~~ Greenough, Montana, January 2068 ~~
Early morning, she was watching the sun rising and sipping her tea. It was soothing, quiet, and peaceful, she had no guests which meant her mornings were her own. It was the cold season, so half the house was shut up to begin with. They'd return in the spring with their children and their loud demanding querulous tones. Being backed up to the mountains like this with her resort meant plenty of tourists in the summer and plenty of peace in the winter.
She rose, finishing off her cup and cleaning up the kitchen, then pulled on her heavy jacket, heading out the back to bring some of the corded wood closer to the main house for when the snow hit. Winter was coming.
It wasn't two days before it happened. The sky opened up and snow started falling. For hours and hours, it fell. It was nearly a day and a half before it stopped, the total accumulation over three feet. With the wind blowing it, in several places, accumulated to seven or eight. The plows began running, trying to keep Interstate 90 clear. It didn't work particularly well.
Kory didn't see the flashing lights of the plows even in the snowfall and he swerved onto the exit ramp to avoid them, pulling off of 90 onto State Route 200. He sighed and thought about turning back onto the interstate before his expression hardened. "Fuck it. Let's see where this goes," he grumbled to himself and started down the road.
He made it to a Sinclair's where he gassed up and then a diner named Cully's. Deciding to stop in and get a warm bite to eat, he soaked in the heat as he ate, thoroughly enjoying the mediocre food. It wasn't until the meal was over and paid for and he walked out to his car that he discovered the problem. Somehow, while he was eating, a bear had found its way into his car and discovered the packet of jerky he had left on the passenger seat. And then eaten into the rest of the car looking for more. The driver, passenger, and backseat were in shreds, a result of the bear's hunger.
He looked up at the sky, snow still falling, and shouted, "GOD DAMN IT!!! You got any more?! Keep kicking a guy while he's down?! FUCK!" his head fell and he stood there, breathing in the cold.
"Well son, I could kick you, but I doubt that'd do much good," came a grumpy old man's voice from behind.
Kory turned, running his hand through his hair. "I'm... I'm sorry. That was....," he paused, then sighed. "You're not really catching me at my best..."
"Everybody has days," the old man shrugged, then clapped him on the shoulder, "Now, I can't fix your car, Beefer did a right number on it, but I can give you a ride to Young's place. It's the closest place that'll have heat and a bed for miles."
Kory looked at him helplessly. "Do you think they'll have a bed? What, with the weather like it is?" he asked.
"Son, Young's always got a bed at a time like this." He hooked his arm around Kory's shoulders and walked him to a beaten-up old truck with heavy snow tires and chains. "It's the Royal Resort BnB. Typically closed for the winter, but I knew her Pa. She'll put you up."
He nodded, looking at his car again. "How much room have you got?" he asked quietly.
"I'll pull my truck over, plenty of room in the back, we'll get you loaded up and head her way."
He nodded and slowly walked around to the back of the car and unlocked the trunk. Kory sighed and started pulling out a couple of suitcases and a large duffel bag. As the old man pulled up in his truck, he threw both the suitcases and the duffel in the back, then sighed and went back to the trunk and carefully pulled out a small cardboard box which he brought into the cab with him after closing the trunk. Buckling in, he pulled the box to him and cradled it gently, as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
"Alright son, let's get you someplace warm," he backed the truck up and eased out on the road, instead of turning left, he turned right and then pushed a button on his phone.
A few seconds later the sound of ringing, then a dulcet soft tone, "Royal Resort, this is Young."
"Miss Young, it's Frank. I've got a young man here, had a tangle with Beefer over at Cully's," Frank said calmly.
"I'm going to assume he's alright since you're calling me. How can I serve?" Grace responded, already headed up the stairs.
"He needs a room and a bed, and maybe some of your famous biscuits and gravy...," Frank responded, winking at Kory.
"I'll have it made up by the time you get here. Drive safe, Frank." The phone hung up, and Frank grinned at Kory. The drive was mostly quiet, Frank hummed along to the radio and it wasn't long before they were pulling into a circular drive in front of a massive log cabin.
"Welcome to Young's Place as the locals call it or the Royal Resort," Frank said, climbing down out of the truck. A young woman stepped out onto the porch, an oversized sweater hanging to her knees, a hastily thrown-on jacket, and heavy boots. "Grace, you get more beautiful every time I see you," Frank said, giving her a winning smile.
"Coffee's on the stove, your biscuits and gravy are in the fridge," Grace responded, accepting a kiss from Frank as he passed her. She turned soft blue eyes on Kory, "Welcome to Royal Resort."
He ran one hand through his hair, the other still holding the cardboard box. "Thank you, Miss. Don't mean to trouble you. I didn't really figure on having to tangle with a bear at a gas station and diner...," he murmured, almost sheepishly.
"Beefer is a bit of a pain, he gets tranqed, taken in the back forty, but still winds up at that Diner." She stepped down the stairs and walked to the back of the truck and pulled out one of the suitcases, and the duffle. "I think it's because he used to be a circus bear. I put you on the second floor not far from my room, it's just us so... no sense in spreading out all over."
