Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Yep, and it won’t fail ya. I keep it oiled and purring myself.” He seemed to pick up on my concern. “You’ll have power and water, and there’s enough canned food in the pantry for an apocalypse. You’ll be good, you just won’t have your fresh veggies, girlie.”
Since he was back to girlie again, it seemed that his concern for my well-being had passed. Still, he’d made me feel better. “That’s good to know.”
“You’ll be okay. Now get a move on and finish that book.”
I nodded and followed him to the front door. It wasn’t a book I was working on, but he didn’t need to know that. After donning my boots and winter coat, I walked out onto the front step, winding my thickest scarf around my neck as I went.
Winston stomped through the foot of snow to his ATV with the funny tires that looked like the kind found on tanks. Next time, I’d have to clear a path for him, but I didn’t come outside very much. Walking through deep snow wasn’t the easiest thing in the world. From time to time, I eyed the collection of snowshoes piled in a big basket near the fireplace, but I had no idea how to use them.
A loud roar filled the air and Winston was off, weaving his way through the trees up to the men’s cabin. Presumably there was a path under all the snow, but if so, I hadn’t seen it yet and likely wouldn’t. I watched him fight his way up the mountain for a few more minutes and then made my way back inside.
Since I was already in my winter gear, I decided to go straight through the small cabin to the deck out back. That was where the best view was. Grabbing an extra scarf from a hook by the door, I slid open the glass door and stepped out into paradise.
It was the most gorgeous view imaginable. It almost made me wonder how anyone got any work done up here. Evergreens scattered the landscape, their branches thick with pristine snow. A ravine opened up just beyond the deck and led to a small valley below. In the distance, mountain tops peaked, one after another, looking like they were waiting for a painter to immortalize them.
For a few moments, I filled my lungs with the freshest air I’d ever breathed. Yes, it was cold—really, really cold—but the pine scent accompanied notes I couldn’t even name. All I knew was that the air here was as different from Los Angeles as it was possible to be.
As I scanned the landscape, my eyes traveled up the hill to the left. At the top was the only other man-made item in sight, the other cabin. It looked like mine, but in triplicate. Bigger cabin, bigger deck, bigger everything. The deck was empty at the moment, but as I watched, one of the men came out onto the front porch. I squinted, trying to figure out which one it was. I thought of them as small, medium, and large, even though they were all likely much taller than me. It was hard to tell much else about them, because of both the distance and the fact that they only appeared in head-to-toe winter gear.
Nevertheless, I thought that the one who strode out into the snow, evidently having heard Winston’s approach, was the tall one with the dark hair. I scanned the woods in front of him, but the ATV was lost in the trees. The man seemed to be scanning the forest, too, but then he turned my way and held up a hand.
After a moment, I waved back. That was it—that was the extent of my human interaction these days. Talking to Winston when he’d first dropped me off a few days ago, and today when he’d brought the groceries, and waving at the guys up the way.
And that was exactly how I wanted it. My gaze returned to the tree line as I moved to the edge of the deck. I’d been acting since I was eight. I’d made countless indie and made-for-television movies, and last year I’d been in a major mainstream action movie. After all those years of acting, I was ready for something different, and this was my chance.
Sure, I’d struggled with my screenplay, but that was back in the real world with dozens of things competing for my attention. Now, there was just me, my writing, and a whole lot of snow.
This was my chance to do something different, something worthwhile, something incredibly important to me—and there was no way I was going to let it go to waste.
Four days later, I was far less sure about the situation. I’d been mentally prepared for snow. Lots and lots of snow. I’d never once thought of the possibility of an ice storm.