Action was the only answer. I thought of the happiest moments in my life. Saying “I do” to Andy. Holding Jane in my arms for her first meal, a tiny bubble on her rosebud lips. Watching with glowing pride every step that she took.
At last it turned midnight. Joe knew I never stayed up after eleven. The quilted suit was bulky. My feet were going to sleep in the heavy boots. Sweat had soaked the long underwear beneath. I took another drink of cold tea. Then my ears twitched like a rabbit’s.
A big machine charged along the main road. Its huge bright eye filtered through the trees. Slipping out through a back window, I crept to my Ski-Doo.
Joe pulled up in front of the house and left his engine running. Brrrrap. Brrrrap. Making a loud and aggressive entrance pleased him.
Inside the house, two lanterns burned. It was obvious that I had no electricity, no landline nor cell coverage. To him, I was alone and helpless.
A leg cramp from tension dropped me to my knees. I bit my lip and tasted the coppery blood as he clomped up the front steps. Would this be like a nightmare where I would try to run but find my body paralyzed?
“Sandra!” he called. “I know you’re in there. All I want to do is talk to you. Be reasonable. I’ve come a long way.”
I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. Reasonable was the last thing he was. I’d learned that on the wrong end of his anger.
He pounded on the locked door. Bam! Bam! Then he kicked at it. I didn’t care. It would put him into exactly the right mood for his adventure. I hoped Jane wouldn’t panic and make them bring her back tonight. That’s a large load to leave on a child, but this wasn’t a perfect world.
“And you pawned Granny’s ring,” he said. “That hurt. But I’m a big man, Sandra. I can forgive you. We can make a fresh start.”
I said nothing, just braced myself and gripped the pull handle, counting down. Timing was everything.
“Jane? Where’s my little girl? I have a present for you.” All was silent except for the pulse of blood in my ears. From far away, I heard a wolf howl. Then the door burst open. Glass shattered. My heart was in my throat.
Thumps and crashes sounded as he moved like a bull through the house. Everything smashed in his wake. He would have been pleased to think that we were hiding, shaking, anticipating his justice.
A howl of anger rose from inside the cabin.
Why had I waited so long? I pulled the throttle.
Nothing but resistance. One tug usually did it.
A hot fist clutched at my chest. I hadn’t counted on this. “Come on, baby. Do it for Mother,” I said. I closed my eyes. Pulled again.
And she kicked in.
Snow flew in my wake as I rocketed down the trail. I knew every last meter. He’d follow my fresh tracks on the packed snow. I’d thought about stringing a thin wire across the trail to behead him. As fast as he’d be going, he wouldn’t see it. But putting it up beforehand might have injured someone else.
“ Who cooks for you ?” asked the barred owl from its perch high above. The owls were safe in their nests, raising their chicks. Would I ever find sanctuary for mine?
We took the circular trail around the lake. Up and down, around corners. He couldn’t gain on me with those twists and turns. And yet at the ice, I wanted him closer. About 6 meters behind. I had thought about it a thousand times, playing and replaying the tape in my head.
Finally I hit the approach to the lake. It plummeted down a steep hill. And 30 meters out was the bull’s-eye I wanted to strike. From a distance, the surface looked fine and glassy. Some ice was six inches and some was half an inch. Eroded from currents fanning out below. Hard to tell unless you were standing near it.
As he closed in to 15 meters, I gunned the machine and swept down onto the lake. I could hear him raging. He knew that he could catch me. I threw off my helmet and it bounced behind, cannonballing off his windshield.
He roared in
At last it turned midnight. Joe knew I never stayed up after eleven. The quilted suit was bulky. My feet were going to sleep in the heavy boots. Sweat had soaked the long underwear beneath. I took another drink of cold tea. Then my ears twitched like a rabbit’s.
A big machine charged along the main road. Its huge bright eye filtered through the trees. Slipping out through a back window, I crept to my Ski-Doo.
Joe pulled up in front of the house and left his engine running. Brrrrap. Brrrrap. Making a loud and aggressive entrance pleased him.
Inside the house, two lanterns burned. It was obvious that I had no electricity, no landline nor cell coverage. To him, I was alone and helpless.
A leg cramp from tension dropped me to my knees. I bit my lip and tasted the coppery blood as he clomped up the front steps. Would this be like a nightmare where I would try to run but find my body paralyzed?
“Sandra!” he called. “I know you’re in there. All I want to do is talk to you. Be reasonable. I’ve come a long way.”
I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. Reasonable was the last thing he was. I’d learned that on the wrong end of his anger.
He pounded on the locked door. Bam! Bam! Then he kicked at it. I didn’t care. It would put him into exactly the right mood for his adventure. I hoped Jane wouldn’t panic and make them bring her back tonight. That’s a large load to leave on a child, but this wasn’t a perfect world.
“And you pawned Granny’s ring,” he said. “That hurt. But I’m a big man, Sandra. I can forgive you. We can make a fresh start.”
I said nothing, just braced myself and gripped the pull handle, counting down. Timing was everything.
“Jane? Where’s my little girl? I have a present for you.” All was silent except for the pulse of blood in my ears. From far away, I heard a wolf howl. Then the door burst open. Glass shattered. My heart was in my throat.
Thumps and crashes sounded as he moved like a bull through the house. Everything smashed in his wake. He would have been pleased to think that we were hiding, shaking, anticipating his justice.
A howl of anger rose from inside the cabin.
Why had I waited so long? I pulled the throttle.
Nothing but resistance. One tug usually did it.
A hot fist clutched at my chest. I hadn’t counted on this. “Come on, baby. Do it for Mother,” I said. I closed my eyes. Pulled again.
And she kicked in.
Snow flew in my wake as I rocketed down the trail. I knew every last meter. He’d follow my fresh tracks on the packed snow. I’d thought about stringing a thin wire across the trail to behead him. As fast as he’d be going, he wouldn’t see it. But putting it up beforehand might have injured someone else.
“ Who cooks for you ?” asked the barred owl from its perch high above. The owls were safe in their nests, raising their chicks. Would I ever find sanctuary for mine?
We took the circular trail around the lake. Up and down, around corners. He couldn’t gain on me with those twists and turns. And yet at the ice, I wanted him closer. About 6 meters behind. I had thought about it a thousand times, playing and replaying the tape in my head.
Finally I hit the approach to the lake. It plummeted down a steep hill. And 30 meters out was the bull’s-eye I wanted to strike. From a distance, the surface looked fine and glassy. Some ice was six inches and some was half an inch. Eroded from currents fanning out below. Hard to tell unless you were standing near it.
As he closed in to 15 meters, I gunned the machine and swept down onto the lake. I could hear him raging. He knew that he could catch me. I threw off my helmet and it bounced behind, cannonballing off his windshield.
He roared in
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