It was as though Jasper was adrift in a pool of pure astonishment, and the fact that the ledge beneath


    them was falling apart only enhanced this surreal feeling.


    “Hurry, Alice!” he cried, resurrecting a name that had been dormant in his mind for years.


    Alyssa jolted in shock. The call of that name seemed to give her a boost of adrenaline. She was able to


    push herself up on the ledge at thest second, right into Jasper’s arms.


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    He held her close in his arms, keeping her safe.


    A thunderous boom echoed through the air.


    Just as the rocky ledge disintegrated and tumbled down the mountainside, Jasper deftly rolled aside,


    narrowly escaping the peril.


    “Fuck!” he hissed in pain when his back collided with a boulder. The intensity of the pain led to an


    immediate outbreak of sweat on his skin.


    “Are you hurt?” Alyssa asked worriedly, noticing how pale he was.


    Jasper shook his head, his voice steady as he reassured, “I’m okay.”


    Alyssa heaved a sigh of relief, falling back against his chest. By now, both were thoroughly drenched


    and


    shivering from the cold.


    “Why… Why didn’t you tell me?” Jasper asked hoarsely, gazing at her.


    “What?” Alyssa avoided his gaze.


    “Why didn’t you tell me that we met 13 years ago? Why didn’t you tell me you were the girl I saved all


    those years ago?” Jasper asked, pain and anguish flooding his chest.


    Alyssa’s throat mped in on itself.


    Did he call her Alice because of that? Because he suddenly remembered?


    But why now?


    Why, only after 13 years?


    It was toote now. How she wished he had never remembered.


    “Tell me, Alyssa!” Jasper asked, forcing her to meet his gaze.


    “Now, do you remember why I called myself Alice when we married?” she asked solemnly.


    Needles pricked Jasper’s heart. Of course he did.


    He had given her that nickname because she refused to answer when he asked. He named her “Alice”,


    like Alice in Wondend.


    Never in his wildest dreams did Jasper imagine that a seemingly trivial and long-forgotten memory


    would


    resurface, ultimately intertwining their lives 13 yearster. She had even married him.


    She kept it secret for so long, too.


    “Looks like you do.” Alyssa smiled lightly. “There’s no need to, really. I never hoped you would. I’m


    nothing


    more than another passerby in your life, after all. Whether it was 13 years, three years, or right now.”


    Jasper’s breathing hitched.


    Technically, there was nothing amiss in hisplete forgetfulness of her or in his act of saving her from


    13 years ago. Yet, he couldn’t stop the guilt weighing on his chest.


    Alyssa had kept him in her heart for 13 years, yet he had forgotten her. All she ever did was try closing


    their distance, unlike him, who only wanted to shut her out.


    “I’m sorry…” Jasper croaked out. “I … really didn’t know… If I knew, I-”


    “You would have still divorced me, no?”


    Alyssa’s smile widened. Though she had her regrets about him, she wasn’t holding on anymore.


    She continued, “Whether I’m Alyssa or Alice, they’re nothing more than just names. It wouldn’t change


    our


    rtionship. You don’t need to apologize, really. I should be the one thanking you.


    “When you saved me all those years ago, I never got a chance to know your name or who you are, nor


    …


    properly thank you.”


    “Why did you still marry me, Alyssa?” Jasper wanted to know the answer to this. It had tortured him for


    months on end. “Is it just because I saved you once, and you wanted to pay me back?”


    ‘It doesn’t matter anymore, Jasper. It’s all in the past now. No point digging up a failed marriage.”


    Alyssa closed her eyes, as if closing a tender ce in her heart away.


    Then she said, “We need to focus on getting to safety right now. I’m freezing here.”


    There seemed to be an unspoken truce between them as they waded through the thunderstorm.


    All they had was each other right now. Even their phones were out of use. Alyssa’s had long broken in


    the


    fall, while Jasper’s had no signal.


    With ragged breaths, Alyssa rasped, “All I can tell is that we’re situated behind Crater Mountain’s main


    trail. If we were closer, your phone would have a signal.”


    She had long lost her main reserves of energy.


    The only thing that propelled her onward was her determination not to fall behind Jasper, even though


    her


    legs feltpletely detached from her body.


    “I’ve already told Xavier to do a helicopter rounding earlier beforeing to find you.” Jasper hurriedly


    hooked an arm around her waist to keep her from falling.


    “In this weather? That’s a tough one. He should…”


    Unable to hold on anymore, Alyssa fell forward.


    Jasper swiftly gathered her into his arms. She smelled of rain and dirt and nothing else.


    His heart twinged.


    Just how much had she been through before he found her?


    “Let’s find shelter from the rain first.” Jasper carried her on his back and continued walking.


    Alyssa’s arms weakly wrapped around his neck as she mewled, “Will we get out of here alive, Jasper?”


    “Yes.”


    “I nearly died… What if …”


    “I heard they call you the Mountain Goddess here.” Jasper walked on, his strength slowly dissipating.


    “They sometimes call me the Mountain God, too.”


    “Alyssa scoffed and closed her eyes.


    “So we’re going to be just fine, Alyssa.” Jasper took a deep breath, gently tugging on her hand. “I’ll


    keep


    you safe.”