WWXXVI - Vannacutt Point

[Mynx]

Dana yawned and reclined on the spacious couch in front of the fire, her attention so absorbed in the book she was reading that she didn't hear the door open, nor the footsteps enter the room. It wasn't until a shadow cast over her book that Dana raised her head and let out a squeal of recognition.

"Seth!" Dana bounded out of the chair and into the arms of her boyfriend. "What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't get tickets in time?"

"Aw, my dad cut a deal with the travel agent," Seth grinned down at Dana before kissing her on the nose. "Besides babe, you know I never pass up a chance to be here - teaching or otherwise!"

Dana smiled and buried her face in Seth's neck, before the familier clattering of luggage being dropped in the doorway announced another arrival to the lodge of Vannacutt Point.

Reluctantly pulling away from each other, the pair turned to the door to see who else had arrived.

 

OOC: 's checking in time folks! Have some fun, get to know each other, you know the drill.

[yochva]

Shayna smiled at the lovebirds as she dropped her luggage by the door. They looked embarrassed to be caught; Shayna hoped it wasn't too terrible.

 

She smiled again when Dana - she assumed it was Dana, seeing as how she was the only one here - looked at her, then, pulling off her scarf and removing her light blue parka, she moved to the side as the next person came through.

 

 

 

{{Should we know Dana? EDIT'D: Thanks for the answer Mynx!}}

Edited March 5, 2006 by Evangeline

[Gryphon]

The sun beat down from a clear blue sky as Brad watched someone entering the lodge from his vantage point up the hill. He smiled to himself as he turned to survey the mountain picking out the valleys and ridges that made up his favourite runs down the slopes.

 

Soon he'd be back up there boarding the fresh powder, and it would be good.

 

Listening carefully Brad could make out the sound of another chopper coming in to drop off one of the other instructors...

 

Time enough for the first run of the season once I've dropped my gear off at the lodge. Brad thought to himself, then picking up his board and slinging his bag over his shoulder he turned and made his way along the path to see who had beat him to the lodge this year.

[Tanuchan]

As the helicopter approached Vanacutt Point, Annelise took in the mountain. The pilot kept his amiable soft chatting, to which she answered with a smile and monosylables, just half-aware of what he was saying. Her eyes followed the slopes and the way the snow blanketed them, the lines of the chairlifts still far below her.

 

So I'm back. You defeated me once... you won't again.

 

"I beg your pardon?"

 

Annelise blinked, and realized that last sentence had been said aloud. "Just a phrase I used to repeat a lot, never mind it... skiers are a bit queer, aren't they?" She smiled, teasing.

 

She relaxed, noticing for the first time how tense she had been during the short flight. Now that they were landing, she knew there was no other way. She was back to where her life had been so abruptly changed, and her resolve grew stronger.

 

 

Walking the path to the lodge, Annelise couldn't help but wonder if someone she knew would be there. She had kept few contacts among the other instructors, and she was pretty sure none of them was there this season. It had been five years, after all.

 

She stopped and looked up, looking for the path. She wondered if it still existed, if it had been used again in the next seasons. She wanted to go up and find it.

 

Later. It is what we are here to do.

 

Annelise entered the lodge, sighing a bit and looking around. She didn't like being an intern, but she wasn't about to complain or tell people she knew better. Her skills were again decent, but not enough to have brought her back as a full instructor, and she was fully aware of it.

 

I just hope the guy I was assigned to isn't ... a pain.

 

Skiers - instructors - could be pretty arrogant among themselves. Maybe not too much to the ones they intructed, but there was veiled competition among them - there had always been, and she didn't expect Vanacutt Point would be any different from five years ago.

 

Dana didn't recognize her - and there was no reason she would, since she was barely out of her teens; Anne smiled, and chatted a bit with both Dana and her boyfriend before going to her rooms with a sure step, knowing well the lodge. On her way, she nodded and waved at a couple other instructors who had arrived just before her.

Edited March 5, 2006 by Tanuchan

[Akallabeth]

The 'copter Johann rode in on gradually resumed a parallel position relative to the earth and began to descend.

 

Upon feeling this change in angle, Johann stirred from his sleep, leaving the dreams that had been with him ever since he had departed from the airport. He looked out the window, taking in the huge lodge squatting on the side of the mountain, and watched the trails writhing down the mountain from the lodge. Over the trails, the lifts which crawled up the mountain hung unmoving on their cables. In an instant, he picked out the chairlift, the one on which he had gotten to know a bit about her. . .

 

He shook his head, clearing those thoughts from his mind. Daydreaming was not how he should begin this job.

 

A few seconds later the helicopter gently bumped down on the landing pad, and Johann quickly climbed out with his suitcase, and got out of the way as the craft lifted up and went out of sight.

 

 

Johann slowly approached the great doors into the lodge, and swung one of them open enough for him to pass through. He glanced around inside, taking in the few others who had already arrived. His eyes locked onto a figure heading towards the instructor's quarters, and all else was blotted from his mind. It looked like her, but was it possible? Could she really be back as an instructor at the same time as he was just beginning?

 

"Hi, I'm Dana."

 

Johann jumped. As his awareness suddenly returned, and he realized that he had probably been standing still for several minutes, a suspicion that he mentally confirmed as he saw that all the others had been looking his way and smiling. The person he thought might have been Annelise had disappeared, and in front of him a young lady was standing.

 

"Er, hello, I'm Johann Olsen," he replied. "I'm sorry for having zoned out there, I guess I was off in a world of my own."

 

She laughed, and said it was no problem. She then introduced him to the other instructors who had arrived. To his dismay, she didn't mention Annelise as being one of the instructors. After a while longer chatting, he asked where he might put his suitcase.

 

"Oh, that," Dana said, "well, as the first instructor to arrive who is both the youngest and one of the newest, you'll be in the room across from the intern."

 

"Intern?"

 

"That's right, you didn't get to meet her! Her name's Annelise. Just go down the hall, and your room is the last one on the right."

 

Johann proceeded to his room in a daze.

[Patrick]

It had already been a long journey, and was still not over. Waiting for her helicopter transport to depart, Gabi nearly fell asleep, but was jolted from her half-dream state by the pilot announcing to her that they were still waiting for a second passenger.

 

Gabi wondered who it was going to be. She did not have to wonder for long.

 

Tina had been packing her stuff methodically for a couple of days now, and repacking of course. Inside her head it was a storm of thought as she entered the heli-port, but outside she was as stable as ever, nothing could be read from her face. She tried to brace herself for the looks she would get from the other instructors, because those looks would come.

 

With her sleek brown hair, her mousy-coloured eyes, and her tiny posture, Tina was about the plainest girl you could think of. It wasn’t exactly that she was ugly, although men had told her differently already in the past, but she just couldn’t care less about her appearances. If Tina wore clothes she chose them to go with the weather, and with how they felt on her, not with how they looked.

 

Today she had arrived by taxi at the heli-port, and with a little suitcase in her hand (the other instructors normally wondered how on earth she kept all her stuff in that suitcase) she walked towards where the pilot was waiting.

 

The pilot recognized Tina from the picture he had been given of her, and extended his hand to greet her. Gabi noticed the pilot shaking the new arrival's hand, and putting one and one together, realised that the woman, who had just arrived was a fellow instructor. She stood up and rushed over, giving Tina a quick hug.

 

"Hi, I'm Gabi. You're also going to Vannacutt Point, right?" Gabi had a very slight accent while speaking, but as to where it might be from, Tina would be hard pressed to guess.

 

Guessing where Gabi came from was about the last thing that was on Tina’s mind. She had frozen in the hug, and found herself having difficulties getting out of this. It took a few moments for her to realize that she had been asked a question, but was then too late answering since the pilot felt it was his job to reply for her.

 

“Yeah, she’s also an instructor. Shall we get that luggage in here then?”

 

After everything was settled in, and Gabi and Tina seated as comfortably as they could in the cramped interior of the helicopter, they were soon off.

 

"So...where do you come from?" Gabi asked Tina.

 

“Tina’s here every year, she doesn’t talk much.”

 

Tina clenched her teeth as the pilot had once again answered before she could. She turned her face to the window, and hoped that the other girl would stop asking questions. Once the season would start she would get her own jobs to do, but until then it was always difficult.

 

If she didn’t need the money so desperately she wouldn’t even have come, and if Dana didn’t insist on her coming each year, she wouldn’t even have bothered, and would’ve lived on ‘Kitty Chow’ a bit longer.

 

Gabi, despite her good hearted nature, was starting to get annoyed by this pilot.

 

"Why don't you let her reply?" she asked, speaking to the back of the pilot

 

"I told you, she never speaks much." the pilot replied. Gabi shrugged her shoulders, more to the pilot than to Tina. She lowered her voice so that the pilot would not overhear that she was talking.

 

"Why don't you talk much?" she asked.

 

Tina wished that she would be left alone. She knew it were all good intentions, but she never knew exactly how to bring this to people, and the last time she had tried they had all laughed into her face.

 

Therefore she shrugged, “I just don’t.”

 

She too had whispered, and her voice sounded husk, rather beautiful actually, and in total disagreement with how she looked.

 

"Come now." Gabi said in a kind voice, not giving up on Tina. "You have a really nice voice. I don't see why you don't like talking much."

 

This was starting to get awkward. This girl apparently had her mind set on becoming men’s saviour, or at least hers, and Tina hoped that they would arrive soon. Looking out the window she saw that for once her wishes were heard, and she sighed with relief as the helicopter started to go down. A few more moments, and she would be able to retreat into herself again, safe and sound.

 

Oh well...at least she had tried. Gabi wondered while the helicopter slowly touched down, why her travelling companion always stayed so quiet. What could have happened to her to make her so? Gabi had no idea, but resolved to try to at least cheer the other girl slightly up, when she got the chance after their arrival.

 

 

After landing, Gabi picked up her backpack and her bag, rejecting the help from the pilot, and walked up the steps to the lodge. The first person Gabi spotted was Shayna, who was standing slightly to the side.

 

“Hello. I’m Gabi. And you?”

Edited March 5, 2006 by Patrick Durham

[Vahktang]

Vinka waved at Gregor & Tina as they speed up the chair lift, her hands at the controls.

The mechanics and clears had done a fabulous job the week before, clearing the snow from the lifts, fixing any minor repairs, and they were all operable.

And they were gone.

Now it was only instructors at the site while we got used to the runs, until the road was cleared and housekeeping and sales arrived.

Three days after that, the opening.

Ah, freedom.

The two chair occupants disappeared from view and Vinka watched the clock, timing when they would get off at the top.

She considered short changing them a few meters so they would have to jump off.

But no, we get enough injuries without making a few.

She watched the clouds and saw a storm coming in. A few days, probably light.

But the peaks were full and there was a one meter layer of new snow just itching to be trod upon.

Her cell phone quacked and she looked at the screen. Gregor, which meant they were down.

He would operate the next lift for Tina to go further up, but Vinka's job here was done.

She shut everything down and was very glad that the lodge had it's own cell.

Calls from the lodge to the outside still had to go hardline, but at least the people here could still communicate.

She trotted over to her equipment on her mini shoes, the webbing making snick sounds on the concrete but would be proof against going through the powder on the way to the 10 klick medium trail.

The morning had her do initial scout on the east 5 click easy trail.

She ran names through her head. The owners let her name some of the trails she blazed.

Snowbird was a favorite, and there were train tracks up the way, so, Ironhorse would be nice and a treat when the guests found the rails.

She snow shoed away from the lifts, away from civilization, her pack on her back, her cross country skis there too.

Ah, life was good.

[Azuran]

Evelyn Thorp looked out of the small, oddly-shaped window of the helicopter nervously. She had never liked flying much, and even now she kept running over and over what she would do if the aircraft were to stall, or if the pilot were to have a heart attack, or if a giant random hailstone were the smash into the rotors… Closing her eyes, she forced herself to take a few slow, deep breaths and felt much better when she opened them again.

 

She couldn’t help but smile broadly after stepping out onto the landing pad, the exciting rush of wind from the spinning blades above her head seemed to betray the excitement of the beginning of another season here at Vannacutt Point.

 

Evelyn quickly opened each of her bags before unloading them, doing a brief inspection of the contents just to make sure everything was there, and that she hadn’t forgotten anything back home. Finally, grabbing her skis, poles, and the two large duffle bags, she trudged over towards the lodge.

 

Cringing when one of the stairs creaked slightly under all the weight she was carrying, Evelyn made a mental note that she would have to tell Dana that one of the steps might be rotten and needed replacement. She tenderly climbed the rest of the way up to the front porch, ready to catch herself just in case one of other steps happened to give out.

 

After knocking the snow off her stylish emerald boots, she entered the large common room of the lodge, and dumped her stuff on the floor by side of the large doorway.

 

“Dana!” Evelyn ran over and gave the other girl a big, bouncy hug. “It’s always so exciting to see you again! I can’t wait to show you my beautiful new skis—just imagine skis as sexy as that visiting Norwegian instructor we had two years ago…” Evelyn winked at Dana and couldn’t suppress a giggle. “Oh!” Evelyn quickly remembered the creaking step outside and interrupted Dana who had just opened her mouth to reply, “One of the steps out front creaked a little when I was coming in just now. I think it might need to be replaced. And be sure to have it checked for termites too, just in case.” She eyed the wooden floorboards suspiciously. “And maybe have the foundation checked too…”

[yochva]

Shayna smiled brightly and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey Gabi! I'm Shayna. Do you come here often? What are procedures?" Her thought was that if she managed to become friends with an old-timer, she wouldn't have to go through newbie-hastling. If it existed here. But that was immaterial. While she had daydreamed, others had arrived. //Huh, the helicopter must be faster than it seemed...//

[Tanuchan]

Annelise frowned again, looking through the window. She felt restless, and finally decided to go out for a walk - she could use the time to start getting reacquainted with Vannacutt Point, and the cold air would probalby do good to her.

 

And I have to find out who the guy I was assigned to is...

 

The thought didn't help her mood, but she tried her best to be positive about it. She picked her jacket, and opened the door to find Johann fumbling with the door to his own rooms. He turned with the noise, and stared at her.

 

"Hello." Annelise blinked, a bit taken aback by the intensity of those eyes but immediately catching the typical nervousness of a beginner instructor. She smiled as he blushed, and extended her hand. "I'm Annelise. You look like new here...?"

 

"Eh... yeah... first time... " Johann mumbled, still surprised at finding Annelise again at Vannacutt Point. He couldn't help but staring, seeing again the girl who had set him in this path. "Oh! No, I mean... I've been here once, skiing... 5 years ago... first time instructing, though."

 

Annelise kept her smile, though her mind rushed to a point in time five years ago. A slope, an icy spot... trees. Pain rippling through her back, then nothingness.

 

Johann grabbed her hand, suddenly bringing Annelise back to the present. "Johann Olsen. I ... we've met at that time... you were an... "

 

He caught himself, belatedly remembering that Annelise had been introduced to him as an intern. He thought he noticed a fleeting pain in her eyes, and instinctively squeezed her hand gently.

 

Annelise nodded slowly. She didn't remember him - there had been too many young men at Vannacutt Point in the season and half she'd instructed there. But she was certain that Johann remembered her accurately.

 

"I had an accident... I had to stop. And... start again." Her voice was somewhat hushed, but she kept a calm face.

[Akallabeth]

Johann nodded mutely, not really knowing what to say. He hadn't expected to run into Annelise this soon. His mind desperately churned, trying to think of something to say to her.

 

Looking at her face, he knew that what had been said so far had brought her down, first with the memory of the accident, and then with the thought of her returning as an intern instead of as an instructor. He wished his foot was bigger, as it just did not seem to be blocking off some of the things that came from his mouth.

 

"Well... it's good to see that you've come back... not given up on skiing even after your accident," he said in a quiet voice. "You see, you're the one that inspired me to become a skiing instructor."

 

Annelise remained expressionless, but was quite suprised to hear these words come from his mouth. She hadn't told too many of the students she'd had such things, and this was the first time that she'd actually met a student she had said this to who had become an instructor. Many of the times she had said this, it seemed that the student had merely taken this as a compliment, not as a serious suggestion.

 

And try as she might, she could still not place Johann among the few to whom she had said those words.

 

"When exactly did I say... that you should consider being an instructor?" she asked in a kind and curious tone.

 

Johann felt somewhat crushed. Her words had stayed with him through these years, and she didn't remember saying them. He thought some more, and realized that it was possible she didn't have quite as good of a memory of what had happened near the time of her crash.

 

Or perhaps she merely wished to forget that time.

 

He tried to think of how best to say when they had talked... "Well... we rode on the chairlift together, and it broke down partway up... We talked... and you said I would be a good instructor... and then..."

 

He broke off, not really knowing exactly how to say the rest, while Annelise looked at him, now with a curious expression on her face.

 

"I've shared a chairlift with alot of people. I'm afraid that I don't really remember you in particular."

 

Johann's hopes dropped like a stone. She didn't recognize him.

 

Opening his mouth wider than he should have, he said, "It was the last chairlift ride you took five years ago. I had just gone down the mountain after going on the chairlift with you, and saw you sprawled on the snow among some treesss..."

 

His last word hissed out between his teeth. The look that he saw on Annelise's face made him want to melt onto the floor and find a crack to diappear into. The mixture of hurt and memory made him want to say something to comfort her, but he kept his mouth shut. After saying that, there was no telling what might come out.

 

Annelise recovered he glacially calm expression quickly. She pulled her hand from his, and stepped back some.

 

"I know when I met you now, though right now I don't really want to try and remember you. And...," seizing his other hand which had been idly attempting to insert the key into his doorknob upside down for the past few minutes, "...THAT is how to operate a door lock."

 

She turned and walked quickly down the hallway, leaving Johann standing by his door, one hand holding a key partway in his door's lock, and the other hanging limply by his side.

[Elwen]

Stefan hated this time of year: he as a general rule despised the cold climate, but he especially hated winter. His boots crunched across the snow, as he walked towards the lodge, carrying what he had brought with him, and trying to ignore the cold that seeped in, despite being bundled up.

 

One more season. he remnded himself, as he put his hand on the door, and resisted the urge to tug on his longish dyed blue hair irritably. One more season, and you'll have the money to get out of here. Get out of this country. Just one more season. You can get through this, Stefan.

 

He opened the door, stepped through, and closed it behind him.

[Patrick]

Gabi brushed a rogue strand of her hair out of her eyes.

 

"Actually, I had been planning on asking you those same questions. I have just flown in Europe, so I've never been here before." She surveyed the building they were in. It wasn't too different from those they had back home in the Alps. And all of those snow-capped mountains did not look so different than the ones in her beloved Austria. Still she felt somewhat out of place.

 

It must be all of the unfamiliar mountains around us, and not being able to see any place around, which I know. - she thought.

 

"I come from Austria, so I don't know much about this place. Where are you from?" - she asked Shayna.

[Vahktang]

(looks like I got on the slopes too soon. Sorry)

Then the alarm sounded.

Vinka snuggled deeper in her bed, cursing that the morning had to come so early.

Her dream was disappearing and she wondered if Tina & Gregor would be at Vannacutt Point this year.

Tina was drab, but Gregor was kind of hunky.

Maybe they would hook up again this year.

She looked at the clock and cursed again.

If she didn't get a move on, she wouldn't be at Vannacutt Point this year.

She almost ached for the great out doors, after months in the city at a boring cubicle job.

She got up from bed, noting that last nights entertainment had left before she got up.

Good. She hated after sex breakfasts together and the awkward 'you have to leave now' conversations.

 

After her quick breakfast, shower, final packing, etc, she was ready, as was her ride downstairs.

A friend with benefits named Jean, always good for a ride to or from the airport.

She did a last check of the apartment, and knew she wasn't going to miss this crap hole.

She was off to a luxerious resort, where the premiere condo's weren't occupied during the week,

and, if you were careful, you could bed down there rather than the dorm like instructor areas.

 

The ride was long, the friend, true, the heliport the same as every year. The flight itself was, thankfully, unexciting.

Landing, taking out supplies, and lift off were quick.

She shouldered her pack and dragged her other equipment in the ski patrol sled.

She did not understand the one suitcase per winter crowd. She was one suitcase a month and if she could have gotten away with it, one suitcase a week.

 

Arriving at the lodge, she stamped off the snow and stomped into the entry hall, calling out:

 

"Can anyone help me with my stuff?"

[Gryphon]

Coming up behind Vinka from taking the long way to the lodge from the heli-pad Brad stomps the snow off his own boots and speaks up.

 

"I've got a spare hand to carry stuff if you like. It's good to see you up here again this year... shall we go find some rooms?"

 

Brad waits for Vinka to get the remainder of her gear organised before they head upstairs to find some rooms with a view.

[yochva]

Shayna laughed. "It sounds cliche, I know, but I live on the other side of the mountain. We moved there when I was eight from Illinois. I'm actually a bit excited to be here, I've never skied for a living before. It's always been for fun, you know?"

 

Maybe she did have a friend after all... and all those books would go unread. Hmmm, books, friends... books... friends... what a choice!

 

Shayna shook herself out of her daze and asked "I wonder what rooming'll be like?" as she caught sight of another man - this time with blue hair - walking in the door. She waved at him over Gabi's shoulder.

 

 

{{Sorry my posts are so short...}}

[Mynx]

Dana rested her back against the fireplace as she waited for the last to return to the living room. Once she was sure everyone had settled enough, she cleared her throat.

"Welcome to Vannacutt Point! Now for those of you who have returned, and also those of you who're new here, you already know the basic drill - This mountain opens up in a weeks time and we have until then to ski and board every marked and unmarked trail to make sure nothing has changed over the summer season." Dana paused for a few cheers before pressing on.

"Tomorrow morning I want you all to start from the top of the mountain and pick a trail - if you're new, tag along with someone else. We had some crew come and clear the lifts before you arrived so you won't have to walk up the mountain. I want us all to meet back here at 12 noon tomorrow so's I can get a basic rundown of how things are looking. We'll move on from there."

Yet more cheering.

"Just one last thing. We are essentially alone on this mountain. Our only form of communciation is through a shortwave radio that was installed at the dawn of time and until they clear the roads next week we are stuck here unless we call for a helecopter. That means I want you all to be careful and responsible about what you do. The last thing we need is a dead instructor. Other than that, rest up. The fun starts tomorrow."

 

OOC: Delaying the first day phase a further 24 hours. Now is your chance to play on the mountain

[Tanuchan]

Soon after the briefing, Annelise talked to Dana privately - she hadn't yet met the guy she had been assigned to, and that brief talk with Johann had put her on the edge.

 

"What?! Charles Montagne? But he is Ski Patrol!"

 

She remembered Charles, of course. She wasn't sure she wanted him to remember her. But, more than that - being interned to Ski Patrol wasn't what she was supposed to be.

 

"Dana, I'm an interning instructor... I cannot be interning with Charles!"

 

Dana shrugged, handing in the report to Annelise. "That's what it says, Anne... assigned to Charles Montagne - Ski Patrol internship. Sorry if it was a surprise to you, but we can do nothing... " She smiled, and hugged her. "You'll enjoy it, I'm sure. Good luck!"

 

 

Annelise passed by the other instructors in a kind of daze, keeping a frozen smile and answering greetings without paying attention to them. The only thing that crossed her mind was that she was thankful to not have talked to anyone so far that had worked with her in her last Winter at Vannacutt Point. She had recognized at least a couple of them, but they seemed to not notice her.

 

A blast of cold wind brought her back to her senses, and she rested a hand against a tree. Turning, she saw that she had gone maybe a couple hundred steps from the back of the lodging.

 

"Damn..."

 

Her soft whisper was carried away by the wind while she fought her memories. Then, all of a sudden, she just let go of the struggle. Tiredly, she rested her forehead against the tree and let her mind sort out whatever it wanted to dig out from the past.

 

 

Vannacutt Point... five years ago. Her second season as an instructor. At 21, she was happy - she had dreamed of that life since she had first gone down a slope.

 

A bright day, sunny and very cold. She had woken up feeling a tad queasy - dinner previous night hadn't sat too well on her stomach, but she knew it would go away after a couple hours in the mountain. She took a light breakfast - she could still remember how it all tasted. Weird how her memory had frozen that day in so many details.

 

The chairlift broke down on the way up, and she had spent the time talking to one of the skiers. A young boy, around 16, and clearly not well-off. His skill had called her attention since the first day, and as she found out how much passion and respect he had for skiing and the mountain, she told him he was good stuff for instructor.

 

The face of the boy, as the name, had remained fuzzy during all those years. But having met Johann again, she knew it was him.

 

She was at the top. She looked down the steep slope of fresh powder, running in her mind the path she'd be taking. Then pointed downhill, and started her way down.

 

She felt the exhilaration that came with the speed, the rush of adrenaline. The path was a difficult one, but she enjoyed the challenge.

 

She hadn't had trouble going down that one path since the beginning of the season - but the previous day had been warmer, and the night chill. She was aware of the danger of ice patches - but when she hit it, it was completely unexpected. As she began to recover from it, one of her skis hit something - a tree maybe? - turning her around backwards, and she fell. She remembered the blurred trees. And the sudden pain in her back.

 

She had woken up at the ICU. Feeling nothing below her waist. They had said she had bashed her head on a tree after falling on her back. That she had fractured her skull, and a pair of vertebrae.

 

 

Annelise blinked tears away, tears she had not been aware were there. For long minutes she stayed there, lost in thought.

 

 

Johann looked through the window, staring at the landscape. He could feel the mountain there, and felt anxious to explore it. He sighed softly, still feeling bad about Annelise - how he could have handled that so badly? He would do almost anything to change his words back then, but he knew he couldn't do anything. With luck, she wouldn't avoid talking to him, and he might yet have some chance to salvage the situation.

 

A soft knock on the door startled him. He wondered who would be looking for him while going to answer the door.

 

"Johann? I'm sorry for disturbing you, but would you have some minutes?"

 

He stared at Annelise - and a corner of his mind told him that he'd better learn some other reaction to being face-to-face with her.

 

"Of course... please, come in... "

 

Johann could again feel the tension in Annelise, but there was less coldness in her eyes than when they had last talked. That gave him some heart, and he started to apologize.

 

"Listen, Annelise... I'm sorry for... "

 

She raised a hand, stopping him and speaking in a low, hushed voice. "Johann, I was unexcusably rude to you earlier today. The only thing that I can say in my defense is that ... it was a shock for me."

 

"No, you don't have to apologize. It was really my fault... I was so... happy... for seeing you here..."

 

"And you met an icy wall when you were trying to be friendly and show your pleasure. " She gave a rueful smile, then breathed deeply. "Let me tell you what I remember from that day, Johann."

 

 

~~~~~~

Edit: Typos, and changed slightly to not set the ending of the post at nightime. Also, to add thanks to Akallabeth, Panther, and Azuran, for helping me out with the mountain/skiing-related stuff.

Edited March 7, 2006 by Tanuchan

[Akallabeth]

Johann listened to Annelise's memories, watching secenes from the past fly through his mind as she spoke.

 

Getting onto the chairlift with her. . .

 

Her saying that he should be an instructor. . .

 

Seeing her lying there in the snow on the way back up. . .

 

He shook that thought from his mind. She was here now, she was well, and . . .

 

Annelise was staring at him, a slightly disappointed look on her face. He belatedly realized that she must have stopped speaking a while ago, and that he had zoned out while she was talking.

 

'Ahhh,' he thought, 'I'm don't want to screw this up again.'

 

"Anne, I'm sorry for not looking like I was listening. It's just that you speaking your memories sent me back into my memories of you and that day." He gave a slight smile. "Because of what you said, I'm here now, and I'm absolutely thrilled to find that you are back."

 

She smiled back at him, dazzling him. "Thanks," she said quietly, "I've been avoiding the memories of that day for far too long."

 

Suddenly she noticed the clock.

 

"I need to get to the slopes. I've got to meet the instructor who's supposed to be 'training' me very soon," grimacing at this unpleasant thought.

 

"I expect I'll see you later today," she said, and left.

 

Johann took his time with getting ready to go to the slopes, his mind joyfully contemplating Annelise's sudden change in thoughts, and her acceptance of the accident.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Akallabeth

[Lord Panther]

Cursing and swearing, Charles makes his way to the lodge from the helicopter pad. Why did he have to be the last one on the mountain, instead of the first, like normal. Now, certainly, there were already tracks made on his favorite runs. Arg, the injustice! Oh well, at least he will be able to strap on his brand new Völkl Unlimited AC4's and cover every inch of the mountain very soon, before he has to worry about the ski patrol duties during the regular season.

 

Now, he just hopes that no one has taking his lodge room, for if that has gone wrong too, there would be hell to pay! He hadn't been working here for the past seven years just to have some rookie come in and steal his room! The only thing going right for him right now is that the helicopter didn't crash into the side of the mountain, as they did hit a bit of a snow storm on the way up. No wonder the roads weren't cleared yet, the snow just keeps on coming.

 

He'd missed the briefing as to who was assigned what jobs, so he stops by the bulletin board to check and make sure they hadn't messed up his position. But what was this, an intern? Attached to him?! That's just what he needs, some snowplowing rookie to keep an eye on, as well as the public. This just keeps getting worse and worse... Oh well, he decides, at least he'll be on the slopes soon. Maybe he'll manage to lose his intern in a chute or down a wooded trail or something. He'd find a way, or at least he hopes he will.

 

Exhausted from the trip, Charles catches a break and gets his room, packs all his gear, including his skiis, poles and boots, into the closet, and stretches out on the bed. He wouldn't be caught leaving his gear with everyone elses, its too much of a temptation for people to "borrow" something that is quite likely better than theirs. Maybe a short nap will get his spirits going again...

 

(OOC: I will do the backreading and edit according to any details I have bungled)

Edited March 7, 2006 by Lord Panther

[JDRollins]

Gregor wakes as the helicopter settles down. He opens his eyes and looks at the snow everywhere. finally, back to my favorite place in the world.

 

He looks around and notices that everyone else has left the helicopter. He gets up thinking about Vinka and Tina hoping that both would be at the resort again this year. Vinka would be most likely.

 

He stepped off the copter and smiled at the beauty of the snow. Utah was beautiful but it had nothing on this mountain. Gregor had been thinking about making this his home for good. This year he just might do that.

 

"Time to go find friends." He whispered to himself and smiled again. "It is going to be a good season."

[Vahktang]

Vinka let Brad take the lead with the heavier bags, noting his...athletisicm as he moved.

She tried to remember if he was a good kisser.

One of the fun things about being around all these athletes: well toned guys who knew their bodies.

Yumm.

 

She wondered who she would be roomed with.

And if she could follow 'stay away for a few hours' messages.

 

They checked the list and got to her room.

Her room mate wasn't there.

 

"Just want to thank you, Brad."

"Would have taken me three trips."

She smiled and shifted, glad that her outfit included a good quantity of spandex in the design.

"Want to come in?"

Edited March 7, 2006 by Vahktang

[Gryphon]

Brad sat back and relaxed, taking in Dana's briefing enough to know that it hadn't really changed from last years.

 

With an easy smile and a nod or a wave Brad silently greeted some of the other instructors that he knew from previous years and when the initial briefing was over he moved off with the others to discuss who would take what trails the next morning.

 

The next morning dawns fine and clear...

 

Strapping his board to his foot Brad waits for his chance to get up the first ski-lift while talking to the other instructors around him.

 

"We've got plenty of time on the upper mountain trails today. Does anyone want to join me for some runs down the intermediate trails for a warm up and initial check?"

[Lord Panther]

After sleeping much longer than he had expected, Charles wakes up in the very early morning, while the sun isn't quite up yet. After grabbing a very quick and light breakfast, he's outside with his ski suit on, matching his gear, of course, tightening the buckles on his boots and stepping into his ski bindings.

 

"Ahh, there's nothing like the first day of skiing on new equipment, and having the mountain to yourself, or close enough" He says, rolling his eyes as he remembers that the others are here too.

 

After making sure that everything is good, he makes his way to the lift, which is just starting up, and sneaks onto the earliest chair he can, eager to make some powder fly!

 

Once at the top, he makes his way to a far and remote ridge to check the boundaries, and to hopefully avoid the others until he's made his marks on the mountain. His worries slowly melt away in the frozen alpine as he carves his way down some untouched powder, towards the bottom of the run.

Edited March 7, 2006 by Lord Panther

[JDRollins]

Brad sat back and relaxed, taking in Dana's briefing enough to know that it hadn't really changed from last years.

 

With an easy smile and a nod or a wave Brad silently greeted some of the other instructors that he knew from previous years and when the initial briefing was over he moved off with the others to discuss who would take what trails the next morning.

 

The next morning dawns fine and clear...

 

Strapping his board to his foot Brad waits for his chance to get up the first ski-lift while talking to the other instructors around him.

 

"We've got plenty of time on the upper mountain trails today. Does anyone want to join me for some runs down the intermediate trails for a warm up and initial check?"

Waking up the next morning after a nice night he hears Brad talking.

 

"Yeah, I'm with ya Brad. I could use a brisking to wake myself up."

 

Gregor looks around for Vinka as he finds her he catches her eye and winks slightly.