I watched as the vivid, emerald, green branches of the surrounding pine trees passed overhead. The occasional golden flash of sunlight burst through between them, bright in my eyes. The steady ticking of the snowmobile’s engine was a constant, hypnotic rhythm in my ears. The sled rocked gently, side to side with the occasional bounce on the smooth, packed snow of the ski trail.
My entire body once again began to spasm in uncontrollable shivers, a chill gnawed deep inside of me. A chill that the heavy, rough blankets I was wrapped in did very little to relieve.
Where was I? What was I doing here? Where was I going? The questions swirled in the thick haze that had settled on my mind. I was in a sled. Yes, I could remember that. There was the vague image of a man strapping me in. Magnus, it had been Magnus. He was taking me to Skyggespor.
My breath drew in, a sudden, ragged gasp of the icy air as another wave of shivers convulsed through my body.
My thoughts began wandering again, they drifted aimlessly. Memories of the past came and went while my hopes and plans for the future passed through my head like a silent spectre. It’s ironic really, when I look back now. Despite the pitiful state that I was in, that was probably the most at peace I had felt for months, my hypothermia befuddled brain was blissfully unaware of the horrific ordeal that I had endured at the hands of my brother.
Hands on my body! Flinching suddenly, my mind snapped back to the present.
“You’re ok, Heidi. It’s only me.” A soft, warm voice spoke to me.
Magnus leant over me, a kindly smile spread across his bearded face, lines drew out from the corners of his eyes. Eyes that were brimming with concern, fixed on me. His arms were spread out to the side, red gloved hands with their palms turned towards me.
“I’m just going to undo the straps and then we’ll get you inside. Is that ok?” He spoke slowly, his voice soothing.
The smile on Magnus’ face broadened as I nodded my head weakly. The tangle I’d felt I my stomach at his first touch dissolved, melted away by his kind and comforting expression.
Around me I could see a number of square, dark painted wooden huts. Each one, only a single story in height, was built from roughly hewn logs. In the front was a sturdy door, flanked on either side by a large, square window. The steep pitched roofs, tiled with grey slates stood out darkly against the bright, snow covered surroundings.
It was a place that was instantly recognisable to me, the Skyggespor resort. But why was I here? I still didn’t really understand.
My eyes settled on Magnus, who, one by one released the small metal catches on the straps that bound me to the sled, throwing them off and over me.
I tried to push myself up, to sit but I found my movement subtly restrained by Magnus’ hand resting gently on my shoulder.
“Don’t try to move, don’t tire yourself out. Let me help you.” Slowly he slid one arm underneath my knees and hooking the other under my arms, gently lifted me, still wrapped in the blankets, off the sled.
“I know that things are so hard for you at the moment. I can’t even begin to imagine what you must be going through, but you’ve got to make sure that you’re eating properly. There’s hardly anything of you.”
Magnus straightened his back, slowly standing with me held firmly like a rag doll in his strong grip.
Why did he say that I wasn’t eating properly? I always made sure that I ate properly. Magnus’ words seemed to echo around my head, but they didn’t really make any sense to me.
Turning around, he began walking us towards a building. It was made from the same dark stained, rough logs as the guest huts but was considerably bigger. Catching my eye, a vibrant flash of red. The Norwegian flag, fluttered lazily from a flagpole atop the building.
His boots crunched sharply in the crisp snow as he walked. Around us, the buildings cast long shadows in the afternoon sun.
He carried me up the three wooden steps towards the big building. A sign hung over the door. ‘Skyggespor Beer Hall’, the words, painted in bright blue paint on a red background.
The building wasn’t just a bar, it also served as the restaurant and reception, the heart and soul of the resort. It was a place that I knew well, having worked here as a waitress over the last couple of seasons while I stayed with Grandfather.
But what was I doing here? My mind was still clouded in a dense fog. I had the vague feeling that I was running from something. Was someone chasing me? Or something?
The door handle clicked as Magnus’ hand twisted it, swinging the door open before stepping inside.
Warm air washed over me as soon as we entered, it filled my lungs. The smell of home cooking was hanging thickly in the air, a rich, savoury and aromatic scent. The sound of lowered voices, a murmured chatter filled the place.
The beer hall was a reasonably sized room. The highly polished wooden floorboards reflected the lights that hung from the ceiling and caught the dimming, amber rays of the sun filtering in through the four large windows that lined the front of the building.
A dozen, round wooden tables were arranged around the room, each one topped with a warm, flickering candle. The walls, clad in lightly varnished pine were adorned with photos. There were beautiful photos of the local area as well as many showcasing Magnus competing in the colours of the Norwegian national cross country ski team. Displayed prominently among them hung a framed Olympic team jacket and a signed flag.
On the far side of the room was the bar, stretching for half the width of the wall, lined with gleaming beer pumps. Behind the bar, beside a hook board laden with a number of keys, the keys to the guest huts, were shelves lined with bottles of all manner of spirits.
I remember noticing a small crowd of people at the bar, four men chatting with the barmaid. I didn’t recognise her. She was a girl of around my age, she was tall with frizzy ginger hair. The group glanced over at myself and Magnus as we entered the room, their expressions unreadable. Other than that small group, I don’t remember seeing anyone else.
My body swayed in Magnus’ arms as he strode purposely across the floor towards a door beside the bar.
“Kristina, can you get the door for me?” Magnus’ voice cut through the hushed atmosphere of the bar. It seemed to boom with a sudden urgency. What was worrying him? He had seemed so calm outside.
The ginger haired barmaid hurried over to the door, pulling it open just as we arrived. Her eyes fixed on me, wide with concern.
“Is the medical room set?” Kristina nodded in answer to Magnus’ question. “I’m going to need your help. Can you grab me some clothes from the warm room? Anything that you can find, and bring them to me?”
Kristina gave another sharp nod before following us through the door as we stepped into the hallway.
The hallway was long and dim, illuminated only by the light coming in from a window at the far end. Lining the hallway were six doors, three on either side. The first on the right leading to the kitchen with the next two leading to a couple of bedrooms. On the left was the ski and boot room, the bathroom with the last door showing a green sign with a white cross, the medical room.
The medical room was only a small room, just about big enough for the single bed that was pushed up against one wall. A small desk sat against the other wall and a couple of chairs completed the furnishings. Beside the desk was a small sink. In the wall at the head of the bed was a large, frosted window and lining the opposite wall were shelves stacked high with a multitude of boxes and blankets.
Despite its small size, it felt light and airy. The walls had been painted in a pale cream, the window was large and the strip lighting on the ceiling glowed brightly.
Very gently, Magnus lowered me down onto the bed, the white sheets and mattress felt delightfully soft as I was carefully placed upon them.
“Magnus? What’s going on, what am I doing here?” my voice came shrill and weak. Half memories had begun to drift back to me, they teased me from the edge of my subconscious.
“Heidi, please don’t worry yourself. You’re safe now, you’re going to be fine. Just lay back and rest.” Just as he said those words, my eyes caught a flicker of movement from the door. A sharp gasp of breath hit my lungs as my eyes darted towards it.
Magnus’ brows lowered, his mouth tightening in worry as he saw me startle.
His voice came, once again, slowly and soft, “You’re ok, Heidi. This is Kristina. She’s going to help get you into something warm.”
Magnus turned towards the barmaid, who now filled the doorway, a brown bundle tucked under her arms. When he spoke again, his voice was much lower, almost hushed. “Help get her into those clothes. I’ll give you both a little privacy, but if you need me I’ll just be out in the passage. Remember what I said though, please be gentle with her.”
The big man patted Kristina on the shoulder before stepping through the door and closing it softly behind him.
Kristina turned to face me. A pale face, framed with that fierce, frizzy, ginger hair looked down at me. Deep emerald eyes settled on me as her mouth drew up into a kind smile. Her face wasn’t a particularly striking face, but it was kind and warm. My mind was still befuddled, but I felt a sense of comfort wash over me as she walked closer, her footsteps falling softly on the hard wooden floor.
“Hello Heidi, my name’s Kristina. I help Magnus out here at the resort. I’ve got some nice warm clothes here for you.” she spoke with a voice that was soft and soothing. She turned, placing the bundle that she carried onto one of the chairs.
“Let’s just take off these blankets and we’ll get you dressed.” Reaching forward, she slowly began to peel off the blankets that covered me, hanging them over the back of the other chair as she went.
A violent shiver convulsed through my body as Kristina removed the last blanket. Slowly, she leant forward, reaching for the zip of the ski jacket that I was wearing. A ski jacket that was the same blue hue as the thick sweatshirt she wore, the identical Skyggespor logo embroidered on the breast.
Of course, Magnus had given me that jacket. He had wrapped it around my shoulders when he had first come across me walking out on the ski trail.
Pulling the zip down, Kristina opened the front of the jacket and tenderly slipped it off my shoulders. Suddenly exposed to the warm air of the room, a searing burning flooded over me. It started from the tips of my fingers and toes then it spread out across me like a raging wildfire.
My eyes screwed closed, a strangled gurgle escaping my throat at the intense heat that tormented my body.
I heard Kristina’s soft, reassuring voice once again. “You’re ok, Heidi. You got very cold out there, it’s just your body warming up. Are you able to sit?”
Tears blurred my vision as I opened my eyes. Straining and wobbling, I tried to push myself up. Seeing me struggle, Kristina placed her hands on me to help. My breath caught, a sudden, ragged gasp. Kristina’s touch was like a red hot iron, scalding through the already searing burn of my skin.
“You’re ok.” the soft voice once again repeated the phrase as she gently eased me upright.
I watched as Kristina reached over to that bundle that she’d placed on the chair, pulling from it a brown fleece.
“It’s not very flattering I know, but it’ll keep you warm.” The usually soft and fine fabric of a fleece top felt rough and abrasive as she eased it over my head and gently helped my arms in.
Kristina’s hand went back to the chair, lifting up a pair of red jogging bottoms.
“I don’t think you’ll be winning any fashion awards but at least you’ll be warm. There, how do you feel?” Her delicate voice was a comfort as she eased my legs into the bottoms and carefully slid them up to my waist.
With the raw burning still ravaging my body, I tried to smile.
“Thank you.” My voice, a hoarse whisper. With Kristina’s aid, I eased back down onto my back.
She smiled down at me, her smile was warm and friendly although in her eyes I saw sympathy and worry.
Turning around, she made her way over to the shelves, retrieved a number of blankets which she then proceeded to lay over me.
“These will warm you up nicely. I’ll go and fetch Magnus back in.” And with those words, I watched as Kristina turned and softly walked to the door, opened it and quietly slipped outside.
I was running from someone, wasn’t I? That’s why I was on that ski trail when Magnus found me, because I was running away. Someone was trying to catch me.
The door swung open, and the bulky frame of Magnus stepped in, that reassuring smile, wide across his face. Closing the door behind himself, his eyes came to rest on me.
“How are you feeling, Heidi? It looks like Kristina has done an excellent job in getting you wrapped up. She’s been a life saver to me this season. She’s studying to be a nurse at the University in Oslo, that’s where you’re studying isn’t it? Never mind that, do you feel up to a little something to drink?”
My breath shuddered in my throat, the raging fire was still burning over my body although maybe not quite as intensely as before.
“Yes please, Magnus” I managed the words, my voice sounding stronger than before.
His head nodded satisfactorily as he placed a steaming mug onto the desk before gathering another blanket from the shelves.
“Ok, let’s get you propped up a bit, shall we?” walking over to me and kneeling down, he gently placed a hand between my shoulder blades. Easing me up slightly, he slid the rolled blanket underneath me.
Retrieving the mug from the desk and pulling a chair over to my bedside, he sat down. His eyes were fixed intently on me as he dropped a red straw into the mug and lowered it towards my mouth.
“Just small sips now.”
My lips closed around the straw. The faint, sweet aroma drifted up, a comforting smell that filled my senses. Taking a careful sip, the rich, warm flavour of hot chocolate exploded onto my tongue. A warmth that spread down my throat, deep into my insides. Not the intense, fiery heat that ravaged my outsides but a deep, soothing warmth which melted the frost that gnawed away inside of me.
With every sip I could feel myself getting stronger, the ice within my core gradually melted away, the burning of my skin soothed, the shivering settled.
Magnus smiled as I drained the last of that sweet, rich liquid from the cup. When I had finished, he reached behind himself and settled the cup on the table.
“Do you think you can manage to sit up?”
Nodding, I tried to slide myself backwards on the bed. My muscles and joints creaked stiffly. A dull pain snagged at them as I moved but I did manage to move, managed to push myself up.
It was then, in a sudden moment of clarity that the haze which had settled thickly over my mind lifted. My heart pounded, my breath hitched, coming in short, sharp, ragged bursts.
Magnus must have seen the change in me, his eyes widened, his jaw tightened.
“Heidi? Heidi, are you ok?” the strain of worry tightened Magnus’ voice.
For the first time in more months than I could remember, a smile burst across my face. An ecstatic smile, a smile of elation.
I was fine, I was more than fine! I had done it! Against all the odds I had made it to Skyggespor.
I had escaped Lars!
I was safe!