Kyla turned off the ignition a few meters away from the cabin she'd rented for this expedition. The wind struck her with a force that stole her breath as soon as she stepped out of the car.
She grabbed the small duffel bag containing a few clothes and personal effects and another bag of groceries that she'd picked up before making the trip up the mountain. Ice pellets stung her face and she thought to shield her eyes against them, but it was too dark to put on sunglasses.
She locked up the car and proceeded towards the cabin. As she did, she noticed the dark imprints left by her boots on the white carpet of sleet. They didn't concern her. If Gen and the meteorologists were calling it right, the footprints would soon be covered by several inches of frozen precipitation. When the ground thawed, the prints would be absorbed into the mud.
