He hauls me back onto his shoulders, and then we set off up the mountain again. He’s carrying on a grumbling narrative that I can’t make out and occasionally pats my cold hands. He points out landscape, but if I’m supposed to see something other than snow, I can’t make it out.
We head up the hill steadily for what feels like forever, and I’m getting colder by the minute. My teeth chatter, and my head feels like a block of ice. I’m cold and hungry, and the raw meat I ate has only made me hungrier. I didn’t realize how far down the mountain we’d come until I look up and it seems that the rocky crag that holds the ship is hours away. Which only makes my teeth chatter harder.
The steep ground slopes toward a steep cliff I don’t recognize, and I’m surprised when Vektal heads right for it. He sets me down, says something that probably means “stay here,” and then moves to the base of the cliff and begins to dig. I watch him for a few confused moments before I realize he’s uncovering the mouth of a new cave.
He’s not taking me up the mountain at all. He’s taking me to another cave.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I explode. “No! Vektal, we’re going up the mountain!”
The alien turns and gives me an irritated look. He lets forth his own stream of narrative, pointing at my ice-covered hair, the fact that my teeth are clicking madly, and that I’m shivering. He continues talking, gesturing at the cave. I don’t have to speak alien to know what he’s saying.
You’re cold. We’ll stay here tonight. Fuck going up the mountain.
And I can’t leave the others for another day. I just can’t. I’m freezing even with his borrowed cape, and they have nothing. Nothing to eat, nothing to drink, and no shelter. I’m so frustrated I could scream.
Instead, I turn and begin to stomp off, heading to what looks like the path up the mountain. It winds up the valley wall, laden with snow that’s trickled down from above. It feels like I’m wading through water, but I’m not going to give up. If I have to march every step back up the mountain to get Vektal to go with me to see the others, I will.
“Georgie,” he calls from behind me. Then he bellows out the sharp syllable I now know is “No.”
I ignore him and march even faster.
“Georgie, no!”
Too late. I don’t see the shadowed snow before I realize that when I step too close to the cliff wall, my foot doesn’t connect with anything. The ground beneath my feet disappears, and I scream as I slide down an icy crevasse for forever.
Only it’s not forever. It’s ten, maybe fifteen seconds. Then I drop and ploof into a pile of snow at the bottom, and lie there stunned. Vektal’s not so far away that I can’t hear him shouting my name from up above.
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter. I can’t wait for the alien I was right, and you were wrong he’s going to deliver to me. I sit up and wince at the throb of my bad wrist. It’s getting worse all the time.
Something shuffles nearby, and I freeze. I look at my surroundings for the first time.
I’m in an ice cave of some kind. Icicles hang from the ceiling. Snow drifts line the walls, and, up above, a trickle of sunlight bleeds in.
It’s enough light to let me see the two dozen eyes staring back at me.
I’m not alone. And I’m in deep, deep shit.
PART THREE
GEORGIE
I stare around me uneasily. Somehow, I’ve fallen through a hole covered by the falling snow. It’s a stupid misstep, and it seems that this planet is absolutely riddled with caverns, because I’ve landed in one.
And this one’s occupied. Really, really occupied.
A dozen pairs of eyes stare at me out of weird, fish-like faces. They’re kind of human, kind of not. They’re bipedal and have two arms and legs and are tall. Taller than me. Their eyes are enormous in their pointed faces, their mouths small and round. They look almost cartoony, except for the matted pale hair that covers almost every inch of their bodies. And they smell like a wet, dirty dog. Ugh.
One hoots at me, the sound querulous.
“Hi,” I say softly. I don’t move a muscle as they gaze at me. It’s clear they’re trying to decide if I’m friend or foe. They remind me a bit of Wookiees from a Star Wars movie—Jesus, I’ve really got to get my mind off of Star Wars—except for the fact that they’re white and have enormous eyes. And tails, I realize as one creature moves forward, his tail flicking back and forth like an irritated cat.
It cocks its head and studies me. Then it hoots again.