Chapter Fifteen #2
Henrik stood up. The team leader was ready to go. ‘Good work, everyone! We’re halfway there.’
‘Alright, Bon Jovi,’ Will shouted, and everyone laughed.
‘The same effort again and then you get your reward at the top. Ready? Let’s go!’
I was not ready, but he wasn’t really asking. Left, right, left, right, I kept my head down and dug deep. Trying to find the inner strength to get my arse up the hill. Kimi and Yuto were inspiring me at the rear – if they could do it, I could do it: there was no excuse for me not to shift my bum.
Half an hour later and I was ready to raise the white flag.
It felt like we’d been walking forever and I had nothing left to give.
Nobody had spoken since the break, but the silence was masked by heavy breathing, the odd grunt, and the continuous clatter of skis.
I was seconds away from giving up when we rounded a corner and the peak came into view.
There were a set of metal steps we’d have to walk up, but it was close enough to believe it was possible.
‘Not far now!’ Henrik said, turning sideways to get up the steps. The final climb to the top. ‘Keep your legs moving. Don’t stop.’
We all got a second wind and pushed each other on, to get there together. I felt completely broken as I walked up the steps – all twenty-eight of them – and crawled over the summit. Clicking off my skis and lying on the ground, I was physically and mentally exhausted.
‘You did it!’ Henrik said, clapping his cramping sticks together. ‘Congratulations. You have all earnt your dinner tonight.’
I peered over the edge and couldn’t believe I’d done it.
The drop down to the ground was huge. It had seemed impossible when we’d started, like any difficult thing, yet here we all were.
My breathing returned to normal as I lay coddled in my ski suit, staring up at the sky.
I’d been exercised like a prize cow and needed an hour or two to sunbathe and recover.
‘Take your photos and drink some water, and we’ll all ski down together,’ Henrik shouted, as everyone ran to different spots to check out the view. I stayed put, sitting up to take it all in.
We were on top of the world. As close to heaven as it was possible to be.
Snow-dipped mountains poked through wispy clouds and I could just about make out the fjords down below.
Bergen looked spectacular in all her colourful finery, and I took a few snaps then stood up to check out the other side.
And there she was. The Folgefonna glacier.
Thousands of layers of snow packed tight on top of each other, forming this miracle over thousands of years.
It was like seeing a different planet. Will and Celeste were taking selfies in my eyeline as I admired the view, and I found myself getting irritated that they couldn’t just enjoy the moment for what it was.
Their tech and noise were ruining my first glimpse of this awesome natural phenomenon. Look how far I’d come.
I carried my skis to the edge and peeled off the Velcro, excitement bubbling in my belly. It wasn’t a piste at all. Not like the wide, bashed, regulated runs I was used to. It was more like a shovel of snow going downhill, and there was nobody else on it.
‘Are you sure this is safe?’ I asked as Henrik walked past.
‘I am,’ he said with a reassuring confidence. ‘People helicopter in to ski this mountain every day. It’s a well-kept local secret and very easy to ski. I promise.’
The snow was untouched and looked incredible. I was torn between relishing every second and skiing down as fast as I could. It was the one and only time I’d ever do it – there was no way in hell I’d be trekking up that mountain again.
The others had already click-clacked over and were waiting for the official nod.
‘Everyone ready? Follow your nose as far as you can see, then the piste goes to the right and round, then down and to the left. We walked up the short part of the mountain, but we’ll take the long route home.
Off you go!’ He watched as one by one we tipped over the edge, like penguins chasing each other into a swimming pool.
I waited till the end so I could hoon it down without anyone crashing into me. I liked to know where everyone was.
‘After you,’ Henrik said with a smile. ‘Unless you’re afraid?’ He was teasing, but there was an undercurrent of real concern. He was so sweet.
I found myself wanting to impress him, to show him that this was one activity I would be good at.
‘Not at all – I can’t wait! I just like to go either first or last, but I suppose you’re playing teacher, so you get to go last. See you down there!
’ With a wink, I jumped into the powder.
My muscle memory got straight to work as I swooshed left then right, the soft snow already up to my calves.
I was gliding through it, gunning down the mountain with the wind in my hair.
The climb up was totally worth it. I slowed slightly to veer right and realised Henrik was skiing next to me.
He gave me a cheeky wave and the two of us skidded around the corner, regaining our balance at the same time before carrying on down the mountain.
I couldn’t shake him off, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to, so we skied side by side instead.
I was used to being alone on the slopes.
Mark liked the black runs and the board park, so I barely saw him on our weekends together.
It felt strange to be skiing in a twosome like this.
I already knew Henrik was strong and fit, but it hit different seeing him out on skis and I had to work hard not to get distracted.
Using every inch of his body to get down the mountain, he clearly knew it inside out, zipping off to do little jumps on the side, while I went left to right in huge circles of eight.
We arrived at the bottom, where everyone was waiting, breathless and full of adrenaline. What. A. High. I could see why the Norwegians loved it. The release at the top was so worth the effort of getting up there in the first place. To have the whole piste to fly down and feel so completely free.
I wanted to do it again.