A Sister’s Damnation

Robert's POV

I was just on a practice run when the snow berm suddenly collapsed, sending the entire venue into chaos.

My older sister, Irina Wilson, who was the captain of the White Dove Rescue Team, was already rushing toward the course with her team.

I felt a wave of relief.

Irina was here. I had nothing to worry about anymore.

But less than thirty feet away from me, she suddenly changed direction.

I stared in disbelief as she charged toward the other side without a moment's hesitation.

That was where my rival, Blake Dawson, was trapped.

It felt as though snow had clogged my throat, leaving me unable to make a sound. All I could do was watch helplessly as she ran farther and farther away.

"Captain Wilson! Robert is closer!" one of her team members, Magnus Bryan, shouted.

Irina didn't slow down for even a second.

As she sprinted, she turned her head toward the rescue team's live-streaming equipment and said, "Blake is an orphan, a child raised by society. As rescue personnel, I have a duty to protect the safety of vulnerable people.

"Robert is my own younger brother. To avoid any appearance of favoritism, I cannot rescue him first.

"I ask the public to trust us. When it comes to rescue operations, we never give special treatment to family members or the privileged."

Her words were broadcast live, setting off a flood of comments.

[Oh my God, I don't even know what to say. Captain Wilson is truly so selfless and impartial.]

[Putting the greater good above her own family. She's practically a living saint!]

[I'm in tears. Real heroes are the ones who shoulder the burden for ordinary people!]

Magnus quickly assessed the situation, then continued urging her to reconsider. "But Captain, Robert's situation is much more critical. He's too close to the fissure, and there's a serious risk of a second collapse!

"His body temperature is dropping rapidly, too. By the time we come back for him, he might..."

"I understand everything you're saying." Irina cut him off, her eyes full of disapproval. "But as the younger brother of a rescue team captain, he should be prepared to make sacrifices when it matters most."

Just then, my coach, Leonard Henson, scrambled out of the safety zone and shouted at the top of his lungs from a distance, "Irina, have you lost your mind? Robert is the country's most promising athlete for an international competition! You're going to destroy his career!"

Irina finally turned to look at me. Through the swirling snow, I couldn't make out her expression, but I heard the coldness in her voice.

"If he can't hold out until rescue arrives, that just proves his willpower isn't strong enough."

With that, she quickly reached Blake.

The team members had no choice but to assist with the rescue.

Soon, Irina carefully pulled Blake out of the thick snowdrift.

I watched helplessly as Irina supported him and turned toward the rescue helicopter.

The helicopter could carry only one person at a time. The violent gusts from its spinning blades blurred my vision.

Through the snow, I could just make out the helicopter slowly lifting off and moving farther and farther away.

My ski suit was gradually soaked through with melting snow. The lower half of my body, buried deepest beneath the snow, had already gone numb.

I closed my eyes. Warm tears slipped down my cheeks, quickly freezing into icy trails.

Then the second avalanche came, surging over me and swallowing my body whole.