~Lake Tahoe Ski Resort, North California ~

He looks out the front window of the van, smiling up at the large, white mountain before him. He hears the boys and girls exclaim in the backseats of the far as they press their little noses against the windows to get a better look. He smiles and pulls into a parking space with a jolt. The children giggle at the jolt of the car before opening the doors and hurrying to get out. He quickly unbuckles his seat belt and hops out of the driver’s seat. He shuts the door behind him and locks it before grouping the kids up. The kids look up at him with wide eyes as he begins to talk to them. 

“Okay, remember what we talked about?” he asks them. 

“Yes,” they all respond with a childlike tone. 

“No going off with strangers,” he starts off and he notices that some of the kids begin to mouth the words with him. “Stay in groups of at least four and only go on the young kid slope. We will be meeting at the ski lodge at eight o’clock so that your parents can take you home, okay?” All of the kids nod obediently and he smiles. “Alright. I’ll be watching out for you guys okay? If you ever need me, come and find me. I will either be in the lodge or on the slopes, okay?” They all nod again and he smiles. “Head out to the lodge to get your skis and boots, y’all,” he says and they all giggle and take off running. 

He smiles as he watches them run off toward the lodge. He proceeds to then to grab his snowboard and boots from off the top of the van. He opens up the driver side once again and sits down in it, untying his white sneakers and setting them in the passenger’s side of the van. He then pulls on his snow boots. He looks around at all of the people pulling up next to him. The glowing powder on his neck blinks brightly and he tucks it underneath his jacket and shirt. 

He pulls on his beanie and hooks his snowboard under his arm as he begins to walk out to the ski lift. It’s about a football field length away. He walks slowly, making sure to watch out for the children as he does. He notices a few of them heading toward the cafeteria of the lodge, not getting any skis and he sighs. Some of these kids don’t take advantage of things in life, which he finds sad, but that’s their choice. He continues to walk toward the ski, looking around. It was so beautiful out here. He would love to stay up here, but he was only staying for the week after the children’s parents came to pick them up. After that, he would be leaving. Such a sad time.