Chapter 8

Then the storm got worse.

Dad tucked the camera in his pocket. “Let’s walk!” he shouted.

I could hardly hear him now. The wind wasn’t whistling anymore, it was kind of screaming. The snow sneaked into my jacket and my socks and pants. I held on tight to Mom and I was just sure Dad could find the way down.

Or pretty sure, anyway.

I was shaking so hard now, it was almost like I was doing some weird dance.

“Aaaaah!” Jenna slipped and fell.

Her hand slid out of mine. I pulled on Mom to keep my balance, so then she fell too. Jack yelled to Dad, and they both bent down to help Mom.

Jenna just lay there, all crumpled, like a pile of laundry.

“Get up, Jenna!” I yelled.

“NOOooo, I’m too cold, I’m cold. . . .”

I yelled at her to tuck her legs under, and she did.

“Now hold on!” Her hands were like mine, all red and stiff and wet, and it hurt to grab them. I tried to pull her up, but her legs were all noodly.

“I’m cold, I’m cold . . . ,” she kept saying.

“EVERYBODY’S COLD, JENNA! GET UP!” I was totally crabby, but I felt sort of bad for Jenna. She must have been even more freezing and scared than me to let me be so bossy with her.

I got behind her and locked my arms under her armpits. I think suddenly being the Boss of Jenna made me really strong, because I got her up in one heave: “Uuuup! ”

Then Dad and Jack were there. They each took one of Jenna’s hands. Mom was back up and we all started walking again. We held on to each other like those elephants you’ve seen, holding tails with their trunks, all in a line. Even Dad went step . . . step . . . step, just as slow as us.

We inched down Mount Baldy.

Then it was like that wizard waved the Weather Wand again.