The Lone Skier

The lone skier paused for a moment and only a moment, at the crest of the mountain as the snow began to fall. The mountain was nestled at the foothills of a larger mountain chain, about an hour from the city. The skier breathed in the crisp mountain air, relishing his surroundings, so happy to escape the bustle of the big city. This would be his final run of the day. The lifts carried few people up the mountain this time of night, and he hadn't seen anybody on the slopes in the past hour. He peered to the left, longingly glancing at the black diamond run and wishing he was skilled enough to take that chance. He hesitated one moment longer, as he decided to turn to the right and go down the blue run instead. He wished in that moment that he waited for his friend to join him on this trip, how much better it would be if he weren't here alone. That one moment of hesitation was all it took. From behind, another skier, out of nowhere, collided with him, thrusting the first skier to the left. One inch over, it would have been a near miss, something to tell his buddies about when sharing a beer at the bar after a day of skiing. The second skier did not hesitate or stop. The second skier catapulted down the black diamond with finesse, never wavering from his path despite the collision. The second skier never looked back. The second skier may not even have realized the calamity that followed as he raced down the black diamond.

Head over heels, over and over, down the mountain side the first

skier went as the snow continued to fall. He lost track of how many times he bounced and landed, back up into the air, then bouncing back down again. Would the fall never end? He began reliving past experiences, the good and the bad. He thought, so this is how it ends? His thoughts raced as fast as the spiral he found himself in. You really do see your life flashing before your eyes, he thought again, thinking how odd and crisp the memories appear even as he was acutely aware of the speed he was traveling. Memories came at him in quick flashes, as he was blinded by the cold bitter wind. Birthdays, graduation, first love, first heartbreak, the marriage that almost happened..... first job, first disappointment when overlooked for promotion.

Blinding sheets of snow fell harder and harder as the moon

continued to rise, the skier continued to cascade down the mountainside. Over and over he tumbled. After what felt like an eternity and a moment in time all at once, he heard something snap. Assuming it was a tree branch, a wayward limb. His thoughts returned to snapshots in time. The big promotion that finally

came through, meeting the love of his life, the baby that followed. The sweet smile from that beautiful tiny face and the sound of laughter… a sound he may never hear again. He could not bear the thought of never seeing her again. Over and over he tumbled until he finally landed and moved no farther.

The night was quiet, an eerie pallor as the cold descended upon him. He could hear nothing except the sound of the snow as it pelted against his winter wear.  He lay still for a moment, mentally checking head to toe for any signs of injury. Feeling none, breathed a sigh of relief, happy to be alive.  His thoughts raced, how can I have survived this? The snow was now falling in sideways sheets, blizzard like, such that he could see no further than a foot or two in front of him.  The slopes were dark. Thoughts travelled to wishing help would arrive soon, but the help would never come.   The skier laid still for a moment longer, then raised up on his elbow in an attempt to sit upright. He could see he lost a ski, the other still attached, barely dangling to the boot as he twisted in the snow.  He wondered for a moment how he would get off the mountain, and where his other ski had landed. He had no way of knowing if it was above him or below him on the mountainside. The blinding pain hit him as sharply as the skier did that set him on this disastrous journey. It was then in that moment he remembered the snap he heard, thinking it was nature, but realizing now as the pain radiated up and down his body that his leg was the sound of the bone crushing snap. His leg bent awkwardly at an angle that did not seem possible. He lay back, writhing in the snow, resisting the urge to temper his pain, and let out a blood curdling scream.  The scream echoed in the night. Then nothing. The silent darkness took hold as the skier lost consciousness. And the snow continued to fall.

The snow continued through the night, as the few remaining skiers on the other mountain slope found their way to the warm confines of the lodge, others returned to their cars to travel back to the city.  No one missed the man as he lay in the snow, for he had traveled to the mountain alone that day. No one missed him at home either as he was expected to be gone overnight. His cell phone safely locked in his vehicle, now one of only three cars to remain in the lot.  The snow fell hard and fast over the next few hours, and soon there was nothing to be seen of the lonely motionless skier except the lost ski, that had landed some 500 feet further down the slope. Finally the snow stopped. The moon shone brightly as the snow glistened on the mountain side and all was silent. 

As the night progressed, the temperature continued to drop. It was the bitter cold type of night that makes one happy for a cozy blanket and a warm fire. The skier would have no more thoughts of safety and warmth. The skier had no thoughts at all, as he lay under the soft blanket of snow.