When she awoke, feeling considerably more refreshed, the storm had subsided. The air was crisp and clean, the world washed clean by the downpour. But Luka was gone. His belongings remained in the cave – his backpack, his jacket – but the man himself had vanished.
Panic surged through Lisa. She called out his name, her voice echoing eerily in the stillness of the cave. Nothing. Just as worry began to consume her, a nearby bush rustled suspiciously.
"Luka?" she called out tentatively, her heart pounding in her chest.
A figure emerged from the foliage, but it wasn't Luka. It was Selene, her face creased with relief. Without a word, she swept Lisa into a tight hug.
"Lisa! Thank goodness you're alright!" Selene exclaimed, her voice choked with emotion. "We've been searching everywhere for you."
Lisa hugged her friend back tightly, a wave of gratitude washing over her. "I'm okay, Selene. I was resting in this cave."
"And who is this... Luka person?" Selene inquired, her eyes searching the cave entrance.
"Oh, he's the one who found me," Lisa explained. "He took care of me while I was injured."
"Where is he now?" Selene asked, concern etching lines on her forehead. "We need to thank him for helping you."
Lisa shook her head, a frown creasing her brow. "I have no idea. He was here last night, but this morning he was gone. All his things are here, but he's just... vanished."
"Don't worry, Lisa," Selene reassured her. "He's probably at the inn we're staying at, or maybe another one nearby. We'll find him and thank him properly. First things first, though – let's get you back to the top of the mountain."
Lisa nodded, a flicker of hope rekindled in her eyes. "Yeah, let's go."
The group, fueled by Selene's updates, finally reached the summit after finding Lisa. The view stole their breath away.
The clouds had cleared. "Wow," Noah breathed, echoing Lisa's sentiment. "Mesmerizing, isn't it?" Selene beamed. "Now, let's get some food. I'm famished!"
Lisa groaned. "Another four hours?" she whined.
Selene pointed towards a nearby cable car station. "Nope! Cable car ride down!"
Confused gasps erupted from the group. "Wait, what?" Lisa exclaimed. "There's a cable car? Why did we hike all the way up here?"
Selene chuckled. "Relax, Lisa. The trail was a fun climb, scenic, and less crowded – perfect for undercover actors like us. Besides, the view was worth it, right?"
Lisa sighed, defeated. "Just let's get to the inn. I need some rest."
Reaching the inn turned out to be another ordeal thanks to Selene and Noah's detours and shenanigans. Finally, collapsing onto her bed, Lisa muttered, "Finally," before drifting off to sleep.
Dreams cape. Lisa found herself beside Luka, a familiar warmth radiating from him. They were laughing, sharing a picnic under a canopy of stars. It felt so real, so perfect. When she woke, a pang of longing tugged at her heart.
It was 8 pm. Groggily, Lisa reached for her bag, popping some medicines. Memories of the dream lingered. Shaking them off, she headed to meet Selene and Noah for dinner.
Selene called Lisa "Come on, sleepyhead! Food, fun, and fabulous people await!"
"Sounds...wonderful. But maybe I'll just sit this one out. Hot tea and some peace and quiet sound more appealing right now."
Selene's brow furrowed in concern. "Oh no, you! Are you sure you took that medicine? You don't look good."
Lisa patted Selene's hand reassuringly. "Relax, drama queen. I did, and I'm feeling much better. Just a little sniffly."
With a sigh that could clear a hurricane, Selene relented. "Alright, fine. But promise me you'll at least come say hello to everyone? We've got a whole crew at our table – Mia and her amazing staff, Harry, Andrew, and Mikhail. They're a riot!"
True to her word, the dinner table was a whirlwind of laughter and lively conversation. Board games were unearthed, leading to a fierce but hilarious competition between Selene and Noah (Noah, bless his heart, remained blissfully unaware of Selene's strategic genius). Lisa, despite her initial reservations, found herself drawn into the infectious energy.
Later, a lull fell in the conversation. Lisa, sipping on a soothing herbal tea, caught Mia's eye. "Excuse me, Mia?" she began hesitantly. "May I have a word with you outside?"
Intrigued, Mia nodded. Stepping onto the balcony, the cool mountain air washed over them. "So, Lisa, what's on your mind?"
Lisa hesitated for a moment, then blurted out, "Do you know anyone named Luka? He saved me from that awful storm a while back, and he seemed familiar with this place."
Mia's brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Hmm, Luka... I can't say the name rings a bell. But if he was ever here, it would definitely be in the guest records."
Hope flickered in Lisa's eyes. "Really? Could you possibly check for him? Please?"
Mia's smile turned apologetic. "Of course, but I'm afraid it might take a while. The recent storm caused some flooding in the record room, and things are a bit...damp, to say the least."
Lisa's disappointment was quickly overshadowed by gratitude. "Oh, that's alright! I understand completely. Thank you so much for even checking, Mia. It means a lot."
Mia chuckled. "Actually, the real thanks goes to you, Lisa. You're the one who brought Selene and Noah's the actors whom I a big fan of to our table tonight. It's been a blast!"
They exchanged numbers, promising to stay in touch. As Lisa considered rejoining the festivities.
With a smile, Mia disappeared back inside. Taking a deep breath of crisp mountain air, Lisa leaned against the railing, gazing at the star-dusted night sky. Maybe, just maybe, a little more adventure wouldn't hurt. After all, hadn't Luka himself said something about escaping and embracing the unexpected? A spark of curiosity ignited within her. Perhaps there was more to this mountain resort than met the eye, and maybe, just maybe, Luka was a part of it.