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but he kept focused, kept , he blew out, sucked in

another breath, and started pulling for the girl

"Ellie," he panted He was trying not to hyperventilate, rey if he stayed calm, took slow

breaths But, oh htning shocks of pain lanced froht here," he said Those fifty feet never see, and he suddenly wondered just how much rope they had God, we never checked

Too late to think about that now He watched water slop around her

chin and then her nose; sa she didn’t flinch Losing it "Listen to ? Put your head

all the way back Look at the sky, Ellie, look at the sky"

il sa jbick Her staring eyes rolled They were glazed, and he wasn’t sure she kneho he was Then her head lolled back, but in slow th

Al to face the way he’d co that he didn’t run out Jayden, he saw, had guided his horse a little closer Can’t drop the rope either The rope would sink, and once it was gone, it was gone He could probably sith her, but the cold was starting to get to hi toward hi, and then we all--

Then, suddenly, he was out of rope, and still short

Shit "Ellie" Grabbing the loop with one hand, he swam until the rope was taut and actually out of the water, then stretched his dripping, freezing free hand Six lousy inches"Ellie, you have to come toward me E-Ellie, honey, take my hand C-come on, you can do it!"

He watched her arms move but only feebly One li like a fish "E-Ellie, t-try again," he said, his teeth stuttering, his breath starting to co down around his ribs So close Thinking he really was going to have to let go of the rope, grab her, then swi and do it now

Her hand caed, hoping the sudden lurch wouldn’t send the packhorse into a panic He felt the slap of her hand, icy and wooden His own fingers, nu fast, craood, you’re doing great," he said She was shivering so hard the water danced He worked the rope over her head and under her shoulders The dog was there now, too, nudging at his shoulder with its snout "I see you, girl, hang on, hang on," he said, unsure which girl he was talking to now "Ellie," he said, getting his face in hers, grabbing her hands and trying to bend her fingers to curve around the rope "You have to hang on I’ll help you, but I’ve got to help Mina, too"

That did so He saw a tremor shiver over Ellie’s face, her head slowly turn, her shock-trauht, it’s Mina You have to help Mina" Puffing now, treadinghad he been in the water? Five ine hoell her brain probably wasn’t working right now But she recognizes the dog Still holding her hands around the rope, he got his free ar’s chest Please, Mina, don’t panic, don’t bitelet out a piteous whine and then stretched for Ellie, its tongue flicking out to try and lick her face

"Muh-huh-huh," Ellie gasped He could see the white crescents as her eyes began to roll back into her skull Her fingers were chalk "Cuh-Cuh-Chrisss"

"I’o He sucked in a breath and pushed it out in a shout: "Juh-Jayden, pull! Pull!"

87

"It should beBella’s head in her lap Despite the dance of orange light froo, her face was drawn and ashen Her eyes crawled froht-lipped Hannah, who only looked more furious by the second "She’s my horse"

"But there’s no need Jayden can do this, or Connor," Hannah said, and Chris thought she really was trying to keep a lid on it Jayden had refused to go anywhere without warued Stripping the girl out of her sodden clothes, they wrapped her in a saddle blanket and Jayden’s parka Chris had accepted Jayden’s sweater and then waited, next to the fire, with Ellie cradled in his ar practically in his lap, too, while Jayden rode for help He’d returned with clothing, ther Hannah

"What you need is to stop fighting me, Ellie," Hannah pressed "You need to co" Ellie’s lower lip quivered Bundled in a watch cap, teaters, snow pants, two pairs of socks, and a parka, she reminded Chris of the shrunken old women, swathed beneath reams of blankets, to whom he’d used to read back at Rule’s hospice At Ellie’s tone, Bella let out anotherback a sob, Ellie stroked the horse’s poll "I should be the one to do it I had to leave Eli and Roc Don’t make me leave Bella, too"

"It’s not the same Eli and Roc were not your fault" Hannah said it to Ellie but aiht This whole mess--the barn; Bella; Eli and Roc, trapped under the ice or at the bottom of the lake--was all on hiht not find the boy and his dog until spring, if then

"Yes, it is Cutting the ice was my idea, and now E-Eli" Ellie looked up at Jayden "Is h? For Bella?"

Jayden shook his head "You’d need to use one of our rifles"