When she came to the end of the ski resort road she couldn't remember which way to turn on Apple Road so she pulled over, lit a cigarette and dug around in the glove box for the map. She was new to the area. What passed for civilization was seven miles ahead. There were no houses out here, no gas stations, just one spooky, termite eaten, rusty rest stop that no one in their right mind would use.
A strong gust of wind slapped the side of her car. It wasn't day or night. The light was eerie. The car radio crackled. She turned the dial to find a clear signal and stopped at THE OUTLAWS singing: "Hurry Sundown".
"Let's get out of here," she said to herself. She put the map back and turned on the headlights.
A wolf stopped in the middle of the road, startled by her lights. It dropped what it had in it's mouth and just stood frozen for a moment. She craned to make sure she saw what she saw. Maybe she'd had too many beers. Maybe the stories Skipper told while they were all jumping up and down around the fireless firepit eating the cold fried chicken Tina made the night before had gotten to her.
"Skipper thinks it's his job to scare the shit out of the new employees," Craig, the bosses youngest son told her.
"Tell her how he got the nickname 'Skipper'", Lewis said with his mouth full.
"Not while we're eating!" Tina cried out.
"My face is frozen! I can't chew!" Craig could hardly pronounce words correctly anymore with his frozen lips.
"There's a chicken thief on the slopes! I know I made more chicken than this! Who took the other container of chicken?" Tina exclaimed.
"Ranger Resnik!" Skipper suggested.
"Oh, he gives me the creeps. He's so, ah..." Tina started.
"Creepy." Skipper finished the frozen sentence for her.
Cherie wished she'd stayed for one more tube ride, but she lost her tube. And Lewis, the boss's oldest son was flirting with her. At least that was what she reckoned he was doing when he took her flying across the path of skiers coming down the slope. Suddenly he wrapped her three foot long braided pony tail around his fist and hollered to her that they were going to bail just seconds before their tube flew over a steep cliff.
"Ooops," Lewis said as the two of them watched the inner tube glide through sky for what seemed like an awfully long time. When it finally touched earth Lewis said that they could go get it but it would be three, maybe four hours of hiking through rugged territory. Six or eight hours there and back and they'd need snow shoes and camping equipment in case they got lost.
"Or I could buy you a new tube," he offered.
She knew better than to get involved with the boss's son and she didn't have snow chains. So she left early and here she was.
The wolf regained his composure and picked up the hand. It was definitely a hand. It was a female hand.
~ To Be Continued ~
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