CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX - NO WAY BACK

"And now we're just trying to survive," Mara finished for her. Clarissa nodded. "It puts things in perspective, doesn't it? All those things I thought were so important... they seem so trivial now." Mara reached out and squeezed Clarissa's hand. "We're going to make it out of here. And when we do, maybe we'll appreciate the little things a bit more." As they sat there, staring into the dark, icy wilderness, Mara couldn't help but wonder how long they could hold on. The food was running low, and the cold was taking its toll on everyone. They needed a miracle. And then, as if in answer to her unspoken prayer, someone shouted, "Look! In the sky!" All heads turned to where a faint, flickering light could be seen in the distance. It was unmistakably a signal flare, arcing across the night sky before fading away. Captain Donovan was on his feet in an instant. "That's got to be another group of survivors or a search party," he said, his voice filled with hope for the first time in days.