Frozen in Fire - Hopes Awakening

Hope

Hi there, the videoclip is for the german version of this book. I did a rewrite of it together with Lynziedoll to make sure everyone in the world canb read the series. I hope you are charming and like to leave your comments and follow me.

Thanks, Bella

Newstart

»Home sweet home,«

Hope mumbled to herself as she shifted her silver BMW into park. Light poured through the windows of the strange cabin, tempting the girl with the promise of warmth and a clean, dry bed. At this point, it hardly even mattered where she was she was just ready to plop down onto a soft bed and sleep the pain away.

The drive from Michigan to South Carolina had been a brutal one, especially as she had navigated through the wintry Tennessee mountains.

Apparently, it didn't snow too often in South Carolina. It was just cold for no damn reason, and it certainly hasn't helped that the heat had gone out in her car about two and a half hours ago. Pausing just a little longer to stare at the decrepit cabin, seventeen year old Hope sighed heavily and reached for the ancient flip phone in the passenger seat. The rest of her belongings what few articles of clothing had been left in her car during the fire that destroyed her home could wait until morning. Outside the car, icy wind nipped at her skin, biting her flesh and turning her cheeks a bright pink. She hurried across the dirt driveway and cleared the three steps of the wraparound porch with one bound and slipped on a patch of ice, hitting her back on the old wood with a cold, hard thud.

»Ugh, you gotta be kidding me,« Hope muttered. Desperately hoping her previously unheard of uncle hadn't witnessed her fall, she scrambled to her feet and carefully approached the door.

Before she could give it a knock, it swung open wide, light pouring out from the doorway. Blinking in the illumination, Hope caught eye of a rather tall silhouette standing in front of her, shoulders broad and muscles toned from physical labor. She couldn't see its face.

»Uh,« Hope began, suddenly unsure of what to say or how to introduce herself to this man.

»Well, git on in here,« the man said in a deep voice and even deeper drawl.

»Standin' outside ain't doing neither one of us no good.« He stepped aside then and gestured for Hope to follow. Cautiously, she stepped over the threshold and inside her uncle's home. Relief and warmth rushed over her body as she was enveloped by the heat of the cabin. She stood just in the doorway, awkwardly, as the man who was supposed to be her uncle pulled the door shut.

The living room and kitchen were one great open room, separated by an island counter with sink and various assortments of tools and gadgets. A couple of high bar stools lined the front, but it was apparent they hadn't been moved in a while. A skinny floor lamp in the far corner of the living room was the sole source of light, but it illuminated the entire room and cast deep shadows in its wake.

Then Hope caught eye of what hung on the wall.

Skins and heads hung artfully across all walls in the great room. Bear, coyote, deer, and other strange animals adorned the wall in masterful fashion. Hope stared in horror at the trophies plastered to the wall. Who would do such a thing to such poor animals? Not even the rabbits and squirrels had been spared, she discovered. What the hell is this place?

»I don't expect a city gal like you to understand.«

Hope snapped out of her daze and whirled to face the man, who towered over her, arms folded across his chest.

Inside, she could see the man more clearly. He was fairly tall, at least six and a half feet, broad shouldered, and his hair and beard were in desperate need of a trim.

The slight curve of his back and the roughness of his skin and hands suggested years of hard, grueling labor. His shoulderlength fiery hair was slowly beginning to match the color of his beard, which appeared to have long been silver. His eyes held an unreadable expression. »Bathroom's down the hall there,« he said matteroffactly, pointing with a jerk of his chin. »Spare room's right next door. There's sheets and a quilt in there, too.«

Without another word no introduction, no condolences, nothing the man turned and strode down the hallway, his gait uneven by a slight limp in his right leg. He disappeared, leaving Hope alone in the strange cabin. Sighing, her shoulders slumped in despair, the girl trudged across skinned rugs through the hallway and to the bathroom. At least there's not an outhouse, she thought bitterly to herself. Turning the faucet, Hope quickly realized there was no hot water, and that the faucet had two temperatures cold, and slightly less cold. She splashed some slightlylesscold water on her face, fighting back hot tears that burned in her tired, brown eyes.

The guest bedroom was small, and it was quite apparent by the layers of dust on the dresser and nightstand that her uncle hadn't had any guests in a while. Hope wondered for a moment if the man ever had any human contact and if there were any other people weird enough to live this far out into the boonies. The fullsized bed took up almost half of the tiny room, but it was comfortable, and the handsewn quilts were thick and warm. Actually, the handsewn one on top felt almost familiar, its texture and design similar to the one her grandmother had given her. She wondered halfheartedly if her grandmother had made this one, too. The girl exhaled deeply, sighing deeper into the mattress and closing her eyes. Any fear she had had of being unable to rest in this alien home were quickly forgotten. For the first time in over a week, Hope was unconscious before she could cry herself to sleep.

***Next Episode is published next week***

Tell me what you would do in Hopes position?