Free Deep Freeze Christmas by Marian P. Merritt Page B

and took him to the edge of the porch. The whipping wind and frigid snow iced his face and neck. The temperatures had continued to drop and Cameron's stomach plummeted. The wood stack covered in snow had too few logs left to last through the night. He couldn't imagine his dad finding them up here in this blizzard. If the storm passed tonight, they'd see the smoke from the fireplace in the morning provided they still had wood. Cameron would have to find an ax and a log to chop. But how? Everything was covered in snow, and he could barely see his hand in front of his face.
    Finished, Max jumped onto the porch. "Shake, boy."
    Max shook all the snow off his coat before Cameron let him back into the cabin. "I'll bring in the last of this firewood." He stuck his head partly in the door.
    "OK. I'll see if I can scrounge up something for us to eat." Leona stood in the tiny kitchen hunting through the cupboards.
    He hadn't even thought about food. He'd thrown in a couple of beef jerky sticks when he'd packed the duffel, but not enough for three to last through the night and into the morning.
    With each log he lifted, the burden of their situation weighed on his shoulders. How could he have put Leona in this predicament? He knew the dangers out here. Why did he leave the house without getting all they needed in the event something like this would happen?
    He stacked the logs next to the door. Would there be enough? He remembered how easy the words had come for his earlier prayer. Cameron closed his eyes against the assaulting wind. Lord, let them find us before the wood runs out, or at least let the wood last until it's light, and I can run down the mountain to get help.
    The load on his shoulders seemed to lighten a bit after the prayer.
     
     
     
     

Threize
     
    Leona found two cans, one of kidney beans and the other tuna fish. Mixing beans and tuna hadn't been on the syllabus during her culinary training. But at least with the beef jerky she'd found in the duffel and these items, they'd have some type of Christmas Eve dinner.
    Despite the horrible conditions, she wasn't worried. As soon as the storm passed, Cameron's dad would find them. Or Cameron could take the snowmobile back to the lodge and get help. Things would be fine. She had faith all would be OK.
    A blast of cold shot into the cabin as Cameron stacked the firewood next to the door. "It is cold out there! Really cold." He removed his gloves and stood in front the fireplace.
    "How's our wood situation? Is this it?" She stared at the meager stack he'd brought in.
    "It'll last through the night if we need it to, but I'm sure the storm will pass over soon, and we'll be able to head back. If not, I'm sure there's an ax somewhere in here. I'll go get more."
    While she was grateful for his confident words, the worried look in his eyes betrayed him.
    "Well, I've prepared a gourmet meal for us. Cold kidney beans, tuna and bits of beef jerky." She'd found a can opener and a couple of enamel plates and cups. The meal looked pretty paltry, but it was better than nothing. Thank You, Lord for Your provision of this meal and this cabin.
    Cameron stood next to her in the tiny kitchen. "Looks like a gourmet meal to me."
    She smiled. "I hope you don't mind, I gave the other beef jerky stick to Max."
    Cameron shot a glance toward the sleeping dog. "Looks as if he's happy. Belly full, warm fire. What more could he need?"
    Being here with Cameron, regardless of the circumstances, gave her hope that she could get to know more about the man's heart and not so much about what he'd done the last few years. While hearing about his work was exciting she longed to know him again. Only this time in more depth than a nine year-old could care about.
    After they'd eaten the meal, Cameron tended to the fire. The flames licked around the log he'd added and before long, they grew in brightness and warmth.
    They returned to the loveseat and Leona unlaced her boots, removed them, and rested her feet on the