Page 4 of Primal Snow

Next, there’s a rough inhale, as if thatthingsniffs the air.

Is this a good time to make amends with the Upstairs? God, you there?

And then, out of nowhere, something grabs me.

I yelp, flailing, until I hear Chase’s familiar laugh. His arms close around me, pulling me into his chest.

“Easy, babe, it’s just me!” he says, holding me steady.

“For fuck’s sake, Chase!” I snap, shoving him away. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

His chuckle falters when he sees my face. “Hey, are you good? You look… pale.” He takes off his glove and gently caresses my cheek. It stings, though I’m not sure whether it’s from the cold or a cut left by branches.

I glance back at the trees, half-expecting to see someone, something, anything lurking in the shadows. But there’s nothing.

“Yeah,” I lie, brushing the snow off my jacket. “I just… thought I heard something.”

Chase tilts his head, concerned. “Probably just a squirrel or something.”

Or something.

He retrieves my snowboard, making sure no damage was done. Then, taking my mittened hand like a lobster claw, he leads the way as we head back toward the trail.

But I can’t shake the feeling. Like there’s still a ghost of a presence out there, watching.

Waiting.

And as we leave the woods, I swear I hear another crunch.

Back on the trail, we reunite with the others, who seem blissfully unaware that I nearly had a nervous breakdown in the woods. Vicky waves at us from her skis with a blinding smile as though she’s auditioning for Miss Universe, while Jay hollers something about doing shots later. Typical.

“Finally!” Mia yells, pointing at Derek. “Now we can leave before this one finds more girls to text with.”

“Let it go, pookie,” Derek grumbles. I see that he’s getting his act together after she threatened him with no action.

“Alright. Send it!” Jay calls out, prompting us to go.

We make our way downhill in a chaotic blur of limbs, snow, and profanity. Vicky continues to be irritatingly good at skiing while Jay nearly takes out a small child. Mia, however, yells at Derek every time he gets within five feet of her—and I already know she’s going to have a sore throat tomorrow. Chase stays close, casually cruising alongside me and offering pointers I don’t necessarily want—but he’s just trying to be supportive.

By the time we reach the bottom, my legs feel like wet noodles, and all I dream about is a warm bath. It’s also quickly beginning to darken, with not that many people around, and none of us want to be stranded here at night.

“Groceries?” Vicky suggests as we pack up the SUV with our rented gear.

“And booze!” Jay adds, to which she rolls her eyes. “Cabin rules, sweet cheeks.”

I’m personally more worried about the basic survival tools, but I don’t want to be a party pooper so I stay silent.

We all settle inside with Chase back by the wheel, and a few minutes later, we pull into the small mountain-town grocery store. Vicky and Jay pile bottles of tequila and craft beer into the cart, while Mia throws a bag of tortilla chips at Derek’s head as they pick out snacks. Chase grabs the essentials and loads up on canned foods, clearly trying to win theBoyfriend of the Yearaward.

Meanwhile, I search the shelves for the first-aid kit and spare batteries for the flashlights. I realize I’m being fucking paranoid, but this sinking feeling is still gnawing at me.

It doesn’t help when, at the register, I overhear some tourists ahead of us in line asking weird questions to the cashier. Their voices carry a mix of curiosity and nervous energy, and it’s clear they’re not just making casual small talk—they’re recording it on their phones like amateur social media journalists.

Apparently, people tend to go missing in these mountains more often than anywhere else in the States. Just like that.

My stomach tightens. I mean, it’s Alaska—there’s a shit ton of snow, limited resources compared to the big cities, vibrant wildlife, and mountains are universally known to be dangerous. It wouldn’t seem so weird, I suppose, if I weren’t already on edge.

Everything about this place feels…wrong.

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