“Kadam? Kadam?” I shouted.
He materialized instantly. “I apologize for keeping you waiting. Miss Kelsey was worried about me.”
“She… You just saw her?”
“In my time, yes.”
Shaking off the confusion, I decided not to probe. “You said you had instructions?”
He took hold of my arm and nodded. “Follow my lead, and when the time is right, save her.”
Frowning, I said, “I don’t think you gave me enough infor—”
The forest floor spun away, and with a sickening wrench, I was torn from the past and propelled into the future. When we arrived at the destination he’d chosen, we were still surrounded by trees and our feet sunk deeply into the snow.
“—mation.”
As I staggered to one knee, overwhelmed by the time jump, Kadam whispered some words, and the tie he was wearing burst into thousands of colorful threads. The Divine Scarf worked according to his command, and we were soon clothed in modern snow gear. With its work finished, the scarf became a thick woolen version of itself in red. Kadam tossed the end over one shoulder and said, “Follow me.”
“How is it that I didn’t pass out?” I asked as I stumbled forward, my strength returning quickly.
“The Damon Amulet makes the transition easier, and as for me, I’ve traveled through time enough now that I’ve become used to its effects. You will adapt soon as well.”
The thick conifer trees surrounding us were heavily dusted with snow and were beautiful as the setting sun caused the thick snow to sparkle in a blush of colors that reminded me of Kelsey’s cheeks. In a few moments we exited the forest and came upon a resort. The exterior coloring and sloped roof mimicked the impressive view of the mountain behind it.
“We’re not in the Himalayas, are we?” I asked, though I knew the answer already.
Kadam shook his head. “This is Mt. Hood.”
“Oregon,” I said as much to myself as to him.
I was puzzled since I remembered that Kelsey didn’t have much fondness for snow. Perhaps that stemmed from her being attacked by a bear on our hike together on Mt. Everest as we searched for the spirit gate. But if memory served, she had mentioned that she didn’t enjoy what she termed “snow sports,” and this place, from the activity I was witnessing, was clearly designed for such.
Dozens of people, including young children, were making their way to the resort, many carrying skis or boards as they headed in for the night. They were dressed in varying colors in types of clothing that I knew were from Kelsey’s time.
They filtered into a main building flanked by two brightly lit wings that stretched out on either side. From the dozens of windows, I surmised that the wings were the guest accommodations. Warm light spilled from the building, and lampposts lit our way as the sun sank beyond the horizon. We soon caught up to a group carrying their equipment over their shoulders and headed into the building with them.
After taking our turn stomping our boots on thick mats at the entrance, Kadam led me to a stone fireplace and bade me sit. “Don’t get up,” he said. “Not until I tell you.” With those cryptic instructions, he left me alone.
A waitress soon brought me a mug of steaming chocolate topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, which I suspected Kadam had requested to be sent over. As the fire and the chocolate warmed me, my heart pounded, knowing I’d soon see her again.
Kelsey, the woman I loved beyond reason, would arrive any moment. I practiced what my first words should be. You have no idea how good it is to see you. I’ve missed you so much. I made a mistake. Please come back to me. I love you.
I still wasn’t sure which words would spill out of me first and I honestly didn’t care. If I could just lay eyes on her again, I was confident I’d know what to say. A family came in dragging their suitcases behind them and stopped at the seating area I was currently occupying. The mother smiled at me shyly while the father gave me the once-over before organizing their belongings into a pile, then he told his young daughter, “Have a seat by the fire while we check out. We might be a few minutes since there’s a line.”
The girl nodded and plopped her backpack on the chair next to me. Unzipping it, she took out a book and, after tugging her pink cap down to her eyebrows, buried her head behind it and began to read.
Glancing at the girl, I smiled and nodded, but then twitched nervously again thinking of seeing the woman I loved. Picking up my cocoa, I sipped, letting the aroma tickle my nose, then froze as a new scent assailed me. Kelsey! She was here! Whipping my head around, I searched for her amid the bustle of people and cursed the fact that Kadam had insisted that I stay seated. Still, I craned my neck and twisted every possible way to catch a glimpse of her.
“Are you okay?” the young girl asked as she peered at me over the pages of her book.
“Yes,” I replied irritably. “I’m just looking for someone.”
“Who?”
“I’m looking for my…my friend.”
“What does your friend look like?”
“Long brown hair, brown eyes, beautiful smile.”
Her eyes widened as she peered at me over the rim of the book and she giggled. “I’m guessing it’s a girl. Is she your girlfriend?”
“She was.” I spun in my chair, scanning the people walking out the door, worried that she’d passed me and already left. I didn’t see her, but her scent was still strong, so I relaxed and let out a sigh, reminding myself I should trust in Kadam. Still I kept my eyes peeled.
“And you’re here to win her back, right?”
“Something like that,” I mumbled distractedly as I picked up my cocoa and sipped.
“That’s so romantic,” she said.
I grunted and gave the girl a wry smile. “At least you think so.”
“Oh, I do. Your cocoa smells good. Is there cinnamon in it?” She was now peeping at me from the left side of her book so I could only see half her face.
When I tilted my head to see her better, she sucked in a breath and hid her eyes again.
“Would you like one?” I offered.
“Umm…I’m not really supposed to take gifts from strangers.”
“Then I’ll introduce myself. My name is Kishan.”
“That’s a strange name. Where are you from?”
“India. Where are you from?”
“Salem.”
I smiled. “I’m familiar with the town.” When she snuck a brief look at me from the right side of her pages, I said, “You don’t need to be afraid of me.”
“I’m not afraid,” she insisted. “I’m just being…cautious.”
“As you should be,” I said with a serious nod.
I summoned the waitress, who soon brought a second chocolate for the girl, and we sat quietly for a few minutes, me watching the steam waft into the air and her pretending to ignore my gesture. Finally, I said, “Aren’t you going to even try it? It’s very good.”
Slowly she shifted her book, still keeping her face hidden, and her gloved hand snuck out and grabbed the handle. After a few noisy sips, she deposited the half-empty mug back on the table.
Laughing, I said, “It’s nice to see a girl who enjoys her chocolate again. My girlfriend loved hot chocolate.”
“It’s delicious,” she said shyly. “Thank you.” At last she lowered the book and smiled at me. Happy at my small victory, I was about to tease her about being a bookworm when I looked in her eyes. Familiar chocolate orbs gleamed in a charmingly chubby, red-cheeked face. I trembled and my heart stopped.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, forming the words around a mouthful of wire brackets attached to her teeth.
“I…I…I’m not sure.” I swallowed, barely able to speak.
I stared at her in what I was sure was a frightening way, and she tossed her book aside. “Are you having a heart attack, Mr. Kishan? Why aren’t you moving?”