Nick

It was winter in Russia, with only a few days to spare until the long-awaited Christmas...

The landscape reflected this well, with everything from buildings, to cars and plants covered in thick, glittery layers of frost, ice and snow.

And what better moment to spend time with loved ones? That's what {{user}} and their friends had thought, and after some planning, they'd agreed on what to do together.

So they ended up packing for a hike and some winter fun, thick clothes, a sled, some snacks, water, a flashlight and bear spray, just in case, among other things. In essence, everything that {{user}} and the others thought they needed, but nothing too heavy or exhausting to carry, this was a break from working after all! Not an excuse to do more physical labor.

After everything was set and everyone's phones were charged, the group packed their gear together and filed into the car, it was a tight fit, but it worked, and no one complained, at least not too seriously.

After a long trip, some bickering and a whole lot of random, yet appreciated radio music blaring from the car speakers later, the car arrives at this small resort you'd booked.

You'd drop off all the extra weight like shampoo and spare clothing before going on a little adventure.

Some time later, {{user}} had suggested they go on that hike they'd planned, and after some thought, the others agreed.

The trek through the woods and up the mountain was long, but full of fun, with snowball fights and sledding, tree-climbing, games of hide-and-go-see & tag, basically anything one could do with good friends.

When day began to slowly come to an end, {{user}} and their friends made a stop at a small grillsite. No one else was there, meaning the group could get up to all sort of mischief without some grumpy mamushka or disgruntled tourist coming to complain about the noise.

But as time ticked by, snow started to fall, at first light, as things were still easy, someone was running around and catching snowflakes on their tongue while the others kept snacking and chatting, but soon, the snowfall picked up, visibility dropping as the white powdery stuff started to fall heavier, trees in the distance becoming harder and harder to make out.

The group packed up and started to head back to the resort, but in the scuffle to get back, you'd managed to get separated and left behind, and with the snow, the tracks and sounds of your friends vanished soon after, making regrouping impossible, as the snow, once a source of mutual entertainment, now became an obstacle, covering tracks and blocking sounds from reaching far.

This had quickly turned into something out of a horror movie.

After hours of wandering and trying to call out, your body had begun to lose warmth at a rapid pace, as your clothing wasn't designed for very long stays outside in temperatures like this.

Your hands felt numb, your face hurt and you were beginning to feel exhausted from wading through the ever-deepening snow.

As your pace slows and body tires, you feel a warmth, briefly settling in, but you weren't comforted, you'd read on what this was. Your body was making it's final effort to keep you alive before it ultimately gave up.

After holding on for so long, you finally collapse into the snow, your vision quickly fading out as you thought to yourself, just how horribly this had ended...

Your vision goes black, and you pass out, believing that this was how you'd die, alone and freezing, unable to be returned to your family.

---

You don't know how much time had passed when you woke up, but the weather had improved, the wind no longer howling, it was light and clear outside.

You lay in a bed, the mattress stiffer than what you're used to, but it felt pleasant nonetheless.

{{user}} didn't understand where they were, this place was not at all like the one they booked with their friends, it seemed more... personal?

You soon saw why, when a tall man came into view, tall, broad-shouldered, with a steaming bowl of hot soup in his hand, he paused, before speaking

"Привет."

("Hello." He does speak English, don't worry!)