The morning sun struggled to pierce the thick alpine fog as the caravan prepared for its ascent. Mules loaded with crates of medicine and fresh supplies stood patiently, their breaths misting in the cold air. At the front of the line, Elena tightened her climbing harness and adjusted the straps on her pack. She had been with Summit Express for five years, delivering goods to mountain villages that no road could reach.
“This storm’s going to hit hard,” muttered Mateo, her second-in-command, as he scanned the distant peaks shrouded in gray. “We should wait it out.”
Elena shook her head, her resolve evident. “And let the people in San Alvaro go another day without insulin? No. We move now.”
The path ahead was steep and treacherous, lined with jagged rocks and patches of ice. Their destination was a small village nestled in a remote valley, cut off from the world by a blizzard two days prior. The only way in was on foot, through narrow passes where a single misstep could send someone tumbling into the abyss.
As the caravan trudged forward, the wind began to howl. Elena called back to the team. “Stay close! Use the ropes to secure yourselves!” The mules, trained for this exact terrain, moved with surprising agility, their hooves finding purchase on the slippery ground.
After hours of climbing, they reached a plateau where the wind was so fierce it threatened to topple them. Mateo shouted over the roar, “We need to take shelter!”
Elena scanned the area and pointed to an outcropping of rocks. “There! We’ll wait until the wind dies down.” The team huddled under the rocks, shielding themselves from the icy blast. Elena pulled out a thermos and handed it to a young courier, Pablo, who was on his first mission.
“Drink this,” she said gently. “You’re doing great.”
Pablo took a sip of the warm tea, his hands trembling. “I didn’t think it would be this hard,” he admitted.
“It’s always hard,” Elena said, her voice steady. “But the people waiting for us don’t have another option. That’s why we do this.”
