The Cold

“HIKE.”

The eight Siberian huskies in front of the sled shoots forward in the snow, excited to go for a good run. I decided to let them take me to town today instead of taking my truck. It’s been some time since I took them out for a good run because I’ve been quite busy with work lately.

All I need is groceries, but the dogs still need to go for a run so that’s what they’re going to do.

“GEE.”

The eager dogs follow my command, and they take a right turn on the trail through the rough terrain in the snow.

I live in a remote cabin on a piece of land I own in Canada. I like not having neighbors too close to me. I guess you can call me kind of a loner. I wouldn’t function in a city full of people. Not anymore anyway. Luckily the town closest to my piece of land is a small town. People there are nice, and everybody knows each other.

Unfortunately, that means that when I get into town, people ask me all kinds of questions to know how I’m doing, which can be exhausting sometimes. It’s nice that they care, though.

An hour later, I arrive in town, so I get the dogs to stop, making sure that they get some water before I go into the small grocery store. As soon as I get inside the door, I say, “hey Max. Just getting some things.”

His face lights up in a bright smile. “Madison. Good to see you. How are you?”

“Oh, you know. Same old, same old,” I say, making him chuckle. “The same answer as always.”

“Well, I’m not that interesting. Nothing exciting is happening in my life.” And that’s the truth. Other than me building things to improve my cabin, nothing exciting is happening on my land.

He smiles again and asks, “did you bring the dogs today?”

“Yeah, they’re just outside.”

“Can I go see them?”

I return his smile but playfully narrow my eyes at him. “Yes but no treats this time. I don’t need you spoiling them.”

He crosses his heart and leaves the small store. I go around and gather the things I need and when I’m almost done, Max comes back into the store.

“Tarzan is looking better than ever.”

“Yeah, he’s really starting to shine. He's become a great lead dog.”

Tarzan is my lead dog who’s guiding the others. He’s a magnificent dog and he listens to every single command I give him. He’s also my favorite dog.

I give Max the basket with my groceries, and he starts to add them up. When he’s done, I pay for it and pack it in my sports bag that I zip closed.

“Thanks Max.”

Before I leave, he asks, “can I come by for a cup of coffee someday?” I smile at him as I nod. “Sure. How about on Monday?”

“That’s a date.”

Waving at him, I say, “see you Monday, then.”

Max is one of the few people who visits me, which I don’t mind. He’s such a sweet man and I enjoy his company.

We say goodbye before I go out to my sled where the dogs are waiting for me. I tie the bag to the sled and get up on the back of it.

“HIKE.”

They all start to run, making the sled shoot forward and I hold on tight so I don’t fall off of it.

I love this. I love being on the back of the sled, shouting commands and watching the dogs run enthusiastically on the trails of snow. It gives me a kind of freedom that I can’t explain and can’t live without.

After 40 minutes, we’re about to take a left turn when I hear something in the distance. “Heeelp.”

“WHOA,” I shout, making the dogs stop. The silence surrounds me until it’s broken again by a desperate voice.

“Heeelp.”

Sounds like someone’s lost. Maybe a hiker who’s way out of their league?

This isn’t a place for newbies who wants an adventure. If you ask me, even the most experienced hikers should stick to the trails in this area.

The voice sounds again so I listen to where it’s coming from before I shout, “HIKE.”

My dogs start to run, and I guide them onto a rougher trail where I follow the voice. It starts to snow so I look up into the sky. Dammit. The snowstorm is starting earlier than I expected.

Hearing the voice again, I realize I can’t get to whoever is on my sled, which makes me curse to myself because that means I have to go on foot to get to the person.

Stepping off the sled, I go off the trail and through the trees to my right in the knee-deep snow.

Luckily, it doesn’t take long before I find a man collapsed in the snow. I go over to him as fast as I can and shake his shoulders.

“Hey. Hey, look at me.”

“Help,” he whispers with his eyes closed.

“Hey, guy. Come on, open your eyes. Look at me.”

“Help,” He whispers again before he goes unconscious.

I sigh a frustrated sigh before I curse, “shit.”

Getting up, I wrap my arms under his armpits and starts to drag him through the snow, which is freaking difficult!

It’s lucky that I’m not a small woman. I’m a carpenter and do a lot of manual work so I’m toned and strong.

It takes a while to drag him through the snow and at one point, I get lost because the snow is falling hard now and it's covered my tracks, so I call out to Tarzan who answers with two barks every time, guiding my way back to my sled.

When I finally get there, I’m breathing heavily and just after I’ve managed to get him onto the sled, I stand up and inhale deeply a couple of times to try to catch my breath. Then I look at the guy and shake my head.

Idiot. Why the hell would he hike out here when there’s a snowstorm coming?

Speaking off, I better get this guy out of the cold. I’m closer to home than I am to town, so I decide to take him home with me because it’s getting dark. I hope the snowstorm has passed by tomorrow. Then I can drive him to town so he can see the doctor who can take a look at him.

Because I live out here, I’m trained in the basic medical skills like sewing a wound if necessary and of course CPR but the guy doesn’t need that. What I’m worried about is hypothermia.

I tie him to the sled and think about if I should go back for the guy’s backpack he must have, but I shake the thought out of my head. It’s too dangerous for that now. The snow is coming down hard, so I have to get moving.

Getting on the back of the sled, I guide the dogs the rest of the way home where I quickly get the guy inside and on my bed, take off his wet clothes, cover him up with every single duvet and blanket I have, and light a fire in the wood stove in the living room.

Then I go back into the bedroom to check his breathing and I can hear that it’s steady so I leave him there for a moment so I can get the dogs off the line and into the barn. Then I make sure they have food and water before I go back into the cabin and light up the petroleum lamps I have in the living room.

Since I don’t have any electricity in the cabin, I boil some water for tea on the gas stove I have in my small kitchen. Then I go back into the bedroom, sit down on a chair in the corner, and look at the guy.

“Idiot,” I say while shaking my head. Going out without checking the weather forecast. Especially if he doesn’t know the area. What was he thinking?

I know he’s not from around here because I’ve never seen him in town before. He must be a tourist. We get a lot of them around here because of the nature and the hiking possibilities out here but the guides in town usually don’t let unexperienced people loose in the area without a guide.

If he is an experienced hiker, then what happened? As I said; you should stick to the trails, not just wander off and he would know that if he was experienced.

Hours pass while I watch him and at some point, I get a book I can read while I sit here. I also decide to make a cup of coffee so I can stay awake.

Just as the sun in rising, the guy stirs, so I put down my book and go over to the bed.

“Hey, guy. Wake up.”

He groans before his eyes flutter open.

“Hey,” I say.

His eyes lands on me before they widen slightly. “What the...?” He sits up in the bed and the duvet slides down his nice and toned upper body.

Then he asks, “who are you?” Ignoring his question, I ask, “how are you feeling?” He looks around in my small bedroom with wide eyes. “Where am I?”

“Answer my question,” I say.

His eyes meet my brown ones. “You answer mine.” I sigh. “Mine first. How are you feeling?”

“I... I feel fine.”

“Good.”

Then I slap him on his forehead. “What were you thinking walking off the trails?” He looks at me with a surprised expression and rubs his forehead. “I don’t... I didn’t.”

Rolling my eyes, I stand up and go towards the door to the living room, but before I walk in there, I look over my shoulder and say, “I found your stupid ass off the trail, so yes, you did.”

I go through my living room and into the kitchen where I start to make a cup of tea for him

Then I almost hear him squeal, “I’M NAKED. WHY AM I NAKED?”

I shake my head as I pour the tea in a mug that I bring to him. Then I say, “you’re naked because your clothes were wet, and you were close to being hyperthermic, so I undressed you and covered you with warm duvets. You’re welcome.”

“You undressed me?” he asks with raised eyebrows. Rolling my eyes, I sigh. “No, your clothes fell off by themselves. Of course I undressed you. You needed to get out of your wet clothes.”

I shove the mug in his hands. “Here. Drink this.” He looks at the tea and scrunches his nose. “I’m more of a coffee person.”

“I don’t care. drink it.”

I leave the room and go back into the kitchen to make breakfast. I hear him stumble through my small living room and he comes into the kitchen with a duvet wrapped around his waist. Then he asks, “where’s my clothes?”

I point to the living room. “It’s on the drying rack next to the wood stove.”

He goes in there to get dressed before he comes back into the kitchen and asks, “now you answer my question. Who are you?” I plate the breakfast and give it to him before I take a cup of tea for myself and look at him.

“I’m Madison.”