Pandorica. The Creation

Chapter 34 - Vicki's POV

Vicki rolled the snow until it was a perfect sphere and then continued to roll it. She'd been outside for so long now that the snow had stopped melting at the touch of her hands. It was after breakfast and Emma had gone to help Susan again; she was even going to use the money Theo had won to buy some fabrics. They'd been saving it so far in case they ran out, but it would be nice to have some new clothes now. Mitch was back at church but the others were still in bed with no need to get up; the grey clouds and winter air made it easier for them to stay in their warm beds past sunrise lately.

Vicki's thoughts were interrupted as Rose came outside to stand beside her. Considering Vicki was sat beside the tree stump outside her house though, it wasn't that unusual.

"You shouldn't be sat out in the cold like this; do you want to come inside?"

Vicki smiled, "I think I'll stay out here. I'm not that cold anyway."

Rose was reluctant to leave Vicki alone but went inside anyway. The truth was, Vicki had been cold, but now she was just numb. She thought of Luke and little Benedetto out in the forest all night; Theo may be used to the cold but they wouldn't be. Now that her snowball was just a mass of ice, Vicki put it down and picked up another handful of snow. Her fingers brushed the grass before catching on a stick. She shook the snow off and stared at it. It was Luke's bow; she stared at it some more then couldn't help herself. She jumped up and ran around to the tailor's, bursting inside and taking hold of Emma's hands. Emma had put her sewing down when Vicki came in and now her eyes flickered with concern at the touch of her friend's frozen fingers.

"Let's do it; let's live in the forest with them," Vicki rushed.

"I thought you said it was a ridiculous idea," Emma replied, her brows knitting together in confusion.

"It is - completely ludicrous."

Emma laughed at Vicki's irrational reasoning and spontaneity.

"Okay, let's do it," she agreed.

Vicki pulled Emma into a hug; of all the crazy things she'd done for Vicki, this was probably the worst. Seven teenagers and two children living in the forest, in the middle of a harsh winter, with a mythical creature hunting them - what could possibly go wrong!

While Emma quickly finished off at the tailor's, Vicki began packing. She didn't know what they might need so she just packed everything - even Shannon's make-up. Then she popped into the baker's before filling their bottles with water from the well. She took the blankets from their beds (including the ones that her friends were currently snuggled up into) and squashed them in as well. Of course, that woke them up and they followed her downstairs to ask what she was doing with their blankets. Vicki had never been so irrational in her life - so much for Emma's rock in the middle of a storm!

That was when Emma came back but by now Vicki had already finished packing.

"Emma, can you please tell us what's going on?" Jake yawned.

"We're going to live in the forest with Luke and Benedetto," she replied simply.

"Yay!" Cassie shouted, as she began pulling on her clothes.

"What; have you gone-..."

"Completely mad? Yes," Emma interrupted before giving Jake a kiss to stop any further disagreements.

Vicki and Emma both picked up a rucksack and made their way to the church. Jake grabbed the last two rucksacks and followed them helplessly. He knew they wouldn't listen to reason so he figured he'd just have to go along with it until they saw sense. They knocked on the door and Vicki smiled as Father Aelfraed answered.