Suddenly, the ground began to tremble.
**CRACK.**
Loud and jarring—the ice beneath their feet split apart. The land itself broke in half, each side drifting rapidly away from the other. Several players stumbled.
"Argh!"
"Oof!"
Across the widening chasm, Heather stood frozen, staring at Samantha. Between them: a ten-meter drop straight into frigid water—certain death.
"Mom!" In a panic, Samantha darted forward, but Flynn blocked her path, arms outstretched.
"What are you doing?!"
"I—" Samantha hesitated, breath caught in her throat. Her instinct faltered as she saw the impossible gap. No one, not even the best jumper, could make it across.
She lingered on her mother's silhouette, too far to see her expression beneath layers of winter gear—but she knew she couldn't reach her.
**CRACK.**
Closer this time. Samantha looked down—right between her feet, a new fracture was forming.
With a gasp, she leapt sideways, just in time. But someone else wasn't as lucky.
"AAAHHH!"
A woman screamed as the ice beneath her gave way. She slipped into the expanding crevasse, her body dangling above the freezing depths. Her arms thrashed as she fought to hold the edge.
"HELP!"
Samantha ran without thinking. "I'm coming—!"
But she tripped, slamming face-first into the snow.
"Are you okay?" Flynn rushed to help, but Samantha was already scrambling up, already sprinting again.
**CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.**
The ground groaned in protest, but the cracks avoided her—by luck or by will. She reached the woman, grabbed her wrist, and pulled with everything she had.
"HRRRGHH!"
The woman cried out as she was dragged back onto solid ice.
But more screams rang out.
"NO—NOOO!"
"AHHHH!"
**SPLASH. SPLASH. SPLASH.**
Gasps followed. The chaos had taken others.
Samantha's heart pounded as she turned to the others. "Damn it. EVERYONE STAY ALERT!" she shouted. "WATCH THE GROUND!"
She whipped her head around, eyes scanning the landscape, searching—
Where's Mom?
She edged toward the largest crack, dangerously close, squinting across the drifting landmass. The cold bit her face, but she leaned in anyway.
"Mom…?"
Her foot slipped.
She nearly fell, but two strong arms yanked her back.
"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!" Flynn shouted.
Jason was there too, both of them gripping her arms.
They hauled her back and dropped her onto the snow.
"I… I don't see her…"
"She's over there." Jason pointed.
And there she was—Heather—on the far side, waving. Thick winter layers hid her expression, but she was alive.
Samantha exhaled a sigh of relief. Everything was happening too fast to process.
"You've got to calm down," Flynn said, voice gentler now.
Samantha nodded, releasing thick clouds of breath. She lay there for a moment, gathering herself, then extended a gloved hand. Flynn pulled her up.
Jason spoke. "Can I ask something?"
"Sure."
"Who is Liam to you? He doesn't seem like someone who talks to more than three people."
"He's a… friend," she said, after a pause.
"Didn't know that was possible for him."
"And who are you to him?"
"Same class. Plus… other things."
Samantha offered a faint smile. "The ground seems to have settled down now. When this is over… let's meet up?"
"Yeah. That'd make sense."
"I know where your university is. I'll find you there—" she glanced around the hostile terrain "—if we make it out."
Flynn turned to someone else nearby. "Hey, you predicted this. What else did you say could happen?"
"Avalanches," the man replied grimly. "And if that happens... we won't be able to outrun it."
He paused, then added, "You two are impressive." A nod toward Flynn and Samantha.
Flynn smiled behind his scarf, but said aloud, "Thanks."
Samantha raised her voice again. "Don't sit down!" she warned the nearby players—about ten of them. "Stay on your feet. Cracks could happen at any moment."
But one woman stayed seated.
"Hey!" Samantha approached. "You need to be ready to move!"
She reached out to pull her up—but stopped when she heard quiet sobs. The woman trembled behind her knees, face buried, shoulders shaking.
Samantha hesitated, then knelt beside her.
"Hey… come on. You need to get up."
"I can't," the woman whispered. "I can't stand…"
"Why not?"
"I… I…" The woman curled tighter. "I was careless… I lost her…"
Samantha understood immediately, even without knowing who 'her' was. She placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder.
She quickly thought it wasn't enough.
So she leaned in and hugged her.
"It's alright… we'll get through this," she whispered.
The woman clung to her, trembling harder.
**crack.**
Quieter this time—but sharp. Flynn and Jason both heard it. A thin fissure had started near them.
And it was growing—right toward Samantha and the woman.
**CRACK. CRACK.**
It spread with terrifying speed.
"SAMANTHA!" Flynn shouted, breaking into a sprint.
But Samantha and the woman were still kneeling—vulnerable.
The ice beneath them began to split.
And they didn't have time to react.