Page 13 of Snowbound with the Santas

I have no idea who that man is.

He continues to chop wood, completely oblivious to me watching him. Then he pauses and turns toward the building.

I dart back from the window as if I’ve been burned and swallow down a moan of pain as my shift in stance flares more pain through my leg. The net curtain drifts too slowly back into place.

Holy shit.

From my glimpse of the surroundings, I’m definitely not near the ski lodge unless this is some kind of cabin that’s tucked behind the building.

Panic rushes through me like static and I hurriedly scan the room. Twinkling catches my eye, and I rush to the dresser where my purse sits.

On my way, any kind of weight on my right leg results in my falling. Each thump of my body hitting the floor in my rush makes me acutely aware of how loud that sound is. What ifsomeone hears me? I have absolutely nothing to defend myself with, but if I can get my phone, maybe I can call for help.

The longer I’m awake, the more I doubt that this place has anything to do with the ski lodge.

Reaching the dresser, I clutch my purse and then spot my dress, folded up neatly on the corner.

Was it that man outside? If it had been a woman, they never would have folded up a dress like this.

I fumble through my purse, relieved to find my phone tucked inside, but my relief is short-lived. Turning it over, the cracked screen causes my heart to sink. After pressing a few buttons, the light flickers across the screen, and my warped home screen blooms to life.

Only for the low battery warning to flash up, followed by theNo Servicenotification that haunted me last night.

Fuck.

Fuckingfuck!

What the hell am I supposed to do?

I’m in an unfamiliar place, with a strange man outside and no clue how I got here.

Or who took my dress off.

“Think, Rayne. Think.” I have to be near the ski lodge, right? I don’t remember Mom mentioning anything else being in the mountains, so maybe this is the workers' lodge or some kind of medical facility.

Despite the no signal warning, I tap through my contacts to Nina and attempt to call her. It fails immediately, so I type out a quick text explaining the crash and how I woke up in a strange room. It doesn’t send.

No matter. If some kind of mountain cannibal has kidnapped me, then maybe that text can serve as proof of life until then.

Wait, I haven’t heard the thunk in a while.

Hobbling back to the window with my phone in hand, I peer out through the slightly warped glass and stare down at where I last saw the stranger.

The man is gone.

So is the axe.

My gut clenches, and heat flushes quickly through my system. Fuck. It was scary when I knew where he was. Now that I have no idea, it’s even more terrifying. Using the wall for balance, I hobble slowly toward the door and lightly press my ear against it.

Maybe if I can slip out of here, find a change of clothes or something, then I stand a chance. All I need to do is somehow get out of here and then… what? Run through the snow until I hit civilization?

Steal a car?

Tears sting at the corners of my eyes as my thigh throbs, pulsing in rhythm with my heartbeat and creating a strange echo of sensations through my body.

Holding my phone against my chest, I clasp the door handle and apply the slightest pressure.

It turns easily—then suddenly, the area outside is filled with distant, heavy, thumping footsteps.

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