Frostbitten (25 page)

Stepping outside,
Anastasia waited as Frost took a long last look at the cabin and then shut the
door. Reaching for her hand, he began guiding her throughout a seemingly never-ending
maze of trees. Perhaps it was only her perception, but the woods felt colder,
darker and much more dangerous.

“When we arrive in
Hartfield, there’s a lot that has to be done,” Anastasia said, trying to
concentrate on anything other than her surroundings. She’d been formulating a
detailed plan after their original one had gone askew, and she was more than a
little grateful that Frost had insisted she carry both of their wallets in her
coat pocket. After all, they were going to need money. “We have to find a bank
machine, motel and grocery store,” she continued, ticking off each item in her
mind. “And we’ll need to get your truck back somehow.”

“Let’s just get out of
these woods first,” Frost replied, his eyes darting around nervously as he
urged Anastasia to move faster.

Willing herself
forward, Anastasia focused on keeping up with Frost’s ever-increasing pace.
However, her attention was soon drawn to the faint noise of trees rustling from
somewhere behind them. Both Anastasia and Frost stopped dead in their tracks
and spun around, but no one was there. After several moments of silence and no
visible activity, he nudged her onward.

They’d only taken a few
dozen steps when the noise came again, this time from the opposite direction.
As the sound grew louder, Anastasia and Frost didn’t stop to investigate.
Instead, they ran as fast as they could, while trying to avoid slipping on the
sleek, compact snow.

Still hand-in-hand,
Anastasia knew that she and Frost were fleeing from more than one unidentified
person or animal – she could now hear three of them, and they were getting
closer. Just as unnerving was Anastasia’s certainty that they were
intentionally being chased from their route to Hartfield. Whoever was after her
and Frost wanted them deep in the woods, where they were defenseless and their
screams couldn’t be heard.

Frost must have also
sensed that they were being driven in a specific direction because without any
warning, he pulled Anastasia sideways, forcing her to run in between the trees
in a disorienting zigzag pattern. As she struggled past the long branches, she
realized that they were actually moving slower. These trees were too close
together, leaving little room to move and making it easier for their pursuers
to pinpoint their location due to the shaking branches.

Thinking fast,
Anastasia resisted Frost’s lead and instead forced him underneath a large tree.
Almost bent double, she scurried toward the base of the tree and climbed up,
wincing as pine needles scraped against her cheeks. It was a bold strategy, but
when she looked behind herself, she was relieved to find Frost following her.
After ascending several feet, Anastasia and Frost stopped and waited, their
heavy breathing completely in sync.

It only took a couple
of minutes for the trees to start rustling again, and although Anastasia was
undeniably scared, she was also prepared to fight. They had the higher ground,
and they could use that to their advantage. With unwavering determination,
Anastasia peered through the branches, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever was
there. She couldn’t see anything other than trees, but that hardly mattered
when she heard the fast approaching footsteps. Anastasia now knew that their
predators were humans.

Hunters,
Frost mouthed to Anastasia, before placing his index finger over his lips to
indicate that she should remain quiet.

Anastasia didn’t speak
or move as the hunter circled the area. Although it sounded like he was the
only one there, she was certain that the others wouldn’t be too far away. As
for right now, this hunter was so close that she could smell his cheap cologne.
She knew that there was no reason for him to be lingering around unless he’d
found them. Anxiously, Anastasia waited for him to strike, but instead, he
began to walk away until she could no longer hear his footsteps.

The minutes passed
slowly as Anastasia and Frost stayed in the tree, afraid to leave too soon in
case the hunter or any of his friends returned. Sitting there gave Anastasia
time to think about the severity of their situation, and it made her heart ache
with sadness. Although she never felt sorry for herself when she was with
Frost, it was difficult to remain optimistic with the odds never in their
favor.

“We can’t stay here
much longer,” Frost finally spoke in a low tone. “There’s not a lot of daylight
left, and we aren’t prepared to spend a night out here.”

Casting Frost a
nervous, almost reluctant look, Anastasia slowly rose from the tree branch. Her
awkward sitting position had left her legs feeling stiff, and as she proceeded
downwards, she paid particular attention to where she placed her feet. Images
of falling to her death plagued Anastasia’s mind, causing her to lose
confidence and, ironically, almost slip. Fortunately, Frost’s strong hand was
there to steady her before she even knew what was happening.

“Thanks,” Anastasia
said, feeling instantly comforted by his touch.

“I’ll always be there
to catch you,” Frost replied, looking more worried than ever, “but don’t put
that to the test too much, okay?”

“I promise,” Anastasia
muttered distractedly, while concentrating on getting out of the tree.

Once they’d safely
reached the ground, Frost quickly started in a northwesterly direction. “We
need to find an alternative route to Hartfield,” he explained. “It’s too dangerous
to retrace our steps.”

Anastasia certainly
hoped that Frost was right because walking amongst the cluster of trees was
tedious at best, leaving her to feel even more tired, cold and hungry. In such
an unforgiving atmosphere, it didn’t take long for her to start fearing that
they’d be trapped in there forever. Then, just when she thought that she
couldn’t take it any longer, the woods became lighter. Knowing that she and
Frost were nearing a clearing, Anastasia hurried forward with a renewed sense
of hope.

“Wait,” Frost said
urgently, grabbing Anastasia’s arm before she could go any further. Without
saying another word, he led her from behind the trees and to the edge of a
sun-filled gully.

Looking at the ten foot
drop, Anastasia gulped. She was about to thank Frost for the second time that
day when she noticed something unusual in the middle of the gully. Although it
was difficult to decipher, it sort of resembled a person lying in the snow.

“Frost...” Anastasia
hardly choked out.

From his horrified
expression, it was clear that Frost had also spotted the person. “I think I see
a path,” he said, beginning to hurry around the gully. “Stay away from the
edge,” he added needlessly, since Anastasia was already proceeding with great
caution.

Coming to a stop, Anastasia
knew that they’d arrived at the area where Frost planned on climbing down.
Assessing the danger, she peered over his shoulder to find a long, slightly
slanted trail which led into the gully. It would be a tough but not impossible
descend.

“This might be ugly,”
Frost warned Anastasia. “You don’t have to come.”

“Yes, I do,” she
answered abruptly. “Now hurry up!”

Concentrating on every
step, Anastasia followed Frost, making sure to leave ample space between them.
As she felt herself slipping, she quickly dug her heels into the snow, which
helped to regain her balance. Letting out a sigh of relief, Anastasia continued
on the slope until she finally reached the bottom of the gully just moments
after Frost. Unfortunately, there wasn’t time to celebrate her small
achievement. Even though it was hard to believe, someone was in a worse state
than her and Frost, and he needed their help immediately.

As Anastasia hurried
toward the person, she instantly knew that something wasn’t right. He was lying
too flat on the ground, and she couldn’t see any boots completing his winter
ensemble. When she took a closer look, she gasped with a mixture of surprise
and fright. A coat and a pair of snow pants had been strategically placed on
the snow to give the impression of a fallen person; however, no one was there.

“It’s a trap,” Frost
said in a stone-cold tone. “We need to get out of here.”

Before Anastasia and
Frost had a chance to leave, four snowmobiles appeared at the top of the gully,
their presence announced by the sound of revved-up engines and the angry cries
of the hunters who rode them. One after another, they formed a perfect line,
quickly making their way toward the gully’s only accessible path. Then, like a
well-executed military maneuver, they sped downwards at a dangerously fast
pace.

Anastasia spun around,
prepared to scale the icy walls with nothing but her bare hands, if that meant
they would escape. Yet, as she tried to flee, she found herself being held
back. In shock, she looked at Frost. He was grasping her arm firmly and
refusing to let go, even when she struggled to free herself.

“It’s too late,” Frost
said in an eerily somber tone.

“Only if we don’t try,”
Anastasia argued, flabbergasted by his behavior and willingness to just give
up.

“They won’t hurt you,”
Frost promised. “I’m the one they want.”

“Please, Frost,”
Anastasia begged, while glancing at the rapidly advancing hunters. “It’s now or
never.”

“You don’t understand,”
Frost said, releasing Anastasia’s arm so he could place both hands on her shoulders
and look seriously into her eyes. “If I run now, I’ll always be running. The
only way we can have a somewhat normal life is if I confront them and make them
see reason – I’m not a threat to anyone.”

Anastasia wanted to
tell Frost how incredibly stupid his plan was and that it would likely cost
them their lives, but there was no point in voicing her concerns now; the
hunters had already formed a circle around them and were closing in at a
dizzyingly fast pace. The land vibrated under the weight and speed of the
snowmobiles, and the smell of fuel was so strong that Anastasia covered her
nose. Worst of all, the hunters were getting way too close, causing her to fear
that they would soon be brutally crushed by the heavy machines.

Abruptly, the
snowmobiles came to a stop when one of the hunters, who was presumably the
leader, signaled for them to do so. After dismounting, they removed their
helmets, revealing themselves as Leo, Mike, Pete, and Mr. Fairbanks. Quickly,
they retrieved their rifles, which were strapped over their shoulders, and
pointed them at Anastasia and Frost. In vain, Frost attempted to place himself
between Anastasia and the rifles, but regardless of which way he turned, they
were both in danger.

“I’m not who you think
I am,” Frost said, his voice loud and clear. “I’ve given you no reason to fear
me, and this is all very unnecessary.”

“You tried to kill my
daughter!” Mr. Fairbanks yelled, practically shaking with anger as he proceeded
closer. “I want a confession, boy.”

“He saved us!” Anastasia
cried, moving in front of Frost before Mr. Fairbanks could come any nearer.
“What I told you in the hospital was true – it was a cougar that attacked
Chloe.”

“I can’t imagine what
crazy lies he’s been telling you, but I’ve seen the monster with my own eyes,”
Mr. Fairbanks said to Anastasia. “Come with me, while you still can.”

Despite Frost’s attempt
to pull Anastasia behind him once again, she refused to back down. She was
determined to convince Mr. Fairbanks to lower his rifle. If he did, maybe the
other hunters would, too. Taking a leap of faith, she stepped forward.

“That’s a good girl,”
Mr. Fairbanks encouraged her. “Your grandfather will be so relieved to know
that you’re safe.”

Trying hard to ignore
his patronizing tone, Anastasia took another step. “Mr. Fairbanks, you’ve known
me since I was a child. Please, trust my judgement because I would never be
with a murderer.”

“It’s going to be
alright,” Mr. Fairbanks said in a tone that was too calm for the current
situation. “When this is over, you’ll be able to get back to your normal life.
That’s what you want, isn’t it, Anastasia?”

Realizing that Mr.
Fairbanks hadn’t listened to a word she’d said, she stopped and stared at him.
His rifle remained in the same shooting position because he obviously had a
plan of his own. He, or one of the other hunters, would kill Frost as soon as
she was out of harm’s way. The thought that she was responsible for Frost’s
life made her feel sick.

Before Anastasia had
the chance to decide what she would do next, Mr. Fairbanks reached out and
grabbed her. With a firm grip, he forced her forward and then wrapped one arm
securely around the bottom of her neck. Although Mr. Fairbanks wasn’t hurting
her, Anastasia knew that she’d made a fatal error. The hunters were now completely
in control.

“It might be difficult
for you to understand, but I
am
saving you,” Mr. Fairbanks whispered to
Anastasia, his hot breath tickling her ear in a very uncomfortable manner.
“There’s something you have to do for me, though. I can’t shoot a boy – turn
him into the werewolf.”

Feeling her blood go
cold, Anastasia whispered, “Never.”