Snow Lodge
Chapter 15
Brian sobbed with relief as he heard his name fall from AJ's lips, and he felt his strength return as if AJ had given it to him. He saw AJ reach a hand up to touch his face, and quickly grabbed it, not wanting AJ to find the blood there. He squeezed his hand tightly, and smiled as he felt AJ try to return the gesture. His grip was weak, and that scared Brian a little, but at least he was awake now.
"Bri?" AJ spoke softly, barely audible over the howling winds.
"You must've fallen." Brian told him. "I found you, and managed to get you back this far- do you think you can stand if I help you?" he asked, almost fearing the answer. He wasn't sure what he could do if AJ couldn't walk because he knew that he wouldn't be able to carry him.
AJ squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. His whole body was numb, and ached like a bitch. He remembered falling, but he had no idea how long he had been unconscious, although if his body temperature was anything to go by, it had been quite a while. He wasn't sure if he could even stand up, let alone walk, but he knew he had to try.
When he had regained consciousness, it was to find Brian's head on his chest, and he had felt how exhausted Brian was. Therefore, he knew that Brian would never have been able to get them both back to the cabin, yet he was not about to leave AJ out here either, so AJ had no option but to try. He took a deep breath, wincing first at the coldness of the air, before he felt pain flare through his chest as his ribs objected to the movement. Letting the breath out more slowly, he re-opened his eyes and focused on Brian before trying to get up.
Brian put his hands around AJ and helped him to slowly sit up. AJ bit his lip to keep from crying out, his chest felt like it was on fire as the pain ripped through it. But he couldn't let Brian know, he was scared enough as it was, and he didn't need to make things worse.
"AJ?" Brian spoke, his voice laced with concern as he felt AJ flinch.
AJ managed a weak smile. "It's okay Bri. Just a bit sore, that's all." He tried to reassure Brian, not entirely succeeding.
Brian knew that AJ was lying, but he decided not to push things further, because he knew that AJ would not tell him how bad things were. AJ was too stubborn, and wouldn't want Brian to worry about him. So instead, Brian put his arms back around AJ and helped him to stand up.
AJ's vision swam as he stood, and he felt his legs go weak. Brian felt this and tightened his grip on AJ, which in turn made the pain flare up in his chest once again. AJ bit his lip again, almost breaking the skin as the pain shot through him. Brian felt AJ tense again and looked up at his friend's face. AJ's face was twisted into a terrible grimace, betraying the sheer amount of pain he was in. Brian wanted to loosen his grip, but was scared that if he did, AJ would fall.
"Alex?" Brian spoke, his voice betraying his fear.
AJ opened his eyes to look at his friend, the pain reducing to a dull throb.
"We need to get back Rok." He said, ignoring Brian's implied question about his health.
"But..." Brian began, but AJ cut him off, raising a frozen hand to Brian's face.
"I'll be okay Bri. Yes it hurts, but we can't stay out here any longer and you know it. So lets go now, please."
Brian looked at him for a moment before he relented. As much as he hated it he knew that AJ was right. They were both frozen, and they had to get back to the relative wamth and safety of the cabin before the cold did any more damage to either of them.
