Delivery in the Snowstorm

Rodrigo Fuentes wheeled his bicycle up to the closed ski lodge in the mountains near Toluca. Snow fell steadily, and the wind cut across his face. His red jacket was beginning to get wet, but he was in a hurry to deliver the package. When he knocked, a woman’s voice called from inside.

“Who is it?”

The door opened a crack, revealing a woman with long dark hair tied back. Wearing a thick winter coat and gloves, she looked ready for the cold outside. Rodrigo held out the package.

“I’m here about the Aztec amulet. Is this package yours?”

The woman took it and invited him in. Several guests inside the lodge watched them with worried looks. Outside, the snowstorm suddenly grew fiercer. The wind battered the doors and rattled the windows. As Rodrigo brushed the snow off his boots, he began talking to the woman, whose name he learned was Lucia Morales.

“This weather looks like it’s going to get worse. Why were you in such a hurry?”

Rodrigo shrugged.

“The job had to get done. Now we’re inside.”

Suddenly, heavy footsteps sounded outside the door. Lucia looked out the window and spoke in a whisper.

“Someone’s out there. Maybe they’re after the amulet.”

Rodrigo felt his heart race. The guests stood up uneasily. The snowstorm had completely surrounded the lodge, and leaving through the front door was impossible. Danger was at the door, but hope still stirred within them.

Rodrigo looked at Lucia. She was just as worried, but there was a resolute look in her eyes. The two of them moved together toward the guests.

“Shall we check things together?” Lucia whispered.

Rodrigo nodded. The snowstorm lashed at the window. Inside the lodge, everyone sat in silence. A few people were looking out the window.

The two of them stepped into the corridor. The first room was empty. In the second there was a small table. Lucia had opened the package and put the amulet away in this table's drawer only a little while earlier. Rodrigo opened the drawer. The amulet was there, but it had been moved from its place. Fingerprints showed on its surface.

“Someone's touched it,” Lucia said.

Rodrigo bent down and looked under the table. There he found a small slip of paper. A name was written on it: Diego Vargas. The paper held a short order. It read: Stop anyone who takes the amulet.

A sound rose from outside. The footsteps were at the door. Lucia put her hand on Rodrigo's arm. They both froze at the same moment.

“Who does this name belong to?” Rodrigo asked.

Lucia studied the paper closely. Her brows drew together. The snowstorm was still raging. Inside the lodge, they could feel the danger growing.

Another door opened. A guest stepped out of the room. The man looked flustered. Rodrigo and Lucia quickly hid the note. Questions multiplied in their minds.

Rodrigo and Lucia exchanged a frantic glance. The man who had just come out was sizing them up. The storm shook the lodge's windowpanes. Cold air had seeped into the corridors.

“We have to get out of here right now,” Rodrigo whispered.

Lucia agreed with a nod. They slipped the note into a pocket. Rodrigo took the amulet from the drawer and tucked it into his own. The snowstorm was still raging. They plunged into the snow-choked corridors leading to the back door that Lucia knew about. Their boots left deep tracks in the snow. The wind stung their faces. Shielding themselves with their hands, they pushed forward. They forced the back door, and it opened. Outside, the mountain trails lay buried in snow.

They began to run. Shouts rose behind them. Diego Vargas and his men were after them. On the frozen ridges, their footsteps slid on the slick ground. Lucia caught hold of a rock. Rodrigo took the amulet from his pocket. Its glow shimmered faintly in the dark. It put new heart into them. The pursuers were closing in. Rodrigo shouted at the top of his voice.

“We're not giving you the amulet!”

Diego's harsh voice echoed on the wind. His men slowed in the snow. The two of them kept running along the ridge. The presence of the amulet gave them strength. When the storm eased a little, they climbed toward the summit. The pursuers fell behind. Danger was still near, but the hope of getting free had grown.

When Rodrigo and Lucia reached the summit, the wind gradually died away. The snowflakes fell more sparsely, and the path ahead became clear. Diego's men fell behind, stumbling in the snow. Rodrigo stopped, breathing hard, and turned to Lucia.

“Now we have to put the amulet somewhere safe.”

Rodrigo held the amulet out to her. Lucia nodded and gripped it tightly in her gloved hands. Together they started down the mountain road. The snow squeaked beneath their feet, and the cold air burned their lungs. All along the way, the strength of the amulet sustained them.

As they approached the door of the lodge, Diego and his men cut them off in one last move. Rodrigo darted aside and knocked over the ski poles beside the door; the men lost their balance and tumbled into a snowbank. Lucia quickly threaded the rope she was holding between the poles and knotted it, and just as Diego was getting to his feet, his legs caught and he fell face-first. Rodrigo leapt onto him and bound his arms behind his back, while Lucia finished tying up the other men tightly with the same rope. After a brief scuffle, all three were left motionless outside the lodge.

Rodrigo gathered their weapons and took out his phone to call the police. The authorities reached the lodge as soon as the storm let up. Diego Vargas and his men were handed over to them. As the storm died away completely, the sky began to clear. Rodrigo went from room to room, calming the guests; everyone was safe and no one had been hurt. Lucia put the amulet in the lodge's locked safe and locked the door. All the guests stayed safe.

The next morning the sun rose over the mountains. The lodge doors were opened again, and the guests came outside. Rodrigo and Lucia stood quietly on the porch. The snow had begun to melt, and the air was gentler. They both took a deep breath.

“We're safe now.”

Lucia smiled and lightly touched Rodrigo's shoulder. The mountains looked peaceful again, and the adventure was over.