Snow began to cover up everything and the weather had become unbearably cold. It has been 4 days since the beginning of my journey down the mountain path and the winter season has now set. I traveled in advance since I do not know the exact date that the duchess will come to the orphanage. The Florence territory is small so there can only be one orphanage in town. Thanks to the map I had stolen from my father, I will be able to find my way around the right direction towards the place.
Here on the side of the mountain, I lay rest. Sipping through my freshly boiled herb tea that I had made from my make shift camp as I tucked myself inside a thick blanket, tying it around my shivering cold body to feel warm instead of a real coat. Traveling in the night is a risk for danger so I stop and rest for the day when the sun sets.
Most of the forest animals have gone into hibernation but some are still variant at night so I cannot take such jeopardy. I don't even sleep with the fire on so that they will not come near me, as for my food, I store it away in the ground after eating, covering it with whatever smelly object I could find so the animals won't go after it. Luckily, my health is still fit thanks to Drazhan's healing but I do not know when it will last me thus I must travel quickly while I am still healthy.
For the next few days, it became more and more difficult for me to drag my cart around with the thick pile of snow on the ground so I thought to improvise since it would take me more than the two weeks I had planned if I go down like this in this thick blanket of winter. I still have vivid memories of items in my past life so why not make use of it. I went riding down a snowy mountain once with a peculiar flat gear with a curve at its end. It was called skiing.
So I made one similar to that of a sled out of a curved up tree husk which was thick enough to handle both the weight of the cart and me. I took off its wheels and tied the cart to the sled, making sure of its safety. Then, I looked for the safest route that I could find to rode it down with, calculating the safe distance for impact that would be enough to send me down, I dragged the sled just far enough from the small cliff and began to ran as I push it with all of my strength and when it began sliding on its own I hopped in on it.
It was a bumpy fast ride but it was enough to spare me 3 days worth of traveling down the mountain. But the wind from the speed of its acceleration was tremendous, because of how cold it is, it was painful to the skin and I for sure got a terrible frostbite out of it. While maneuvering it to stop by force wasn't a given, I had to turn it to the safest direction I could crash on to.
On impact, I cowered down inside the cart as the sled crashed unto a tall pile of snow when the cart slid down the curve of the mountain and to the flat ground. The sled stopped with a strong thud and the crushed snow covered me all over. I quickly got out of the cart and retrieved it from the pile. The thing I hit turned out to be some shrub.
'Luckily it wasn't a rock'
I brushed myself off and hopped back in to rid the cart of snow. Now, I'm finally at the bottom of the mountain, looking back at it, that was quite a far slide, out of relief, I released a heavy sigh that then formed in the cold air. I feel like I did a lot today that's why I'm tired. With all this worrying straining me, I'm fully out of energy now. Maybe it's not so bad if I rest for a little bit.
…..
At the dead of night, I was awoken from my faintness because of an unbearable feeling of heat like that of a summer afternoon. But isn't it winter? The hot temperature of my body felt like hot stew was all over me again. I got up and adjusted my makeshift coat, being covered in a thick blanket like this must have done it but if I take this off, I'm sure to freeze to death. I began to feel the uncomfortable stickiness that came with my pouring sweat, it's dripping down to my nose from my forehead.
Fuck, I've heard about this. If your body suddenly warms up in an unbearable state during the winter, specially when out in the cold wilderness like this, means that it is the body's last resort at saving itself and if you take off your coat thinking that you are safe from the cold, you'll die.
I was so busy focusing on my burning fever that I completely ignored the snow storm that was occurring. I failed to notice that the whole ground is now entirely covered with snow that even while being on top of the cart, it has leveled with me.
Shit! How long was I out? I came down here early in the morning but now it's night.
I quickly took off the straw bedding that covered the cart and lit the lamp. I jumped out of the cart but stumbled and crashed in the snow that was already as tall as the length from my shoulders to the ground. I raised the lamp to look around but I couldn't see far from my frostbitten lashes. I think even my snot is frozen. Looking back at the cart, I bit my lips in frustration. There's no way I can get this thing to move in this state so I'll have to abandon it, taking only what little food I had left with me I fled the scene. Using the wheel of the cart to scoop out the layers of snow and tried paving my way through but, it didn't work, I was still stock. I tried climbing back into the cart and finally, with enough determination, I pushed myself out of the snow.
'It's so cold but hot at the same time'
'Goddammit'
'Will this be the end for me?'
'I can't die here, there's no way I'd die here'
'Think, think, think!'
Panicking I rushed through the items in the cart but found nothing useful except for the cartwheels I had taken off. Suddenly, an idea struck me. I placed one wheel on the snow and pushed it with my arms but it didn't budge so I climbed back up to the cart and slowly stepped on it. I thought I'd sink into the bottom like before but this time, I didn't. The wooden wheel only went a few inches deep even with my weight on top of it, I placed the other wheel in front and stepped on it, it was the same. Finally I can get out of here, I took my bag and dug out the other wheel then placed it in front the other then I repeated the process with the other using it as stepping stones, until finally I was almost out of the thickest part of the snow and near the less snowy road. I wiped the sweat running down my face and shook off the snow on my gloves. 'Almost there…'
But even with my best efforts the storm continued its might. The wailing of the furious wind filled my ears and struck my skin with it's soft white daggers as it blew from all directions. I couldn't see much ahead of me before and now, I couldn't see anything at all. And my body wasn't taking the situation well.
"Shit, I'm not fucking dying only because of this. No way in hell"
Before I even realized the snow had already piled up to my knee and I had no strength left to push my body off of its thick blanket. I hadn't realized that the healing had worn off and because of the harsh weather, my body's frailty had turned to asthenia. I did managed to get to the road trail so there's a possibility that someone might pass me by and if they aren't heartless jerks, they'd help this poor kid out of the snow. My blanket-coat is red so even if some snow piled up on me it would still be noticeable. That will be enough sign… for.. a-attention…..