Winter of the Ice Wizard Read Online Free PDF Page B

shaking,” said Annie.
    Jack
did
feel the ground trembling. He hearda strange sound, too—a loud huffing sound coming from outside the hill—
HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFF.… 
It sounded like breathing!
    â€œThe giant’s back!” said Annie.
    â€œOh, no!” cried Jack.
    The ground kept rumbling. The breathing sounds got louder.
    â€œHide the hailstone!” said Jack.
    Annie shoved the ice chunk into her pocket.
    HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFF.… 
It sounded like the giant was entering the hollow!
    â€œHe’s coming!” said Annie.
    â€œHide!” whispered Jack.
    Jack pulled Annie into the shadows. He remembered the gray Norn’s warning:
Anyone who looks directly at the Frost Giant will freeze to death at once.
    â€œWhatever you do,
don’t look at him!
” he whispered to Annie.
    Crouching in the dark, they buried their faces in their hands and waited.… 

H UFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.… 
With each breath from the Frost Giant, a blast of cold wind swept through the hollow.
    Jack trembled. He felt chilled to the bone.
HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.… 
    The giant’s breathing grew louder and stronger. Jack squeezed his eyes shut as icy, wet wind rushed against his body.
    HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.… 
    Jack crouched lower and held on tightly to Annie.
    HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.… 
    The giant’s breath howled like a hundred ghosts through the hollow. Jack thought of the blue Norn’s words:
He is a blind force of nature that spares nothing in his path.… 
    But then the giant’s breathing seemed to grow a bit softer.
What’s happening?
Jack wondered.
    The breathing grew softer and softer. “Maybe he’s going to sleep,” Annie whispered.
    The breathing became calm and steady. The wind died to a light breeze.
    â€œI think the Frost Giant is sleeping,” Annie whispered. “We should try to sneak out of here.”
    â€œOkay, but keep your eyes down. Just look at the ground!” whispered Jack.
    â€œRight,” whispered Annie.
    Their heads bowed, Jack and Annie crept cautiously across the floor of the hollow and began climbing up toward the crack. Jack’s teeth chattered, but he couldn’t tell if it was from cold or fear.
    Suddenly a deafening roar shook the night! The Frost Giant screamed with windy rage! He was awake!
    Jack was blown to the ground. He tried to crawl across the snow, but he didn’t know which way to go, and he was afraid to look up.
    â€œJack! This way!” Annie’s voice called above the roar of the giant’s breath. She helped him up and they struggled together against the wind. Finally they came to the crack in the wall.
    Jack and Annie scrambled through the crack. Outside, the wild wind knocked them over, and they tumbled down the side of the hill.
    The wind swirled the snow across the plain. “Annie! Annie!” Jack called. Where was she? Where was the sleigh? He couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t stay on his feet.
    The wind roared even louder. An avalanche of snow came crashing down the hillside. When it hit the ground, the snow exploded into great clouds of white powder.
    â€œJack! Jack!”

    Jack heard Annie’s voice in the screaming wind. He tried to stand up. But snow kept falling on top of him, until he was completely covered.
    As Jack lay buried under the snow, all his strength left his body. He knew he should dig his way out, but he was too cold and too tired. He was too tired to look for Annie. He was too tired to fight the Frost Giant. Instead, he closed his eyes and drifted into an icy sleep.

    Jack dreamed that cold fur was brushing against his face. He dreamed that a wolf was digging around him, nudging him, pushing him, sniffing him … .
    Jack opened his eyes. He felt dazed. At first he couldn’t see. But he could feel that he wasn’t buried in snow anymore. He wiped off his glasses. He saw a low moon and