Page 65 of Mountain Daddies

“Make sure you don’t get your socks wet,” Artie says. “We don’t want you catching a cold.”

“Did Calvin mention something about the electricity?” Ed asks.

“Yeah, I think they’re working on restoring it. My phone is working, so they’ve obviously fixed the signal,” Ollie says. “Or at least it’s now strong enough to let calls through.”

The landscape, once pristine, now bears the marks of the powerful snowstorm. The trees, once bare and skeletal, are now adorned in a delicate layer of snow.

The sunlight filters through the branches, casting a soft, ethereal glow upon the surroundings. The snow-covered landscape seems to stretch endlessly, unifying everything it touches. Snow blankets the ground, creating a soft, cushioned layer that muffles any sounds and lends a sense of tranquility to the surroundings. The place is frozen in time, untouched by chaos.

“It’s so beautiful,” I say in awe as we trudge to the back of the cabin.

“Yeah, it always is after a snowstorm,” Artie muses. “It’s like nature rewarding us for whatever came before.”

We navigate the snow-covered terrain, Ed and Ollie leading the way.

We walk all the way to the back, where there’s a small shed. Ollie pulls it open to check on the generator that hums loudly. He tinkers with it and switches it off long enough to refuel it.

I notice the small footprints around the shed. “What’s this?” I ask.

“Footprints, probably a small fox that lost its way,” Artie says.

“Poor thing, I hope it finds its way home,” I say, clutching my heart.

The brothers all look at each other. Ed turns to me. “Susan, you’re so…”

“What?” I ask defensively.

“Are you seriously worried about a fox right now?” Ed asks.

“Yeah, I am. In case you haven’t noticed, they’re quite cute,” I point out.

“I agree,” Artie says.

“You’ll agree to anything she says,” Ollie says, pointing his thumb at me.

“Hey now,” Artie says.

“Come on, we still need to check on the house,” Ed says, dragging a tall ladder out of the shed. Artie helps him carry it to the cabin and they place it securely on the ground, leaning against the roof.

Ed begins to climb the ladder to take a closer look at one of the problem areas.

“Are you sure this is safe?” I ask, concerned. “That doesn’t look very secure.”

“He’s going to be fine, don’t worry about him,” Artie says. “I have his back.”

Ed, with a focused expression, starts by assessing the exterior of the cabin. He carefully inspects the roof, brushing off the powdery snow to ensure it hasn’t caused any damage. His gloved hands run along the edges, searching for any signs of weakness or leaks that may have been caused by the weight of the snow.

As we move from one area to another, he inspects the cabin meticulously, examining the roof, windows, and overall structure. Ollie does the same to the lower areas, checking windows and the outer rim of the cabin.

I stand nearby, watching attentively as they methodically examine every nook and cranny.

“Everything looks okay,” Artie says.

I hug myself with my arms and look up to the east. The sun is peeking out, mellow but there.

“This isn’t very scary at all,” I say, trudging a few feet away. “You guys were being over-the-top for no reason.”

“Careful now,” Ollie warns me.

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