I threw the door open, allowing the snow swirling past our car to plunge into it, slapping my face and sticking to the car seat. I steadied myself against the dashboard and climbed slowly out into the darkness. My feet darted away from me, sliding on the icy asphalt. My legs wobbled under me like a newborn foal, awkward and unstable. I braced myself against the top of the car and began to make my way slowly toward the trunk. I laughed wildly at the absurdity of the situation as the wind rushed past me, blowing enormous drifts against the pine trees that surrounded me. Snow-covered cars trailed behind us through the black forest in a seemingly endless chain of light. I could see their windshield wipers swiping fruitlessly at the oncoming snow, their headlights glaring resolutely through the storm, ready to move forward towards the valley. The mountain was screaming at us to turn back, bellowing that our chain-wrapped tires were no match for it’s storm. My hair twisted wildly around my head, obscuring my vision. I pushed it away and went to work clearing snow from our rear window with an old shoe. My right foot slipped suddenly forward and I fell against the car, clinging to the trunk with one arm to avoid slipping beneath the car. I pulled myself up, heart pounding. Finishing my work I turned to peer through the misty darkness at our modern-day wagon train. Through the swirling blustery darkness I could see a few men roaming between cars, clearing away windows or checking tires, heads tucked into hoods. I turned away from our followers and looked forward at the floating red tail lights ahead of me. I pushed off of the car and slid forward, down the incline of the mountain to catch the passenger side door and fling myself inside.
xxx.