The doctors had no idea how this boy had made it to the hospital in his condition, but it was lucky he did. After finding the boy facedown in the reception room frozen stiff, they rushed him to the ER. They checked his vitals, which were okay. He was alive, anyway. They warmed him up until his body temperature was back to normal. Then they inspected him. It was determined that although the rest of him would make a full recovery, the boy's lower left leg was gone. The tissue was dead from the cold.
He was transported to the operating room, and the foot was removed. The poor boy was unconscious during the whole thing, even when they had warmed him up. Of course, the anesthesia helped during the operation.
The doctors were still trying to figure out who the boy was, but no one needs an ID to be taken care of.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Jack was watching the whole time. He endured the stifling heat within the hospital for hours to make sure his best friend was okay. He couldn't bring himself to watch while they removed Highland's leg.
When Highland finally woke up, he was disoriented and confused. He felt something odd with his leg, and lifted the blankets cautiously to see why. He felt sick at the sight of the stump below his knee that greeted him.
The nurse watching over him explained quickly what had happened. "We still don't even know who you are or how you got here," Nurse Williams concluded, "Would you mind telling us?"
Highland told the nurse who he was, but he too didn't know how he'd gotten there. He speculated with the nurse, who was quite kind about it, though Highland didn't know why this British guy was a nurse. Wasn't that more of a girl thing? Highland shook his head. He was still disoriented and distracted.
Jack watched from the corner, wondering why Highland had gone back to not seeing him. Jack didn't want to admit it, but he was heartbroken. For a moment, he had hoped that something had opened Highland's eyes. Jack was pretty sure Highland had seen him in that cave, why couldn't he see him now?
Besides Highland's stubborn eyes, Jack was feeling enormously guilty about his leg. Jack's storm had trapped Highland in that cave. The intense cold which had given him the frostbite that took his leg had been under Jack's control. It was because of him that Highland was suffering like this.
Jack was so filled with remorse for hurting his best friend that he started to cry. He flew up to the roof of the hospital and broke down. How could he have hurt someone he loved? His best friend…
As Jack sat, wondering miserably about Highland, the sun came out. The snow began to melt. It was still very cold, but within a few hours driving was possible. Jack saw Highland's father arrive at the hospital and followed him inside.
As Highland was explaining what had happened, Elsie arrived.
"So I stopped in this cave in the woods and fell asleep, and when I woke up it was so cold… I couldn't get through the wall of snow blocking the entrance. I was sealed in." Highland said.
"How did you get out?" Elsie asked worriedly.
"I don't know… the snow was just suddenly gone, and I thought…" Highland trailed off.
"What is it, son?" his dad asked.
"I thought I saw Jack." Highland said quietly.
"But… oh, Highland…" Elsie started.
"Except it didn't look exactly like him," Highland explained, rushing on quickly as if trying to get it all out. "His hair was white, and I think his eyes were blue. But at the time, I was so sure it was him." Highland looked down miserably.
"It couldn't have been. Maybe you were so exhausted you were seeing things." Elsie said gently.
"I know. I blacked out right after. But still…" Highland shook his head.
Jack was bewildered. So Highland really had seen him, but he sure couldn't now. Jack wondered why.