Iwas in a ditch.
I thought.
It was hard to tell with all the snow, but my rental car definitely was not on the so-called road. And who could even say where the road actually was? Certainly not me, because as it turned out, the city of Christmas Notch was not responsible for plowing the road up to the lodge, and based on my spinning tires and the angry death rattle the engine made every time I hit the gas, I was not on anything resembling a paved surface anymore.
I tried my phone again, but there was no signal or even the hope of a signal.
Okay, what would Bear Grylls do? He would probably start a fire and then kill a squirrel, eat its poop for extra protein, and use its skin to make a fur hat.
I didn’t think I was quite to that pointyet, but it was good to have a survival plan, especially since my car was either sinking into snow, or the snowfall was so heavy that it was startingto pile up. I wasn’t sure about killing a squirrel though. What would its family do? The poor squirrel was just out trying to provide for his family in a capitalistic society where every nut counts and then he would just never even come home because I—what? Needed a hat and enough meat to make a kebab?
I was spiraling. It was dark. I had only a quarter tank of gas left.
What if no one even found me in this snowbank? What if I died and my car was just hidden here until the snow melted in the spring?
I could leave my car and go search for help, but that was how the killer got you! If there was a killer... He or she would have to be very prepared for apocalyptic winter weather. Or maybe I would just get lost and die a half mile from a gas station without even realizing how close I was. Or maybe—
The car shook with a heavy thud against the back windshield.
My heart skipped into my throat. “Oh my God, thereisa killer,” I whispered and sank down in my seat. The Christmas Eve Butcher. He sees you when you’re sleeping... He knows when you’re awake...
Actually, that was a great idea for a movie and the Hope Channel had yet to explore the holiday horror market.
AnotherTHUD, but this time it was my window. I shrieked and then reached for the lock button, but I was too late.
My door was opening. A man in a black ski mask yanked on the handle with a grunt when the door got stuck in the snow.
“I swear to God, if you kill me, I will haunt the shit out of you!” I yelled.
The man yanked off his mask.
Oh, fuck. “Don’t show me your face! Then you really will have to kill me.”
“Sunny,” a familiar voice said.
The interior light clicked on to reveal Isaac’s face, his expression etched with frantic concern. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
No. No way was I about to be rescued by Isaac Let’s-be-fuck-buddies Kelly.
“I’m fine,” I said curtly. “Now if you wouldn’t mind shutting the door so that I don’t lose any more heat and can comfortably wait for a tow truck.”
He held the door open, so I couldn’t slam it. “You had enough service to call a tow truck but couldn’t manage to answer anyone’s phone calls?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say service. That’s such a precise word. But I do have plans to have service and when I have service, I will be calling a tow truck.”
He shook his head. “Sunny, I came here searching for you. I thought—I thought something had happened to you. Thank God I had to ride a snowmobile for an INK music video years ago. I guess it’s like riding a bike. Let’s just go, so I can drive us home.”
“I’m good,” I said as cordially as I could. “You should probably get back home so you can stare at the walls some more.”
I reached for the door handle, but he was too fast and turned the car off, grabbing the key all in one motion. “Sunny Palmer. We are going home.”
Oh man. He was using his bossy voice. Why was he so hot when he used his bossy voice? Hold it together, Palmer!
“Excuse you, but that’s some real fuckboy energy you’ve got going on right now,” I told him as I got out of the car to demand he return my keys.
He seemed unfazed by my accusation. He straddled the snowmobile and patted the seat behind him. “We need to talk and we can do that at home, but right now I have to get you out of this weather before you turn into a frozen slab of meat.Besides, Mr.Tumnus would crucify me if I didn’t bring you home.”
“I don’t know how else to say this to make you understand, but I don’t have a home with you. All we shared was a sloppy roommates situation gone bad. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to findrealhelp now.”
