Blizzard Night

  For Dave and Alice Kennedy, whose little lakeside cabin in Michigan helped to inspire this story.

  CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  DEDICATION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  MORE ABOUT BLIZZARDS

  TEASER

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ALSO AVAILABLE

  COPYRIGHT

  Ten-year-old Jayden Griffen sat quietly with an open book in his hands. He tried to ignore the nonstop chatter going on around him as a minivan carried him and most of the Walcott family toward a cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Walcotts were pretty much strangers to him. He’d met them only two weeks ago, and he wasn’t quite sure what he thought of the boisterous bunch. Or what they thought of him. Unfortunately, he was just getting to the good part of his book when the argument started and tuning them out became a lost cause.

  “Connor, could you change the radio station?” eleven-year-old Maggie asked from her seat next to Jayden. She heaved an irritated sigh. “I’m tired of country music.” Leaning forward, she loomed over the front passenger seat to poke her brother.

  Connor, who was ten just like Jayden, spun around. “I’m not putting on your boring pop music. I’d rather listen to fingernails scratching on a chalkboard.”

  “Dad!” Maggie whined, trying to get her father involved in the dispute.

  Mr. Walcott responded by flicking the radio off.

  “Dad!” Now it was Connor yelling at his father.

  “Just trying to be fair,” Mr. Walcott said cheerfully, unflustered by the bickering.

  “You know, we wouldn’t have this problem if you let us bring our phones and iPods,” Maggie complained.

  There was only one phone in the entire van and it belonged to Mr. Walcott. And he only brought it to keep in touch with his wife, who’d stayed behind in Cleveland, Ohio.

  “The whole point of this trip is to spend quality family time with each other,” Mr. Walcott said as he drove. “Once we get to the cabin we’ll be so busy having fun you won’t miss those things.”

  “All I know is that it better snow. A lot,” Connor grumbled as he stared out the window. “There’s barely enough on the ground to go snowmobiling. And it’s the end of January. There should be at least a good foot or so!”

  “Don’t worry. It’s supposed to start snowing right about the time we arrive,” Mr. Walcott said. “The weatherman said we’re in for around ten inches.”

  “The weatherman better be right,” Connor said.

  A soft snore came from the back of the van, causing Jayden to turn around and look. Six-year-old Rory, the youngest Walcott, was sound asleep. His chin lolled against his chest so all Jayden could see of him was a shock of poker-straight hair hanging over his face.

  This family Jayden was traveling with happened to be his new foster family. And even though they bickered over dumb things like the radio station and snored in their sleep, Jayden thought the whole crew seemed like a good bunch. You could tell they really loved each other, and they were pretty nice to him.

  But still, he couldn’t help but feel out of place. It wasn’t so much that he looked different from the rest of them. All the Walcott kids looked different from each other. In fact, Jayden actually looked more like his foster mom than any of the other kids did. But Connor, Maggie, and Rory had been adopted when they were tiny. They’d grown up in this tight-knit family. Mr. and Mrs. Walcott were the only mother and father they’d ever known.

  Over the past two weeks, Jayden couldn’t help but wonder why they even bothered with him in the first place. Their life seemed set. They were all successful in their own way. Mr. Walcott was a sports editor for a newspaper, and Mrs. Walcott was an architect. In fact, that is why Mrs. Walcott couldn’t make the trip with them. She was in the middle of a project. The kids were great athletes. Maggie was a star gymnast, Connor a state-ranked wrestler, and Rory could do just about anything he wanted to with a soccer ball.

  Jayden enjoyed sports well enough, but he was nothing special. He liked books more than playing on some team. So he worried about being accepted by the athletic Walcotts. He figured if he didn’t do or say the wrong thing, maybe they’d let him stick around. But maybe that wasn’t the best idea. He’d overheard a concerned Mrs. Walcott telling her husband that perhaps the winter trip would be a good “bonding” experience for them. “He’s such a sweet, polite kid, but he seems sort of … aloof,” she’d said.

  He did feel pressure to open up, but it just wasn’t that easy. It seemed safer, somehow, to sort of quietly float in the background.

  He hoped they wouldn’t regret taking him on the trip … taking him in. But he guessed that even if things didn’t work out, at least he’d get to go on a cool vacation. Jayden had never really traveled much outside of Cleveland, so he was looking forward to seeing the type of wilderness he’d only read about in his books. From what he’d been told, the Walcotts’ getaway cabin sat on a lake in a remote wooded area.

  “You’ve never ridden a snowmobile before, have you?” Connor had turned around from the front seat to look at him.

  Jayden shook his head.

  “Man, you’ll love it! It is so much fun!”

  “Yeah, it’s fun, but I like cross-country skiing better,” Maggie said. “You really notice things. Often we’ll see a deer or wild turkey. Sometimes even a bobcat or snowy owl!”

  Jayden couldn’t wait to try snowmobiling and skiing, but he was nervous about it, too. He hoped he did not look like a fool!

  Actually, what he was looking forward to most of all was settling into a cozy spot by the fireplace and reading the books he’d brought along. There were three: one about a rain forest trek, one about rowing across the Atlantic, and the one he was currently reading, a book about an expedition to Mount Everest. Adventure stories were his favorite! I may not have ever been anywhere exotic or done anything exciting, he thought, but reading about them is the next best thing.

  Another snore, this one louder, rumbled from the backseat. Everyone tried to contain themselves, but the giggles came bursting out. Even Jayden couldn’t help but laugh as Rory finally stirred. “What’s everyone laughing at?” he asked groggily. “Are we there yet?”

  They’d been on the road since the crack of dawn, and now it was approaching mid-afternoon. It had been a long trip and Jayden had to admit he felt like asking the same question himself.

  “Almost! Only an hour to go and we should be pulling into the driveway,” Mr. Walcott said.

  “Hey, look, it’s starting to snow!” Connor pointed out the window.

  The flakes were scattered and slowly drifting down.

  “See, the weatherman wasn’t lying,” Mr. Walcott said. “Perfect timing, too. It’s not supposed to hit hard until after we get to the cabin. Tomorrow morning we should be able to crank up the snowmobiles!”

  Soon the van was filled with the playful banter of a family who knew one another well. Jayden couldn’t think of anything to add, so he stared out the window at the deep woods rushing by in a blur. He didn’t know the inside jokes, what he could tease them about. Would he ever know them that well? Would they ever know him that well? There were years of history among this family, and right now it felt overwhelming. With a shrug, he stuck his nose back in his book.

  Before long, he lost track of time. Instead of riding in a van, he was climbing Mount Everest, weighed down by a backpack. Exhausted. Frozen. The cold, still air quiet but for the sound of ragged breathing. The summit was tantalizingly close but seemed impossible to
reach …

  A bloodcurdling scream broke through the silent scene, tearing him away from his book. Jayden jerked his head up just in time to see Maggie’s look of fear as a deer frantically leapt in front of the van.

  Mr. Walcott swerved. The brakes squealed. And suddenly the van was tumbling down a steep hillside. Jayden’s seat belt cut into his chest as his body was flung about. He didn’t know whether he was facing up or down. The confusing whirl seemed to go on forever. Then a jolt stopped the van’s fall with the crunching sound of impact.

  A stunned silence set upon the van. It took Jayden a few seconds to register what had just happened and to figure out they’d landed right side up. He really didn’t want to look around at the wreckage, but as he caught his breath, he forced himself to. The van’s front windshield was a spiderweb of shattered glass. There was also a crack along the front driver’s side window, and the door was bashed in. Through the cracked glass, Jayden saw the rough brown shape of a large tree trunk — one that had ended their wild, dizzy descent.

  Mr. Walcott was slumped against a deflated air bag, but then he slowly stirred, raising his head. “Is everyone okay?” he asked, his voice low and raspy. “Kids?” he demanded urgently, and Jayden saw the panic in his eyes.

  Maggie moaned beside him. “I’m okay,” she said. She rubbed her upper arm and grimaced. “Nothing’s broken.”

  “I’m fine,” Connor said as he pushed away from the air bag that had saved him from hitting the windshield head-on. “Just got the wind knocked out of me!” he managed to croak.

  “Me, too! I’m okay!” Rory tried to unbuckle himself from his seat in the very back and climb over the middle seats to be closer to his father, but couldn’t manage it. He sported a bloody gash on his forehead.

  “Rory!” Maggie shrieked. “Your head! You’re bleeding!”

  “No, I’m not,” he said defiantly. But then he caught himself in the rearview mirror, which still stubbornly hung from the shattered windshield, and his eyes got wide. He looked down to see his shirt stained red.

  “It’s okay, Rory,” Mr. Walcott said. “I promise. It’s just a small cut. Foreheads bleed a lot. There’s a first aid kit in the glove compartment. We’ll fix you right up.” Mr. Walcott leaned over to grab it, and his face twisted in agony. He struggled to inch closer to the passenger side. “My leg is trapped,” he finally said. “It feels like it might be broken. Someone else is going to have to get the first aid kit.”

  Jayden peered over the seat at his foster father. The door beside him was crushed inward and the steering wheel was bent into his lap. Jayden didn’t see any blood, but he suspected that Mr. Walcott’s leg might be hurt badly under the wreckage that trapped it.

  Maggie and Connor must have realized it, too. “Dad? Dad? Dad?” Connor repeated over and over as Maggie began to sob hysterically.

  “Stop!” Mr. Walcott yelled. “I’m okay. I’m not the first person in the world to break their leg. I promise I’m okay. I promise we’ll all be okay.”

  Connor and Maggie grew quiet, but both still looked wild-eyed and desperate.

  “Jayden, you’re the calmest right now. Get the first aid kit out of the glove compartment for Rory. Wipe his cut with antiseptic and then stretch a butterfly bandage across it. Okay?” Mr. Walcott asked.

  “Yes, sir.” Jayden nodded solemnly. Connor made room so Jayden could lean over the front seat and grab the kit from the glove box.

  Rory looked at his foster brother with huge eyes as Jayden tended to the little boy’s injury. Jayden could tell he was scared. Rory winced when Jayden applied the antiseptic but bit his lip in an attempt to be brave. Jayden gave him an encouraging smile. Mr. Walcott was right. His cut wasn’t as bad as it first seemed. It was already starting to clot by the time he applied the bandage to it.

  “Now what do we do?” Maggie asked. She seemed much calmer now, and Connor was more composed, too.

  “Let me find my phone,” her father said. “The reception can be spotty here, but hopefully we’ll get through to 911.” Mr. Walcott dug around in the crushed side door beside him, and after a few moments announced, “I found it!” But when he pulled it out, it looked as crushed as the car door. He fiddled with it, but before long he sighed with disappointment. “It’s no use. It’s too busted to work.”

  By now the snow was coming more quickly. It was no longer a smattering of flakes, but a steady flow softly falling around them.

  “Maybe someone will see us from the road,” Maggie said.

  “I don’t think so.” Mr. Walcott shook his head. “We landed too far down the hillside for anyone to notice. Besides, there aren’t that many people up here this time of year. And with the snowstorm forecasted for tonight, anyone who is at their cabin will probably stay put.”

  “Just how far are we from the lake?” Jayden asked.

  “About two miles straight down this road,” Mr. Walcott said. “When you first get there, you’ll notice a few cabins. Ours is about another mile down the loop that goes around the lake.”

  “What time is it? About three o’clock, right?” Connor asked. “There’s still a few hours of daylight left.” The shock of the accident had worn off, and he no longer looked like a frightened child. He had his game face on — a warrior look that Jayden imagined he probably used on his wrestling opponents. “I can go get help. If I knock on enough cabin doors someone is bound to be around. If worst comes to worst, I can break inside. Only to use the phone, of course,” Connor said, breaking into a smile Jayden hadn’t seen in a while. “I doubt our neighbors will mind.”

  Mr. Walcott frowned. Jayden guessed he didn’t want Connor to leave. But what choice do we have? Jayden thought. If we all stay in the van and no one notices us for days, how will we survive? Someone has to go get help.

  Mr. Walcott must have come to the same conclusion. The frown disappeared and he nodded at his son. “Just follow the road, Connor. Shouldn’t take but an hour — maybe less — to reach the lake and cabins. Your winter gear is packed in one of the suitcases in the trunk, so go ahead and suit up as quickly as you can. But I don’t want you to go alone …”

  Before Mr. Walcott could finish, Jayden piped up. “I’ll go with him!” The force with which he said it surprised even Jayden, but he felt compelled to help. It was better to keep busy and do something — anything — than just sit and helplessly wait.

  “I’ll go, too, Dad,” Maggie said.

  “No, you stay here with me and Rory,” Mr. Walcott replied. “Jayden and Connor can manage.”

  “I’m going,” Maggie said defiantly. “I’m the oldest kid. And you can’t stop me.”

  The two locked eyes for a moment in a silent battle.

  “Really, Dad, you can’t stop me. You’ve got a broken leg, remember?” Maggie’s sternness eased into a grin. “You can’t exactly chase me down, can you?”

  Mr. Walcott gave her a scolding look, but relented. “Okay, you can go with them. But I need you three to stay together. Promise me you’ll look after one another.”

  Jayden, Connor, and Maggie nodded.

  “Maggie and I have walked two miles before, Dad. It really isn’t a big deal,” Connor told him.

  “Well, I want you all to be prepared. Put on all your snow gear — that includes gloves and boots, Connor — and take some of the leftover snacks we had for the drive here.” Mr. Walcott turned to face Jayden and Maggie, but suddenly he caught his breath and his face contorted in pain. He quickly twisted back toward the damaged dashboard, and Jayden winced in sympathy. That leg must kill. Jayden thought about how he would feel if he were in Mr. Walcott’s place. How awful it would be to be stranded with a broken bone. They’d need to hurry to get Mr. Walcott some relief! He was surprised to feel a surge of loyalty and fondness toward the man who had only recently become his foster dad.

  Maggie climbed to the rear bench seat and lifted out three suitcases. After an awkward few minutes of struggling to get dressed in the cramped van, Jayden and the oldest two Walcott ki
ds were ready to face the elements. All were bundled in thick puffy coats and pants, gloves, knit caps, and boots they’d brought for snowmobiling. They each stuffed their pockets with small Mylar bags of Goldfish crackers and as many Jolly Ranchers as they could fit.

  “Take care of Daddy,” Maggie told her little brother.

  Rory nodded solemnly.

  “We’ll be fine,” Mr. Walcott said. “I’ll turn on the engine every once in a while for heat. It still seems to be working. And we’ve got the rest of the snacks to tide us over till help comes.”

  Connor and Maggie scooted out of the van, but just as Jayden was about to follow, something made him stop. He remembered seeing something in the first aid kit that might be useful: a book of matches. His thoughts went to a vivid scene in the book he’d been reading when the van crashed — a half-frozen expedition group climbing Mount Everest gathered around a fire at a base camp near the summit. He fumbled around and found the book of matches, shoving them quickly into his pocket.

  “What’s taking so long?” Connor asked, irritated.

  “Nothing,” Jayden said. He hopped out of the van. He felt a little silly for thinking about his book when Mr. Walcott was in pain. And, really, why would they need matches for a little two-mile hike anyway? He had let his imagination carry him away. They weren’t exactly climbing the world’s highest mountain like the characters he’d been reading about. He gave a sheepish grin to apologize for slowing them down but didn’t bother explaining.

  Connor just shrugged and rolled his eyes.

  The three kids waved good-bye to Rory and Mr. Walcott and then began to scramble up the embankment.

  They were only halfway up the hillside when Jayden began to pant. Climbing in snow pants, a heavy coat, and boots wasn’t easy. Connor and Maggie were in better shape than he was and reached the top first. They stood waiting for him, and Jayden wondered if maybe he should have stayed behind with Mr. Walcott and Rory. He didn’t want to slow them down. But he was here now, and he figured once they reached the road it would get easier.