The Winter That Buried Our Youth

"Julian hasn't moved for three hours! Even the toughest man would freeze solid after staying still in this freezing weather for three hours. Something's definitely happened to him!" Mom cried.

Dad snatched the phone back without even looking at it. "Bullshit! He's resting to conserve his energy. What the hell do you know about wilderness survival?

"This is called tactical adjustment. You think everyone's like you, complaining about being tired after taking two steps?"

Mom shook her head, her voice trembling beyond control. "No, Julian told me if he ever stopped in the snow for more than half an hour, it'd mean he couldn't go any further. He made me promise to come for him. That was our agreement."

Dad cut her off impatiently. "Agreement? That's an excuse for the weak! I knew it—that punk's been contacting you behind my back. Fine, so you're working together now to trick me into going up there to get him? Not a chance!"

Mom fell to her knees, clutching Dad's legs. "Trevor, this is a life we're talking about! I'm begging you. I'll do anything you want— just go check on him or call search and rescue. Please, I'm begging you!"

Dad kicked Mom hard in the chest, sending her sprawling to the floor.

"Get off me! Stop making a fool of yourself here! It's Christmas Eve, for god's sake. Everyone's supposed to be happy, and you have to come and ruin it! Search and rescue? Are you trying to humiliate me even more?

"If I call them, how's that gonna look? The whole world will know I couldn't even toughen up my own son!"

Floating in mid-air, I watched Dad kick Mom down, the blood from her hands staining the carpet red.

I wanted to rush over and hug her, to tell her, "Mom, stop begging. It's useless. Dad never cared about my life. He only cared about his pride and his authority."

I reached out to wipe the tears from Mom's face, but my hand passed right through her cheek. That feeling of powerlessness was more agonizing than death itself.

I was sorry to Mom. It was all my fault for being so useless. I never should've listened to Dad. I shouldn't have agreed to come to this godforsaken place just for some pathetic allowance or for him to actually look at me like I mattered.

I should've listened to Mom and escaped from Dad long ago, even if it meant working odd jobs or begging on the streets.

But it was all too late now.

"The police! I'm going to call the police!"

Mom picked herself up off the floor, trembling as she fumbled in her soaked pocket for her phone. Her fingers shook uncontrollably from the cold and fear, and it took her several tries just to unlock it.

"Don't you dare!" Dad strode over in two steps, snatching the phone from Mom's hand. He then hurled it viciously against the corner of the wall.

The phone's screen shattered into pieces, and the battery even popped out.

Dad jabbed his finger at Mom's face and yelled, "Why are you calling the police? Since when do the police have the right to interfere with a father disciplining his son?

"This is a family matter! Are you trying to embarrass me in front of all my relatives? Or are you trying to send me to jail? How can you be so vile?"

Screaming and crying, Mom lunged toward the corner, desperately trying to piece her phone back together. But the scattered components were already beyond saving.

"You're the vile one! That's your own son we're talking about!"

Uncle Arnold frowned and put down his fork. "Trevor, maybe you should give Julian a call. Three hours without moving really is a bit—"

Dad shot him a displeased glare. "Arnold, don't tell me you're falling for that sentimental nonsense too? Julian's just lazy and waiting for me to go get him.

"If I cave now, all the hardship from before will have been for nothing. This is called psychological warfare, understand?"

Just then, a crisp notification sound suddenly came from Dad's phone on the table. It was the sound of the GPS location updating.

Everyone's eyes instantly locked onto the phone.

Dad picked it up and glanced at the screen. A grin immediately spread across his face, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes crinkling deeply.

"He moved! He moved!" He held the phone up high, laughing. "See that? He climbed up more than 100 yards!"