Heart of Stone

When a crisis brings out the best of us.

"Coastal One to home base," said the helicopter pilot. "I'm losing light."

"Copy Coastal One, continue."

""I'm low on fuel, and heading back to base. The storm winds out here are picking up in intensity. If time permits, I will circle back."

There was a pause.

"In the meantime, these two are on their own."

Then he pulled hard back on the throttle. This action sent his helicopter veering left, away from a darkening, threatening, menacing northern Colorado sky.

Below him, life was in a balance.

"Either you're coming up to me," Ed Simmons shouted, his voice growing hoarse into the cold air, "or I'm coming down to you."

There's a time to hesitate.

There's a time to act.

And then, there's a time to hide.

Laura Wheeling's gut was telling her that now was the time to act.

"Grab the line," he ordered. Whatever her response was, it became lost in the howling wind. She looked up into the cold rain, turning to sleet, with the rope dangling before her.

Time was running out.

She took a swipe, missing the dangling rope. The growing wind was now teasing her on her first attempt.

She lunged wildly, with more desperation, on the second try. On the third attempt, she willed herself further and further out, on to the cliff's razor's edge.

She willed herself now, to block out the unrelenting pain shooting up her shredded left broken leg. Now, she was gritting, grinding her teeth, determined to reach her dangling lifeline.

With every muscle straining in her arms, she grabbed hold of the rope, with her fingertips, and pulled it in.

She then attached the rope to the silver metal stake from her backpack. Laura pounded it into the unforgiving, thick ice. With both hands bleeding, she swung wildly at the stake, with tears of pain freezing to her face.

Her work was done. Now, it was his time.

Looking up, she watched as his burly arms and thick legs straddled the mountain face. In the fading light, he looked like a spider, making his way down to her.

And all of this, all of this, over her stupid broken leg.

His flaming red helmet seemed to be gleaming in the strange, fading grey sky behind him.

Now, she could only watch. She watched, as Ed grunting, groaning, climbed down to her, over this heart of stone. Off in the distance, the pair could see the searchlight of an approaching helicopter growing closer.

It wouldn't be long now.

And then, exactly then, Laura knew. For the rest of her life, she would give thanks to this man.

To the same man she'd broken up with over three months ago.

And now?

"It won't be long now," he said, setting a temporary splint on her leg.

With her face, now feeling half frozen, she leaned over and kissed him. He pulled her close.

She loved him.

Plain and simple.

THE END.