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Thawed

Chapter 4

4/1/2015

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Chapter 3

3/27/2015

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The snowflakes fell from the heavens like the feathers of fallen angels. The castle of ice stood before Icelyn, beckoning for her to step inside. The gate to the entrance was lifted, prongs pointing down to the ground like teeth. Through the mount of the structure she could hear the chorus of moans. Above she could see their hands, reaching down towards her, begging to be saved. The entry way seemed to smile as she inched forwards. If she had been anyone else, she would have been scared. But she was like the ice the castle was sculpted from; frozen and numb. Then lightning flashed, boomeranging across the sky and bringing Icelyn’s attention to the balcony above. A man stood, hands on the railing, peering down at her. But he was only a shadow.

 

Icelyn woke in her bed. Her snowflake comforter was kicked off in her sleep and pooled at her feet. She had the same comforter for as long as she remembered, never seeing a reason to get rid of it.

 

It was a Saturday and Icelyn’s long day at Maxine’s Clothing. She opened and closed on Saturdays, taking a few hours off partway through the day as a way around child labor laws.

 

She didn’t mind. In fact, Icelyn was the one who insisted. On the surface her mom and her were able to keep up the appearance that they were financially stable. The truth was, they were on the verge of losing their home. So Icelyn worked long hours on the weekend and closed up shop Tuesday through Thursday nights.

 

She was there so often, and management thought she was the model employee, so they promoted her to assistant manager just last month. It was unusual to have a high school student in management. Usually someone who had been there for as long as Cathy, who had been slaving away at the store for two years, would have made manager over a teenager who started just that summer.

 

Icelyn stuffed her ice-blue, pail purple, and pink tie-dye messenger bag with her Calculous and Chemistry books. Her mom had already gone off to work, leaving Icelyn a quick I love you note and snacks. Only she drew out an eye with long curly lashes, an anatomically correct diagram of a heart, and a unicorn which was missing an eye. She probably worked on it the majority of the morning. Icelyn could just picture her mother sitting at the table, giggling about her creative genius. She tucked the paper in the front pocket of her messenger bag.

 

She splashed the gulp size of pulp-free orange juice down her throat. Took a bite out of the green apple, and through the granola bar in her pocket. They only had one vehicle- the Ford Explorer, and her mom had it for work. Icelyn would do what she always did, walk. The shop wasn’t far from the cabin. It was about a mile, thirty minute walk, up the road. She wore her winter coat this time. It was white and puffy with fur in the hood. She was pretty sure she looked like the abominable snowman. At least winter was only once a year. IN summer there were less layers to remember to wear. She didn’t need to worry about thick gloves, hats, scarves, or getting frost bite on the tips of her ears. It was the only season that made sense.

 

Cathy was already waiting outside the glass doors when Icelyn arrived. Her curly blond hair was pushed back by a thick black headband that covered her ears. She leaned against the brick siding, her black pea coat shielding her from the wind. She kicked her black Uggs, which were stained white on the tips from salt on the sidewalk, into the snow. Icelyn couldn’t help but think she was the prepiest Goth in all of Macedon.

 

A smug smirk played on Cathy’s lips as Icelyn approached. She lifted her pudgy chin, expecting a pat on the head for getting there before the assistant manager. What a good little pet.

 

“How long have you been waiting here?” Icelyn asked.

 

“I don’t know, like twenty minutes?”

 

Icelyn turned the key until the lock clicked and the door swung open with ease. She ushered Cathy inside and quickly shut the door behind them to keep the cold air out. “You must be freezing. Why didn’t you wait at the coffee shop next door?”

 

Black Beans Coffee opened at the wee hour of six am and didn’t close until eleven pm. They had Dunkin to compete against after all. They knew the girls at the shop well and often offered them free expressos. It would have only made sense for Cathy to wait there.

 

She continued to smile at Icelyn, though the corners of her mouth wavered almost unnoticeably. Almost. “Well, I just figured you would have been here earlier since we have a lot of inventory to do today.”

 

Icelyn could take care of the stock in her sleep. They really only scheduled Cathy so she could man the register. “Were we scheduled earlier?” She honestly wondered.

 

The girls retreated to the back of the store and into the stock room/ break room/ locker-room. The lockers were to the left of the doorway. Icelyn reached around, pulling her locker open without looking.

 

Cathy pulled off her headband replacing it with a silk head wrap; black of course. “No I just thought…”

 

“That’s alright. You can go home early today and I’ll make sure you get paid those twenty minutes you were waiting for me.” Just like that, Icelyn turned Cathy from a proud blond poodle into a disappointed defenseless labradoodle.

 

Cathy no longer disguised her scowl. To top it off, Icelyn handed her some cash. “Want to head over and get us come coffee and muffins to start the day with?”

 

She crumpled the twenty in her fist. “Sure.”

 

If Icelyn could feel amusement, she would have felt satisfactory in showing Cathy who was boss, as they say. With the blond pup away from her heels, Icelyn was able to concentrate on preparing for the floor change they had planned for the day. She sat down at the back left corner of the stockroom, in front of the computer. After starting up the dinosaur, she leafed through the papers in her mailbox. Most were new sales promotions, new offers for their “exclusively yours” members, etc. At the bottom of her stack was a hefty booklet with diagrams of how the sales floor was to be set up with all the new merchandise. The interesting part would be figuring out where to place all the old merchandise.

 

She was studying the booklet when Cathy came in, balancing the recycled cardboard coffee cup holder in her right hand, and carrying a little brown bag in her left. Icelyn glanced up from the booklet to see Cathy walking heel to toe so she didn’t spill the Black Bean’s coffee. “Do you need help?”

 

“I’ve got it,” Cathy snapped.

 

“Okay.” She waited until she put the tray next to the black keyboard before taking her caramel expresso.

 

“Careful, they’re hot!”

 

Icelyn nodded and blew into her cup before taking a sip. Cathy did the same and tried to shield herself from Icelyn as she fanned her tongue. Her cat green eyes glowered in Icelyn’s direction, daring her to say something.

 

She didn’t say a word. She simply took a slow long sip of her coffee, sighing with “refreshment”. That was enough to have Cathy stewing where she stood. “Sit.”

 

She flopped backwards into an empty fold-out chair like an obedient pet. Icelyn handed her the papers and began to recite the sales updates word for word. Cathy nodded along, munching on her chocolate chip muffin, and dropping crumbs on the papers in her lap. After the briefing, they still had about thirty minutes before open. Cathy was dismissed to do some straightening while Icelyn started unpacking the inventory.

 

Time seemed to move on fast-forward while they picked away at the new inventory, unpacking, hanging, folding, tagging, and rearranging the entire store. She didn’t even notice Liza was there until she got a tap on her shoulder telling her to take her lunch.

 

Her lunch consisted of sitting in the Walmart’s Subway down the hill and mulling over homework for a few hours. She didn’t really “Mull” so much as stalled. The work was too easy, but if she finished too quickly she would be stuck without anything to do.

 

After a few hours away, she was more than ready to get back to work. Cathy had already gone home and Liza went home shortly after Icelyn came back. For the rest of the night, it was just Icelyn and the product, as it was most Saturdays.

 

Icelyn had finished the floor change and was standing behind the customer service desk, filing a damaged merchandise report, when the familiar ping of the bell rang in her ears. She heard the heavy thud of boots, men’s boots she deduced, approaching the counter. She put on her friendliest smile, lifted her head, and recited the words, "Hello! Welcome to Maxine’s Clothing; how may I help you?"

 

The customer is an outsider, she quickly realized. Containing photogenic memory she was sure he was from out of town. The guy's dark brown hair shagged over his face as his golden brown eye peered into her. She shifted her weight, waiting for a reply. She looked over his golden face, to realize he was analyzing her as she was him. Again she asked him, "May I help you?"

 

He shook his head, strands of hair turning ablaze in the florescent light. "I'm sorry," he said. "I just kind of zoned off for a moment."

 

She raised her eyebrows, waiting for the stranger to get to the point.

 

"Um," he murmured with a hand running through his thick hair. "I just started working over there," he gestured with his thumb where she figured was the café next door. "And I- uh- just thought I'd come check this place out."

 

She nodded. "Were you looking for a gift for your girlfriend?" She inquired. Not many men walked into a chick-shop unless they were looking for a loved one. Considering Maxine’s Clothing’s target group were teenage girls, this was the only conclusion Icelyn could come up with.

 

He laughed awkwardly. "Uh, no." Icelyn held her tongue and tried not to inform this stranger that stuttering so much was a bad habit that he should try to break immediately. "I just thought I would see what kind of place this was."

 

Icelyn nodded her head again.

 

The stranger let out another awkward chuckle. "Any way, um, what's your name?"

 

She pointed to her name tag which clearly read, "Icelyn."

 

"Icelyn?" His voice rose to show the interest.

 

Out of sheer politeness she asked, "What is your name?"

 

She watched his cheeks darken, just a little, as he replied, "Scott."

 

She plastered on another wide smile and reached her hand across the counter, "Nice to meet you, Scott."

 

He placed his hand in hers, and for once in her life she felt a tingling sensation where their skin touched that disappeared the instant she acknowledged it. She shrugged it off and blamed her imagination as they shook hands.

 

"So, I guess I'll see you around?" Was that disappointment she heard in his voice? Or hope?

 

"Definitely."

 

She watched the back of his black leather coat waltz out the doorway as the bell rang, signaling his departure.

 

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Chapter Two

3/20/2015

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School went by the same way it always did for Icelyn, in a blur of words and numbers and the consistent disconnect from her classmates. Gabe followed her from class to class like a golden retriever. It was too bad she was going to have to breakup with him after school was over. That was the rule, though. She couldn’t allow a relationship to last longer than three months. After three months, things get serious. How was Icelyn supposed to get serious with a guy without them realizing there was something wrong with her? The answer was she couldn’t. Which is was why she stuck to the three-month rule. She dated a guy for three months, dumped them, then three months later started the cycle back up again. Giving some space in between guys made her appear less… cold.

Gabe however, fell a little harder than the rest of the guys, speeding up the process. They walked out into the brisk air together, his arm around Icelyn’s shoulder to keep her warm. “You know,” he began. “I’ve never even met your mother. Not even after all the times I pick you up and drop you off. Maybe I should come over for dinner sometime?”

Icelyn stopped. She shrugged off his arm and folded her own across her chest. “Gabe, we need to talk…”

He held his smile, even as it shook, threatening to form a frown. He avoided looking at her and played with his car keys in his jacket pocket. “Save it, Icelyn.” His voice was barely more than a whisper. “I know what you’re going to say.”

Icelyn was acutely aware of the students slowing their pace as they walked by so they might catch a glimpse of what was going on.

He let out a sigh. “Everyone warned me. I just didn’t want to believe it.”

She was never good at this part. The body language given off when being broken up with was confusing. Their body language both begged for human contact and repelled it. “I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “Do you still want a ride home?”

This was what was wrong with Gabe; he was too nice. “No, I’ll walk home.”

“But you’re not even wearing a jacket.”

She smiled. “Trust me, I’m fine.”

The way he squinted his eyes at her, told her he was still uncertain. She put her hand on his arm and gave a sympathetic smile. He nodded and walked off.

It was too late to catch the buses. They had all taken off in the time it had taken for her to break up with Gabe. Guess I’m walking home.

 

*

 

Her mother was already inside starting dinner by the time she made it home. They lived in old log cabin, set back into the woods. The coble-stone chimney sat in the middle of the cabin, each side perfectly symmetrical. The triangular windows of the attic sat on either side, as well as the double windows and the railing of the front porch. Icelyn walked up the rickety steps, the smell of seasoned steak seeped through the door. Stepping through the front door, she walked right into the little bit of open space that divided the kitchen and the living room.

Icelyn’s mom worked over the stove, glancing at the door to smile at her daughter. “Welcome home sweetie! You’re home later than usual.”

“I walked. Gabe and I broke up.”

“Aw, that’s too bad…”

She drained the green beans over the sink. “Which one was Gabe?”

Even her mom couldn’t keep track of the guys in Icelyn’s life. “Not important.” She circled around the kitchen, down the hall to her bedroom. She tossed her backpack on her bed which was a twin sized mattress thrown into a creatively crafted hole in the wall. Underneath her bed were what she used as dresser drawers. She pulled out a gray knitted sweater so her mom wouldn’t bother questioning her. It was usually cold in their home. At least Icelyn suspected it was since her mom was always piling on more layers and throwing more logs into the fire pit.

She trailed her fingers over the spines of her various young adult novels. Most of which were gifts from her mom. She wasn’t able to connect with the main characters of the stories, or truly enjoy them. They served more as a study guide of how people her age acted and felt in different situations. Her hand hovered over Switched: A Trylle Novel. She plucked it from its spot on the inset bookshelf next to her bed.

It was tradition for her and her mother to eat dinner at their cherry wood table which seats four before retiring to the living room and reading in front of the fire place. Her mother turned on the television for background after she set the table.

Lionel King was being featured on the television. It was almost impossible to watch local news without seeing his smug face. Lionel had a full set of long blond hair and wild blue eyes. He was running for mayor of Rochester, and a shoe-in for the win. His speeches on reform and cleaning up Rochester made him famous.

December, Icelyn’s mother, always had a small smile on when she watched or listened to Lionel King’s press conferences. Her hazel eyes had a spark that was otherwise undetectable, if Icelyn didn’t know her mother so well.

 

*

 

Lionel King was on the local news station. Spreading his slogan, “I won’t rest until homelessness is dead.” He has already started his “reform plan” and it’s been showing results. Sure, the charts show homeless numbers are decreasing, but there hasn’t been any new job openings, or fillings for that matter. Nothing in the city has changed. So where were the homeless really disappearing too?

“So, this is the guy?” Scott asked his uncle.

“Yup.” He sharpened his knife. Since his brother’s death, Neil and his nephew had been traveling the states doing a little cleanup of their own. After stalking and killing pixies from west to east, they learned there was a “master plan”, which led them to the small town of Macedon, New York. From whispers and murmurs they learned the pixies were all following orders of one man who planned to take over the world, one step at a time. Apparently it started with becoming mayor, eventually working his way to Washington, then who knew what damage he would afflict once he was in charge of the US army.

“What’s the plan?”

Neil looked at the TV screen. “Stakeout.”

 





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Chapter One

3/20/2015

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Preface

3/20/2015

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The boy sat next to the man in silence. 

"Please take your seats, the plane will be taking off soon."

The stewardess walked down the aisles, closing the overhead storages. 

The boy held his breath as he watched out the window, silently saying goodbye to the only life he had ever known. He pressed his hand against the warm Plexiglas and could almost see his father's hand pressing on the other side. The man stared out the window as well, blurring the vision of his father's fingers. He felt his chest tighten as he held in the urge to cry, "Father, don't go. Don't leave me. Please!"

"We will all miss your father."

The boy didn't even notice the tear which zig-zagged down his sun-kissed cheek. 

The man's cracked, dry thumb wiped away the liquid which oozed from his nephew's eyes. Pain stuck in his gut as he watched the death of his brother, the boy's father, rip his nephew apart. "I'm not sure why your father picked me to be your guardian, we hadn't spoken in years..."

The boy's golden eyes stared up at his uncle's, filled to the brim.

A lump caught in the man's throat. "But of course you don't want to talk about that..."

The boy's head turned towards the window again, and the man rung his hands together nervously. He didn't have any kids of his own, and this was the first time he had seen his nephew since his first birthday when him and his father got into a fight. What do you do with kids? He wondered. What do you say when their world's been turned upside down? He was not sure. He ran his thick fingers through his dark hair, and prayed the rest of their lives wouldn't be as thick with awkward silence as it was then. 

Soon, the plane began to quake as it took off for flight. 

"Uncle, why haven't you seen my dad in such a long time?"

He sighed. His black hair fell in front of his green distant eyes. “We got into a big fight..." How was he supposed to tell him the same thing he fought with his father about might very well have been the same thing that killed him?

"About what?"

He took off his glasses and squeezed the bridge of his nose. "I guess I might as well just tell you..." The boy gazed up at him patiently, and curiously as he waited his uncle's reply. "The Huntre family is born to follow a legacy that your father refused to be a part of. It is not something you can just disregard, like your father tried to do; it is in our blood. Every male in the Huntre family is born with the ability to see creatures you can't even imagine."

"What do you mean?"

"You, me, your father, our father's father are born to hunt an elite force of creatures determined to not only defeat us, but to defeat the human race... Scott, you are going continue this legacy."

"What creatures?" Young Scott asked, voice quivering as he spoke.

"Pixies."

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    Thawed

    Referred to as the "Ice Queen" in school, Icelyn knew early on she was different. When she bled, she didn't feel pain. She didn't get sad, or cry. She learned to blend in and pretend to be normal. No matter what she did, there was no denying she was unlike everyone else. Protecting her secret becomes priority, as she discovers she doesn't just have congenital insensitivity to pain, but she's a pixie. And the new guy in school is a pixie hunter.

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