Can’t Win Me Back

Elias frowned deeply; his worry etched onto his face.

"We've been shouting Ms. Alyssa's name the whole way.

With so many of us calling out, she should've heard us by now if she were nearby!" In a deep voice, Jasper said, The wind is too strong, and then there's the heavy snowfall.

Our voices are being drowned out.

Lyse might not hear us at all." Lyse.

Her nickname slipped from his lips before he even realized it.

"I'm just afraid she's injured—or worse, fainted.

If she blacks out in this cold..." Elias trailed off, his voice heavy with dread.

"Ona day like this, she won't survive long.

She'll freeze to death." The group exchanged uneasy glances, the reality of his words tightening their chests.

It wasn't that Elias was being a doomsayer.

Rather, this was the cruel reality that might actually happen.

Crater Mountain claimed lives every year.

Danger lurked unpredictably in the woods on the mountain—anything could unfold.

"Let's split up," Jasper commanded, his eyes fixed on the shadowy forest.

His voice carried an edge of desperation.

“We're not leaving until we find her." Elias hesitated.

"But what if—" "If anything happens to her," Jasper cut him off, his voice trembling with fierce determination, "I'll make this place my grave.

I mean it." Before anyone could respond, Jasper turned and strode into the darkness, his figure quickly swallowed by the night.

disappear,

aristocratic families raise people with fiery hearts." Jasper trudged through the

her a promise, all she asked was for him to

she didn't mean

to

where would he go? Jasper's heart raced as

he and Alyssa had

back —the harrowing brush

God doesn't protect you, I will." That promise wasn't just words; it was carved into

had not forgotten

He had remembered it.

swirled in

as his strength gave out, sending him

glistened with the weight of exhaustion and

"Alyssa...

fists, he clawed at the frozen ground, forcing himself to

muscles screamed in protest,

"I have to...

of

was as ruthless and cold

huddled into a tight ball,

white snow blanketed her almost entirely, rendering her nearly invisible to anyone

a chilling

barely clinging to awareness, her mind wavered in a haze

body would be frozen stiff,

she curled tighter into

of heartwarming childhood memories flickered in her mind—a fleeting warmth

cold seemed to fade from her senses, replaced by an unexpected

mother had appeared, her arms

"Lyse, my sweet girl.

Don't be afraid.

beautiful and gentle

know that you've