The lift reached the top of the Black Diamond Run.

“Race you to the bottom!”  Dianna yelled as she pushed off ahead of him. This was the perfect Valentine’s Day.  She knew the others would be green with envy when they found out he was spending it with her.  Who cares that she never went skiing before in her life.  She wasn’t about to admit that to Jurgen.  How hard could it be?

Jurgen looked at his watch. Now was his chance.  He made a few adjustments and pushed the button on the watch. He had all the thyme in the world…

Meanwhile, Dianna was whizzing straight down the hill, not realizing that she should be
zig-zagging. She looked ahead at the long line of skiers waiting for the ski lift. They seemed unconcerned that she was completely out of control and had the potential to take out at least a dozen of them. She resigned herself to martyrdom.

Since she was going to die anyway a carefully planned fall might spare the lives of the oblivious masses in her path. She started to squat, trying to lean into a fall. She veered left and kept sailing down the hill, but soon realized that in that position she was as aerodynamic as a bullet. As she rapidly approached a man engrossed in conversation with another skier, oh God, it was Lance...she closed her eyes.

The collision sent snow flying everywhere. Moments later she opened her eyes, and to her amazement, saw no blood or severed limbs. She fully expected to have to apologize to a corpse, but they were both alive. Lance was annoyed; she was relieved. But when she looked to see if Jurgen had seen the whole thing he was gone.