Chapter 18 Section 18

architect.Some hazy thought stirred my almost dim perceptions. know how... Slowly, the thought hardened and turned me toward the rock that nearly hit me on the head. Build something. When I tried to stand up, I found that the pebble was as high as my chest.Another boulder, five feet to the left, a little lower.The pebbles are backed against a cliff that forms a wall. Build something, I thought again. I staggered towards the pine branch I was trying to avoid, using all my weight to hold it down.When the "click" broke the breathless tranquility, a hope surged in my heart.I worked as hard as I could, dragging the branch against the snow towards the pebbles and lifting it over the pebbles, with the branch lying between the pebbles.I wobbled and tugged a few more times, put the branches on the pebbles, and built a roof.

The cold stabbed my hands so badly that tears ran from my eyes and froze on my cheeks, but I didn't have time to put my hands, sore and bloody, under my raincoat against my chest Warm up before.It was too much work to do, I used football sized stones to add some weight to the edges of the branches. With great excitement I kicked the snow between the pebbles and piled it outside the shed.I erected two branches at the entrance of the shed to make a windshield.No matter how painful my hand is, I can't stop.I had to find dry twigs, leaves, wood and pile them in the back of the shed. I left a small hole in the rear by the boulders of the cliff, hoping the smoke would come out there.Dodged from the wind and falling snow, I felt the onslaught of the cold lessened.But my hands are clumsy as claws.Clumsily making a small pile of leaves and twigs, I fumbled open the metal box of matches and produced a handful of which I could barely pull out.The fingers don't seem to belong to me anymore, the matches always fall out.This one, God forbid, caught fire as soon as I rubbed it, and fell from my hand onto the pile of leaves and twigs, caught fire, got a little flame, and smoke came up.I held my breath so as not to choke.Pushed by the hot air, the smoke drifted toward the small hole in the rear.

My throat was so dry it was swollen shut, blocking the passage of air to my lungs. Eager for something to drink, I stretched out my unconscious right hand, felt a handful of snow and stuffed it into my mouth.Soon, I regretted it, and the melting snow made my lips and tongue even more numb.I was shivering and getting colder.I vaguely recall a TV news report warning hikers not to eat snow as a way to get hydrated during a snowstorm.Melting snow in your mouth uses up a lot of heat in your body, and you are at a greater risk of dying from hypothermia. The little water from the snow didn't solve the problem.Almost immediately, my lips were dry again.A swollen tongue seemed to fill my mouth.How confused am I.I stared dazedly at the metal box of matches for a long time before I could sort out my confused thoughts.I realized what I had to do.I shook the match and dumped it into the first aid kit.Take the metal box, stick it out into the wind, fill the box with snow, and place it next to the fire.

Slowly, the crystal snow melted.Worried about burning my hands, I covered my fingers with the sleeve of my shirt before reaching for the hot metal box and removing it from the fire.The box was only half an inch high and two inches wide, but it probably held as much as a sixteen-ounce glass, with so little water in it, so tempting.I forced myself to wait for the water to cool down. Finally, I am no longer patient.I picked up the box on my sleeve, brought it to my lips, blew on it, and gulped down the warm, slightly bitter water.Before reaching the throat, the thirsty mouth absorbed the water.I eagerly stretched out the box to pack more snow.The residual heat on the metal allowed me to melt the snow into water without putting the box near the fire.Again, I gulped it down.The water still didn't reach my throat.I filled the box again, put it by the fire, and put more sticks on top of the fire.

It became a constant pattern for me.With my mouth and throat wet, I pulled the plastic bag of peanuts and raisins out of my backpack and chewed thoroughly, mouthful by mouthful, until it was all gone.Worrying about Jason and hating Patty, I stared at the fire.