横浜市鶴見区に密着した地域型のスワンアカデミー英会話教室。未就園児から大人まで、3人までのグループレッスン、個人レッスン、セミプライベートレッスン、オンラインレッスン

It was June. June with a bright sun that had been missing from their lives at the beginning of the expedition, a light they had craved so much was now with them, a constant reminder that too much of anything no matter how much it is wanted, can get old fast. Day and night were no exception. They had been gone for thirteen weeks. It seemed like they had been in this place for an eternity. The polar party trudged on, one foot, then another. One foot and again… another foot. Stop. One foot and… then the other… again. Stop. Thirteen weeks, one foot… 13 weeks. Second foot… 13 weeks. They had walked and walked. They were down to six dogs. They were bearded and dirty and staggered on. Sometimes an article would fall off the sled. Sometimes they would notice it but didn’t care enough to stop, it wasn’t worth it. Who cared. The party stopped. It was time to take some dog meat and something to drink. Each man took a swig of water when the container was passed around and a chew of frozen raw dog meat, which they found difficult to eat with their loose teeth and bleeding gums. The sound of cracking ice filled the air. Hollister, a dirty linen bandage around his eyes, moved his head about trying to identify the direction of the noise. His bone snow goggles had fallen off the sled, sometime past. He had lost sight in his one good eye. He was snow blind. Dunn looked at his friend and gave him a sympathetic smile. “Its behind us Jack.” “Are you sure?” asked Hollister. Dunn nodded, “Yeah, Jack, its behind us.” Mason yawned and scratched his arm. He was beginning to doubt that they would make it. He knew that the others were beginning to feel the same way. “I wonder if Nancy is back in Chicago?” said Hollister to no one in particular. “I imagine she is by now Jack,” said Mason. “Yeah,” said Dunn “didn’t you say that play she was in was only for a couple of weeks?” Hollister shrugged his shoulders, “Sometimes they get held over.” They were all quiet, each of the three men thinking the same thing though having no wish to say it out loud. How many detours would they have to make today? How much further out of the way would they have to go to avoid the ice breaking up all around them and the cold black water that they floated on. “How’s Peter?” Asked Dunn. Mason looked over his shoulder at the quiet figure bundled on the sled, his breath coming out in quiet puffs. “He’s sleeping.” The Captain didn’t bother to elaborate. They were all beginning to show the effects of scurvy, with their old wounds opening up and their teeth loose. The outlook was grim to say the least. “Ellesmere Island Captain?” asked Dunn. Mason nodded, “I think that’s our best bet, what with the ice breaking up, I don’t think we’ll be able to make it to the SHY LADY.” “Yes, but with all these changes in direction,” said Hollister, “when will we get there, if we get there?” Mason shrugged his shoulders. “Hard to say, we just have to keep going.” Hollister nodded in a resigned way, they had little choice. “Come on, let’s get going,” said Mason. Dunn steered Hollister to the sled. More walking.