15 for 15 Contest --- Closed

Cold, so cold.  Devin shivered inside his sleeping bag. Every inch of his body ached, and his skin protested against the least pressure.  Twisting in the bag, he tried to find comfort before finally sinking into an uneasy sleep.

A cool hand on his forehead woke him. “Mom?” Her features blurred, and he fought to focus. “Mom, I hurt, Mom.”

“Shh, just sleep.”

Something didn’t sound right, but he slipped back into the darkness. Only the constant cold and pain pervaded his consciousness. 

“Son, you are going to be okay. Just hold on.” 

Devin squinted through the pain. “Dad? Mom was here. Did you see her? Dad it was Mom.” Devin strained to hear his father’s answer. So important, he must find his mother; his father needed to see her. He missed her so much. 

Jostling. “Stop, it hurts.”
 
“We need to do this. Hold on, stay with us, son.”

“Why am I so cold, Dad?” Opening his eyes, he focused on the uniform. “Dad, where are we?” He tried to sit up; gentle hands eased him back. “So cold. Uniform. Where are we?” Devin’s vision cleared. His father stood above him, his face shadowed by the bright sunlight behind him. The image - so familiar – his father dwarfed by the huge iceberg in the background, Devin tried to make sense of it. He struggled to sit up again. 

“Listen, you need to relax. We are going to move you to this stretcher now.”

“I don’t understand, Dad. How did we get here?” The iceberg loomed, at once threatening and compelling. “You told me – you told me it was majestic.
I never dreamed –”

“I want you to lie down now. We need to insert an IV. Can you lie still?”

“Sure, Dad. I missed you. Am I in the Coast Guard too, now?”

“Do you know how to reach his next of kin?” 

Devin tried to understand his father’s words. “You are, Dad. All we have is each other. Mom said, before she died –“

“I don’t know. He never talked about his family.” His mother touched his arm. “Calm down, Devin. These men are here to help.”

“Mom, what are you – I don’t understand.” Devin struggled again. “Mom, look Dad’s iceberg. Remember he told us – Mom, where is Dad? You have to find him. He needs you. We need you.” So cold. His father never told him how cold it was. “Why aren’t you cold, Mom?”

“Devin, please. Let them help you.”

“Step aside now. We need to move him.”

The pain ripped through him. “Please, don’t. Why are you doing this?”

“Do you want to ride with him, Caitlyn?”

“Can I, Roger?”

Roger? Caitlyn? The names weren’t right. Devin tried to focus. They were there. Mom and Dad together, but they didn’t look happy. Why weren’t they happy?  The boat rocked as a massive iceberg calved off the main one. “Look out, Dad. It’s happening again. The waves – the waves. . .”

“Do you think it’s too late?” 

“Don't worry, Mom. Dad outran it before. He can do it again. Can’t you, Dad?” Devin shivered. 

“We’re doing all we can.”

“We have to be okay. We are family. Dad can fix it. He can – ” Sirens interrupted him, and Devin cringed waiting for the waves to overcome the ship.