The Trail (MAJOR EDITING IN PROGRESS)

Mountain Passage

"Umph!" Holland fell down again, this time doing a partial splits with his legs. He thrashed a bit in the deep snow, trying to pop off his skis, and failing horribly.

"Holland!" He grabbed at the poles we gave him madly, trying to get up, "Holland, stop!"

"I'm trying to get up," he answered me with deep irritation.

"I know that, but you're going to hurt yourself." I knelt beside him with my skis on, brushing the snow back from his with my gloved hands. I down on the lever on the back of the skis, by his heel, and the right one popped off, I then did the same with the left.

He stood up angrily, wiping snow off of his ski pants, and grabbing his skis out of the pile of snow.

"Don't follow everything I do, I do things out of learned habit. You haven't learned yet."

"I'm guessing I should put them on over there?" He pointed to a flatter region of snow about six feet away.

"Yes, I'll help you."

He nodded and followed me to the flatter portion of snow. There, I took his skis and set them evenly on the ground.

"Use your pole to stabilize yourself, and put your right foot in first," I said as I helped him lock his foot into place.

We have been here for about an hour, my parents had to get the lift tickets and then give out walkie-talkies for all of us to keep on hand. They then gave us meet up times, and where to meet, and then gave me money for lunch. On the way here, they had tried to talk Holland into taking skiing lessons, but he refused. Now, he's paying the price.

The snow is four feet deep in some places, and in the heavy ski areas it is packed hard, which makes it great for gliding over. Holland attempted to put his left ski on again, and then slipped, his right leg sliding forward, and his left leg falling backwards.

"Woah there," a man wearing a neon yellow jacket and skis came up to Holland's left, and caught him.

"Thanks," Holland answered as his cheeks turned a bit redder than the cold was actually making them.

"I've got ya, let me help you with that," the man stated in a commanding voice. He has been working with kids for awhile now, you don't have a voice like that and not work with kids to some extent.

"I've never skied before."

"That much I can tell. You taking lessons?"

"From her," Holland pointed at me.

"You ski a lot?"

"Most of my life," I answered the man. He had a vibe of 'Oh look, a woman who is misinformed' I'll show him.

"It takes a lot to teach someone, how do you plan on doing it?" He asked me as Holland righted himself with both skis on.

"Take him up Bunny Trails, and show him how to turn and do the wedge stop, then how to accelerate and slow down."

"I see," he turned to Holland, "You should really take some lessons."

He replied indifferently, "I trust her."

"Okay then," he walked away. I don't blame him, people try to teach each other, and someone get hurt. I know this happens a lot, because it happened to me when I was little.

I turned to Holland, "To stop yourself and slow down you make a pizza-like wedge with your skis like so."

I angled my skis into a triangle, showing him the correct way to do so.

"Don't cross your skis too much, or you will stand a good chance of breaking your legs."

"Charming."