Chapter Text
Chapter 1
I’m sitting in the chair, blanket wrapped around my shoulders, as the blizzard outside rages. I watch the window as the snow billows by, a hint of hope that if I glare at it enough, it’ll stop. But sadly, looks of rage don’t stop the weather. If anything, they make it keep doing whatever it’s doing. I just want to go home and make sure my mother and sister are okay. Being the oldest child means I do most of the work while my mother stays home to take care of things. I hunt, gather, etc.
I was on my way home earlier when the blizzard hit. My friend, Chris, pulled me in here. His place. A small cottage, where the bedroom and kitchen are in the same place. There are blankets and towels stuffed under the front and back doors, windows, and anything with a crack the cold could get in through. He had started a fire the moment the door had closed behind us, trying to warm me up. He’s always been sweet to me.
“Hot chocolate is done,” Chris says, walking over. His brown hair is a mess, as usual, and his eyes are a raging blue, like ice. Strong, tall, kind-hearted, always willing to help. I couldn’t ask for a better friend.
“Thanks,” I say, taking the mug.
He sits on the bed. “It’ll blow over soon. It’s already lightened up.”
“My mother and sister are stuck at home.”
“I know. It’ll be fine though.”
I nod. My silver-blue hair falls into my face, and he pushes it out for me, looking me in my hazel eyes. “You okay, Shiva?” he asks. He can probably see my anger.
“I said don’t call me that.”
“Sorry. Are you okay, Shivara?”
I sigh and shake my head. “No. There wasn’t supposed to be a blizzard today. The High Caps showed clear skies.”
“They can be wrong sometimes.”
“But with a blizzard this big-”
“Shiva, they can be wrong sometimes.”
I look out the window again. “I know.”
The High Caps are the mountains. If the weather is supposed to be clear, they have a greenish hue to them. If it's gonna snow, blue. A blizzard, red. And they had green today. Sometimes the colors can mix, that just means the weather will be all over the place, as it can be. The weather in our world is… cruel, like ice.
He takes my hand. “Hey, the moment it passes, we’ll hurry to your place.”
“Thanks.”
He nods, smiling. “Are you warm enough?” he asks.
I sip my hot chocolate, which immediately sends waves of warmth through my body. “Yeah,” I say.
“I’ll add more logs to the fire,” he says, standing. I smile softly.
He puts more logs in the fire, then sits down again.
I watch the window again, just waiting for the blizzard to stop. I slowly drink my hot chocolate, even when it goes cold. It’s still warmer than outside.
The warmth in the room starts to get to me, making me tired. I yawn.
“Why don’t you lay down,” Chris suggests.
“No thanks.”
“You’re tired.”
“I feel fine,” I say, yawning again.
“Shiva.”
“You’re not gonna leave me alone until I do, aren't you.”
“You need rest.”
I sigh, then get up from my chair. He takes my empty mug to the sink while I get in his bed.
“I’m gonna make you some lunch,” Chris says.
“Thanks.”
I curl up under the blankets and close my eyes. I fall asleep while Chris is cooking.
-------------------------------
I wake up to the smell of bacon, and eggs. I yawn, stretch, and sit up. Chris is still cooking.
“Where did you get bacon?” I ask.
“Been saving it,” he says.
He gets a plate ready. “You want some?”
“Yes,” I say, hungry. I haven’t had bacon in years.
He gives me the plate, and I eat fast. Frosts, I miss bacon.
“Slow down. You don’t want to choke,” Chris says.
“I’m fine,” I say after swallowing. I’m already done.
He takes my plate and gets his food. “Blizzard is slowing down,” he says
I look out the window. “Not enough. It’s still too dangerous to go out.”
“I didn’t say it stopped.”
He sits on the bed, eating. “So, what do you want to do?” he asks.
“I’m not doing anything until the blizzard stops.”
“Shiva-”
“Don’t call me that.”
“You like it.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Alright. Fine. But you can’t just sit here and do nothing,” he says through a mouthful of eggs.
“Well, what else would I do?”
He swallows. “Have you thought about-”
“I’m not talking about it. I haven’t even told my mother.”
“Okay.”
Chris is a good friend. An amazing friend. This summer, my family has been struggling. And he’s done nothing but help. Including in a way that I’ve yet to decide if I’ll accept…
“You’re thinking about it,” Chris says.
“Shut up.” I lay down on the bed, avoiding his eyes.
“Shivara-”
“I’m not going to talk about it.”
He sighs and gets up. “Alright.”
He goes and does dishes while I lay there, watching the window.
“I did mean it when I said-” Chris starts, trying to keep the topic going.
“I know.”
“And?”
“... I don’t know.”
“Okay.”
He stays quiet. Which I appreciate. I’m not ready to get married. Even if it means my family stops struggling. By the law of our village, the family of newlyweds are given whatever they need. Which my family needs a lot. But… I’m only 17. Sure, here that’s normally when people get married, at least, in our village, but I’m not ready. And Chris proposing, that… That startled me.
“Blizzard stopped,” Chris says.
I look out the window, then leap out of the bed. I grab my boots, pull on my thick wool socks then the boots, then reach for my jacket. Chris grabs my hand.
“Hold on. It may be over but the snow will be high. You-”
“Don’t care. I can go.”
He lets go and I put my jacket on. It’s been warming by the fire, and it feels amazing.
“Want me to”
“You’ll follow me either way.” I go to the door, pull it open, and am met with a wall of snow. Thankfully, it does not fall in.
“Damn it,” I say.
“Wow,” Chris says, staring. “That is a lot of snow.”
I slam the door shut. “That’s not gonna melt until morning!”
“Sorry,” Chris says.
I stomp over to the chair and sit in it. Chris sits on the bed next to me.
“Want to talk or-”
“If you are trying to get my answer, I still don’t know.”
“I’m just trying to help distract you. You’re not gonna move until morning.”
“So you do have a brain cell.”
He laughs. “There’s that attitude I know and love.”
My cheeks go warm, and I try to hide it.
“I can see you blushing,” he says.
“Shut up,” I say. I grab the blanket and pull it over me.
He laughs. “Alright. What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know.”
He sits there, silent. Annoying.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing.”
“Come on, tell me.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Tell me.”
He sighs. “Do you want to”
The door swings open, wind forces it in. Snow falls, and melts. Fast. I stand when I feel a wave of heat.
“The High Caps, they released Summer again?” I say.
Chris looks relieved he was interrupted. As if I’ll drop it.
“We’ll talk later,” I say, and run out the door. All the snow is gone. It’s the beginning of summer again. Weird. The High Caps never release a season that’s already happened again in the same year.
“Shiva, wait!” Chris says, pulling his shoes on.
I started running home. The main set of houses in the village is nearby, so I can cut through there to get home. My mother has always preferred living on the outskirts.
I hear footsteps behind me as Chris follows me. “Shiva, wait up!”
I ignore him and keep running. The village is just over that hill. Not much farther. Just through the village then I’m home.
People are coming out of their homes, seeing the odd weather. I ignore just about everyone as I run by. I just need to get home and make sure…
There are medics carrying stretchers walking into the village. From the direction of my home. The Chief is there, and he spots me. I flinch when I see his wrinkled face, his smile missing way too many teeth. He’s just so… Old. But today, he looks older, his normal smile replaced with a frown. He looks just about ready to join his family above.
He waves me over, and I walk to him, slowly.
“Shivara Turu,” he says.
“Chief. What-”
“The blizzard. It got to them. I’m sorry.”
I pause, then look at the stretchers as they are carried into the Freezer, the place where they store the dead til they can be given a proper burial.
“No,” I say.
“I’m sorry. When we got there, the house was destroyed. They-”
“A blizzard couldn’t have done that. Our house was made of stone.”
“I know. But-”
“Did you find anything unusual? Any sign that something else-”
“Just a lot of ice.”
Ice. Frigid, ice.
“That is found all the time! This world is practically frozen to the core!”
“I know. But that’s all we found. Even the snow was turned to ice.”
“... what?”
He nods. “The snow was turned into ice. The medics had to break their way through. Thankfully they had a Heater to keep them safe during the blizzard.”
A Heater. Where did they get a Heater? Those things create pockets of warmth, and during blizzards, they act as a shield. And they cost about every sliver of silver that this village has altogether.
“Why were they going there?” I ask.
“To check on your mother. I was able to convince them to go help her without charging her. I know she was sick, so I thought I’d help.”
“Thank you…” I say.
Chris finally catches up. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll leave you to grieve,” Chief says. “Let me know how I can help.”
He walks away. I stand there, numb and cold.
“What is he talking about?” Chris asks.
I look at him, void of emotion.
“Shiva?”
I look at the Freezer. Medics are walking out now.
“Shiva what… Oh. Oh, Shiva I… I’m so sorry,” Chris says, finally understanding it.
He gently pulls me into a hug, and I start crying. I just lost my family… all of them.
People avoid the two of us. Chris just holds me as I sob, getting his shirt all wet with tears, which he might regret later when things start to get cold again. But right now, I appreciate it.
“Do you want to go see?” he asks.
I nod, sniffing. “Yeah.”
“Alright.”
“Chief said it was destroyed… I don’t know how that could happen.”
“I don’t know either.”
He takes my hand and starts leading me to where my home used to be.