A Christmas to remember

CHAPTER TWO

Sophie said, "Finally," as she entered the lodge's opulent foyer. "At least it’s warm in here."

Still suffering from the intense cold, I followed. After the terrifying trip, all I could feel was relief that we had arrived, even if the enormous oak beams and crackling fireplace should have made us feel welcome. Behind us, Ethan slammed the door shut against the wind while balancing our things.

He put the bags down and added, "This place is beautiful," in a strained voice. "Look, Emma? I assured you that it would be worthwhile.

I brushed the snow off my jacket and ignored him. "Let’s just get settled."

From behind the counter came a happy-looking lady with a suspiciously broad grin. "Greetings from Mountain Haven! I assume you're the Thompsons.

Ethan responded, "That’s us," and moved onward. "Thanks for having us."

She chirped, "It’s our pleasure!" and gave a key. "Your suite is prepared. Just so you know, the storm may grow worse tonight. Be careful to remain inside.

"Great," Sophie said to herself. Despite my warning look, she just rolled her eyes and walked slowly in the direction of the stairs.

With floor-to-ceiling windows framing the snow-capped peaks beyond, our apartment was opulent and expansive, just as Ethan had promised. Without asking, Sophie slammed the door behind her and took the room farthest from it.

I remarked, "She's going to be unbearable," and then I passed off on the sofa.

Ethan scratched his head and put down the remaining bags. "Will you make an effort to get along with her? Only for a few of days?"

"Not if she keeps acting like this," I yelled. "You’re the one who insisted on bringing her."

He said, "And I’m starting to regret it," "But it's finished now. Let's just try to make the most of it.

We still had a lot of tension, but I was too tired to fight any longer. I chose to ignore the roaring wind outside by curling up on the sofa with my book instead.

When I discovered Sophie hadn't left her room in hours, it was late. With snow piling up outside and windows shaking, the storm was now well underway.

"Have you seen Sophie?" Ethan was frantically working on his laptop at the dining table when I questioned him.

He frowned as he looked up. "Not since our arrival. She could be sleeping.

"Should we check on her?"

"You want to check on her?" Ethan's eyebrows went up.

I let out a sigh. "All right. I forgot to inquire.

However, as the minutes passed, I began to feel apprehensive. I couldn't get Sophie's pale face out of my head, her fingers white as she gripped her phone in the vehicle. I knocked on her door at last.

"Sophie?" No response. I made another, louder attempt. "Sophie, are you in there?"

I pushed the door open when no answer was received. There was nobody in the room. She had lost her boots and coat.

"Ethan!" Panic rising in my chest, I called. "She’s not here."

His face becoming pale as he surveyed the empty room, he emerged in the doorway. "What do you mean, she’s not here?"

"She's gone, really! Her belongings are also gone.

Ethan grabbed his jacket and muttered a curse. "She wouldn’t have gone outside, would she?"

"In this storm?" My voice trembled as I spoke. "Who knows what she’s thinking?"

Hurrying downstairs, we entered the foyer as the wind whipped snow against the glass. The receptionist raised her head in fear. "Is everything okay?"

"Have you seen a teenage girl?" Ethan's voice was strained as he asked. "Dark hair, about this tall?"

The lady gave a headshake. "Not since you checked in."

"She’s out there somewhere," I whispered, feeling my throat constricted. "We have to find her."

When we went outdoors, the storm struck us like a wall. With the wind tearing through our jackets, the snow was knee-deep. Even though there wasn't much visibility, Ethan took the lead and called Sophie's name into thin air.

Over the wind he shouted, "She couldn’t have gone far!" "Check near the lodge!"

With my pulse thumping, I staggered in the snow. I didn't care that the cold was getting into my bones. Finding Sophie before anything horrible occurred was all I could think about.

"Sophie!" My voice could hardly be heard above the roaring wind as I yelled. "Where are you?"

Then I saw it: a dim series of footsteps that led out of the lodge. I felt sick to my stomach. "Ethan! Come on over here!"

In a matter of seconds, he stood beside me, his expression gloomy as he followed my eyes. "She went toward the lake."

"Why would she go there?" My voice broke as I asked.

"I don’t know," he muttered, beginning to move. "Let’s go."

The lake's surface was frozen over and blanketed with snow, making it difficult to see through the blizzard. Sophie was there, close to the middle. Her head was hunched as if she were inspecting something on the ice.

"Sophie!" With a voice full of terror, Ethan yelled. "Get off the ice!"

Startled, she glanced up and remained still for a time. Then there was a deep, eerie moan from the ice underneath her, which made me feel frightened.

"Sophie, don’t move!" Even though it was chilly outside, I cried while I screamed.

She yelled back, her voice trembling, "I’m fine!" "It’s solid!"

"No, it’s not!" Ethan yelled as he edged toward the lake's edge. "Remain at your current location. I'll be there to pick you up."

"Don’t!" she cried out. "You’ll make it worse!"

Sophie froze as the ice moaned once again, louder this time. Watching Ethan take another stride onto the ice made my heart feel like it was about to explode.

"Ethan, stop!" I pleaded. "You’ll fall in too!"

"I can’t leave her out there!" His voice cracked as he screamed back. "Sophie, hold on!"

The ice under Sophie broke before he could go another step, and the sound reverberated like a gunshot. As it collapsed under her and she fell into the icy water, she let out a scream.

"Sophie!" I shouted and fell to the ground, my legs failing me. As the storm roared around us, Ethan was already on the move, creeping toward the hole.