It’s a bizarre concept how something we love can also hurt us. That if we get too close to the flame; we burn to ashes. I could never see the bad in Colorado. I had heard the horror stories of people getting injured while skiing, running into trees, and breaking bones. As many times as I heard it, I never gave the horrific fact a second thought
When I look at Colorado, all I can see is the gift of nature. As I halt my skis to a stop, I take a moment to look at the nature that surrounds me. I can’t help but hold my breath as my eyes scan the view right before my eyes. It’s truly astonishing. The sky, a soft blue, with mountains galore and the various houses and buildings small as ants. The view looks unreal, as if it were really a green screen projecting something so divine. But this is no Hollywood motion picture. This is better. This is real.
Picking up my pace, I continue to descend down the mountain on my skis. A rush runs through my body, adrenaline. The wind strikes my face with a slight burn, and my skis move back and forth to maneuver the run. Within seconds I reach the bottom of the run, along with the rest of our group.
It’s our fifth day of spring break, and it’s no surprise I’m spending the break in Breckenridge, Colorado. Our large group has spent our break in the mountains as far back as I could remember. As I pop my skis off, I can already feel the ache in my legs from the long day of runs. “Maddy!” Courtney shouts out calling my name. I make my way into the restaurant alongside her, and feel the warm gush of air hit me.
I tag along with her into the bathroom, and my feet feel like bricks from the weight of my ski boots. I look into the mirror and can’t help but let out a laugh. My hair can be described in one word, Mahogany. Stray pieces of blonde hair have fallen out of my braid from this morning. It’s a complete mess. Courtney walks out of the stall and tries to hide the grin on her face. I hear her mutter under her breath comments about my hair, and send a glare in her direction as I redo the braid.
She lets out a sad sigh “I can’t believe it’s almost over” She tells me. Sadly, I know she’s right. Tomorrow is our last day of skiing.
















~*~
It was hours since we had left the restaurant and returned back to the house. I had peeled away the layers of thermals and gloves in exchange for a pullover and leggings. Chris, Courtney’s brother, stands beside me outside on the balcony. I tug at the zipper on my coat, trying my best not to freeze. I fail miserably. I know dinner’s almost ready, but can’t stand to miss what’s bound to happen next. Chris shoots a smile in my direction. “It’s almost time” he informs me, pointing his finger towards the distance.
I ignore the numbness in my fingers, and focus on the view in front of me. The sun begins to fall. The trees changing into silhouettes. The sky begins to fill with colors of pink and flaming orange that cascade across the skyline. I stand with Chris in awestruck by natures’ beauty. It looks as if Van Gough himself painted the masterpiece in front of me.
As time moves forward, the sun slowly hides behind the mountains. “That’s something you don’t see every day, isn’t it?” Chris asks me. “Yeah, you never see anything like that in Plano” I agree. I make my way inside, escaping the nights chill.














~*~
The next day after lunch, I pull my coat back on and begin to rebuckle my boots. Stepping outside the restaurant, Vista Haus, I begin to search for my skis. I glance at my watch, a little after one, so we have about four hours left to ski. “Hey Mads,” my dad calls out. “Do you want to go with us to peak ten?” he asks me. Peak ten is full of black diamonds, and also has Imperial, the highest peak in Breckenridge. I shake my head with a nod, and pop my skis back on quickly. I follow my brother, Hunter, to the ski lift to wait in line. I’m the only girl joining them to peak ten, since everyone’s mom and Courtney stray away from the difficult runs. Within minutes I’m resting on the ski lift with my brother, Trey, Drew, and Chris.
The sun becomes hidden behind the clouds, which makes the temperature drop to the teens. The wind begins to pick up, and a chill rests inside my body. A shiver escapes me as I begin to readjust my gloves. After what feels like eternity, which is really a mere fifteen minutes, I stand at Brecks highest peak with Chris and Trey on either side of me.
I take a moment to engrave this view into my mind. No matter how many times I see the White Mountains and bright blue sky together, it always feels like the first time. I look at the run in front of me and my heart races a bit. The mountain’s steep enough that a rush of fear and excitement rushes through me. I can remember being barely two when my parents first put me in ski school. I would trail behind my dad as he carried the small pair of skis over his shoulder to the slopes. I’d constantly fall on my butt all the way down the bunny slope.
And here I am, fourteen years later, standing at what feels like the top of the world. My moment of bliss is broken by the guys tell me they’re ready to start skiing down. “Hunter, y’all start heading down we aren’t far behind you” my dad informs my brother as he stands beside Mr. Curran and Mr. Schumacer. My brother responds with a simple nod.
The guys turn their skis and begin to glide down the mountain behind my brother. “Oh and make sure Maddy makes it down ok” He yells, his voice gets lost in the wind.
Trey and his brother Drew take the lead, a good five yards ahead of me, with Hunter on my tail, and Chris a few yards behind. The wind stings my face and my legs burn and ache from the weeks’ worth of skiing. Despite everything that tells me to stop, I keep skiing down the run. Trey and Drew stand beside a tree waiting for the rest of us to catch up. I’m almost caught up to them when suddenly, I hear a loud pop and an agonizing scream.
I slide to a stop with my brother just passing me, as I whip my head around. Chris lays on his side with his shoulder bending at a strange angle. Panic floods through my mind, but instinct takes over. I quickly pop my skis off one by one, and run up the hill until I sit beside him.
I hear loud footsteps crunching behind me, as the three others stand next to me. I see that the dads aren’t far behind us with nothing but fear and confusion spread across their faces. Trey’s the first one to come to his senses. He pulls his phone out and calls the ski patrol for help. A million thoughts and emotions run through my mind. Moments later, they’re broken by Treys voice on the phone.
“Yes, we’re on Imperial. We have a shoulder injury and need assistance immediately” he blurts into the phone.
I take note of how calm Mr.Schumacer is under these circumstances. He kneels beside his son as Trey finishes answering questions on the phone. I feel useless and plop myself into the snow next to my brother. Behind me, I can hear Chris trying to silence the screams inside him, but there’s no point in hiding it. He’s in pain. Within ten minutes, the ski patrol has found us.
My brothers’ face holds no emotion, blank without expression. The wind begins to pick up and I ask him what’s bothering him. “We’re not coming back” he tells me, his voice, just a whisper. I look at him confused. He sighs “Next year, we aren’t coming back here. Not after Chris getting injured there’s no chance it could happen.” I turn away from him not wanting to believe it could ever be true, and I face myself towards the accident.
The EMT’s lift Chris into the Toboggan to take him to the Hospital. A scream cascades from his mouth, and it takes every being in me to not scream myself. I watch the tears slowly fall down his face as they venture down the mountain.















~*~
My mom pulls into the parking spot, and shuts the engine off. I glance out the window and my eyes bulge at the size of the Cruise ship across the parking lot. It’s a year since the accident on Imperial. My brother was right; our group thought it would be best to take a year away from Colorado. I grab my luggage from the truck, and trail behind our group towards the enormous boat. In truth, I’m excited for a new adventure. I know that even though the flame can burn us, we should not be afraid of it. That no amount of miles can keep me away from Breckinridge forever. That although one chapter ends, another is just beginning and the story hasn’t ended yet. That when the right amount of time has passed, I’ll be sitting at the top of the mountain watching the sun fall behind it once again.