Something was tucking at his consciousness, pulling him back from the brink of the long, dark sleep. It sounded like…laugher. A child’s laughter. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

Nothing. But the laughter persisted. Then a soft form materialised in front of him, dancing in the snow with a carefree attitude. He tried to understand what he was seeing until she stopped and he could finally make out her face.

Faith?

She smiled down at him and said, “Hi Jarod.”

He was so cold. He couldn’t find the strength to answer back, so he just continued to stare.

“Jarod, you can’t give up.”

He managed a frown and then a whisper, “I don’t… understand”

“Just hang on.” She paused, her whole being radiating confidence that he didn’t feel. “They’ll be coming for you soon. Don’t give up.”

Her laugher filled the air again as she slowly danced from his sight.

He was alone again.

And he remembered his own words to Sydney, so long ago. The confidant words of a boy that had refused to be pulled under by the Centre’s evil.

“I’ll never give up, Sydney. Never.”

He pushed himself into a sitting position, knowing instinctively that if he stayed where he was, that he will die. Pulling the space blanket tighter, he reached for the emergency kit. He broke the seal of the glow stick. When he looked up, he noticed that the wolf was back, sniffing the area where Faith had appeared not so long ago.

The wolf lifted his head, sniffing in his direction. “Not yet.” The wolf continued to shuffle, eyeing him and he said, “You can’t… have me… yet.” He pulled the blanket even tighter. “Just hang on. It will…be daylight…soon….Hang on.”

Present 

“Faith?”

Jarod opened his eyes and blinked. The snow had stopped falling sometime during which day had started to turn into night. It was quiet; very very quiet. The only sounds were Jarod’s ragged breaths.

It took five full breaths to establish that he could still move his legs and that the persistent agony was from his arm. He took a long time before he gathered enough courage to shift into a higher position.

He couldn’t suppress a moan of pure agony that erupted from deep inside. He could feel his grasp on sanity slip and he began to lose sense of the cold around him.

Time passed and when he opened his eyes again, it had gone completely dark. The snow-reflected light was enough to see by, and he was grateful for that at least. Jarod lifted his head and he felt the burning pull of each breath that was so difficult to draw.

If he stayed, he’ll die.

Ten heartbeats later, his thoughts caught up with his body. Cradling his broken arm closer to his body, he turned onto his side. Every move filled his body with fire. Pushing the agony aside, he pulled himself to his feet.

A wave of dizziness made him brace himself against the boulder. His legs shook from the mere effort of standing. He took a moment to concentrate on what he wanted to do next.

Parker. Got to get to her before…

He set off at a painfully slow stagger, following the stream as it meandered through the woods. He had barely managed half a mile when his legs buckled and he dropped to a knee. As he turned to rise, he vomited blood.

He stared at his own blood long enough for him to draw three painful breaths before he realised what he was seeing. He closed his eyes and took another ragged breath. He could taste the coppery tang in his mouth and it left him feeling slightly nauseous. Jarod opened his eyes and awkwardly staggered back to his feet.

Road. He remembered that…

He took a staggering step, ignoring the grating of bone against bone on his left side.

Car…

His concentration slipped slightly when he stumbled over a submerged root. The muscles in his side pulled and when a scream echoed back to him, did he only become aware that it was his voice.

Sweepers…no wait, avalanche…should be safe…

He counted a hundred steps when he became aware that the woods was starting to thin. He staggered out into the open, onto the road. He nearly sobbed with relief when he spotted his car off the side of the road. It was covered in a thin blanket of snow. Just behind it was the familiar black form of a town car.

He willed himself to move forward. Only when he was close enough to touch his car did he notice that the hood of the car was raised slightly. It took him less than a minute to realise that his battery has been removed.

It took even less than that to realise that he was not alone anymore. Keeping himself upright by sheer force of will, he managed to turn. A figure was moving towards him in a calm, measured stride. A stride he was very familiar with.

No…

He could feel his strength continue to fade as the man stopped in front of him.

“You didn’t think you’d escape, now did you?”

Darkness closed around his vision and when he could see again, he was on his knees.

“I’m sure Parker will be happy to see you.”

He felt despair and anxiousness simultaneously for the first time in his life. He had not anticipated that they would have already gotten to her. She was supposed to be safe. They had been careful.

He felt her body close to his, felt her breath on his face. Her skin was silky smooth beneath his fingertips as he brushed it lightly along her back.

“What are you thinking?”

He shifted and looked down at her. “Should I be thinking?”

Her eyes twinkled and shone with an inner force he had never before experienced. It took his breath away.

She really is beautiful.

“I want to grow old with you.”

She laughed and turned so that she could look at him fully. “I think generally that’s implied when you get married.”

Curling his hand around her body, he pulled her tight against him, burrowing his face into her hair when she rested her head against his chest.

“I promise I’ll keep you safe…”

He felt sorrow well up inside him as his promise echoed around inside his mind, reminding him that he had yet again failed. He let go of the thin thread of awareness and he didn’t see the grin on Lyle’s face nor did he hear when the sociopath called in the helicopter transport.

By then, Jarod was unconscious.