The Hundred-Year Blizzard

"Let's GO, Ladies!" I shouted as I closed the cargo door on my new F-100.

"Never seen two women pack so much shit just to go skiing for a weekend," I mused aloud as I made my way to the cab of the truck.

Breckenridge was a good day's drive from East Colorado and I really wanted to get an early start, but Sharon, my girlfriend, Beth's mother, had decided at the last instant that she wanted to come with us.

Beth and I had been dating for almost a month; a truly torrid relationship that had opened my eyes to aspects of sex that I never even knew existed. Last week, she won some sort of radio contest, the prize being a weekend for two at some fancy resort in Breckenridge, and I had been looking forward to hitting the slopes as well as a weekend of ribald debauchery with an incredibly sensuous woman. To say I was chagrined at being chaperoned would be to severely understate the case.

I laid on the horn as I quickly closed the door, allowing the hot air blasting out of the dashboard to bathe me in its delicious warmth.

A few moments later, Beth came dashing across the yard with her mother hot on her heels. They appeared to be having a rather animated discussion, the gist of which I couldn't ascertain over the noise of the diesel and the heater blower, but I would soon learn what it was all about.

"What the hell were you doing?" I asked as Beth slid into the seat next to me.

"Mom was trying to get herself a room at the lodge or even the motel down the street," she replied.

"And?"

"No luck. They are all booked up for the season," she responded with a shrug. "I tried to tell her that it was a lost cause before she even picked up the phone, but she insisted on trying anyway."

"Yeah.... Oh well, at least the skiing will be good," I grumbled as Sharon slid in and closed the door behind her.

"Well, I guess we'll all be staying in the same room," I said as I eased the truck down the slippery, muddy slope that was their driveway.

"Perhaps I'll get lucky and find some single guy with a hard-on that needs a roommate for the weekend," Sharon chuckled.

I missed third gear at that outburst. Flustered, I double-clutched as the gnashing of the synchronizers howled in protest. I reached over and took the cup of coffee from Beth's outstretched hands as I gave Sharon a brief, one eyebrow raised perusal.

"I hope you do, Mom, otherwise it's going to be a long, dry weekend for you."

"Why, whatever do you mean, dear?" Sharon asked coyly.

"No boyfriend, no toys. Like I said, it'll be a dry weekend for you if you don't get lucky. I may be sharing a room with you, Mom, but I am NOT going to share my boyfriend with you and I seriously doubt if they have any porn movies showing in the rooms."

I fought back a cough and swallowed my coffee slowly as we hit the Interstate ramp.

"It's true David won't be there, but I NEVER leave home without my toys. As far as the movies are concerned, why would I want to watch a movie when I'll have a live show going on in the bed right next to me?"

"Mom!!!"

It didn't work that time. I spewed coffee all over the steering wheel.

"What's the matter, dear? I know you two have a hell-uv-a time keeping your hands off each other, so if you want to put on a little show for me I'll be most happy to watch. You wouldn't mind, would you Brian?"

"Uh, well, I guess.... Geez, Sharon, that's a terrible question!" I blurted.

"I suppose you'd be spread out, legs pointing to opposite ends of the compass while you shoved one of you rubber friends into your horny hole, wouldn't you mother dear?" Beth inquired in a wry tone.

"Of course! Being watched is almost as much fun as watching!" Sharon laughed.

The cab grew silent for a few moments. I couldn't help but feel a stirring in my loins as I digested all that had been said. As the silence grew, I turned my head to find both the women regarding me with questioning looks.

"Uh, do the two of you always talk so bluntly to each other about things that most people consider very private?" I asked.

"Brian, when you have two horny, oversexed women living in the same house, after a while there just aren't any secrets. I think we know as much about each other's sexual proclivities as we do about our taste in clothing," Sharon replied.

"I'm sorry, Brian. I guess I should have prepared you for this. Mom can be such a slut..."

"Slut?! People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks, my dear. Besides, just because I love sex doesn't make me a slut. I'm neither promiscuous nor indiscriminate."

"Just horny, huh?" Beth snorted.

"And I suppose you're not?" Sharon rejoined.

"Yeah, I'm horny! All the damn time! But shit, I'm twenty-five years old. I would think a woman in her mid forties would have simmered down by now."

"Don't be ridiculous, Beth. I haven't even reached menopause yet. Just because I have a grown child doesn't mean I'm gonna dry up and sew it shut. I get just as much pleasure from sex now as I did when I was your age. If you ever decided to share Brian with me I would show him a thing or two about experience, things you have yet to learn."

"Well, you can just forget it! Go find yourself your own stud or settle for your rubber toys! You aren't getting ANY of this as long as I have anything to say about it!" Beth huffed as she reached over and cupped my groin, causing me to visibly jump in the seat.

"Whoa, Beth! You're going to cause an accident here," I sputtered as I regained my composure.

"Brian, when you get tired of playing with dolls, come see me and I'll show you what a good time REALLY is," Sharon smirked.

"You do and it'll be the LAST piece of ass you ever get, Brian. I cut it off in your sleep and feed it to the dogs." Beth laughed, but there was a hard glint in her eye that even the refection of the rear-view mirror couldn't disguise.

"Well, if you women can take a little candor from me, I would appreciate it if we could change the subject. The road is slick enough without having to contend with a hard-on." I blurted.

They both laughed at my discomfiture, but they did change the subject and the drive just became long and boring for the next couple of hours.

We stopped for lunch, a greasy affair that left me with heartburn and a nasty taste in my mouth. As we continued on our journey, I noticed a heavy accumulation of clouds on the distant horizon.

"Hmm, looks like that front did double-time. I bet it is already snowing like a bitch in the mountains," I mused aloud.

Sharon squinted into the distance, a frown crossing her features.

"This isn't good. We are out in the middle of nowhere and if we get caught in a major snowstorm we could be in a lot of trouble. I haven't seen a buildup of such heavy clouds in the middle of winter in over twenty years. Maybe we should consider turning back while we have a chance, Brian," she said with a note of concern in her voice.

"Awww, I have cleated snow tires on both axles and this is a four-wheel drive truck, Sharon. I don't think we'll have any trouble," I said with confidence.

"Brian, I know you mean well, but let me ask you something. Have you ever driven a vehicle during a blizzard?"

"Nope, driven in a lot of snow, though, and this truck is as solid in snow as it is on pavement."

"It's not the snow, Brian. It's the wind and the lack of visibility. Add to that, icy stretches of road where traction is almost impossible, when you can figure out where the road is. I really don't like it. That is a serious storm."

"Maybe you should listen to Mom, Brian. She's lived out here all her life and knows what she is talking about," Beth added.

"I love the way you two have suddenly lost all confidence in me. If you wish, we'll hole-up in Denver till the storm passes, but I really don't want to turn back now. We are almost halfway there." I responded with a hurt tone.

They acquiesced and then grew silent as our journey continued.

Thirty minutes later the skies had gone from a deep, rich blue to a somber gray as little flurries of light snow flitted outside.

"Where are we, Brian?" Sharon asked pensively as the snowfall began to thicken.

"About fifty miles outside of Calhan, Sharon. An hour drive if conditions don't get any worse," I replied.

The conditions deteriorated rapidly and it wasn't long before I had to slow down to twenty-five miles per hour, then even slower. The snow was beginning to accumulate on the roadway and visibility was reduced to mere feet as I inched us along. The truck lurched when I would gently veer into the shoulder, trying to find the road.

To make matters worse, the wind picked up, buffeting the truck on one side then another as it gusted around us. I glanced briefly at my companions, their faces white in fear, mirroring my own apprehension.

Beth raised her arm and pointed out the windshield. "Look, lights! I think I see a house up there on the right," she almost shouted.

My concentration was on my driving so I only had a brief instance in which to look where she was pointing. It was an instant too long as I felt the tires leave the pavement and the truck begin to slide sideways.

"Ice!" Sharon grunted as she gripped the dashboard with both hands.

The truck had departed from my control. I consider myself an excellent driver and would pit my skills against almost anyone, but there comes a point when inertia and momentum combine with a lack of traction to send a vehicle whirling into the hands of fate. Such a time was now.

We could feel the truck accelerate, driven by the wind on some icy surface that sloped gently downhill. The vehicle was spinning ever so slowly, yet drawn irrevocably down into, what I assumed, was a ravine. Suddenly we were brought to a stop as the tires slammed into an unyielding surface.

We sat immobile, listing at a most uncomfortable angle as the drone of the diesel competed against the howl of the wind. I was the first to speak.

"It seems that we have reached bottom."

The women turned their head and looked at me with a blank stare.

"We are safe and everyone is in one piece. Cheer up, it could have been worse," I said in an effort to lighten up the dark clouds on both their faces.

"It can get a lot worse. We can die out here," Sharon said softly.

"Yeah, you read about it in the papers every winter, Brian. People discovered dead in their vehicles, usually lying in ditches and covered over by drifting snow until the first major thaw. We can't stay in here," Beth added.

I knew she was right, but one didn't just simply wander off into a blizzard on foot. I spoke those sentiments while searching about in my head for a solution.

"Where was that house you saw?" Sharon asked.

"It looked like it was maybe a quarter of a mile down the road and a little off to the right, kinda sitting on a hill. I only got the briefest of glimpses during a momentary lull, but I'm sure it was there," Beth replied urgently.

I thought about it for a few minutes and then I reached behind me to slide back the partition that separated the bed from the cab.

"I'll walk over there and bring back help," I said as I reached for the parka I kept hanging on a hook.

"That won't work, Brian. You'll never find us. By the time you get there and back, the truck is going to be covered over in snow," Sharon said softly. "The only way out is for all of us to go."

Sharon looked out the window for a few moments, then added, "We better hurry. I can still make out the tracks we made in the snow. If we wait too long they will be obliterated and finding the road will become truly difficult."

Her logic was inescapable, for only by finding the road can we be assured that we aren't just wondering off into the prairie to die from exposure.

Bundled up in the warmest gear we could salvage from the back of the truck, we made our way out into the maelstrom that threatened to swallow us whole. It was an arduous trek, fighting the wind and the cold while holding each other's hand to avoid becoming separated in the blinding snow.

We walked for what seemed like hours, stumbling and frequently falling over hidden debris. We might have missed the house if I hadn't walked into the mailbox at the foot of their drive. We all looked up into the gathering darkness, vainly searching for the lights we believed were there. Linked arm-in-arm, weary with fatigue, we stumbled up the gravely slope, squinting into the stinging snow for signs of life.

"There it is!" Beth cried out as she tugged on my arm.

Through the gloom and the snow, we could just make out the yellow glow from a pair of windows. The house was probably less than fifty feet away, yet it would have been very easy to miss. With renewed vigor, feeling salvation was at hand; we fought our way through a two-foot accumulation toward the amber sheen that promised warmth and life.

I pounded on the door with what strength I had remaining, hoping my pitiful efforts could be heard over the howl of the wind.

An eternity or two passed until the door was yanked open by a giant of a man.

"Get your butts in here before you freeze to death!" He thundered in a thick accent that sounded German as he yanked me inside then stepped out to assist the women.

"My word! What are you poor souls doing out here in this weather?" The voice rang in my ears as I fell to my knees, exhausted yet thankful for our salvation.

I looked up into the bluest pair of eyes I have ever seen. The woman appeared to be in her late forties to early fifties, her once blond hair now streaked with gray. Her lips were thin but her mouth was wide, showing perfect teeth that gleamed against the weathered tan of her skin. Her hands were equally weathered, but soft to the touch as she lifted me up and began removing my coat.

"You skin is like ice! We must get you into the hot tub immediately!" She exclaimed as she began to peel my outer garments off.

"No, take car of the women first," I mumbled gallantly as I turned around to seek them out.

"Don't worry about them, Gerard is taking care of it. We have a nice big hot tub in the back with plenty of room for all of you. Come on, let's get you warmed up before you go into shock or something."

In no time at all, the three of us were ensconced in the soothing warmth of a whirlpool spa. The gentle steam rising off the surface of the water brought relief to my dry, overburdened sinuses. The three of us lay in the soothing water, silently trying to recover from our ordeal.

"Here is something that will help warm the insides too," the gruff but gentle voice of Gerard jolted me out of my reverie and I took the proffered glass from his hands.

"Brandy," he replied to my unspoken question.

"My name is Gerard and that is my wife Rachel," he said, indicating the blue-eyed blond who was serving the same beverage to Beth and Sharon.

"My name is Brian, this is Beth and this is her mother Sharon," I responded in kind, indicating each in turn. "We are most thankful for your hospitality and probably owe you our lives," I said as I felt strength returning.

"Yes, it is not a good night to be traveling. I assume your vehicle is on the side of the road, probably in a ditch, is it not?" He inquired.

"Your assumption is correct, Gerard," Sharon replied. "We thought we might make it to town before the worst of the storm, but lost control of the truck when we hit some ice."

"Yes, it happens all too often. The storms build up over the mountains then spill over suddenly, usually with a ferocity that most people cannot comprehend until they have actually experienced it," Rachel added.

Gerard and Rachel started removing their clothing.

"Uh, what are you doing?" I asked.

"It is unseemly for us to be clothed while addressing the three of you who are nude," Rachel responded as she stepped into the hot tub.

It didn't dawn on me until then that I was sans clothing as were my two companions, yet I found nothing erotic in the moment.

I did, however, take the opportunity to peruse our gracious hosts.

Rachel had the same body as both Sharon and Beth; lithe, yet well rounded. That is where the similarity ended. While Beth and Sharon stood at five-foot six-inches, Rachel was as tall as I, an even six-feet. Rachel was blond and short cropped while Sharon and Beth both had dark brown tresses that flowed about their shoulders. Rachel's gently drooping breasts were full, capped in pink aureoles and tiny little nipples that stood at rigid attention in the cool air. Beth and Sharon both had small, pert breasts with large brown aureoles and fat nipples that begged to be nibbled on. Like their hair, both Sharon and Beth had dark brown eyes that often reminded me of a puppy's; soft, warm and trusting. The other differences were more subtle and too numerous to mention.

Gerard was a magnificent specimen of a man. Big, and I don't mean rotund. He was truly a giant among men, well over six-foot six-inches in height. His chest was broad and thick, as were his arms, the girth of his biceps approaching that of my calves. His hair was white, long and flowing to the middle of his back. His age was difficult to ascertain. On one hand he looked to be in his forties yet upon closer inspection you could see the years around his eyes and mouth. Like Rachel, his eyes were a piercing blue and seemed to shine with equal mirth and sadness. He wasn't exactly enigmatic, but you could tell that he had seen a lot more of the world than he wanted. He seemed to exude an aura of mystery yet I couldn't help but feel drawn to him. For some reason I felt as if I could trust this man with my life and he would never betray that trust.

I shook these thoughts from my head as I realized he was speaking to me.

"How did you come to be caught in this storm? Don't you listen to the radio?" He inquired as he eased himself into the warm water.

"Actually, we were listening to CD's and weren't expecting the front until tomorrow," I replied.

"Hrummph, foolish. One learns to pay attention to the weather broadcasts out here. If it isn't the blizzards in the winter, it is the damn tornados in the summer. An informed individual makes correct choices. An ignorant one usually becomes a victim."

I felt the sting of his reprimand and knew he was right. In my ignorance I had jeopardized not only my life, but that of my companions as well. It was a lesson I would never forget as the enormity of his words sank home.

"You are correct and I was an over-confident fool," I said softly as I looked first into Beth's eyes then those of her mother, seeking understanding if not forgiveness.

"Don't be too harsh on yourself, boy. Profit from your mistake by never repeating it. Remember that the decisions you make often have consequences that reach out and touch the lives of others. If you must err, try to do so on the side of caution and you'll live to be both old and wise," Gerard said in a somber tone.

Those few short sentences were like a sermon, filled with far more meaning than the words themselves could ever convey. It was a conversation that I would live to recall many times in the future.

"Ok, Gerard. Don't lecture the boy," Rachel said softly from the other side of the hot tub.

"I apologize, Brian. It just grieves me so to dig out frozen corpses every spring. Simple mistakes can be so very costly," he paused then took an abrupt change in direction. "So tell us, what are the three of you doing out here?"

We proceeded to tell him of our plans to enjoy a weekend on the slopes.

"I doubt if anyone is going to be on the slopes this weekend. This storm is a monster and they don't expect it to abate for at least another forty-eight hours. All the highways and airports are closed until further notice. I heard on the radio, just before we came in here, that power has been disrupted in cities all along the front-range due to the unusually high winds and heavy snow. They are urging people to conserve resources and burn wood sparingly."