A Small Pine Sapling

You spot a small sapling growing out from under the snow. It's not very big, but it might support both your weight. You grasp it in one hand and brace yourself for the moment your motion comes to a halt. It does and you feel a twinging pain run through your body. You almost drop Melody from the jolt, but manage to hold on.

"I got you!" You shout down to her. Then you pull on the sapling to help lift her up. Suddenly, the small tree gives and you yank it out of the ground, roots and all. Melody's weight plus your own lack of balance from the loss of support cause you to tumble over the edge and you both careen down into the snow below.

You hit the ground hard, but thankfully the snow was deep enough to cushion the blow of the hit. You groan and lift your head out of the white powder to see a jagged rock right in front of your face. You missed it by inches and your heart stops a bit from the realization that you were seconds away from decapitation.

You immediatly realize Melody is not next to you and you glance around worriedly. "Melody!" You shout. "Where are you?" You don't get a response and get to your feet so you can look for her. You see her skis broken on the jagged rocks and pray she didn't land there. You begin to search about frantically until you find a pair of feet sticking out of a snow pile. You quickly drop to your knees and dig her out of the pile.

She groans as you lift her into a sitting position and give her a hug. "Thank God!" You say. "I thought...well, forget what I thought."

"We...we're okay?" She asks wearily.

"Yeah. We're alive at any rate." You pull away and look her in the face. She looks very dizzy and her face is pale. You start to worry all over again. "Are you hurt, Melody?"