A Twist of Fate Read Online Free PDF

Aliah had been watching for us and were
laughing.  "You are too much, Abby.  I wish I would’ve caught that on
video,” Hunter teased.
    Cameron lifted me to my feet, again.  I scowled at Hunter,
with a sore frown.
    "What about me?" Edwin asked, hobbling on one
foot.
    "I'll get it," Hunter hollered, skillfully
retrieving Edwin's other ski.  How he walked back up the mountain was a mystery
to me and I couldn't quit watching in awe.  "And that's how it's
done," he proclaimed, as he handed the ski to Edwin.  His eyes quickly
strayed to Aliah, who had competitively sped off down the hill.  Hunter took
the bait and eagerly chased after her.
    Cam stole my attention and held my gaze.  "Ready?"
    "No," I replied, honestly.  “But I don't think
I'll ever be ready."
    He smirked at me, not realizing how serious I was.  "You
go first and I'll follow behind you.  Just remember to put more weight on your
downward ski.”
    If it were as easy as that, I would have been at the bottom
already.  “Here goes nothing,” I said, as I started to head to the left.  I
instantly began to pick up speed, until I was racing out of control.  As I desperately
tried to turned back up the mountain, I wiped out, slamming sideways and losing
a ski in the process.
    Cameron hurried over to me, but he was smirking.  “Try to
remember to angle your skis together if you want to slow down,” he said, as he
reached for my snow-covered mitt.
    All of those tips were but a foggy token, while I tumbled head
first down the mountain.  I gave Cameron a cold, unwholesome eye, and yet he
couldn’t stop smirking at me.  I decided it was time to take my next chance at
death.
    When I made it half way down the mountain, I actually
thought I might make it out alive.  That’s when I fell flat on my back and slid
down the remainder of the mountainside, ass-first.  Cameron found it just hilarious. 
Needless to say, I didn't think it was quite so funny.
    Determined to give it another go, up the lift we went for
round two.  This time, I was amazed to make it half way down the mountain in
one try.  I thought I was making great progress, but I must have decided that
too soon.  Again, out of control, I zoomed into an icy area blocked off by the
resort, marked DANGER.  No warning sign was enough to keep me from slamming
right into the solid ice and landing flat on my ass.
    Ski patrol was on me in a matter of minutes, hollering at me
to come back into the safe zone.  Unable to skate on my feet, I crawled my way
back, one ski in my left hand, both poles in my right.  When I finally made it
to the fresh, powdery snow, Cameron laughed at me and that was it.  I couldn't
take it anymore.  My anger heated my face and melted the snowflakes on my jacket.
    "I'm sorry," Cameron said.  "I don't want to
laugh, but it's so funny."
    "Screw off."  I scowled even more, wishing he
would leave, so I could wallow in my failure, with my sore body and hurt
feelings.
    "Abby, I'm not leaving you," he insisted, his
smirk still firmly in place.
    "Yes, you are," I stated, then shoved him down the
hill.  He flashed a worried look back over his shoulder and then continued down
the mountain - without me.
    I pouted to myself, angered by his ignorance and also in actual
physical pain from my multiple falls.  I decided I would sit on this mountain all
day, if it meant never having to fall down it ever again.  That was until I saw
Edwin skiing toward me.  He stopped right at my side.
    "You okay," he asked.
    My arms were folder tightly across my chest.  "Do I
look okay?"
    "No."
    "There you go then," I snapped.
    He didn't smile.  "Hey, I'm just trying to help.  If
you want to give this a try, I'm not gonna give up on you.  You’re almost at
the bottom.  You can do this."
    “You know I can’t,” I pouted, knowing I couldn't very well
sit there the rest of the day either.  I accepted his hand when he reached it
out to me, and he pulled me back to my feet.  I was terrified for