Ever was staying there. She had contacted everyone she could think of and done everything she could from her car, now she just needed to get there. “Hang on for me baby, I’m coming.”
The next time Ever awoke, she was no longer cold, and she knew that was a very bad sign. Frost had begun to form on her exposed skin and she could barely bend her fingers at all anymore. Her time was running out, and she knew it. She didn’t want to die; she knew that now with everything she was. She wanted to live, and she wanted to love again. “Mia,” she barely managed through frozen lips. She was angry and frustrated. She knew she was going to die here on the bank of this lake and she wondered why it had to come to dying to realize how much she still wanted to live. She closed her eyes again and did something she hadn’t done in a very long time. She began to pray. “God, or anyone who’s listening. Please help. I don’t want to die here, not now and not like this. I can’t do it on my own this time. I need a hand, if not for me, for Mia. I can’t leave her, Caroline, please.” That was all that Ever had the strength for. She was so tired and the need to close her eye and sleep was overwhelming. She fought it as best she could but she just didn’t have any energy left, and sleep, sleep would fix everything her muddied mind tried to convince her. “Mia” she moaned softly one last time as her eyes firmly closed and sleep finally overtook her.
Mia arrived at the cabin in record time. She was out of her car before she even put it in park and running to the cabin’s main door. A burly man in a Sherriff’s uniform stopped her.
“Whoa, where do you think you’re going?” Mia angrily shrugged off the mans hold of her upper arm.
“I’m Mia Adams, I’m the one who called you here. Now I suggest you take your hand off of my arm and let me get in there to find out what’s going on.” The Deputy must have seen something in her eyes because he let her go and stepped aside allowing her entrance to the cabin. The cabin was full of law enforcement personnel, maps were spread out on the floor and the table and at least one dog sat just inside the front door, a bright orange SAR vest on his back. Mia looked around searching for a familiar face when she finally found one in the back of the main room towards where the downstairs bedroom was. “Mrs. Davis?” Mia pushed her way through the crowd to the older woman.
“Oh Mia, I’m so glad you’re here!” The woman stood looking nervous and wringing her hands as Mia made her way over to her. “Jill told us Ever would be staying here, we were glad to help. I just hope she’s ok.” Mia hugged the woman and tried not to pass her own fear and anxiety on to her.
“I called Jill, she wants us to keep her updated and if she needs to, she said she’ll come.” Mia nodded and looked around the room.
“Speaking of updates.” She said walking to the officer looking over a map on the table. “Are you in charge?” She asked. The man looked up at her. He was younger than she thought he would be but he stood with a presence of command that immediately put her at ease.
“I am. I’m Corporal Johnson, and you are?” The man asked Mia, standing a good foot taller than her, he had to look down slightly to address her.
“Mia Adams. I’m the one that called. Ever Rhodes is a good friend of mine. Do we know anything yet?”
“Well, from her phone logs it appears you were the last person to talk to her. We assume she went out for a hike and for whatever reason didn’t take her phone with her. We are about to leave now and follow the most likely path she would have taken. The real concern now is the temperature. It’s supposed to dip below freezing tonight, if she has hurt herself in any way and can’t move on her own, hyperthermia is a real concern. Every minute counts.” Mia nodded trying not to panic thinking of Ever hurt and alone unable to move.
“I’m coming with you.” She said to the Corporal.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea Ms. Adams. It’s cold and dark, you’ll only slow us down.” The Corporal dismissed Mia looking back at the map and highlighting a trail.
“I don’t think you understand Corporal Johnson. I wasn’t asking. I’m going with you.” Mia was proud that her voice remained steady as she turned away from Johnson. The Corporal signed heavily and decided it would take too long to argue with the determined woman.
“Fine, but could you get a piece of Ms. Rhodes clothing? Something with her scent on it for the dogs.” Mia nodded and went to the bedroom to look for something Ever had been wearing recently.
Mia entered the bedroom and closed the door behind her. Her head was spinning, and she needed just a moment to breathe. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the door trying to control her breathing. She took a deep breath and smelled Ever’s scent. “Where are you?” She whispered. She pushed herself away from the door and went over to the bed. She looked down and was surprised to see her own sweatshirt lying unwrinkled on the bed. It looked like it had been slept with. Not slept in, but with. She covered her sobs with her hand, there was no time. “Please be ok.” She said aloud before grabbing a t-shirt that she knew Ever liked to sleep in and exiting the room. She walked directly to Corporal Johnson and handed him the shirt. “When do we leave?” She asked him steeling herself for the night ahead.
Johnson took the shirt and handed it off to another Deputy with the l
etters K9 embroidered on his jacket and looked back to Mia. “Right now. Are you ready?” Mia merely nodded and zipped up her coat wrapping her scarf tightly around her head.
“Let’s go.” She said. She looked back at Mrs. Davis briefly and gave her what she hoped was a confident smile. “We’re going to bring her back.” She said and Mrs. Davis smiled and nodded. Mia followed Johnson out of the cabin with the other deputies and got on the back of his ATV determined that she wouldn’t return here without Ever with her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ever tried desperately to keep her remaining body heat from escaping. She clawed with her hands and feet and the loose gravel beneath her to get as far away from the water’s edge as she possible could. She used her nearly frozen hands to try to pull some type of vegetation over her legs but there just wasn’t much to be found and every moment that passed Ever found it harder to move her limbs. She had tried standing but her legs were frozen and wouldn’t hold her weight. She had expended all the remaining energy she had to get as far as she had now, there was nothing left. She curled into the smallest ball she could imagine. She was just about to close her eyes again when she heard a soft mewling. She looked up and saw the same black kitten she had rescued standing about a foot away looking at her curiously.
“Hi there buddy.” She managed through trembling lips. “Look at the mess I got myself into this time.” She half smiled at the tiny animal. “I’m glad you’re ok though. Go on now, it's too cold out here for you.” Ever’s eyes closed against her will. She just simply didn’t have the energy to keep them open any longer. She was drifting towards unconsciousness again when she felt a tiny weight land on her hip. The kitten had decided to stick it out with her here and although Ever was worried for the tiny beast she was glad she wasn’t along any longer. With the way she was slipping in and out and the temperature continuing to drop, she knew she didn’t have much longer and was glad that she wouldn’t die completely alone.
Mia was near frantic. They had gotten off the ATV and continued their search on foot. “Where are you baby?” She felt the cold seeping through even the heavy coat she was wearing and knew that Ever didn’t have anything even close to this to wear. She couldn’t fathom why Ever would leave without her phone and with just a light jacket. She could only guess that she only planned for a short walk and something horrible had happened. It was so dark out she could barely see the water off to her right. She knew the shoreline stretched for miles and Ever could be anywhere. She heard the other searchers calling out Evers name every few minutes. It was all so surreal. She felt that any moment she would wake up and realize this was all just a really bad dream and Ever was fine. She looked up at the dark night sky. “Caroline, if you can hear me, we could really use your help about now,” she said in a low enough voice that no one else could hear. “I don’t know what to do here. Ever needs me now and I can’t find her, I can’t get to her. If you can, help her. Please, don’t let her slip away.” Just then two things happened at once. Mia heard the search and rescue dog begin to bark in the distance and a soft mewling meow came from somewhere off to her right. Mia’s head swung to the mewling noise, and she pushed through some thin branches to find a small all black kitten meowing in what Mia could only guess was a frantic tone. She wanted to follow the deputies, to see what the dog had been alerted to but something told her that this little kitten could take her where she needed to be. The kitten pounced and began to ran down the shoreline, stopping every ten feet or so to look behind and make sure that Mia was following. Mia looked once ahead of her to see the deputies following the call of the hound and then back at the black kitten. “I must be losing my mind.” She said aloud as she began to follow the kitten wherever it would lead her. The kitten meowed louder.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” said Mia as made her way through the brush and wrapped her coat tighter around herself to ward off the wind coming off of the water. She wished she had thought to ask for a flashlight, it was dark and she only had the light of the moon which was nearly full thank God. A sense of urgency washed over Mia and she hurried her pace trying to both keep and eye on the small animal and her footing. She was trying desperately to keep her wits about her and not panic any more than she already was, but she felt they were running out of time. “Hang in there, Ever, I’m coming,” she whispered and doubled her efforts again.
Ever was dreaming. It was a beautiful dream full of bright color and warm sunlight. She sat on the bleachers at their high school and watched Mia and Caroline run track. Both of them sleek and fast. They smiled and waved every time they passed where Ever sat. She was then transported to their apartment in college. Caroline and Ever danced to a slow song in the living room as Mia looked on with a smile from her bedroom doorway. Ever looked over Caroline’s shoulder and Mia gave her a wink before disappearing into her room and closing the door behind her. The memories ran faster and faster behind Ever’s eyes. Camping trips with Caroline and Mia and whoever Mia was dating at the time, parties where everyone was happy. Caroline in the hospital so said and distant, Ever holding her hand one side, Mia holding her other hand on the opposite side of the bed. Both of them sharing looks of concern and worry. Watching Caroline race up the stairs to the cabin, Ever and Mia carrying the bags behind her. Saying goodnight to Mia as the firelight shone in Caroline’s blonde locks and made her eyes sparkle in an otherworldly way that took Ever’s breath away. The scene changed again, darker this time, colder. Sitting on the side of the bed next to Caroline’s form on that last day. Holding her hand. Mia crying in the doorway silent tears running down her face telling Ever it was time. Time to let her go. Mia and Ever with their arms wrapped around each other offering any comfort they could to the other as they watched Caroline being wheeled away for the last time. Ever had just enough cognitive ability to wonder if this was some form of her life flashing before her eyes before she died. She was too tired to care anymore, if it was her time, she was ready. She could feel her body slipping back into darkness when a thought occurred to her, and she opened her eyes wide. Through all of her memories, or flashbacks or whatever they were there was one constant. Mia. Mia was always there, in the background letting the light shine on those that she loved. She was there for Caroline, and she was there for Ever. She watched from a distance always with a smile on her face, always with a kind word, a comforting hand. She must have felt like a third wheel at times, that was only natural but she never complained and if she was lonely, she never let it show.
“I can’t leave her, not yet,” Ever whispered with renewed determination that she would make it to the other side of this, she had no idea how she was going to do that, but she had to, for Mia.
Mia felt like she was walking in circles. The scenery never changed, and she was freezing and exhausted. She kept going though without a break, there wasn’t any time for that now. Mia blew into her hands to try to generate some warmth. It was so dark and silent here. She was scared. She was scared that she wouldn’t make it to wherever it was she was being led and she was absolutely terrified of what she would find if she did make it. She wouldn’t be able to weather through another loss, especially is that loss was Ever. She shook her head of the negative thoughts. She had no room for them she had to keep the hope alive in her heart that she would find Ever in time and that she would be ok. The black kitten was still leading her, seemingly without tiring at all. She smiled when she saw the cute little face in the moonlight looking back to make sure she was still following. “I’m coming little one. Just not quite as limber as you are.” She laughed at herself, she couldn’t help it. Here she was in the middle of the night walking in the freezing cold along a nearly frozen lake, not only following a kitten, but talking to it as well. “This is going to make a great story someday.” She said to no one and kept her pace even and steady.
Ever had used every last bit of strength she had inside of her to move further towards the path. She knew that someone just walking by would never be able to see her down here.
She had made it about a foot before she collapsed again. “Damnit.” She was frustrated at her own weakness. She fell over on her back breathing heavily. Her eyes and her limbs were so heavy but she knew if she closed them again, it would be for the last time. She balled her fists and screamed in a rage. “IT’S NOT FAIR! DO YOU HEAR ME UP THERE? YOU DON’T PLAY FAIR!” Ever felt the tears fall from her eyes. “It’s not fair,” she whispered. She was suddenly engulfed in an enormous bright yellow light. She remembered thinking this must be what it’s like to sit on the sun. She was suddenly warm, beyond measure, she closed her eyes and took the first deep breath she was able to take in hours.
“What…” she began to speak but felt an arm enclose her from behind and heard a voice she had only heard in her dreams for over a year now. “No one ever said life was fair my love.” Ever gasped at the words and struggled to catch her breath. “Caroline? Oh God.” Ever managed and heard a gentle “Sshhh” in her ear as soft lips kissed her gently on the temple. Ever basked in the love that she felt surrounding her everywhere. She was warm and safe. “Are you going to help me?” Ever whispered so scared that this was just a dream and she would shatter the moment. She felt the touch of a finger run down the side of her face.
“She’s coming for you,” the heavenly voice said and Ever didn’t need to ask who. Mia. She knew she would come for her. She immediately felt guilty thinking of the love she felt for Mia at that moment. She was hugged tightly from behind again. No words were spoken, but she felt that Caroline was telling her that it was ok, she felt it in her soul.
“I don’t know what to do Caroline.” Ever whispered through her tears. “Tell me what to do, please.” She felt another soft kiss fall on her cheek, close to the corner of her mouth and she closed her eyes.
With Love, Caroline Page 10