Antarctica is a cold place. A deadly cold place. The blankets of snow are like the night sky. They possess a similarly dark beauty. They are associates of death and pain, the night cloak worn by those outside of the law, the snow covering the landscape like a pure rose with sharp, poisonous thorns. So digest this. My father's voice is colder than any of that." Sienna, why don't you go take the dogs for a walk?" It wasn't a question. It wasn't an order. It was an expectation. For a moment I stood wordlessly, shocked by the bluntness of his voice. Didn't he ever want me around?"Please." Shaking, I turned and slowly walked out, his words echoing in my ears. Was I even his daughter anymore? Or just another person unworthy of his attention? Slipping into my room, I flopped down on my bed, reaching for a hair-tie. It was a huge world out there. And not a warmth to drown out the cold. There were no other kids at the base. The adults treated me like a nuisance. I only had friends in my dogs. Slipping my coat on, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Even with something as warm as it, I could distinguish every curve and angle in my body. You got scarcely any clothes to last the year. Smart people kept any clothes that could fit them. It wasn't like they were common around here. Everything came on planes around here. You didn't really get a choice about anything. Rapping my scarf tightly around my neck and slipping my feet into my newest pair of boots, I walked out of the room and half slammed the door on the way out.
" Danger from above!" Lnea's warning came too late. A heavy body crashed into me and knocked me to the ground, followed by a dog jumping on my back." Fool you twice, shame on you!" I'd totally forgotten about her tricks.Stupid me." Ihaahl, get off me!" With a small bark of triumph, Ihaahl jumped off me." Did you bring food?" His eyes drifted to the spilt bowls on the ground and then his fellow dogs' faces." Oops. My bad." With a deep growl, Riniel bowled her over and the two went down in a flash of fur and teeth. Esalar rolled her eyes." Guys." She sighed witheringly and raised her eyebrows at me. I smile at her. Numazon, Nerasad and Lnea start cheering on one or the other, while Akuhon makes a beeline for me. Here it comes." Any luck with him?" Just like that, everything stops An icy silence passes through the group. Ihaahl and Riniel stop and stare at me with dark eyes. They think I'm a pushover.And that's not good. Maybe I was a pushover. And maybe it made sense to get it through his head.
But did I actually dare to?
My cheek stung. I couldn't believe he'd done it. I clutched the swollen bit tenderly, remembering the fury in his eyes when he slapped me like that. I'd never known he hated me like that." How'd it go?" Riniel stood at the doorway, his eyes gleaming. The pack hung back behind him. I glanced at him miserably, and eyes widened at the sight of my cheek. Esalar looked furious." I knew that bastard wasn't worth it, dammit!" I felt like sobbing my eyes out. He didn't love me. Where would I go? I couldn't stay. I couldn't go back. The only way was forward. Silently, I got up and walked out. This place was dead.
" Danger from above!" Lnea's warning came too late. A heavy body crashed into me and knocked me to the ground, followed by a dog jumping on my back." Fool you twice, shame on you!" I'd totally forgotten about her tricks.Stupid me." Ihaahl, get off me!" With a small bark of triumph, Ihaahl jumped off me." Did you bring food?" His eyes drifted to the spilt bowls on the ground and then his fellow dogs' faces." Oops. My bad." With a deep growl, Riniel bowled her over and the two went down in a flash of fur and teeth. Esalar rolled her eyes." Guys." She sighed witheringly and raised her eyebrows at me. I smile at her. Numazon, Nerasad and Lnea start cheering on one or the other, while Akuhon makes a beeline for me. Here it comes." Any luck with him?" Just like that, everything stops An icy silence passes through the group. Ihaahl and Riniel stop and stare at me with dark eyes. They think I'm a pushover.And that's not good. Maybe I was a pushover. And maybe it made sense to get it through his head.
But did I actually dare to?
My cheek stung. I couldn't believe he'd done it. I clutched the swollen bit tenderly, remembering the fury in his eyes when he slapped me like that. I'd never known he hated me like that." How'd it go?" Riniel stood at the doorway, his eyes gleaming. The pack hung back behind him. I glanced at him miserably, and eyes widened at the sight of my cheek. Esalar looked furious." I knew that bastard wasn't worth it, dammit!" I felt like sobbing my eyes out. He didn't love me. Where would I go? I couldn't stay. I couldn't go back. The only way was forward. Silently, I got up and walked out. This place was dead.