Near Death At Niseko

• Joshua Schell, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2015

Sweat was dripping down my face as I was dodging the crowd to catch my awaiting plane. I was late. It was the Philadelphian traffic again. I may be in love with Philli but the traffic drives me insane.
This was my last chance to escape the city life and exchange it for the magnificent Japanese mountains of “Niseko”. I couldn’t miss this ski trip. I’d been dreaming of the cloud-capped mountains for a year now.
“Last boarding call for Jason Meadow. Last boarding call for Jason Meadow. Gate 12. Last boarding call for Jason Meadow.”
I yelled as I told them to hold the gate. “It’s me. I’m coming.”
I collapsed on seat number 12G with a long trip ahead of me.
Suddenly I woke up to the bump of the wheels touching the tarmac. I was excited to be in Japan. It’s funny cos it snows in Philli but it’s not nearly as good as this. I’m finally in Japan and I’ll be skiing those slopes and shredding the snow by this time tomorrow.
I cabbed it to Niseko. It took a long time to get there. The taxi driver was hilarious. A formal, intelligent guy who told me about the wonderful snow sights in Niseko. He informed me that Niseko lies at the base of Mount Yotei which is a dormant volcano and is next to Shiribetsu River, one of the most beautiful rivers in Japan. He lives in Niseko which is why he seems to know so much. It made me feel lucky that I was going to such a beautiful place.
We arrived at Niseko Village, right in the heart of everything. It looked just like a magazine picture.
I went to a restaurant in the village, then went back to the resort and jumped into bed and hit the pillow. I had bags under my eyes and was out like a light.
I woke up with the sun on my face happy as can be.
Getting on my ski’s and walking outside, I was nervous. I already know how to ski but these mountains were all new to me. I had butterflies in my stomach.
I caught the ski lift to the highest point of the mountain. I felt confident about myself and set myself the challenge to ski down this thing.
All I could see was an ocean of clouds with the snowflakes gently waving. I looked down the mountain at the sparkling snow and I thought to myself that this was the most stunning view I’d ever seen.
This was it. Voices were going through my head. “Good luck. You’re going to rip the mountain like a pro.”
I was going down the mountain as fast as I could. Going side to side. Thinking I was all good, I was shocked to hear the words you never want to hear when skiing….. “Avalanche!!!!!!”
Thoughts were rushing through my mind. “I’m going to die.” “This is the end.” “Will I survive?”
Before I knew it, I was in the avalanche. The snow was blocking my eyes. I wasn’t able to breathe. Stuck there feeling the snow pressing down on me. Not able to move my legs. I dug a pocket around my face. Just being able to breathe felt great in the hope that someone would find me.
At last someone found me and got helpers to pull me out but I couldn’t walk for my leg was broken. My leg was aching and my head was throbbing like a massive explosion had just happened in my brain.
Next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed.
The doctor told me that I had shattered my tibia bone and I had to stay here for a couple of weeks. My world was placed upside-down thinking “how am I going to pay for this”, “what’s going to happen next”, “will my life get better”…
And then the nurse walked into the room looking as striking as the mountain view that I had seen this morning.
I saw her name badge. It read “Nurse Koyuki.”
I asked her if it meant anything and she said “Yes, it means ‘little snow’ in Japanese.”
We looked at each other and time just stopped…and then I knew that this was the greatest love story that will ever be…