I open my eyes, trying to ignore the bright sunlight coming from the window. I rub my face, staring blankly at the brown and wooden ceiling above me, my vision still blurred. I curl myself in my blanket tightly, not wanting to get off bed. My arms, legs, chest, neck, everything was sore. I think that I need to ride more frequently.
My eyes wander around in the morning-lit room, noticing that Andy's spot on the bed was empty. I quickly turn to the girls, who were peacefully sleeping, shy smiles on their faces. I still try to understand how they manage to smirk while sleeping. I basically drool, and sometimes snort. I think I'll go with drooling.
Taking a look at the alarm clock, I suddenly realize how late it was: 11 AM! Holy shit, I hibernated! Quickly getting on my feet, I take a last look at Twilight and Rarity, their expressions remaining the same. A warm feeling sweeps through my heart, giving me some warmness during this cold-ass morning. I think that the Sun lost to Alaska's arctic weather. I place myself on the spot where the Sun cast it's rays, letting it's weak heat envelop my cold body. Jesus, it's freezing here. I bet that Alaska is having record-breaking temperatures.
I carefully sneak to the kitchen, trying to not step on any creaky spot and prevent waking up the two sleeping angels. Seriously, they look like angels when sleeping. And by just looking at them, it makes me smile. Awkward...
Opening the fridge's door, I stare at it's content: a Coca-Cola bottle, some beer... well, let me keep these clear from Twi and Rares. The last thing I want is two drunken girls stumbling around in the cabin. Or worse. Wanting to snowboard and ski. Must be pretty funny. Going on with the examination, I spot a water bottle. Taking it on one hand, I rub my eyes yet again, my sore body screaming for me to go back to bed. I rub my eyes for the last time, effectively sweeping some sleep from them.
I open the bottle, taking a long sip, leaning my aching body near the window. So many things have happened since the girls arrived at my house. And I have to admit: it looks like that they're liking me. A lot. Maybe even Andy. He's an idiot and everything, but I doubt he could be annoying to them. To them. He remains the same to me.
Suddenly, some sounds coming from the bedroom wake me from my slight daydream. Withing seconds, two sleepy figures emerge from the door.
"Good morning."
After drinking my whole bottle and watching Twilight and Rarity eat some cookies, we dressed up again to hit the slopes. No, we're going to hit town. There's no way I'm snowboarding with aching arms and legs. Still, I'll bring my snowboard with me.
Taking my snowboard from the bed's side, I simply leave it under my arm, Twilight mimicking my move. However, Rarity stood there, as if waiting for something to happen.
"Hey, Rares. You ain't riding today?" I asked, flipping my snowboard slowly.
"Of course I am, darling," She takes a pause, looking to the window. Strange... a fashion designer is now wanting to ski, something that she considered totally unlady-like. "... But I'm very tired. Could you carry my... ski?" She flicks her hair once, giving me a quick, kind of seductive wink.
Hah, like if my job now is of a pack mu-- wait, who am I kidding? Of course that I'm taking her skis. I'm a gentleman after all. I take both skis and poles from the ground, leaving them under my left arm. Let's just hope that Twilight doesn't develops an instant need of witnessing another gentlemanly act. Twilight doesn't seem to notice the scene, her eyes fixed on the outside.
"Let's go!" I wave my hand towards the door, both girls following me suit as I lay my feet on the soft snow, a cold breeze enough to freeze water blowing my lowered bandana slightly. Twilight and Rarity shiver from the cold weather, their eyes staring at the falling snowflakes. Suddenly, the silence is broken by a mutual stomach groan. Yeah, I need lunch.
"Hungry, are we?" I ask them, spotting their shaking figures on the corner of my eye.
"Yes. I presume that we're going to the same restaurant?" Twilight asked, her head turning to the mountain's base.
"Yeah. And don't worry about Andy. He's training again." I let out a long sigh. He doesn't need to push himself so hard. But it's his body, not mine, even though I hold a inner worry for him. He's my friend after all.
They don't reply to my comment, leaving me to my own thoughts as we peacefully walk through the snow covered cabin village, just us three there. I take a look at them: Twilight walks pretty normally, completely different from Rarity's elegant pace and stance. One is a geek, the other is a fashion designer. Of course that they behave differently. While Twilight is way more informal and eager to learn about something, Rarity simply exhales formality, as if she was a high-class someone. I have the feeling that she likes being under the spotlight.
Suddenly, my mind wanders off to my work. I would really like to change my job. Being a clerk is boring. Maybe I'll try to hone my snowboarding skills and sign up for the next slopestyle competition. Who knows when I'll be competing on the next winter games... this year's Sochi, Russia, isn't it?
We finally arrive at the mountain's base, witnessing pretty much the same scene when we first arrived here, yesterday. It was magical... but now it feels pretty dead. I think that's because the weather is getting ugly. But I don't see a big ass blizzard tormenting the resort. Still, I can't trust completely on my predicting abilities.
While we walk once again to the restaurant, Twilight pokes me on the shoulder:
"So, are you enjoying here, John?"
"Why wouldn't I? It's always good to snowboard, and I think that I will try to sign up for the next Olympic Winter Games, be it on the half-pipe or slopestyle." She gives me a quizzical look, trying to process what half-pipe and slopestyle meant. I think I'll need to grow happy with their certain confusion over simple mundane things. Suddenly, she leans closer to my covered ear, trying to say something:
"It's funny how Rarity can easily put stallions and men into submission." She giggled innocently.
"Wait, what?!? What do you mean?" I asked her, raising both eyebrows at her cute figure.
"She can easily make a stallion, or a man, in this case, do whatever she wants by simply flicking her hair and giving him a wink. That's why you're carrying her skis." I glance at the pair of skis and ski poles that I'm carrying. Shit, she's right...
"I... don't know what to say. She's pretty good at it, I guess." She gives a nod in reply, leaving me to my thoughts. Great one, John.
"Just don't turn into her next Spike, please..." Her face goes distant, her eyes narrowing as they watered slightly. "Oh, Spike, how I miss you..."
"Spike? Ah, yes, your assistant. I... I..." There's no way of replying to this. Now Twilight's homesick. Ah, God, what to do?
"It's okay, John. I'm feeling a bit homesick. I just wish that I could see my house again..." She hugged my arm tightly, drying her tearful eyes in my sleeve. Just stay calm, John.
After a few minutes of walking, we finally arrive at the restaurant. Taking a seat on the chairs, we all rub our hands together in order to get warmer, a freezing wind blowing the girl's hairs. The snowfall intensified, but I think it's nothing to worry about. But the weather is sure cold.
The waitress came, and I took an order for all three: a cheeseburger and some hot chocolate. It's a weird combination, but I doubt that I could drink some Coke without getting a sore throat, or worse. Twilight and Rarity look at me, as if wanting to question me what a cheeseburger is.
"Okay, okay. Imagine bread." They nodded.
"Cheese." Another nod.
"Cooked beef." Their expression turned to one of disgust. "C'mon, are you two still reluctant?"
"Kind of, darling. We're still not used to you humans eating habits." Rarity replied, arching her eyebrows.
"Don't talk to me like that. You're a human too." She groaned in response.
Silence fell around us, the background noise of chatter together with the clanking sound of forks and knifes filling the air. We all divert our gazes to somewhere else. I think that I'll try breaking the silence...
"So, are you two enjoying--"
"HEY, JOHNNY!" A voice shouts from behind us: Andy. The red-panted snowboarder waves at me from the distance, moments before stopping and grabbing his board. He rushes at us, taking a seat near me. His breath was off, probably because he was finishing his forth descent of the day. He briefly waves and smile at the girls, and greets me with a firm handshake.
"So, what's up homie? I was finishing my descent, but hunger attacked me. Anything good?"
"Nothing, really. I'm sore, to be honest. The girls, however, seem to be okay." They beamed smiled upon us, moments before noticing that our lunch just arrived. My stomach grunts, waiting for me to assault this delicious cheeseburger, who was apparently teasing me to swallow it entirely. On the other end, Twilight and Rarity exchanged confused looks.
"It's completely okay to eat it. You won't get arrested just because you ate a cheeseburger." They remained still, while I gave them a shrug and kept biting bits off from my lunch. Andy had just ordered his own lunch. He better not ask me to pay for him.
"So, homie, can I ask you something?" Forget it. I nod in reply. "Are you going to compete in the Olympic Winter Games?"
Well, that was unexpected. Still, I think that I haven't got the skill to represent my country on the Olympic Games.
"I don't know. I might be, I might not. And, Sochi is not exactly the house to our left. It's fucking Russia, dude!" I haven't got anything about Russia, to be honest. The cold there is nearly the same as here. But it's very distant from Alaska.
"I know that Sochi isn't nearby, but what if we won a gold medal?" He asked me, his eyes appearing to contain sparkles inside.
"Whatever, I don't think that I got the guts to compete right on front of the whole world, my ass being broadcast through worldwide sports channels, and the proper training." He sighed in defeat. Why to be so insistent to make me compete on the Olympic Winter Game, if the winner can be only one? There's no point in this. Lemme go on with Mr. Burger, here, or he'll freeze.
A few minutes later...
"So, let's go for a walk in town?" I ask the trio, who were following me suit. The girls nod, Rarity's being a little more enthusiastic than Twilight's. Yeah, she's not up for a ride today. Yet, I have to respect her lady-like behavior. They're not under my command, after all.
"But, John, I need to train!" Andy protested, throwing both arms up, his snowboard following the gesture.
"I know. Just remember that you just had lunch. I think that vomit on the snow isn't the best sight ever." Both girls shivered as I finished my speech. It's sure to not be a pleasant sight. Ew.
Andy sighs in annoyance, anxiously flipping his board as we walk around in town. Twilight and Rarity seemed quite happy to be here. I think it has something to do with their hometown... Ponycity, Ponytown... no, it was called... Ponyville, or something like that. Strange... they haven't shown any signs of homesickness. I think that I'm taking good care of them, recently.
"Hey, Johnny! Look at what I bought!" Andy poked me on the shoulder, displaying on his both hands two pairs of walkie-talkies.
"Walkie-talkies, dude? For what?" I asked him, examining the black and yellow devices that rested on his gloved palms.
"They're not walkie-talkies. They are radios used for medium-distance communication." He beamed a smile at me, looking down at the radios as if they were the last diamonds on Earth.
"Yeah. Walkie-talkies. So...?"
"Have one. Give them to your friends, too." He delivered the remaining ones at my hands. I stored mine near my mouth, so that I could easily contact who tried to talk to me. Taking some steps nearer the duo of girls, I left one to each other, Twilight and Rarity launching quizzical looks at both me and the small radios.
"What's this?" Twilight was the first to ask.
"A radio. You can use it to talk with someone who is out of your hearing range. For example..." I press the button that activates the speakers. "Hello, can you hear me?"
Twilight and Rarity yelped in surprise as my voice played through their walkies, a curious smile forming in Twilight's face. Here we go again...
"That's impressive! You humans are really technologically advanced! Can I study more, after we come back from this trip?" She asked me, the same look of curiosity on her closed eyes, her clapping hands, the ear to ear grin. Yeah, I'll have to let her use my computer, too. But only after I delete somethings. I attach the walkie-talkies to their coats, in the same way as mine. "And to talk, press and hold this red button, and then release it after you're done." They give me confused nods, shrugging.
The town near the resort is simply lovely. No big flux of people, cozy atmosphere, a certain warmness that I can't really explain, and a sweet silence. Not to mention that the snow here is simply fluffy. I just love to step on it. This place is even more beautiful at night. Maybe bringing the girls later on this day might give us a great time.
The silence was simply wonderful. The snowflakes descending from the skies, the freezing wind blowing through my hair... Sweet Jesus, this is awesome...
"Look, if it isn't Mr. White Knight!" A scratchy voice called from behind. Strange... White Knight was a nickname that... The 'Frostie Cobras' gave me during High School. God, please, tell me that this isn't them...
I slowly turn my body towards the source of the voice and... Ah, God it's them!!! Like if the beating that I gave them years ago hasn't worked very well!! Argghhhhhhh...
"Lookie here, if it isn't Mr. Whitey Knightey, and Andy, his retarded friend!" The trio burst into laughter, while I glared furiously at them. Nobody calls Andy a retard if it isn't me....
"Fuck off, you douchebags. It seems that your high school beating haven't changed a thing in your mind?" I counter their taunt, effectively silencing their child-like laughs.
"Oh, look. He's practicing white knighting again! How beautiful! How long 'till one of them gives him a blowjob?" Okay, that's enough. I throw both my board and Rarity's equipment to the ground, preparing to blow this poor fucker's teeth off. Suddenly, two arms wrap around my coated chest, halting my rush to the trio. I turn back, seeing that Andy was trying to keep me from fighting. I take a long breath to re-compose myself, asking the idiots that stood in front of us:
"What the fuck you want from me, Butch? Another bloody nose?"
"No, no, no, Johnny. I just want to, together with my friends here, challenge you to a race. If we win, we're going to settle some scores with you and Andrew. If you win, we leave you alone." He smirks at me, while he his friends (Whose names I can't remember.) chuckle dumbly. What an idiotic challenge... I'll go. Maybe I'll finally kick those idiots assess.
"Okay, then. You two, stay here. I'll take care of those douches." I alert Twi and Rares, whose faces were of fear and desperation.
"Oh no. They're competing too. And the race will take place on the eastern face." Butch gave me another annoying smirk.
"Are you insane?!? They don't even know how to alpine snowboard!" I protest, only to be stopped by the sight of a shining object coming from his pocket: a knife. A very unpleasant memory from the past comes to mind. There's no way I'm getting out of this...
They ran off, leaving me and my friends alone in this silent corner. I take a moment to ponder on what they just got me into. I don't even care if they have a knife. I've seen Butch playing with one of them: he stabbed himself on his palm. And I won't call the authorities. I'll deal this by myself. This will probably take them off my back.
I sign to them to follow me to the ski lift. We run behind the group of idiots that was taunting us moments ago. Andy and the girls seem a bit reluctant to follow me, but do so because of the lack of options.
After we sit on the ski lift, Twilight questions me:
"John?!? What are you doing? You're really going to follow them and do what they want?"
"Of course! I remember what they did to me when I didn't accept one of his challenges. They vandalized grandma's house!" I take a pause to forget about the damage that they caused to granny's home. Fuckers... "However, while in the past they were only idiotic bullies, now they want to 'level up'. His knife is an example. To be honest, it's no military knife with a serrated edge. It's a kitchen knife. Still cuts through flesh." I take a long breath, trying to relax my body. He mentioned the eastern face... And you're taking your friends to it, John! What's wrong with you?
"But you said that you had taken care of them before! What do they want with you now, darling?" Rarity asked, leaning slightly to maintain eye contact with me.
"They want revenge. For what I did years ago..."
2008, Anchorage, Alaska
A daydreaming John left the school grounds, literally hovering around due to the kiss on the cheek that he received from Lilly after helping her with Maths. The summer day was adding perfectly to dreamy expression, the sunlight giving him a cheerful aura. If he could stop hovering and walk again, he would probably hop through the streets.
"What a lovely day!" He exclaimed, happily looking at a bush full of colorful flowers.
His daydream and hover-walk lasted shortly, being prematurely halted when he took a turn at a corner and ended up face to face with his nemesis, a group of three teens who called themselves the 'Frostie Cobras'. He found the name extremely ridiculous, but they didn't seem to notice. His lightening expression died as his eyes spotted his three enemies, who stared at him devilishly. John stepped dead on his tracks, wanting to avoid the bullies.
"Back from another session with Lilly, White Knight?" Butch, who was considered the leader, spoke, cracking his knuckles fiercely.
"No, smartass. Get the fuck outta my way!" John protested against them, trying to penetrate their three-man barrier.
"No, no, no. We've been waiting for a long while to do this. C'mon, Frostie Cobras, let's beat the man out of him!" The trio assumed fighting stances, John doing the same, but way more distracted due to Butch's mention on his 'gang's name, whose he found extremely childish.
Butch tried to deliver John a long, heavy side-way punch, which he dodged with ease. Seeing an opening in his opponent's legs, John kicked his weak spot with all of his strength. Butch's irises decreased as he fell nearly lifelessly to the ground. The standing teens' eyes shot open as their leader collapsed, surprised with John's attack. One of them tried to give him a puch to his face, but John dodged again and grabbed his arm. With one swift movement, the visceral sound of a bone breaking rang through their ears, and another Cobra collapsed. The remaining one, however, desperately tried to put John down with a low kick, but he easily knocked him out with a uppercut, a line of blood coming down his chin.
Looking down at the wounded and beaten enemies, John whispered:
"Don't ever fuck with me again, faggots." Realizing that someone could notice the scene at any moment, John rushed to his house, leaving the 'Frostie Cobras' to themselves, groaning and grunting in pain.
"So, yeah. My father taught me some moves before he died. I kept honing them, and the fight against them wasn't that difficult. They weren't very experienced with fighting. They tried to make me pay for what I done by telling the school's director, but, what happens outside the school, isn't of the school's concern. So, I managed to get out of it unscathed."
Twilight and Rarity, together with Andy, remained with their worried expressions. I could tell that someone was getting annoyed with the ever increasing difficulty of breathing.
"Hey Twi, save your breath. Inhale normally, adding a little bit more of air to your lungs. The higher we get, the most difficult it is to breathe. Please, don't look down or back. We are pretty high."
Suddenly, I felt a hand running down my arm, eventually stopping at my palm. My heart skipped a beat as this apparently body-less hand tried to interlace with my fingers. Rarity. This wasn't really a gesture of affection. It was a gesture of fear, of low confidence. Still, it feels pretty fond. My heart beats a bit faster. My stomach feels like if it was doing back-flips. I replied to her act, whispering on her ear:
"Everything's going to be alright... don't cry... I've got this..." I raise my voice slightly to alert the rest of our group. "Twi and Rares, you don't need to race. When me and Andy go for it, stay, and we will try to knock 'em out."
"What about their knife? Doesn't that makes this more dangerous?" Twilight asked, taking a long breath.
"Well, he's better knocked out than on my throat with it. We're kind of lucky that he got soft with us." Indeed. I don't really know how to disarm someone with a knife.
And there we stayed. Sitting on top of a ski lift, reaching for the clouds, ready to compete against a group of idiots, on one of the most dangerous slopes here. And I'm with two inexperienced riders. I'll let them stay behind, going slow.
After a few minutes of complete silence, we finally arrive at the advanced course's top, our breath being completely off due to the high altitude. The girls were way more off than mine and Andy, mostly because we're kind of used to it. The weather has worsened, the mountain's base being nearly impossible to spot. I wrap both girls withing my arms reach, and we start picking the trail to the eastern face.
"Just remember to breathe. There's no need to panic up here." Even Andy, who's quite experienced with high altitudes, was breathing with difficulty.
When we reached the trail's start, we noticed a small sign talking about the height and the constant danger of avalanches and whiteouts. I covered Twilight's eyes before she could read it, and activate her panic mode. Rarity, who happened to read it, gave me a look behind her goggles that was nearly asking me if this was the site of the accident that we suffered two years ago. I reply with a single nod, not even able to ease the suffocating tense atmosphere that surrounded us. From a quiet and calm walk, to a race on the top of a mountain. There's no going back, John, c'mon... I'm beginning to feel bad for Twi and Rares. They don't understand the gravity of the situation. Or they really did, but managed to hide that flawlessly.
Passing through the difficult trail, we arrive at the freezing peek, noticing three figures pompously standing on top of it. My mind quickly shows me the day of the accident, a shiver going down my body. I don't like this place. The 'gang' members easily see us, and Butch calls me:
"So, you got the courage to come up here after your disaster, White Knight?" I don't reply to his comment, turning my head slightly to Andy. We were both fearing an avalanche that could take our lives. Twilight and Rarity, on the other end, were utterly fearful and terrified by the fact of not being able to breath normally, and primarily because we're next to three failed bullies. Before we could set up for the race, I whisper to them:
"Hey, when me and Andy go, stay here. We will try to knock 'em out, and then, we climb back, everything will be fine, and we will spend the rest of the day at the cabin. Okay?" They gave me acknowledged nods, faking their warming to the race. I look to Andy, giving him a signal, which he replied with a not-so happy smile. I turn my gaze to Butch, who was already starting the countdown.
"Okay, let's.... GO!!" Butch screams for no reason, he and his 'goons' leaping for the race the same moment as me and Andy. I glanced to the now relieved pair of girls left behind. I sign to them to stay, before aiding Andy in our fight. I near an unaware member of the gang, throwing him a powerful punch, leaving his body roll lifelessly the mountain's perfect powder.
"That's what you got for fucking with me again, faggots!" I shout, getting the other one's attention enough to make Andy's jump on his head successfully, knocking him unconscious. Butch, who was trying to desperately escape from the fight, neared my snowboard, and somehow, smacked me in the stomach. My world began to swirl and twirl as a mess of legs and snow was the only thing that my eyes could capture. I roll on my back repeatedly, finally coming to a stop, lying face down on the snow. When I get up...
Thankfully, my body was still good, no broken bones, pretty good. Well, what was pretty good was the scene that I ended up watching after sweeping some snow off from my shoulders: Andy managed to somehow shove Butch to the ground, and hit him repeatedly on the head with his snowboard.
"Hey, Andy! He got what he deserved. Come back here!" With this, he grabbed his board and run to my position, while I call the girls through the radio.
"Hey, you two can come... down. We are... 'parked' at a... step point, so descend slowly. It's not... beginner's course, remember this." I take several pauses to save my lungs some air, a thick whiteout surrounding my freezing body.
"O-okay, John. We will go down slowly..." Twilight managed to find the red button and replied to my call, a sound of boards cutting through the snow being briefly.
Andy finally reaches me, tapping me on the shoulder, his face covered with ice and snow.
"That... was... awesome!" He exclaimed, taking long breaths. Andy rubbed his hands together to keep warm, but the cold wind and even colder air that we inhaled was overwhelming. Within seconds, I hear some sounds coming from behind, two feminine figures emerging from the whiteout. They brake slowly, stopping right by our sides.
"I see that you guys are okay. That's great..." I take a long sigh of relief at them, wrapping them together in a hug to share some body heat.
"Y-yes, darling... Now... how d-do we get o-out of here? It's f-freezing here..." Rarity is the first to break the hug, her voice shaky.
"We just go down nice and slow, so that we don't lose eye contact. And don't worry about those idiots. They got what was coming at them. Let's go..." I hop slightly to put my snowboard in position.
Before we could slowly descend the mountain, we hear a loud noise coming from behind. It sounded like a...
"HOLY SH----"
5 minutes later...
Snow. Snow and more snow. That's everything that I can see now. Wait, it cannot be, no... Sweet Jesus, I'm buried. I'm buried alive. Oh, fuck no... There's no way that I'm getting out of here. I can't move my arms... my bones are aching due to this temperature. Don't panic, don't panic...
I thank God once again for the fact of wearing a bandana, who was somehow keeping me from suffocating here. If only I could dig upwards... Wait, which way is up? Great. I'm buried, and with complete loss of direction.
Maybe my arms could reach my face and create an air pocket.. It's getting difficult to breathe. C'mon, John. You'll get out of here. Thankfully, my goggles are still on, so I can see what's up front. Well, shit tons of snow. Simply. God, this is turning out to be helpless. Still, I won't give up so easily. My right arm managed to dig it's way up to my chest, my cold glove coming in contact with my coat. I slowly pass my hand over my body, trying to find something of use... The walkie-talkie! Yes, lemme see if I can pick it...
My hand grabs the radio weakly, struggling to bring it to my ear. Okay, I just need to press the button, and talk:
"This is John *Cough* Sullivan. I'm..." I gasp for air. No, there might be still a little bit of oxygen here...
"Johnny? T-thank God, I got to talk with you. I-I-I n-need..." His voice fades away with scared gasps. Holy shit, now I remember. He's got claustrophobia.
"K-keep calm... dude. Can you *cough* dig your way out... of there?" I ask him, taking a longer breath. Oxygen is running out here. I can't die here, please no... I don't want to suffocate...
"I-I-I T-think s-s-so. Let me try..." A sound of digging is heard until he removes his finger from the button. Please, tell me that he's getting out of it. Suddenly, a muffled voice is heard by my side. Wait, by my side... it might Rarity or Twi! I refill my lungs once again, gathering all of my strength on my left arm to dig. And dig. And dig...
Suddenly, a hand grabs mine, making my heart skip a beat. I found someone!
"Hey... *cough* Andy... I-I found s-s-someone!" I slightly raise my right hand to allow more oxygen inside.
"G-good, homie! I-I think that I-I'm g-getting out... Yes! Fresh Air, thank God!" Yes, Andy got out! There is still some hope, after all.
My grip on the arm-less hand tightens, and I accidentally let some air escape from my lips as the hand tries to push me closer. My body moves a bit to the left, making me lose my air pocket. Snow covers my face once again. Shit, shit, shit, I can't breath! No!
"Andy! *Gasps for air* Faster... p-please... *cough*..." The snow is passing through my bandana, penetrating it's minuscule holes. Sweet Mother of Jesus. Save air, John, save some air...
This is getting completely hopeless.. my lungs are screaming for air. My vision is getting darker... no... please...
"Air..."