Mountain Mystery

The alpine mountain range dominated the valleys below. High snow-covered peaks glistened in the midday sun; the ski season wasn’t far off.   Allana cruised along the highway excited to catch up with her girlfriends at the ski lodge for a weekend of drinking champagne while soaking in the hot tub. Turning into a side road, she checked the map on her phone. “Yep, this is it, Mount Tugga Road.” Her back ached from the long drive. Away from the traffic, she pulled over to stretch her legs. Straightening up, she took a deep breath, the fresh scent of pine forest wafted on the cool breeze. Each breath brought the senses alive. With a renewed motivation to reach the lodge, she set off again.

The two-lane bitumen road, narrowed to a single lane of bitumen as it started to wind up the valley slopes. A line of potholes and mud puddles waited on the side of the road for wayward drivers. Surely a ski resort would have better roads. The single-lane road ended at a T intersection. Looking down at the map on her phone was useless as the signal had faded. She glanced to the right and the left, the single-lane bitumen continued in both directions. Don’t they have signs in this part of the world? Right, it is then. The dense pine forest narrowed in on the road as she went along. “Damn,” she hit the steering wheel with her palm as she looked ahead at the bitumen giving way to a rough dirt track. Undulating mounds and ditches of dirt and rock rose steeply. Dirt bikes seem to be the only form of transport that have travelled this road in recent years.

Taking several attempts to turn around on the narrow road she headed back through the intersection. The single lane wound its way up the side of the mountain. Bare scars of previous landslides brought sunlight into an ever-darkening forest. “The lodge can’t be much further, I calculated I would be there by now.” 

The bitumen lane ahead had a large tree recently fallen across it. Its green leaves and branches covered the road. Allana pulled up, “Now what?”.   Glancing out the side window there was a well-used dirt track with recent tyre tracks in the mud. Maybe that’s the path around the tree.  Dropping the SUV into low gear she cautiously progressed along the muddy road. Multiple overgrown dirt trails broke away from the main dirt road. She decided to keep following the fresh tyre tracks as it was the most recent activity. Her nerves increased as the road seemed to be moving away from the bitumen road she was on earlier. 

Bouncing around another bend the vehicle spluttered a few times. Allana looked down at her dash, the fuel warning light was on; her skin broke out in a cold sweat. With another splutter, the car rolled to a stop. Turning the key multiple times did nothing. She dropped her head onto the back of her hands gripping the steering wheel as tears started to roll down her cheek. All her focus was on navigating the deteriorating road, she had no idea how far she had travelled. Pulling herself together she scanned the terrain around her, dense forest in all directions except for a single dirt road disappearing over the next rise.

The sun crept closer to the mountain ridge. She didn’t have a lot of light left. Rummaging around in the back of her car she grabbed her overnight bag adding the extra food and water she had for the trip. As she stood there, she could feel the cold mountain air creeping in, she reached for her ski jacket. Now leaving a car is not a good idea but spending the night in a freezing car was not her first choice. She decided to follow the fresh tracks for a while to see if anyone lived in the area. If she found nothing she would return to the car.

The muddy ground made the going slow and difficult; there were times when she practised skiing without the snow. The fresh tyre tracks turned into a smaller driveway. A short distance along the trail, a small log cabin started to reveal itself through the trees.  The walls were made of whole tree trunks staked on each other, with shingles on the roof and a quaint little veranda at the front. Slowly making her way up the path, she saw a four-wheel drive parked beside the cabin with a small makeshift shed beyond that. “Hello, is anyone home?” She called out repeatedly. Wandering around the cabin a few times she couldn’t see anyone. 

She reached up and knocked on the door, it moved a fraction. She knocked again, “Hello.” Giving it a slight push it opened a bit more. It’s not locked, who would not lock their front door? Cautiously she opened the door calling out as she went. Inside the wood stove was already blazing, it felt a lot cozier than the falling night air outside.  The single-room cabin had a rustic wooden table and chair in one corner, a rocking chair near the fire and a camp stretcher laid out in front of the fire. Surely this is just a weekend camping hut.

Dropping her bag in the corner she took a seat in front of the fire, rubbing her cold hands in front of the warm flames. The light faded outside and still no sign of anyone. Allana pulled out her packet of crisps, it was not going to satisfy her hunger but it was better than nothing. Settling into the rocking chair she took a bite of her potato dinner when the door opened. A blast of cold wind and a tall stranger entered. He was rugged up in a long fur coat with a dead rabbit in hand; he stared back at her. “What are you doing here?” He asked as he shut the door, blocking the icy wind.

Allana dropped her chip, her chest tightened as she looked up at him. Am I in a horror film? Choking as she tried to swallow her food, she replied, “My car ran out of fuel.”

“Another one,” he said as he laid the rabbit on the table. “Why are you in this neck of the woods anyway.”

“I’m heading to the Three Pines Ski Lodge, but I seem to be lost.”

Pulling a large knife from his bag, Allana jumped to her feet and backed for the door. He looked back at her reaction before glancing down at his hand holding a large filleting knife out in front of him. “Oh,” he said as he dropped his hand, “It’s for the rabbit. I’m not a serial killer.”

Allana paused, her heart racing as her muscles tightened. She took several deep breaths to get some colour back on her face.

He chuckled, “You are lost, the lodge is in the next valley. They need better road signs around here. You’re the second person this week to take the wrong road.” Placing the knife next to the rabbit, he reached out his bare hand, “I’m Gio by the way.”

With a deep breath, Allana dropped back against the door. “I’m Allana. Do you have any fuel? I can pay you.”

“What does your car take?”

“Diesel.”

“Out of luck there, I have only got petrol for my snowmobile.” The wind started to howl past the windows, “Don’t think you are going anywhere tonight, there is a front coming in. It is going to get bloody cold fast.”

Allana looked down at her phone, still no signal and it was down to its last bar of battery power. “Do you have a phone so I can ring my friends? They will be expecting me at the lodge by now.”

“Nope, I don’t even have the two-way radio at the moment as I am waiting on the replacement batteries for winter.”

Sliding down the door, Allana dropped her hands into her hands.  They are going to be worried. Silently she just sat there. What am I going to do? I’m stuck here with a stranger butchering a rabbit.

“I have seats you don’t have to sit on the floor,” he replied as he removed the pelt. “Do you eat rabbit?”

Pulling herself up off the floor she sat in the rocking chair staring at the flicking flames, trying not to look at his dinner preparation. “Never tried it.”

“Well, you’re in for a treat tonight.”

“What are you doing up here?” She asked.

With a clang, Gio grabbed the pan off the wall, “Bit of everything, mainly contract work for the people who live up here.”

That told me nothing. He placed the nicely cut-up rabbit into the pan on the wood stove. Allana took a long look at him. He seemed well-mannered, not a stereotypical mountain murder type. His shoulder-length brown hair and short beard were well-groomed. She slowly ran her eyes up his well-built body, his shoulders broad accenting his square jaw. He seems like a nice guy. But all horror stories start that way?

Reaching into the box near the stove, he pulled out a bottle of red wine splashing a good glass full into the pan. Followed by some salt and pepper, before turning the rabbit over.

Red wine? This guy is a mystery.

He handed her a plate of rabbit in red sauce, “So what do you do for a job?”

“Thanks,” she replied, “I’m an accountant.”

Filling up their cups with the same red wine, he smiled, “Useful skill for mountain survival.”

After dinner, the fire was stoked again. The added warmth was welcome as the wind howled and icy air seeped in under the door.  Gio pulled out his sleeping bag and tossed it on the floor near the stretcher. “You have the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor,” he said.

Lying on the narrow wooden stretcher Allana covered with their snow jackets stared at the flickering light on the ceiling revealing the spiders spinning their webs between the boards. “Are you able to run me to town tomorrow to get more fuel?”

“No problem,” he mumbled from his sleeping bag.

Sleeping on the hard bed was difficult, the haunting sound of the wind outside didn’t help.

***

The light got brighter through the two small windows. Gio chucked another log on the fire as he looked out the window. “Going to town is out of the question.”

Allana stood up stretching her aching body, peering out the window revealed a blanket of white. Oh no, snow. How am I going to get off the mountain now?

Gio opened the door, the air was crisp but the wind had gone thankfully. A six-inch carpet of snow lined the veranda. The boards on the door left an impression on the face of the ice. His footsteps were pronounced in the snow leading out to the wood pile. Allana quietly wandered out onto the driveway, her feet sinking with each step. Staring blankly down the road, her thoughts went to her friends worrying about her. How long am I going to be stuck here?

“Hear that, they are probably looking for you,” Gio called out from the veranda.

“Hear what?”

“Listen, there are helicopters over the ridge.”

Focusing on the forest sounds, she could hear the distant thud of helicopter blades. Her shoulders slumped as she closed her eyes dropping her face into her hands. All I wanted was a relaxing weekend with my friends.

“Get out of this cold, I will take you to the ranger station after a hot breakfast,” he said.

***

Rugged up in most of the clothes she brought, Allana swung her leg over the seat as she climbed on the back of the snowmobile. 

“Hang on,” Gio said as he grabbed her arms pulling them around his waist. 

With her arms firmly wrapped around him, they took off down a side track. His body blocking the wind felt warm. Weaving through the trees they were heading away from the driveway. Bouncing over logs hidden in the snow, up and down the gullies; Allana kept a firm hold. She started to feel more secure with him. What does he do out here? Does he have a wife or kids? They slowed down as he came over a ridge and pulled up in front of a larger log building. 

“Is anyone here?” he asked he swung his leg over the seat.

Allana followed him up the stairs and through the front door. This place looks more like a tourist station, maps lined the walls and brochures sat on the reception counter. A two-way crackled away in the back room.

“Hello, Troy, Lisa, anyone?” Gio called out as he boldly walked past the staff-only sign.

“Hey Giordano,” a man called out, “We are busy with a search.”

“I think I have found her,” Gio replied as he looked back at Allana standing quietly at the front desk.

The man walked out, “Allana Henry?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Troy,” he said as he shook her hand. “Lisa, call the search off!” He bellowed towards the back room.

Gio had a chat with Troy before coming back to Allana, “Troy can run you down the mountain to get some fuel. The road should clear in a day or two, you can get your car then.”

“Do you have snow chains?” Troy asked.

“No.”

“Leave it for a few days then.”

“Your car isn’t going to go anywhere out here,” Gio said as he dropped her bag beside her.

As Gio turned around to leave, Allana called out, “Wait, how am I going to find my car? I got lost last time.”

Troy pulled out a forest trail map marking the road, “This is the road to Gio’s place.” Looking up he called out to Gio as he stepped out the door, “You right for tomorrow, Lisa can’t make it.” 

Gio gave a quick wave and he was off.

***

Allana met up with her friends at the lodge. After a few days of clear weather, she came back with a girlfriend to get her car. Filling the car up with fuel, she looked up the road, before turning to the girlfriend, “I just have to visit someone.”

The girlfriend scanned the surrounding forest, “Out here?”

“Just the guy who rescued me. Won’t be long.”

Pulling up in front of the cabin his vehicle was still there. The door opened; he stepped out to see who it was. Allana approached with her arms full carrying a box of groceries. Her eyes were drawn to the uniform he was wearing, “So you’re a park ranger?”

“Part-time. What have you got there?”

Handing him the box of food, “Just a thank you for letting me stay the night,” she lifted out a bottle of red wine, “You used the last of your wine on dinner and this one will taste better.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” With a warm smile, he said, “You’re welcome here anytime. I enjoyed the company.” Placing the box on the veranda. He reached out wrapping his arms around her with a warm hug, “Have a safe trip off the mountain.”

As she turned the car around, she looked back over her shoulder giving him a wave.

“Bring spare fuel next time,” he called out with a wave.

The End