FROST- Jotun Chronicles #1

Escape

            The driver simply grunted, which I took as a yes. The snow creaked under foot as I slowly walked up the driveway towards the house. I couldn’t let Janet see me. By now they’d probably reported me missing, and she’d be furious I’d caused a stir and disrupted her perfect little life. There was no time for one of her screaming fits. I had to get to the school, make sure Charlotte was okay, and then…

            And then what?

            I pushed the question out of my mind for now, concentrating on peering through the window set in the front door. The hallway was empty, but if she was in the kitchen feeding the baby, then I was going to have to break in the back way. To my relief the door opened when I turned the knob. I pushed it open wider and peered inside cautiously, tensing when I saw the light on in the kitchen. Baby Stephanie was in her high chair, tossing raisins around and rubbing apple sauce in her hair, but Janet wasn’t there. I crept inside, noting that the phone was missing from the receiver. She’d obviously answered the phone and taken it to her bedroom.

            Sure enough, when I eased inside and shut the door I could hear the faint murmur of Janet’s voice from down the hallway. Unfortunately my bedroom was down the same hallway.

The floor boards creaked a little, and I stopped, my heart thundering. Janet’s was still talking though, and as I drew closer I could make out what she was saying.

            “Yeah, just vanished in the middle of the night. That’s gratitude for you, isn’t it?”

            I glared at her bedroom door, which was open a crack, throwing light into the dim hallway. Her whiney voice continued,

            “Dave is really worried. He’s talking to the police. He drove all over the place. If she comes back? I’ll tan her ass for worrying him like that. What? I don’t care if she’s sixteen, she needs a good spanking. Dave is way too soft on her.”

            I grimaced and slipped into my bedroom, not caring to hear whatever else she was going to say next. What an absolute bitch.

            Be fast, I told myself, grabbing the knap sack from my closet I filled it with as many clothes as I could, adding a tooth brush and tooth paste, hair brush and my makeup bag. I grabbed my purse off the hook on the door and slipped back out of the room as soundlessly as I could.

            “…unbelievable,” Janet was saying, “No, she’s probably off somewhere sleeping with some boy.”

            The blood rushed to my cheeks as I thought about Loki and I holding hands in bed last night, then a surge of anger replaced the embarrassment. I’d let that jerk hold my hand.

            I spun and marched out of the hall and into the kitchen. Baby Stephanie gurgled a greeting at me, and I surveyed her messy bib. I could barely make out the writing on the front, but I was pretty certain it said,

            “Mommy’s perfect princess”.

            “Kid,” I muttered, “you are going to need so much therapy.”

            I scribbled a note to Dave on the mini white board that Janet writes grocery lists on, telling him I was somewhere safe. I hesitated, nearly about to write more, but what could I say…

            Dear Dave, Was kidnapped by Frost Giants, and nearly killed by a Fire Giant. Gone to California to work on my tan.

            No, short and sweet was best.