The Bloody mountains

Della

As the first snowflake settled, it whispered secrets of a winter tail waiting to unfold. It has been a tumultuous year. Brie is like a sister to me, and when she lost her parents this year, I felt a deep sense of grief as if I had lost my own parents. In theory, I haven’t got a clue who my blood parents are as I was put through the system and bounced from one foster home to another. Then I ended up in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter, who showered me with love and stability. Brie’s parents were giving up fostering, and I was fortunate enough to be taken in as their final foster child. Ever since that day, I made a habit of thanking them every day.

After losing them, the painful task of rebuilding our lives from the shattered fragments began. Brie said she wanted to learn to ski, so we booked this trip to the snowy Colorado mountains. What better way than having our own chalet? “This place is amazing,” Brie smiles. They are becoming more frequent now.

“Holy crap, how much did this place cost?” My jaw drops open at the size and luxury of it.

The spacious open plan living and kitchen area boasted floor-to-ceiling windows. The breathtaking views of the majestic mountains went on for as far as the eyes can see. It had a gigantic fireplace stacked with logs and kindling on either side. The staircase was wooden, and I ran up it to find equally amazing rooms upstairs. I dump my bag down in one bedroom and wander back down.

We had stopped off on the way here and bought plenty of supplies. As we unload the car, Brie laughs as I fall on my ass in the snow. With a few trips between us, I go out to get the last of the things when a truck pulls up. The guy who steps out places a hat on his head and saunters over to us.

“Good afternoon, miss. I saw you arrive and thought I’d better introduce myself. I’m Mountain Rangers, Monty. If ya need anything, there should be a phone inside, which has a direct line to my office.” He tips his hat. “How long are you here for, miss?”

Okay, so he seems polite, and it is nice to know we have someone we can contact if needs be. “Hi, I’m Dana, and my friend inside is Brie. We are here for two weeks.”

“No boyfriends or husbands?” He raises an eyebrow.

I laugh and shake my head, but I don’t want him thinking we are easy prey for pulling. “Our parents recently passed, so me and my sister want some quiet time together.” Hopefully, that is loud and clear enough for him.

He seems genuine when he offers his condolences, and again he tips his hat before getting into his vehicle. As he is reversing to turn around, he winds down his window. “We had sightings of mountain lions nearby, so be aware. As long as you don’t approach them and you make a loud noise, it is usually enough to scare them.”

“Okay, thanks.” I gulp.

He disappears, and I head inside. I tell Brie about my meeting with Ranger Monty, and she flaps her hand as if mountain lions are nothing to be worried about. We find skis and all the snow gear if the weather turns terrible. By the time we have organized everything, it is evening, and the sun is setting.

“Come and look at this,” I shouted at Brie from the bedroom balcony.

She brings two cups of hot chocolate, and we lean on the balcony looking out. “This is stunning.” She clinks my cup and we watch the sun setting.

As the colors of the sky deepened into shades of red and orange, the twinkling stars appeared, casting a magical glow over the world. The faint light of the waning crescent moon adds a touch of mystery to the darkened sky.

“What better way than to start this wonderful holiday off? Hot chocolate, my sister and best friend by my side.” Brie slides her arm around my shoulder.

Being ten years older than me, I’ve always looked up to Brie. She has an incredible strength but is a guy magnet for the weird and absurd. So when she asks about the mountain ranger, straight away I tell her no.

“But I thought you just said he was handsome?”

“No. I said he was okay looking, not drop your panties for a fuck looking.” I burst out laughing. “Plus, there was something strange about him.”

“What do you mean?” She asks as we stare out into the night. You can spot the other cabins as light glows from them in the distance.

“I can’t explain it, but there was an intangible feeling that lingered in the atmosphere. You know, like that last guy you dated. I thought he was just odd, but it turned out he was a narcissistic psycho.” I raise my eyebrows at her.

She sighs and leans on the banister, pouting. “I’m here for two weeks. Can it not be a holiday romance fuck?”

“But then he might become some weirdo who captures you, murders me, and keeps you locked up somewhere?” I joke with her and we go into all the creepy fucked up ways someone could take you around here. “No, jokes aside, if you find him attractive and he is single, then… Well, like you say, it is just a holiday romance.”

With both of our stomachs growling, we head down to make food. I open a bottle of wine and we relax for the evening. Only when we hear a scream do we scramble out of our seat and rush upstairs and out onto the balcony.

“What was that?” I whisper as we stare into the dark.

The soft glow from downstairs casts an ethereal light as we hold on to each other tightly in the darkness upstairs; I hadn’t put the light on when we came in. With bated breath, we strain our ears. The night is eerily quiet, until a horrifying noise shatters the tranquility. A high-pitched, piercing shrill reverberates through the air.

“Holy hell!” Brie clings to me tighter. “What the hell was that?”

“We will be safe inside.” I assure her. She can be a big scaredy cat. “It’s probably just a mountain lion. The ranger said they were around.”

“But it is nighttime. Don’t they hunt during the day?” She queries.

I bring up my phone and check, finding out that they hunt at night mainly, and the shriek we heard was probably some unsuspecting animal. This brings relief to both of us, as we can now relax. We check all the windows and doors are closed, then finish the bottle of wine.

“Right, I’m off to bed.” Brie stands and wobbles on her legs. The alcohol has taken effect. I giggle as I watch her make her way upstairs.

As the credits rolled, I switched off the TV and the room became quiet and dim. The side light in the place provides just enough illumination for me to navigate my way. After completing my nightly routine, I eagerly wrap myself in a floor-length fur robe and slide my feet into cozy bootie slippers. It creates a blissful cocoon of comfort. Outside is all peaceful again, and the stillness allows the beauty of the starry sky to captivate me.

A gentle breeze caresses my skin, leaving a cool sensation on my cheek, as if someone has gently brushed their fingers against it. I must be imagining things. My body shudders and I hug myself tighter. I can’t wait for tomorrow as we will test out the ski area. At least there should be other people around the slopes. I smile as I think about it, and turn to go inside to bed. Then a gush of wind whips past me and nearly knocks me over. What the hell? I spin around and stare out into nothingness. The absence of any breeze intensifies my growing fear, making me feel increasingly unsettled. As I shut the doors, a breeze hits me, causing me to shiver and gasp for air.

There is nothing out there as I stare through the glass, then I close the huge thick curtains before hopping into bed and have the warmth wrap around me. I lie awake, trying to ease my mind about what had gone on there.

It was the drink, and the excitement of being here, that’s all. I tell myself before I close my eyes and will myself to go to sleep. But the vision of the mountain ranger flashes through my mind, and my body tenses. I can’t sleep and after tossing and turning, I go make myself a hot cuppa cocoa. As I gaze out of the window, I’m certain I catch glimpses of shadows darting across my field of vision. I blink and carefully set down my hot mug, aware of its precariousness in my trembling hands. With my face pressed against the window, I strain my eyes to see beyond. Only to be startled by a sudden crash as a figure smashes against the glass, their eyes meeting mine for a fleeting moment before it disappears. I stood frozen to the spot, my heart pounding after witnessing something terrifying. Every part of me is trembling, and then there is a gentle tap at the door.