Frostbitten

by Heather Beck

  Anastasia awoke with a start, her heart pounding as she sat up and looked around with wide eyes, only to find her bedroom in perfect order and sunlight shining through the unbroken window. Although she could still feel the terror and even the pain in her shoulder, it had all been a dream.

  A shrill, sudden noise made Anastasia jump with fright. It only took her a second to realize that the sound was coming from the alarm clock she’d set-up yesterday. Nevertheless, after the unsettling night she’d just experienced, she didn’t need anything else frazzling her nerves. She quickly leaned over and turned off the alarm, all the while hoping that her day would soon start improving.

  By the time Anastasia got dressed, breakfast was already on the kitchen table. She didn’t often eat breakfast, but when she did, it consisted solely of sugary cereal. However, her grandmother’s homemade waffles and a variety of colorful fruits were too tempting to resist, and she was soon sitting at the table with her grandfather, who was reading the newspaper.

  “Good morning,” he greeted, finally noticing her presence. “How did you sleep last night?”

  “With both eyes shut,” Anastasia replied, before popping a juicy strawberry into her mouth.

  Mr. Lockhart stifled his laughter, causing Anastasia to wonder why he felt the need to be so formal. It was like he didn’t know how to behave around her. She thought it was ridiculous, and she hoped that he would soon realize that, too.

  “Where’s Grandma?” Anastasia asked carefully, still embarrassed by the way she’d acted during last night’s dinner.

  “She had to work an early shift at the library,” Mr. Lockhart replied. After a few moments had passed, he added, “Rose forgot to mention that the library’s looking for part-time help. Would you be interested?”

  Anastasia merely snorted in response. Spending time in a small, musty library was no longer her idea of a fun time. Besides, she couldn’t imagine how cranky the old ladies would be with such a limited supply of romance novels.

  “You used to love that library,” he commented.

  “And now I don’t.”

  Mr. Lockhart sighed as he stood up. “You tidy up here, and I’ll get the car ready so I can drive you to school. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we had quite the snowstorm.”

  Jumping up from the table, Anastasia hurried to the window. She was upset to find that at least four inches of snow had fallen, most likely in the early morning hours. Anastasia had momentarily forgotten that she’d wanted to search the backyard for wolf or even human prints, but that would be impossible now.

  I guess I’ll never know what was out there last night, Anastasia thought with disappointment. That is, if anything was ever there at all.

  Located five minutes south of the downtown core, on a large, beautifully maintained property was Cedar Falls High – a tall, two-story building that appeared too big for the town’s limited student population. Made from gray bricks of varying shades and covered in ivy that was dusted with snow, the school looked classic and very elegant. Playing fields and, of course, trees surrounded the area, with Cedar Falls Elementary and a church also nearby.

  “Thanks for the ride,” Anastasia said as her grandfather brought the car to a stop outside the school. “You don’t need to pick me up, though. I can walk home.”

  “I’d prefer if you didn’t,” he replied hesitantly. “Just because Cedar Falls is a small town doesn’t make it safe, especially now. I don’t want to scare you, Anastasia, but there may be a dangerous animal on the loose.”

  “What kind of animal?” Anastasia hurried to ask, instantly thinking about the wolf cry she’d heard last night.

  “The police haven’t released many details, but there have been multiple reports of missing pets and mauled deer.”

  “Could it be a rogue bear?” Anastasia asked with some uncertainty, still reluctant to mention the events of last night. If she told him about what she’d heard and quite possibly seen, he’d either worry or think she was crazy. She couldn’t help but feel that it was in everyone’s best interest to just keep quiet.

  “It’s a rogue something,” Mr. Lockhart answered. “I highly doubt it’s a bear, though. They’re hibernating at this time of year.”

  “Well, whatever it is, I’ll take my chances,” Anastasia said, while noticing a small group of students who were walking past. As they looked directly at her, whispering and laughing, she knew that she was being talked about in a negative manner. More than anything, she wanted to fit in, but she wouldn’t achieve that by having her grandfather drive her to and from school, especially when the other students were either walking or driving themselves.

  “Anastasia, it’s really not a problem,” he began, “I can meet you...”

  “I said I’ll walk,” Anastasia interrupted as she exited the car. Quickly realizing that she was being too harsh, she added in a gentler tone, “You didn’t sign up to be my chauffeur. I know the way home.”

  “I’m just asking you to be careful.”

  “I will,” Anastasia promised as she closed the car door.

  As her grandfather drove away, Anastasia studied the people who surrounded her. She was frustrated but not surprised to see that the school was segregated into cliques. Apparently, even small towns weren’t immune to the clichés of high school.

  There were the geeks, who wore scarves, mittens, snow pants, and puffy, downy-filled coats despite the sunny and somewhat mild winter morning. Excitedly, they huddled together, while talking about the latest episode of some science fiction TV series. They were the only other students being dropped off by their seemingly over-protective and worrisome parents.

  Then there were the cool girls, led by a queen bee who’d just driven her expensive-looking car into the best parking spot. With long, loosely curled blonde hair, perfect make-up, fashionable clothes, and a saunter worthy of the catwalk, she looked exactly like a model. Her obvious efforts to be flawless didn’t go unnoticed by her friends, who immediately greeted her with great enthusiasm.

  Sighing, Anastasia began walking toward the school’s entrance. That’s when she noticed him – the boy she’d seen yesterday with Mr. Stone and had affectionately nicknamed Gorgeous – standing near the door, unaffected by the noisy students who filed into the school. He appeared to be waiting for someone and was looking straight at her; however, his stare wasn’t judgmental, like the other students from moments ago. Instead, he looked at her with interest and perhaps even desire. Despite Anastasia’s attempt not to be seduced, she felt her heart flutter.

  “Oh my gosh! Is that Anastasia Lockhart?” someone suddenly called.

  Anastasia looked at the girl who was hurrying toward her and then broke out into a big smile. “Chloe!” she exclaimed as they hugged. “It’s so great to see you!”

  Parting from their embrace, Anastasia stepped back to look at her childhood friend. It appeared that Chloe had grown into a mature, confident young woman. Her brown hair, which she used to wear in two long braids, was now cut shoulder-length and fashioned in a stylish manner. She even wore a lot of make-up which brought out her pretty brown eyes. However, Chloe’s wide, slightly lopsided smile had remained unchanged, and just like before, it still made Anastasia smile whenever she saw it.

  “Likewise,” Chloe said as she looked at Anastasia. “Oh my gosh,” she added for the second time that day. “You’re like insanely beautiful now, but then again, you always were.”

  Anastasia had to bite her tongue. She didn’t want to bring down the mood by stating how deceiving appearances could be. Instead, she forced herself to smile and said, “Right back at you, Chloe. You look amazing.”

  Chloe blushed, obviously delighted with the compliment. “It’s going to be so much fun having you around again – just like old times!”

  “You knew I was coming?” Anastasia asked in surprise.

  “Of course I did. Your grandfather told me to keep an eye out for you. He remembers how close we were.”

  Anastasia wondered what e
xactly she meant. Was her grandfather asking Chloe to keep watch over her or to merely anticipate her arrival? Even though she was curious, she decided that it would be too embarrassing to inquire further.

  “I can show you where your classes are,” Chloe offered, “and we’ll have lunch together for sure.”

  Anastasia hardly heard Chloe as she looked toward the school’s entrance, searching for Gorgeous. Even with all the excitement of seeing her friend again, she hadn’t forgotten about him. Unfortunately, she was disappointed to discover that he’d left. Although it wasn’t likely, she’d hoped that he was waiting for her.

  “Um, is everything alright?”

  “What?” Anastasia asked, returning her attention to Chloe.

  “You were looking for someone,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Who is he?”

  “No one,” Anastasia replied too quickly.

  Chloe laughed. “If you say so.”

  “Can you show me where the office is?” Anastasia inquired, desperate to change the topic. “I don’t have my timetable yet.”

  “You don’t even need to ask,” Chloe replied, linking arms with Anastasia and leading her through the school’s front doors. She chatted excitedly as they went, but Anastasia had trouble concentrating on what she was saying; all she could think about was seeing Gorgeous again.

  “Here we are,” Chloe said, interrupting Anastasia’s thoughts as they came to a stop outside a door marked Office in large white lettering.

  “Thanks,” Anastasia said gratefully. “Hopefully, this will be the only time I’m escorted to the office.”

  Chloe laughed before reaching for Anastasia’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m really glad you’re back,” she said with a smile. “We’ll catch up later, okay?”

  Anastasia nodded and then watched as her friend disappeared into the crowd of students, who were hurrying to class as the morning bell rang. Chloe was as sweet and helpful as ever, making it crystal clear that she still had a heart of gold.

  Returning her attention to the office, Anastasia opened the door and stepped inside. It was a bright, spacious room furnished with two large oak desks for the administrative assistants and a line of comfortable-looking chairs for the students. Potted plants and cut flowers added color to the office as did the decorative plaques featuring motivational quotes which hung on the walls.

  Since one of the assistants was on the telephone and the other was already helping a student, Anastasia sat down near two girls, who were likely waiting to speak with an assistant as well. Right away, she noticed the girls casting her curious glances. Anastasia was going to introduce herself when they suddenly started to whisper about her.

  “She must be new because I’ve never seen her before, and of course, I know everyone in this school.”

  “I saw her arrive this morning with Mr. Lockhart. She’s probably his granddaughter.”

  “No, she’s too old to be his granddaughter. She must be his daughter.”

  “Then where has she been all these years?”

  The girls’ gossiping was cut short when the assistant called one of them to her desk. Although the girls hadn’t been talking about Anastasia in a mean-spirited way, their behavior was just plain rude. It was like she was there for their entertainment, and that made her angry. However, she decided to let it go because she didn’t want a confrontation on her first day at school, especially since she sometimes had trouble controlling her anger.

  Continuing to sit there while now feeling annoyed, Anastasia had to wait twenty minutes before the assistant was able to see her.

  “How can I help you?” inquired the assistant, whose nameplate upon her desk read, Lisa. She was middle-aged, and from the expression on her face, completely overwhelmed, as if uncertain about how to perform her clerical duties.

  “I’m new here, and I need my timetable,” Anastasia explained.

  “Can I have your name?”

  “Anastasia Lockhart.”

  Biting her lip like she was concentrating hard, Lisa turned to her computer, clicking the mouse every few seconds or so. Obviously needing help, she looked at her co-worker, who was still on the phone, chatting like it was a personal call. It was clear that Lisa hadn’t been well-trained, if at all.

  Anastasia repressed a sigh, thinking about how her day wasn’t getting off to the greatest start. She hated being late, even if it wasn’t her fault, and she knew that it wouldn’t make a good impression on her first period teacher. Nevertheless, she waited politely until Lisa managed to find and print her timetable several minutes later.

  With her timetable finally in hand, Anastasia hurried along the empty hallway, her footsteps echoing eerily as she went. It was disconcerting trying to navigate in an unfamiliar place, especially with time not on her side. When she found her chemistry class, which was on the second floor and at the end of a long hallway, she was over half an hour late.

  “May I help you?” the chemistry teacher asked in an unfriendly tone as Anastasia entered the classroom. She’d been writing on the whiteboard just moments ago and was clearly unhappy with the interruption.

  “Ms. Stevenson?” Anastasia asked, reading the name on her timetable. As she stood at the front of the classroom, she was fully aware that all eyes were on her.

  “Yes?”

  “My name’s Anastasia. It’s my first day.”

  “Very well,” Ms. Stevenson replied, while returning her attention to the whiteboard and continuing to write. “I’m almost done assigning the lab work for today. You’ll need to find a partner.”

  Anastasia looked around the classroom, noticing how each long desk seated three students. All the seats were taken, with the exception of one desk at the back. That’s where a boy and girl sat, but they didn’t seem interested in offering her the third chair. Instead, the girl cast Anastasia a challenging look, while the boy whispered sensually in her ear. It was obvious that they were a couple.

  “Will you be joining our class or not?” Ms. Stevenson asked impatiently, upon seeing that Anastasia was still standing there. “If you are, there’s an empty chair beside Jack and Jill.” She pointed straight to the boy and girl at the back of the class.

  The students lost interest in Anastasia as they began working on the day’s experiment. For the most part, they were noisy and handled the equipment and chemicals with little care. Anastasia glanced at Ms. Stevenson to find her leaning against the wall and texting on her cell phone. She was a young teacher who was obviously interested in her paycheck above all else – including everyone’s safety.

  Reluctantly, Anastasia headed toward Jack and Jill, but they were too busy whispering sweet nothings to notice her presence. Even their experiment remained untouched. It was easy to see that they were in their own world with no outsiders allowed.

  “Should I be expecting Mother Goose anytime soon?” Anastasia joked in a friendly manner, hoping to break the ice.

  Jack and Jill stopped whispering and looked up at Anastasia as if she was crazy. Apparently, they didn’t like her sense of humor.

  “You know, get the whole nursery rhyme gang together,” Anastasia tried again.

  “We get it,” Jill snapped. Sighing loudly, she turned her attention to the experiment.

  “Hey,” Jack finally greeted Anastasia in a nonchalant tone.

  In response, Anastasia smiled at Jack. Unfortunately, this only caused Jill to narrow her eyes, as if warning her to back off.

  Reading this couple was far too easy for Anastasia. Jill’s nastiness stemmed from her insecurities, which was completely ironic since Jack was so in love with her that he couldn’t see any of her flaws. She was pretty sure that this was the first serious relationship for the both of them.

  Finally sitting down, Anastasia watched as Jill filled a glass beaker with distilled water before placing it on the Bunsen burner and turning the flame to the highest setting. She wanted to tell Jill that, according to the instructions on the whiteboard, they should be using 150ml of water,
not just 50ml. However, Anastasia couldn’t handle any more icy stares, so she remained silent.

  As the water began to boil rapidly, Jack whispered something dirty to Jill. Although Anastasia couldn’t hear everything that he was saying, it made Jill blush and push him playfully.

  “You’re so silly,” Jill cooed, while placing her hand flirtatiously on his thigh.

  “And you’re so beautiful,” Jack murmured, kissing her cheek and then her lips.

  Feeling more than a little awkward, Anastasia busied herself with reading the whiteboard. She wanted to get this experiment done as quickly and painlessly as possible. Anastasia reached for the chemical container and was about to pour a small amount into an empty beaker when Jill suddenly stopped her.

  “Don’t touch anything,” she commanded. “This is my experiment.”

  Reaching her breaking point, Anastasia snapped back, “Fine. You do all the damn work.”

  “Gladly,” Jill retorted, while pouring an unmeasured amount of the chemical directly into the boiling water.

  Predicting a negative consequence to Jill’s hasty actions, Anastasia quickly backed away. Jack and Jill, on the other hand, merely stared with wide eyes as the mixture reacted badly. Seconds later, the beaker broke in half, causing the liquid to spew all over the desk. Several students gasped, and even Ms. Stevenson looked shocked, although she took her time coming to see them.

  “Are you guys okay?” Anastasia asked Jack and Jill, noting how they still looked shaken-up.

  “We’re fine,” Jill replied, recovering quickly. “Why would you do that?” she asked loudly and clearly.

  “Excuse me?” Anastasia was hardly able to choke out.

  “I told you to follow the instructions on the whiteboard,” Jill said.

  Sternly, Ms. Stevenson turned to face Anastasia. “Did you do this on purpose?”

  “I didn’t do anything!” Anastasia exclaimed. “Jill’s lying!”

  “No, she’s not,” Jack interjected. “Anastasia was being careless, and now she’s trying to blame someone else for her mistake.”