Deadman Anchor Read online

  It takes more than luck to lift a curse, Kendal thought.

  “You’re next,” the rescuer said to her.

  “There’s another body,” she said, pointing to the crevice a few feet away. “Down there. I’m sure it’s the snowboarder who went missing.”

  “We’ll come back for him,” the rescuer said. “Today we take care of the living.”

  They loaded Kendal into the helicopter and they flew down the mountain, over the ski slope. The sun was just beginning to set when Kendal spotted the snowboarder again. This time, he stopped and waved at her. Then his blue jacket faded to white and he disappeared.

  Chapter 32

  Kendal’s mother was already at the hospital when they arrived.

  “They had to hold me back from climbing up that mountain to look for you,” her mother said, gripping Kendal in her arms.

  “Didn’t you get our message?” Kendal said, smiling at her dad as he sat up in his hospital bed. “We tried to tell you we were fine.”

  “I knew that you two were strong,” her mother said. “I knew that you would fight to survive.”

  “Your daughter was the one who saved us,” her father said.

  “It wasn’t just me,” Kendal said. “The deadman anchor helped haul you out too.”

  “Jeremy prepared us well,” her father said.

  “How is he?” Kendal said.

  “He’s going to be just fine,” her father said. “Thanks to you.”

  Chapter 33

  After a couple days, Kendal’s father and Jeremy were released from the hospital, and they all headed back up to the Summit Lodge to gather up their things.

  When they turned into the parking lot, Kendal was glad to see that the chairlifts were running again, that the ski slopes were covered once more with skiers and snowboarders.

  Marion gave Kendal a huge hug and made them all sit down in front of the fire.

  Someone handed Kendal a mug of hot chocolate, and when she looked up, she saw that it was Bjorn, the guy who had taken her picture near the scenic overlook.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “Hey,” she replied, surprised to see him again.

  He sat down next to her near the fireplace.

  “I’m glad you’re okay. My dad and I came up to help with the rescue, but I hear you rescued yourself.”

  “With a little help from a Black Hawk helicopter,” Kendal said.

  Bjorn smiled. “I kept thinking of you after we drove away. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  “I am,” Kendal said. “I’m good.”

  “Thought you should have this.”

  He handed her a framed copy of the picture he’d taken at the scenic overlook. Her hair swirled around her head. Mount Hood rose up behind her.

  For as long as she could remember, she’d been self-conscious about her hair. Only a few days ago this picture would have horrified her.

  But now? Now she kind of liked it whipping in the wind.

  “Someday I want to learn to snowboard,” she blurted out for some reason.

  “I could teach you today. This afternoon.”

  “I’d like that,” Kendal said.

  She went up to her room to change and saw that someone had straightened up for her. The bed was neatly made. On the pillow sat the red-covered book—The Atlas of Cursed Places. She picked it up. The book’s heft was chilling. Could there really be this many cursed places?

  It was also exciting.

  All over the world there were dangers to be conquered, mysteries to be solved.

  About the Author

  K. R. Coleman is a writer and teacher. She loves teaching students how to tell a scary story at the Loft Literary Center. Her writing has been published in Crab Orchard Review, Paper Darts, McSweeney’s Internet Tendencies, Canvas, and Revolver. She is a recent winner of the 2014-2015 Loft Mentor Series and Minnesota Emerging Writers’ Grant. She lives in South Minneapolis with her husband, two boys, and a dog named Happy.