Mystic's Mountain

The air was still and quiet. Fresh snowfall from the night before blanketed the grounds of the mountain resort like a winter wonderland seen on postcards begging someone to leave their footprints as proof they existed. The light from the full moon reflected off the new snow lighting Lucy’s way as she walked the path to the equipment shed.

The new snow felt crunchy under Lucy’s feet. Perfect for building a snowman. A light bulb went off in Lucy’s head. A snowman! Yes! That’s it. Why hadn’t she thought of this before? If the weather held up, she could keep the snowman intact for the entire ski season. Long enough to figure out her next steps as well as get rid of any remaining evidence. Brilliant.

The grounds of the resort were expansive on the mountain with a lift to the top for those daring enough to ski the advance slopes. For those less adventurous, there were plenty of slopes nearby where someone could snowboard, sled, or cross-country ski before returning for a cup of their signature peppermint hot cocoa. Others could build snowmen, go on sleigh rides, or stay cozy by the fire in the great hall which had fantastic views from the mountain top.

The staff made the guests feel like family which is why many of them returned year after year. Lucy loved the excitement new guests brought to the resort. Seeing the mountain for the first time through their eyes reminded Lucy how beautiful the mountain resort was and how lucky she was to have begun her stay here five years ago.

She hadn’t known her boyfriend Matthew very long when he invited her on a winter skiing trip. She thought it would be fun even though she didn’t know how to ski. Matthew insisted he teach her and although Lucy was reluctant at first, he was very good. Lucy picked up the basics well enough to ski the smaller slopes.

One afternoon, Lucy was ready to head in for some lunch and a hot cocoa. Matthew was not and became angry with her about wanting to go in so early. He had become increasingly irritable the last couple of days about having to spend all his time on the bunny slopes.

Lucy was surprised by his outburst. She didn’t want to argue so she told him she was fine alone while he skied the advanced slopes. She was disappointed. Matthew had started off so nice and patient at the beginning of the trip. They hadn’t been together long, but Lucy wasn’t going to stay with him after that. If she could’ve left the resort on her own, she would have, but found herself stuck on the mountain with Matthew. She decided to make the best of it and have a good time.

Later that evening, Lucy waited for Matthew to return so they could eat dinner together. Other guests came in as the sun went down but Matthew was not one of them. Lucy wasn’t sure what to do. Lucy stopped a concierge and asked if he had seen Matthew or if he knew of any more skiers who hadn’t come back yet. The concierge explained there was a small group of skiers who had decided to take the shuttle to resort’s cabin a little farther away and wouldn’t be returning for a couple of days. He believed Matthew was part of that group but for Lucy not to worry as the staff would provide anything she needed to enjoy the rest of her stay.

Lucy was dumbfounded. She never would have guessed in a million years she would be left stranded on a mountain with no way home. At least she doesn’t have to listen to him complain about her skiing the next couple of days she thought. She decided to take dinner in her room that evening and make plans how to spend the remainder of her trip without him.

The next few days were the best time of her life on the mountain alone. She felt at peace hiking among the trees while looking for wildlife to take pictures of. She saw a few deer, a small red fox, and various birds making her fall in love with the mountain area. The resort had beautiful grounds with stone pathways, small outbuildings for ski and snow equipment, covered patios for outdoor winter bonfires, and snow-covered grassy areas for sledding and snowman building.

There were stables for the horses used for the sleigh rides. Lucy found the horses quite friendly and spent the mornings learning about their care and feeding from the barn staff. She grew fond of each one as she brushed them and often snuck them peppermints when she took them for walks.

The day before her trip was coming to an end, Lucy was at the stable brushing her favorite horse, a majestic Clydesdale named Mystic, when the concierge came to find her. He told Lucy Matthew had finally returned and was quite upset to learn she was not there to greet him. Lucy was apologetic to the concierge but felt angered at Matthew for assuming he could leave without telling her and expect any type of warm greeting upon his return.

Lucy continued to brush and confide in Mystic about her feelings. She wished Matthew would go away and then she and Mystic could be together every morning. As Lucy was about to put the horse in his stall, Matthew showed up at the barn furious. He accused her of taking advantage of him. Reminding her it was he who brought her to the resort and taught her the basics of skiing. His voice got louder, shouting he had wasted his time with her and had met someone else while at the resort’s cabin. He informed her she would have to find her own way home.  

Mystic became startled from Matthew’s shouting. He began to whinny and kick up his front legs so much Lucy could barely control him. She screamed for help while Matthew yelled at her to control the horse. As the stable man came out to help, the horse snorted, reared up all the way on its hind legs, and came down with an amazing force landing on Matthew causing him to fall to the ground hitting his head with a loud thud.  

Lucy screamed. The stableman took the horse to his stall while a nearby staff member called for the medic. It didn’t look good. Lucy dropped to the ground near Matthew. She grabbed his hand and couldn’t feel a pulse. She called his name and asked if he was okay. He was unresponsive. She was afraid to turn his head or move him for fear of injuring him further, but she was sure the worst had already happened.

The medics arrived and quickly assessed the situation. They put Matthew on a stretcher and took him to the waiting medic van. He was to be airlifted to the nearest hospital and they would keep them apprised of his status as soon as they knew anything.

Lucy was in shock. One minute everything was fine, she was enjoying her alone time with the horse, and the next minute her boyfriend was being airlifted away and possibly dead. She stood there frozen not knowing what to think or do. She could hear someone saying her name, but it sounded muffled as if she was being called from a distance.

The stable man touched Lucy on the arm while saying her name. She turned her head in his direction and heard him say he was taking her back to her room. Lucy nodded. Everything was going to be all right he said. Lucy nodded again and allowed him to lead her back to the resort. He explained the medics would be back soon to look at her and make sure she was okay. He sent for a staff member to bring her some tea and something to eat.

Even though she could hear the words, they sounded far away. The staff asked Lucy if she had anyone they could call for her. She had no one. She shook her head in disbelief.

Later that morning, the medics came and examined Lucy. They said she was okay but in shock. She would need lots of rest and time to recover from the death of her boyfriend. The resort staff assured her she could stay as long as she needed. Lucy was grateful for their hospitality but knew she couldn’t stay there forever.

The next day, Lucy woke up restless. The events from the day before played in her dreams over and over causing her to toss and turn all night. She decided to go to the barn and see Mystic. Being with him was the only time she felt peace and she definitely needed some after yesterday.

She got dressed, made a cup of tea, and looked out at the sun rising. It was going to be a beautiful day she thought. She hoped being with Mystic would help her figure out what to do so she put on her boots and coat and headed out the door.

When Lucy arrived at Mystic’s stall, she found him missing. It was odd, she thought, because the rest of the horses were there. She walked around the barn until she found a stable man. She asked about Mystic and was told he was taken to the veterinary clinic for observation due to the accident. The resort wanted to make sure he hadn’t been hurt in the scuffle and that he was psychologically okay.

There was something about Mystic Lucy couldn’t put her finger on. It was like she had a connection with him. It felt like he understood her every word while she was brushing him which made her feel safe. She hoped he wouldn’t be held in quarantine long. Lucy needed someone to talk to and Mystic was the best listener she had ever met.

Early the next morning, Lucy heard a knock on her door. She answered it anxiously, hoping it was good news about Mystic returning to the stables. Her hope was dashed briefly by the look on the concierge and manager’s faces. She immediately returned to the possible reality of the situation. Mystic was not going to return and she had over-stayed her welcome at the resort.

Lucy let both of the gentlemen into her room and braced herself for the bad news. The manager finally broke the silence saying they had some pressing matters to discuss. They wondered if Lucy felt well enough to talk. She wasn’t sure if she would ever be ready for the conversation about to happen but put on a brave face and replied yes.

The manager explained they were in a bit of a bind as one of their stable hands had to leave abruptly for an urgent family matter. The concierge had informed him of Lucy helping with the horses over the past week, how she was a fast learner, and very good with the horses. The stable manager agreed and thought Lucy would be a suitable replacement, if she was willing. The manager further explained if Lucy agreed to staying on, her debt on the room would be forgiven. Of course, she’d have to move to the stable quarters they explained. Lucy was elated! She accepted their offer to stay and become a stable hand, then immediately asked about Mystic’s return.

The manager had been concerned about Mystic’s involvement in the accident but was assured by the vet he had not hurt Matthew purposely clearing him to return to the resort the following day. Lucy thought this was the best day of her life! She couldn’t wait to move her things to the stable and prepare Mystic’s stall for his return.

That was five years ago but felt like yesterday, Lucy thought. It was hard to believe in such a short amount of time, Lucy had been able to learn so much about the stables and horses, maintaining the resort grounds, and eventually managing the staff. It was only last year when Lucy was given the manager title of the resort after the previous manager was killed in a strange skiing accident. According to witnesses, he was skiing ahead of the tour group down a narrow strip of snow between some trees when it appeared he was startled by something and skied right into a tree killing himself instantly. No one ever figured out what scared him and thus ruled it as an accident.

As Lucy headed into the equipment shed, she wondered if she would have enough time. The massive snow dump from the night before would buy her some time as she was sure the roads to the resort were snowed in and unpassable. She still had two days before the staff was scheduled to arrive and four days before the stable men brought the rest of the horses up for the season. Mystic stayed with Lucy during the off season for companionship and in case of emergency.

Lucy started up the snowplow and slowly made her way back to the barn. She would need to plow the walkways and the roads around the resort anyway so it was good to get to work while she formulated the rest of her plan. She decided she would pile the extra snow on the southern lawn near her residence. The snow pile would be out of the way of the guests and the perfect place to conceal the dead body of the drifter who had come to the resort looking for work and a warm place to sleep.

He seemed harmless at the time and turned out to be a hard worker getting some downed tree limbs cleaned up around the grounds. It was nice having another human to talk to, Lucy thought. The only thing that bothered her was his drinking. He drank at night, he said, because it helped him sleep. Last night he had more than usual and made a racket wailing into the night about life being unfair. It disturbed Mystic causing him to kick the walls of his stall. The noise woke Lucy so she dressed hurriedly, put on her boots and jacket, and headed for the barn.

She couldn’t believe her eyes as she rounded the corner and saw the barn door was open. The light above Mystic’s stall was on and the drifter had a hold on Mystic’s bridle. The horse wanted nothing to do with him. He was kicking his legs and snorting, bringing Lucy back to that fateful morning five years ago. Lucy yelled at the drifter to stop and as he turned to look in her direction, Mystic’s front hooves came down with immense power smashing the drifter’s head open. The drifter went limp, fell to the ground, and blood poured out of his head. He had been killed instantly.

Lucy was horrified. She ran to Mystic’s stall, got him tethered inside, and then turned to look at the fallen drifter. Mystic stood behind her casting his shadow past her and onto the deadly scene. Images of the past flooded her mind. Mystic perfectly calm after stomping Matthew. Mystic standing in the trees near the area where the old manager died skiing. And now this. The enormous horse nuzzled her jacket pocket. Lucy turned and looked into his eyes searching for answers. Out of habit, she took a peppermint from her jacket pocket and stuck her hand out flat against his snout. Could this gentle giant be a killer?

No one except Lucy and Mystic knew the drifter had been there and she had no idea if her plan would even work. There were too many things to explain, she had no answers for the questions people would ask, and the clock was ticking. Lucy grabbed a garden tarp and laid it next to the drifter. His body was still warm as she rolled it to the center of the tarp. Lucy folded it around his body and secured it with rope. She knew she wouldn’t be able to carry it and she didn’t want to drag it around so she headed to the equipment shed.

After she was done plowing the pathway to the barn, she went back for the tractor with the bucket. Lucy used the bucket to lift the drifter’s body and transport it to the south lawn where she laid it carefully in a shallow snow grave she dug earlier. She then used the bucket to dump more snow on top of the drifter’s dead body creating a snow bank. Once she got the rest of the snow piled on top, she would build a snowman, she thought, as a marker to keep track of the snow in case any melted.  

The sun was coming up and Lucy was exhausted. She would plow the access roads tomorrow. She needed coffee, food, and some sleep. When she got back to her residence, she saw the light blinking on the two-way radio connected to the ranger station. It had to be the ranger checking in with her. She decided to call him right away lest he worry and make his way up to the resort before she had a chance to walk the grounds around the barn. She needed to make sure any remaining evidence was taken care of.

He was relieved to hear she was okay and let her know he would be up tomorrow afternoon to assist in clearing the roads. Lucy thanked him and headed to bed. She would finish cleaning the barn later. The worst was over, she thought as she drifted off to sleep, as long as the snow didn’t melt…