Page 78 of The Lodge

12:58AM

Don’t worry

I’m not staying, have to get back to Boston ASAP

Also, if anyone asks you any questions, please tell them you don’t know anything

JULIE

12:58AM

Questions??? RIV. What’s going on??

RIVER

1:00AM

I’ll explain everything

Don’t worry

I’ll call you as soon as we’re in the car and on the road

JULIE

1:00AM

Who’s *we*??

Riv?

River??

23

By midafternoon on Wednesday, the entire resort is buzzing about the change in the forecast. Unfortunately, the change is not for the better.

Now they’re predicting evenmoresnow—and even sooner.

The Yeti has gathered more energy than expected, and instead of late Thursday or early Friday, some are saying it could start as soon as tomorrow morning.

The train is already running on a limited schedule, and they’re booked solid today with people trying to get out in time. I’m guessing the opposite is true for the incoming trains they haven’t already canceled—who would intentionally try to travel up this way with the massive blizzard on the horizon?

Chloe. Chloe would.

I pick up my phone, initiate a FaceTime.

She answers almost immediately.

“Aliiiiiix! This forecast is ruining mylife.”

“There’s, like, one meteorologist still insisting it won’t be terrible?” I say. “But I honestly think he’s just trying to go viral.”

“Trains run in the snow all the time, right? They have all sorts of protocols in place to keep them going twenty-four seven.”

“Do they?” I say. “I’m honestly not sure. Even if the trains technically could run, they’re anticipating power outages and significant delays, so they’ve preemptively canceled, like, ninety percent of their scheduled departures this weekend. You’re still thinking you might try to come?”

I feel a sliver of hope that she’ll still be able to visit as planned, but it’s dulled by how unlikely it is to work out. I really don’t want her making a treacherous journey on my account—what if she gets stranded somewhere between here and New York?

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