Whiteout Rewrite II-5 (The Spine)

5. The Spine

     By midday they had reached the base of what the locals colloquially called Merudanda, or The Spine. It jutted out of the middle of the mountain like a crooked fin, running along the valley and up to a glacier still a fair distance below the mountain’s summit. “My people do not often climb here,” said Lopsang, staring upward. He looked both reverent and terrified. “Merudanda is known for shifting ice. Large blocks fall off into the valley below and will sweep past faster than you can avoid them.”

     “Piece of cake,” said Nick, noting the potential irony if a block of ice knocked him down to Manchester’s camp. Aside from the likely very painful death, he couldn’t stand the idea of hearing Manchester saying I told you so.

     Lopsang ignored his comment. “When at all possible, keep your body close to the mountain. If you do that, there’s a chance the ice will fall over you. Keep the mountain as your friend, and maybe we will pass unharmed.”

     “How many times have you done this?” asked James.

     “Never, because it’s a bad idea,” said Lopsang, deadpan.

     “Anyone think we should turn back?” James’s voice was calm and rational. “We could easily go back to the cave and wait to see what Manchester’s next move is.”

     It’s not a bad plan, thought Nick, but he knew they had come too far. “Sorry James, we don’t have time for your special brand of cowardice.” He let the last word drip off like venom. “No, today, we climb.” Nick struck a pose that was meant to look confident. In truth, it was all he could do to stop his legs from falling out beneath him.  

     “If the mountain wills it, we will pass safely.” Lopsang pulled out the gear and began to hammer the first of their climbing holds.

     “Hell of a motivational speaker, Lopsang,” said James, and walked off a distance to look down at the valley. Manchester’s team was still in full view, moving up at a consistent, sluggish pace. James could not make out their faces, but he swore that two of the guards were watching them as they prepared to ascend. “Looks like we have their attention.”

     Nick walked over to join him, looked at the guards, and then held up a middle finger. “Let’s give them a show then shall we? Up we go.”

The climbing route to the top of The Spine was essentially a series of steps made of brittle rock and ice. Lopsang was halfway up, but with each smack of the hammer, tiny spider web cracks would fan out. If it bothered him, Lopsang didn’t show it. He moved carefully, and quickly. In less than ten minutes, he had crested the first step, and called for them to climb up after.

     Nick and James followed, tying themselves to the guard rope Lopsang had left behind. The ascent was not vertical, but it was close. Each section of the climb took more time than Nick would have liked, and by the time they were halfway up, the sun had already begun to decay in the mountain sky.

Nick’s arms burned with exhaustion, and shook as he grabbed each handhold. Each time they crested a step to start the next leg, the slope was even steeper than the last. As they neared the top, he felt that he would not be able to continue much longer. Despite the freezing air surrounding them, he sweat profusely and craved water. It was only the sheer will to beat Manchester that kept him placing one hand after the other. Before he knew it, he was scrambling over the top, and it was nearly full dark.

The top of The Spine was no glorious summit like the mountain proper, but it did provide an open view of the valley below them. The lights of Manchester’s team could be seen winking on and off as they made camp in the growing darkness. Nick looked around and found that the terrain was no more hospitable than the climb had been. The ground before them was a jungle of jutting rock and ice that necessitated constant vigilance and careful steps.

 In the growing darkness, they picked their way through the rocks, not speaking to one another. While exhaustion was plain on James and Nick’s faces, Lopsang showed no sign of tiring. Instead he moved ahead, sure footed and watchful. The sun setting only meant one thing, and they all wanted to focus on finding the marker before it was too late.

“What exactly are we looking for?” asked James through panting breath.

     “Anything really. Small piles of rocks with flags strewn about them. Shouldn’t be hard to spot,” said Lopsang, casually, as if they were taking an evening stroll.

     James turned on his flashlight and squinted into the darkness.

     Nick did the same, but did not feel hopeful. A pile of rocks among a forest of rocks. Right, easy to spot. As they followed the ridge up the mountain, the footing became more stable, but Nick could feel the air getting thinner. Each step was much more laborious than the last. Ideally, they would have spent some time acclimatizing, but their expedition was rushed.

     Nick scrambled over the rocks, doing his best to keep his balance, but on a particularly steep incline, he lost his footing. Instantly he began to slide. Survival instincts took over, and he turned onto his stomach, trying to grab for anything to slow himself down. This is it, I’m going to slide right down to that smug bastard’s camp. “Help,” he yelled, a little more scared than he would have liked. The ice rocketed past him as he picked up speed. The loud thump of his heart coalesced with the grating of his gear on the ice, and Nick knew the end was near.

     Then, it stopped, and Nick found himself at the bottom of a small gully, with Lopsang and James laughing at him from ten feet above. “Careful Nick, people might think you’re in danger,” said James, barely able to contain himself.

     Nick groaned, turned around, and immediately jumped backward with a yelp. Once more, gales of laughter could be heard from above him. Nick ignored them and shone his light on a large stone statue of a yeti. Red wax spilled out the corners of its jaws, and he could see the remnant of the last candle that had been placed there. The eyes possessed lifelike quality, with more drippings of red wax running down from their sockets. At the base of the statue was a small basin that had been stained black. Bells that had been hung on either side chimed mournfully with the slightest gust of wind.

     Nick crawled forward to examine it. Along the contours of the creature’s body were characters he was unfamiliar with. They twisted and curved in a flow that didn’t match any modern language he had ever seen. “If you two are done up there, come take a look at this.”

     Lopsang slid down the small hill with grace and landed upright, as if it had taken no effort at all. James on the other hand, tried to follow suit, but instead tumbled down like an incompetent circus performer. Had Nick been paying attention, he would have seen it fit to mock James, but his mind was too focused on the statue. Nick reached out to feel the grooves with his hand, but Lopsang quickly slapped it away.

     “We have nothing to offer it. Do not touch it or you will doom our whole expedition.”

     “What’s the worst that could happen? Will the gods send a yeti after us?”

     “This is no joking matter Dr. Ventner. This statue was made by the earliest of my people to protect against the evil spirits that dwell upon this mountain. After what you have seen the past few days, I think you will understand my severity.” Lopsang was deadly serious, and kept his hand out, ready to stop Nick if he tried again. “We must move past it quickly, lest the gods think us greedy, and send their wrath.”

     “Sure, whatever you say.” Nick tried to sound sarcastic, but at that moment, he was willing to take just about anything Lopsang said on faith. A few days earlier he would have sent someone who believed in the yeti packing, but now he knew. Just the idea of finding the creature again excited and terrified him more than anything.  

     They crept away from the statue, careful not to disturb it, and climbed back up the hill. It didn’t take much longer for them to find a marker. A small oblong stone poked out of the ice upon a plateau that overlooked the valley. A few prayer flags remained encased in the glacier, but the others had blown away long ago. If Lopsang hadn’t have seen it, Nick was sure they would have passed it right by.

     “Seems like as good a place as any to make camp for the night,” said Nick, ready to rest more than anything. His entire body burned with the exhaustion of the day.

     “Yes, we will be safe here.” Lopsang’s voice was distant, as if he were thinking about something far away.

     “Fine by me,” said James, and threw the gear he had been carrying on the ground. There was a crunching noise as something within broke, and he winced at Nick’s impending fury.

     Luckily, Nick was far away as well, staring out at the valley, once more picturing fortune and glory.

     Thankful for his escape, James began removing their tents and setting up camp. Their supplies consisted of two winterized tents, a camping stove, and enough dried food to keep an astronaut happy. There were also a few bottles that Nick had insisted on bringing and packing in James bag.

As James set up the tents, Nick watched Manchester’s camp miles to the west. They were some ways below, but had still made more progress than he liked. The lights from the camp made strange halos in the fine mist that accompanied the nighttime cold on the mountain.

     James pitched the tent so that it had a clear view of Manchester’s camp, and secured it to a few of the many rocks sticking up behind them. On Lopsang’s advice, he anchored another chord to the sacred stone, just as a secondary precaution. Nick wasn’t sure that the ward would transfer through the rope, but it was worth a shot.

     As the last of the day’s light began to fade from the sky above, Lopsang brewed hot liquid that approximated chicken soup. The blue glow that had hung over the edge of the mountain was replaced by inky blackness, and one by one, the stars in the sky winked into life, giving way to a dazzling array that left even Nick speechless.

     Bands of color leapt across the sky, revealing the true nature of the space that surrounded them. Tiny winks of red and green popped in as well, providing them with a sense of security even where there was none. Ever since he had started the profession of monster hunting, Nick had gained a profound new respect for the stars. Any time he looked at them he thought: If there’s so much we haven’t discovered down here, imagine what’s happening up there.

     As they gulped down the hot soup, thankful for the warmth, and the water within it, they began to tell stories. It was like the first night back in the lodge all over again. Nick told more stories about long-lost castles in Romania, or the terrifying people of the American Midwest, and even a little bit about the legend of Manchester. They laughed at some of their near-death experiences, but as the night grew on, they turned to more serious matters.

     “Lopsang, why was your brother up at base camp that night?” Nick hadn’t intended to ask him about it, but it just seemed appropriate. “You both knew about the yeti. Why would he risk it?”

     “That is a sad story,” said Lopsang, heavily.

     “Well, we’ve got some time on our hands,” said Nick, and pulled a flask from his bag.