Shorts of the Rula

Mountainous Change

She loved this place. The mountain was her home.

Rebecca had spent five years coming to the Esperite Mountain Resort when she was in her teens, and another five as an adult. She had been picked as a successor by the owner during those last few years, learning from him how to operate and manage the resort. She had been made a joint owner for two years, then full owner eight years ago.

There had been many great times spent across the many trails of the ski resort, then relaxing in the spa or the swimming pool. She even jumped in to help teach students at times, taking them down the smallest of trails. And while she wasn't much good at it, she sometimes had a round of golf with other members of staff.

She was the manager, yet could sample everything the resort offered. It was that sort of freedom she loved, and was why she dedicated herself to making sure the resort was the best it could be.

She had her skis on, ready to take one of the lesser used chairlifts up to the highest point the resort offered. There she had the choice of two trails. She felt confident enough today to tackle the steeper of those trails.

Halfway to the chairlift, she looked out at one of the cabins that were on the resort. There were ten of them scattered around for those who preferred a more rustic experience. Most would go for the comfort of the hotel rooms, though she'd prefer to be in one of those cabins. It would be selfish to reduce the limited number of them, however, so she stayed within the accommodation for the staff.

Activity around these cabins was usually sparse, though someone was outside this one. She was about to look away when the person she watched looked at her and froze.

It seemed whoever this was wasn't meant to be there.

"Hey!" she called, aware that she couldn't do much.

Her voice hadn't been enough to scare the person off, so now she tried turning as best as she could to aim for the cabin. She'd question whoever it was to find out what they wanted.

It was all flat around here, and she could only push herself so fast with the poles.

The person still stood, then suddenly seemed to want to be anywhere else, running fast around the cabin to get out of sight.

Rebecca gave a hard push, propelling herself faster than before. She was level with the cabin, then beyond it, but couldn't see the person who had run off.

Skidding to a halt, she looked around. The only thing of note were the tracks made within the snow. She could follow those tracks, or she could ask for a patrol officer to look into things.

That was the better of the two options.

Turning around and propelling herself back to the cabin entrance, she looked back on it to see a box beside the door, which she could now see was open.

Idiot thief, she thought. Trying to picklock a door closed.

Shaking her head in amusement, she walked as best as she could to the box, where she picked it up, opened the door, and stepped inside.

She placed the box on a nearby table, and was about to exit the cabin when her eyes caught sight of the other boxes just like the one she had brought in.

It puzzled her.

Guests don't usually come with this much stuff, and usually it isn't left untouched like this is.

Looking again at the box she had brought in, she went to open it up to see what was inside.

"What you doing here?" a voice called from outside.