Dangerous Winter Sports: When Skiing Went Awry

Sunshine glittered on my freshly waxed skis, a beacon of confidence. I was a snow goddess, poised for downhill glory! Down I went, a blur of wind-whipped hair. Then at a rogue ice patch, my skis betrayed me, and I went airborne like a startled penguin.

My world became a kaleidoscope of white and skis resembled runaway twigs. I braced for impact, teeth chattering, when… a pair of strong arms intercepted my trajectory. A handsome skier, eyes crinkled with amusement, had me safely landed in a soft pile of powder.

Lost your wings there, snowflake?" he chuckled, offering a gloved hand.

"Mortified, I dusted off my snow bunny suit. "More like lost my balance, hero. Thanks for the save."

A good wipeout is just a story waiting to be told and sometimes the most unexpected twists lead to the most delightful ski runs of all.

Artists mixed in this are:

• Dain Yoon, a fine artist
• Kinuko Y. Craft, a fantasy illustrator
• Fujiko Nakaya, a video artist
• WLOP, a digital illustrator