Vortex

LOGLINE: Adrenaline coursing through my veins, the deafening sound of my heart beat pounding in my ears. Can I really handle this?

 

NARRATOR

I woke up in my top bunk at 6:30 am excited to hit the slopes with my family. I climbed down from my bunkbed and began to layer up for the long day of skiing that lay ahead of me. My mom made blueberry pancakes for breakfast and my sister, my dad, my baby brother and I all crowded around the tiny table to eat.

 

GIRL

Dad.

 

NARRATOR

I began…

 

GIRL

I’m 10 years old now, I’ve been skiing for six years, I think I really am ready for a double black diamond now, don’t you think?

 

NARRATOR

I expected him to say no, but to my surprise he replied…

 

DAD

You know what I do think, you’re ready. Today’s the day for your first double diamond. We’re going to go down Vortex.

 

NARRATOR

My heart practically skipped a beat, I couldn’t wait. The whole process of getting ready, dropping of my brother in day care and strapping on all the gear felt like it took an eternity. And before doing that run, we had to make our way across the resort, up and down across several peaks – South Ridge, Baker, North Peak and finally Aurora. I used the whole half of the day as a warm up. Finally, we were at the lift up to Aurora peak and we waved goodbye to my sister and my mom as they headed back in the other direction.

 

Sounds of chairlift.

 

The chairlift scooped up my dad and I, and as we ascended, I looked down at the run we were about to do, suddenly fear gripped me. This run was steep as hell.

 

GIRL

This run is so steep and icy, I can do this right?

 

DAD

Yes

 

NARRATOR

He said…

 

DAD

You are ready. Don’t doubt yourself now, you’ve got this.

 

NARRATOR

Well, I thought there’s no turning back now. The lift dropped us off at the top. My father and I made our way to the left, to the top of Vortex. I slide my skis to the very edge of the nearly vertical drop that lay before me. I was clammy and my heart was pounding loudly in my ears. I took a deep breath, waved at my dad and plunged directly down my first double diamond.

Adrenaline flooded my veins as a flew down the run, my skis barley even touching the ground! Carefully I timed my turns between the sheer patches of ice so I could maintain control, which I did so barely.

 

Sound of skis on snow

 

Once I reached the bottom, my dad came sliding to a stop right in front of me, spraying me head to toe in snow!

 

Sound of snow being sprayed.

 

GIRL

Hey! Thanks a lot jerk!

 

NARRATOR

I shouted…

 

GIRL

Let’s do it again.

 

NARRATOR

We went down Vortex three more times until my fingers and toes were way past the stinging and went completely numb from the cold, and I begged to head back in. By the time we had finally made it back indoors, one of my toes was blue. My mother had a fit with me.

 

MOTHER

Why did you stay out so long? You could give yourself frostbite.

 

NARRATOR

Worth it I thought, totally worth it.

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