Swept Away Read Online Free Page A

air got thinner as they started the slight rise up the mountain—going downhill would be so much easier. Suddenly, big, white snowflakes started to fall around them. The flakes filled the air andswirled in front of their faces, landing on their cheeks and melting into little droplets of water.
    No one broke the silence. Amber figured her mom was praying—she had that look on her face—and Amber could understand why. They couldn’t feel closer to God than the Wyoming mountains, especially when it snowed. Amber closed her eyes for a brief moment.
Can You still hear me, Lord? Or have I wandered too far from You?
    She shook her head to clear her thoughts and took a deep, raggedy breath to fill her lungs with oxygen. “I think I need a break.”
    “No you don’t. Push through it.” Mom smiled. “Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Wait for that second wind.”
    They continued on. And on. They trudged up the slowly rising elevation toward the cascade in what Amber would call a jog, but was probably more like a fast walk. It happened just like Mom said it would. After a few minutes, Amber fell into a pattern again, able to keep up the rhythmic pace. She glanced at Brittany, who jogged alongside her on the right. Not even a tiny huff or puff.
Well, if I were that small, I’m sure it would be easy for me, too
.
    They reached the end of the trail at an elevation of almost seven thousand feet. Trying to catch her breath, Amber staggered over to the guardrail and peered over the cascade at the treetops below. Beautiful. Not a care in the world. It felt good to rise above the trials of life.
    Mom’s soft smile assured Amber she wasn’t worried about a thing—not that her faith ever wavered. Brittany’s face didn’t give away her thoughts, but her relaxed posture comforted Amber enough that she could stay in her own peaceful reverie and not worry about anything—a real rarity for Amber.
    “Anyone need some water?” Mom took a bottle of water out of her jacket. Everyone took a thirsty drink—but not too much. They still had a long way to go to get back to the car.
    One more gaze out over the valley revealed the setting sun in the western horizon. Mom must have noticed the same thing. “I think we’d better be on our way, girls.” She stretched her quadriceps by raising her foot and grabbing her ankle behind her leg. She gave it a few squeezes and then hopped in place for a moment to work the kinks out of her ankles. “Going back is downhill, so it should be faster. It’s harder on your shins, though. So, be careful.”
    They set off on a nice, steady gait, enjoying the ease of the sloped terrain. The falling snow slowed with their descent and stopped completely when they made it about halfway to the car. The light feeling of being up in the mountains gave way to the pressures of life in the valley, the weight of the lower elevation evident both physically and mentally.

    “I hope you girls aren’t too upset that I pulled you away from your studies and made you exercise.” Mom handed them each a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
    Amber easily unscrewed the top of her water bottle—the seal had already been broken. Lovely—a used bottle that had been cleaned and refilled with tap water. She watched carefully, hoping her mom had the foresight to give Brittany a fresh bottle.
    The seal on Brittany’s bottle snapped as she screwed off the top, then took a long drink of the cool water.
    Amber breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at her mom with silent thanks.
    Mom’s chin lifted slightly and she winked. She got it—most of the time.
    “No, Mrs. Stevens.” Brittany leaned to the side with her arm over her head, her long, sleek, black ponytail swinging as she stretched. “Ididn’t mind at all. I think it was a great move—we needed it.”
    “Yeah, Mom. We haven’t done that in a while, and I don’t think ever while it snowed. Cool.” Amber took a swig and leaned against the counter.
    “We’ll