The Longest Minute

Stephen did not realize how long the climb through the pines had taken. He was standing on a small ridge that was level enough to make camp for the night. He found an area below a small cluster of pines that had been sheltered from the snow. There was only about six inches covering the frozen ground.

Stephen grabbed a pine branch from the ground and swept an area big enough for him to set up his tent. He stepped from beneath the pines into the more open area of the hardwoods to take off his pack.

A small creaking sound was the only warning that he had before an ear-splitting crack echoed through the forest. The sound came from overhead and was close. Stephen looked up just in time to see a large branch breaking from the weight of the ice and snow.