“Vicki, Vicki!!”

I heard my name being called and I snapped my eyes open to see Anika standing over me along with a bunch of people. She breathed a sigh of relief and sat back on her haunches.

“I’m beginning to think that you are cursed when it comes to winter.” she muttered.

I sat up realizing that I was laying on my back much to the charain of what looked to be a medical person. They told me to take it easy. I felt fine but I’m nothing if not obedient, so I sat while the medical person checked me out. I was at the bottom of the hill.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You sledded down but somehow managed to flip over the sled and roll down the hill. I was so scared!” Anika cried.

I reassured my friend, “I’m fine.”

The medical personnel agreed with me and after making sure I could stand and walk away they left. Anika insisted on hanging onto my arm as she guided me back up to the hill to catch the bus that would take us back to our rooms.

“Did you know that it started snowing so quickly everyone began to panic. Snow so thick we couldn’t see. It took us a bit to get down the hill but by the time we got down there, it cleared up. No one knows what happened. There was no snow, much less a blizzard in the forecast. I swear this place is haunted.”

So meeting the Winter Ghost, as I called him now, wasn’t just my imagination. After agreeing to help him he said he would send me home. I’m not sure what he did but he consulted with the white bird before moving his hands and then I felt sleepy and the next thing I knew was waking up here.

So I said, “Don’t be silly. Nature does what she does and has her own mind.”

Anika nodded accepting it.

We only have three more days before me and Anika left this resort and since meeting the Winter Ghost yesterday I’m not any closer to finding a solution today.

I sipped my hot chocolate as I stared up at the photos of the Morgan family.

Anika is convinced that winter is a curse to me and insisted on me just mosing around the resort and sipping hot chocolate.

“Enjoy the postcard but don’t be in it”, she advised.

I guess she’s given up on getting me into winter sports. But I hope I haven’t ruined her good time. I didn't want to do that.

Before I could follow that train of thought I heard someone let out a squeal. When I turned around I had a smartphone inches from my face. I growled and snatched it up revealing Anika who looked ecstatic as I ever saw her.

I hissed at her to simmer down. She was disturbing the other patrons. She waved my words away before snatching her phone and holding it up.

“Read, read, read!!” she spoke 50X faster than normal.

“If you shut up….”, I hissed pushing her hand back so I could see the screen without my eyes getting crossed.

When I read it my eyes bulged.

“Exactly!” she exclaimed.

My mouth fell open and I looked up at Anika, “Liam Morgan is coming here? Here? Tomorrow?”

She nodded before lowering the phone, “Liam Morgan is coming here! Him!” she pointed to the photo of the older brother behind me.

I looked back at the photo as Anika said, “I can’t believe we get to see Liam Morgan. The Liam Morgan!”

She did a dance once before running out the room. If I knew her, she would have to figure out which wig she wanted to wear. I only brought one.

Liam Morgan would be coming here?

I absently sipped my hot chocolate.

Before meeting the Winter Ghost, I would have been quite excited at this turn of events, however now I couldn't help but to be uneasy. What if that accident really wasn’t an accident? I shuddered to think. But I had said that I would try to help the Winter Ghost.

Now that I knew that Liam Morgan was coming, that still didn’t get me any closer to a plan but I hope that things would work out and would know what to do when the time came.

I turned away from the photos and the window caught my eye.

Not the window per se but the familiar white bird that sat looking directly at me.

I stared a moment before walking to the window. The white bird gracefully pushed off the ledge before gliding away disappearing into the sky. I watched as it disappeared before my eyes reflexively glanced down.

I could see the Winter Ghost standing next to a tree looking up at me. I’m sure my surprise colored my face but then I lifted my hand in greeting.

This in turn made him gave his famous smile.

My hand lowered as he inclined his head before walking away disappearing in the treeline. My eyes lingered where he finally passed beyond my sight. Did he know that his brother was coming? What would he do when he realizes that his brother is here?

I didn’t have any more answers than when I asked the questions.

I could only hope that at the end of this spring would bloom.

Fin.