Chapter 6 #2
Turning my attention to the weathered wooden building in front of me, I was certain my altitude-addled brain was playing tricks on me.
Where were the panoramic windows? The grand stone entrance with hand-carved beams?
All I saw was a tired-looking barn-like structure that seemed one harsh winter away from collapsing.
And the scent wafting toward me wasn’t from a gourmet restaurant.
It was distinctly livestock-related, with firm notes of hay and manure.
“Can I help you?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of the voice behind me. A woman in mud-splattered boots and well-worn jeans approached, brown-blonde hair pulled back in a practical braid. Her skin bore the rich tan of someone who lived permanently outdoors.
“Ah … I’m looking for the Aster Park Mountain Resort and Spa?”
“You’re the girl LuxeLife sent from California.” It was a statement, not a question, and she said the word California the same way Noah did. With derision and loathing.
“You want the main lobby.”
“This isn’t the main lobby?” I pointed to a wooden sign that clearly read, “Main Lobby,” at the edge of the gravel, right behind a clump of shrubs. “It says Main Lobby right there.”
The woman walked over to the sign and pulled away the branch obscuring the bottom half. Beneath the words “Main Lobby” was an arrow pointing straight up the mountain.
“This is the Adventure Center,” she explained, gesturing toward the barn-like structure.
“Part of the original property from 1910. The map apps bring people here all the time. The main resort’s on up the road.
” She said the word “resort,” like Noah did, and made the same quote fingers, too.
“Name’s Jenn, by the way. I’d shake your hand, but.
..” She held up her gloved hands. “Just finished mucking out the stalls.”
I pulled my hand back out of shaking distance. “I’m Samantha Li. My friends call me Sam.”
Jenn smiled, but her eyes weren’t exactly friendly. She leaned on her pitchfork, looked me up and down. “Well, Samantha, seems like you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s about to get dark around here. Real dark.”
I invoked my super influencer powers. “Any chance you could give me a ride?”
Jenn held up her gloved hands.
“Right. The muck. From the stalls.”
“You know how to ride a horse?” asked Jenn, extra cheerful.
“I’ll just call the front desk to have somebody fetch me.” I pulled out my phone to make the call, but once again, the screen mocked me with zero bars.
“Yeah, service is sketchy down here,” said Jenn. “It comes and it goes. Like Californians.”
“Oh, you have a lot of California visitors that come and go?”
“I meant the sketchy part.”
“Oh.”
It was like I was in one of those indie horror films where everyone in the quirky little town has a dark secret, and then, the unsuspecting Asian-American girl from Los Angeles gets sacrificed by a cult.
My shoulders slumped, and my boots sank into what I desperately prayed was just mud. “Well, at least my day can’t get any worse.”
“You’d be surprised,” said Jenn.
“Maybe I should have just taken the ride with Noah,” I grumbled.
“Wait, Noah?” Jenn pushed off from her pitchfork. “Tall guy? Messy hair, never shaves? Impossibly blue eyes, but kind of full of himself?”
“Yes, that’s the one.” I crossed my arms, ignoring the little flutter in my stomach at the mention of those impossibly blue eyes. “Plus, he had some sort of wolf-dog with him.”
“And Noah was going to give you a ride from the airport?”
“He was going to … but then he abandoned me. Because he hates me.”
Jenn chuckled, shaking her head. “His customer service skills are admittedly lacking.”
“Lacking? Try nonexistent.”
Jenn paused, with a twinkle in her eye. “I can call him if you want. Have him drive you to the lobby?”
“No.” I stopped her short. “I’d rather walk.” Staring up the road, I noticed the temperature dropped when the sun dipped under the mountain tops, making my pink Lululemon pullover feel like tissue paper.
“Well, you better get moving then,” said Jenn, glancing at the darkening sky. “You don’t really want to be out here by yourself after dark.”
“Yeah, Noah told me. Mountain lions.” The memory brought a fresh wave of irritation. If he hadn’t abandoned me, I wouldn’t be facing this death march through predator-infested woods.
“Well, yeah, those, sure. But you also have to watch out for the coyotes. Bobcats, bears, rattlesnakes.”
“Rattlesnakes?”
“Oh, and moose.”
“You really have moose?” Despite my parents’ warnings, I’d half-convinced myself the moose thing was an elaborate prank played on tourists.
“All over the place.”
“What is this, Jurassic Park?” I glanced nervously at the surrounding forest, now transforming into a labyrinth of danger-filled shadows.
“Every once in a while, we even get a rabid beaver.” Jenn seemed to be enjoying herself.
“I get the picture, thanks.” The only predators I ever had to worry about in Los Angeles were bartenders serving overpriced cocktails and guys in clubs claiming to be lingerie photographers. At least they didn’t come with fangs.
“How do I get up to the resort?” I asked.
Jenn pointed to the trail leading up the mountain. “Just follow the path. You can’t miss it.” Jenn was severely underestimating my ability to get lost. “I would offer to help you with your bag, but, well, you know.” She held up her muck-covered gloves.
“I think I’m good.” I wasn’t good. I was about to hike through moose-infested wilderness, hauling designer luggage with no cell service.
As I began trudging up the hill, Jenn called after me. “Oh, and Samantha.”
I turned.
“Don’t worry about Noah. I’m sure he doesn’t hate you specifically. He just hates everyone from LuxeLife.”
I was beginning to feel like an extra in a supervillain origin story, The Tale of Super Mountain Grumpy Face. “Why does Noah hate everyone from LuxeLife?” I called back down the trail.
“Long story!”
I was about to press further, but Jenn had already turned back toward the stables, leaving me alone with my questions and my dread.
“Wonderful,” I mumbled to the empty woods. At least I hoped they were empty.