Their group instructor was very impressed with the progress of the beginners and suggested skiing down a steep mountain. Maria was ecstatic because she didn’t feel so minor. At the top, people were skiing down very smoothly. She did feel a lot of pressure seeing the other people ski so well on the slopes but she tried not to let that disrupt her turn. As she let go, she was screaming with fear, she got too excited and skied carelessly, without thinking about what the instructor told her and so she was losing control and couldn’t bring herself to a halt. She had never experienced anything that painful in her life. She lay in about a foot deep of snow, struggling to get up, she felt helpless. She was perplexed as to how she couldn’t control herself. Strangely, she was eager to try that again. She wanted to be more reckless, there was a thrill about it. There was this adrenaline rush that she had never felt before. She was definitely willing to try intermediate skiing even though she was just a beginner. Their leader was impressed with their progress, and was doubtless about any sort of catastrophe at the peak. Although Maria experienced a few tumbles, the instructor allowed them to go up the cable lift to try out some steeper slopes. Maria was strangely excited about this; it was the fear of trying something difficult but the thrill of having done it and the feeling of joy after it. She reached the summit of a small mountain, sweating under ample layers of fleece; she took the longest deep breath and told herself,
‘’ You can do it Maria, come on,’’ and she was ready to let go. Maria’s instructor told her to ski side to side as this would help maintain her balance and so she got hold of the pole and stood to the side of the slope. It was like drawing zig zags. Maria did find it difficult because it was a steeper slope but she managed to get to the bottom of it without any tumbles and that was a joyous moment. The joy of accomplishment. She felt capable of taking on anything reckless now.
The day had come to an end. The sun had disappeared and it was time to head back to the accommodation. Everyone was tired after a long day and the time change was the worst as the body had to get used to different times. But, Maria wasn’t moaning about it, instead she was very happy with her successful skiing on the slope; it was a huge achievement. She couldn’t wait to for the next day.
The next morning, her group set off early, shortly after sunrise to make sure they had plenty of daylight, just in case they encountered any trouble. Maria put on her skis, warm clothes, a hat, gloves and heavy boots. She noticed the leather on one of the buckles was looking a little worn, but it seemed strong enough for her. She pushed of down the hill guiding her with the poles. She rounded the first outcrop of rocks moving faster than was advisable for the terrain, her excitement mounting.
She saw a large boulder coming up rapidly towards her. Quickly, she wrenched her foot around to change the angle of the skis. The leather strap holding her boot on snapped and her ski smashed into a boulder. She twisted round and was flung in the air. She felt no pain but was winded and shaken, angry at herself for having sped so fast with a strap which was obviously wearing thin. Regaining her breath she tried to stand up. A sickening pain shot through her lower leg. She realised that she had broken it. Painfully she searched her pockets for a whistle and luckily it was there. She kept whistling to alert someone but she began shivering violently because the sun had disappeared. Also, she started to feel very fatigue. Then, the instructor heard the whistle and rushed to the scene. Maria just led there in her half dreaming state and then she remembered nothing more.
Maria woke up in a hospital bed with her best friend holding her hand, looking anxiously over her. Maria was exhilarated, happy to be alive. This was clearly the last ski trip for Maria but the deathly experience will live with her forever.
