Chapter 4 — Into the White

Alice

The cold was a living entity, clawing at Alice’s skin and sinking deep into her bones, relentless in its pursuit. Snow blinded her, swirling in chaotic eddies that erased the horizon, leaving the ground indistinguishable from the sky. Her breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, each exhalation crystallizing before vanishing into the Arctic tempest. The wind pierced through her soaked parka and gloves, numbing her fingers until they barely obeyed her commands. Her arms wrapped tightly around her chest, a futile attempt to trap what little warmth remained.