noise came again, it sounded like a tapping. It tapped twice and then nothing, it tapped twice again before going silent.
It’s a woodpecker Sara. Calm down.
It tapped twice again, but sounded a lot closer, like it was right next to me… tapping on the ice.
It’s just echoing. You’re just freaking yourself out.
She was probably right.
I turned away from the sound, and for the first time realized I was sitting next to a giant hole in the ice.
I started at it, wide eyed.
Do you think that’s where I…
I couldn’t finish the sentence.
If I had to guess, I would say yes.
I swallowed with difficulty and steadied my hands on the ice. I took a deep breath and peered over the edge, into the hole. I gasped and immediately scrambled away from the hole, using my hands and feet to push myself back as fast I could. I had lost my grip on the blanket and it lay out around me on the ice. My hands covered my mouth, trapping in the scream that was clawing at my throat to get out. I couldn’t hold in all the emotions any longer, and tears left hot trails down my frosty cheeks.
Did you see it? I whispered referring to the hole that looked like it plummeted to the center of the earth.
Yes .
Her answer was simple, and I was thankful for that.
What the hell is going on?! I wanted to scream.
Do you see that? Other Sara asked me.
What?!
At her question, my heart kicked against my chest, and my eyes were franticly darting around the forest that lined the icy lake. Did it seem darker?
No, calm down Sara. I mean by the opening of the hole – what is that?
I looked, but couldn’t see anything.
Move closer so we can see .
I don’t want to
It will be okay. We’re free now.
Her tone was soothing, and I instantly preferred this tone.
I took a deep breath and slid on my hands and knees toward the hold. I made sure to keep my distance from the opening, sliding around it until I could see what she saw.
A handprint
From who though? She asked.
I gave the forest another quick glance, and then touched the frosted outline of the handprint. I felt the soft hum that had been with me since I had awakened, it was vibrating just beneath my skin. I had thought it was an affect from the ice, or something I had imagined. I realized it had been there since I had woken up on this side of the ice. I had just become use to the sensation. It was getting stronger -
Tap, tap… tap, tap .
I whirled around.
That was no woodpecker.
It had come from right behind me for sure this time. Someone was tapping on the ice, and I was pretty sure that it wasn’t whoever had left the handprint. I squinted, trying to focus on the edge of the lake, wondering what I was overlooking in the distance.
That had been my mistake.
It wasn’t coming from in the distance, and I didn’t realize that until it was too late. I didn’t have time to prepare myself.
I screamed
Flutter
Four
Surprises
Sara
The sound of my scream came down all around us.
It ricocheted off the ice, swirling through the trees, and bouncing off the mountain. The vibration was caught by my ears, making my head spin with the shrill ringing. It took me a moment to realize that the reason I was surrounded by total darkness was because I had my eyes squeezed shut. I wanted to open them, but seeing some thing or some one break through the ice had terrified me far too much to even take a peek.
“Sara?”
The sound of the voice startled me further, and I flinched just barely managing to stifle the whimper that filled my throat.
Someone
The voice was hesitant, gentle…coaxing. He knew I was scared, and used his tone to reason with my instincts, to convince me that it was safe to open my eyes whenever I was ready – he would be patient. Curiosity won over. My fear had already started to dissolve. I knew I should have been afraid, but the combination of the concerned voice, and a soft, but very notable hum that had been coursing
It’s a woodpecker Sara. Calm down.
It tapped twice again, but sounded a lot closer, like it was right next to me… tapping on the ice.
It’s just echoing. You’re just freaking yourself out.
She was probably right.
I turned away from the sound, and for the first time realized I was sitting next to a giant hole in the ice.
I started at it, wide eyed.
Do you think that’s where I…
I couldn’t finish the sentence.
If I had to guess, I would say yes.
I swallowed with difficulty and steadied my hands on the ice. I took a deep breath and peered over the edge, into the hole. I gasped and immediately scrambled away from the hole, using my hands and feet to push myself back as fast I could. I had lost my grip on the blanket and it lay out around me on the ice. My hands covered my mouth, trapping in the scream that was clawing at my throat to get out. I couldn’t hold in all the emotions any longer, and tears left hot trails down my frosty cheeks.
Did you see it? I whispered referring to the hole that looked like it plummeted to the center of the earth.
Yes .
Her answer was simple, and I was thankful for that.
What the hell is going on?! I wanted to scream.
Do you see that? Other Sara asked me.
What?!
At her question, my heart kicked against my chest, and my eyes were franticly darting around the forest that lined the icy lake. Did it seem darker?
No, calm down Sara. I mean by the opening of the hole – what is that?
I looked, but couldn’t see anything.
Move closer so we can see .
I don’t want to
It will be okay. We’re free now.
Her tone was soothing, and I instantly preferred this tone.
I took a deep breath and slid on my hands and knees toward the hold. I made sure to keep my distance from the opening, sliding around it until I could see what she saw.
A handprint
From who though? She asked.
I gave the forest another quick glance, and then touched the frosted outline of the handprint. I felt the soft hum that had been with me since I had awakened, it was vibrating just beneath my skin. I had thought it was an affect from the ice, or something I had imagined. I realized it had been there since I had woken up on this side of the ice. I had just become use to the sensation. It was getting stronger -
Tap, tap… tap, tap .
I whirled around.
That was no woodpecker.
It had come from right behind me for sure this time. Someone was tapping on the ice, and I was pretty sure that it wasn’t whoever had left the handprint. I squinted, trying to focus on the edge of the lake, wondering what I was overlooking in the distance.
That had been my mistake.
It wasn’t coming from in the distance, and I didn’t realize that until it was too late. I didn’t have time to prepare myself.
I screamed
Flutter
Four
Surprises
Sara
The sound of my scream came down all around us.
It ricocheted off the ice, swirling through the trees, and bouncing off the mountain. The vibration was caught by my ears, making my head spin with the shrill ringing. It took me a moment to realize that the reason I was surrounded by total darkness was because I had my eyes squeezed shut. I wanted to open them, but seeing some thing or some one break through the ice had terrified me far too much to even take a peek.
“Sara?”
The sound of the voice startled me further, and I flinched just barely managing to stifle the whimper that filled my throat.
Someone
The voice was hesitant, gentle…coaxing. He knew I was scared, and used his tone to reason with my instincts, to convince me that it was safe to open my eyes whenever I was ready – he would be patient. Curiosity won over. My fear had already started to dissolve. I knew I should have been afraid, but the combination of the concerned voice, and a soft, but very notable hum that had been coursing
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