In Between

Like Nothing He's Ever Seen

The biting cold of the mountain air was exhilarating as Y/N zipped down the trail, snow spraying up around her skis. She'd always loved the adrenaline rush of skiing, the feeling of freedom as the crisp air nipped at her cheeks and the powdery snow crunched beneath her. It was supposed to be a day of fun—something to break up the monotony of filming in Whistler.

The group had been in high spirits that morning, laughing and cracking jokes as they strapped on their gear. Aryan had been particularly playful, challenging Charlie to races while Leah and Dior took selfies in their goggles, beaming against the backdrop of snow-covered peaks. Even Walker had smiled more than usual, though they still hadn't really spoken since the tension between them had built up. Y/N had kept her distance, but the mountain was her escape, her chance to clear her head.

But that feeling of control was slipping as she found herself on a narrow trail, the descent steeper than she expected. Y/N had been following the group, but somewhere along the way, she'd taken a wrong turn. Now, the signs in front of her indicated a double black diamond trail—a level far more advanced than she was prepared for.

Panic started to bubble in her chest. She hadn't meant to go this way. She could feel her skis wobble beneath her as the slope became steeper, her speed increasing. The trees seemed to close in, the path narrowing to a dangerous point. She tried to slow down, but the icy patches beneath the snow made her skis slip, threatening to send her careening into the trees.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she fought to maintain control, but the terrain was unforgiving. The jagged rocks and steep drops seemed to mock her, and the more she struggled, the more her body tensed. She wasn't used to this—this level of difficulty, this kind of danger.

"Just keep going. Don't stop." She repeated the mantra in her head, but it was hard to focus as the wind whipped against her face, making her eyes water.

Then it happened.

Her left ski caught on an icy patch, sending her sprawling. The world tilted violently as she tumbled down the slope, her skis twisting beneath her. She collided hard with a tree, her body jerking to a stop as the impact knocked the wind out of her. For a moment, everything went white with pain, her breath stolen by the shock.

She lay there, dazed, her skis still awkwardly attached to her boots, wedged at odd angles in the snow. She tried to move, but her legs felt pinned by the weight of her own body. A sharp pain radiated through her ankle, and she hissed, gritting her teeth. She could barely see through the swirling snow, but she knew one thing: she was stuck.

Her breaths came in shallow gasps as she struggled to push herself upright, but the effort only made the pain worse. She couldn't move.

"Shit," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind howling through the trees. She glanced around, hoping to see someone—anyone—but the trail was deserted. Her group was probably miles ahead by now, completely unaware she wasn't behind them.

The cold started to seep in through her clothes, the wetness of the snow chilling her to the bone. Her fingers, exposed to the icy air, were already going numb, and she cursed herself for not paying more attention. She should have stuck with the group, should have been more careful.

Panic clawed at her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm. "They'll notice I'm gone," she told herself. "Someone will come looking."

But the minutes dragged on, and no one came. The snow continued to fall, thick and relentless, the cold gnawing at her from every direction. The world felt vast and empty, the silence oppressive. The warmth of her body was fading fast, her skin prickling with the first signs of hypothermia.

Her limbs were heavy, too heavy to move. Every breath felt like it was dragging her deeper into the snow, and she could feel her body surrendering to the cold. The pain in her ankle dulled, replaced by an overwhelming numbness that crawled up her legs, spreading to her chest and arms.

She shivered violently, her teeth chattering uncontrollably. Her mind was foggy, her thoughts slipping away like water through her fingers. She knew she needed to stay awake, to keep moving, but it was so hard. Her eyelids drooped, the exhaustion pulling her under like a tide.

"Don't close your eyes. Stay awake. Just a little longer."

But her body wasn't listening. The cold was too much. Her vision blurred as the edges of the world began to fade. She thought she heard voices—distant, distorted by the wind—but she couldn't tell if it was real or just her mind playing tricks on her.

She wanted to call out, to scream for help, but her voice wouldn't come. Her throat was too dry, her lips cracked and frozen.

Y/N's breathing grew shallow, each breath feeling heavier than the last. She could no longer feel her hands or feet, and the snow beneath her seemed to pull her in, like the earth itself was swallowing her whole.

Her mind drifted back to the others, to Walker, to everything she hadn't said. Would they even know she was gone? Would they look for her?

As her eyelids fluttered shut, she could only hope that someone, anyone, would find her.

And then, the world went dark.