Little Fictions

From Chapter One

Overhead, the clouds were rolling in thicker, and though her watch only read 1300 hours, the light of day was nearly nonexistent. The snow was coming down thicker, too, though not quite so much so that it blocked her view. It'd been maybe an hour, and Rian was beginning to think it would have been a better idea to hang out in the car. 

No, she scolded herself, if I stayed in the car, I could freeze to death overnight if nobody found me. At least out here, she could make a little igloo and use the candle she'd packed for warmth. She might survive the night. And that was the last resort if she couldn't find help.

Finally, she could see lights on the other side of the treeline. Her chest swelled, and she picked up the pace. Not running but now trudging through the snow with determination. Making it up to the cabin in record time. It was a quaint cabin, not very large, and there was smoke coming from the chimney. Rian brought her icy knuckles to the door, knocking against the wooden grain. After a few moments with no answer, she knocked again. Maybe there hadn't been someone inside after all. 

Then the door creaked open. 

“Hello?” The voice was deep and smooth with a slight Russian accent. It was familiar, like cocoa and whiskey. Warming from the inside out. 

“Hi,” Rian breathed, realizing that it'd been hours since she'd spoken to someone. “My, uh, my car broke down, down at the end of the road. Can you help me?” 

“You walked all this way?” He asked, stepping into view. He was a big man, much larger than Rian in both width and height. His eyes flickered from Rian to the road she'd emerged from. His eyes were striking green against his black eyelashes and thick black brows; his hair was in a sort of loose undercut, from what she could tell at first glance. 

“Yes, I-I did.” The wind blew hard against Rian's hair, pulling strands loose from beneath her coat and scarf. The snow was coming down harder and wilder now, and daylight was gone. Rian's face, or what of it that was uncovered by the scarf, was illuminated by the light behind the door. His eyes flicked over her again and to the impending weather. 

“You are freezing.” It wasn’t a question but a statement of fact from the man.  

“Yes,” Rian's brows furrowed. What the hell does that have to do with my car?

“Come. Inside. Warm up. The storm is coming - you did not hear this on the radio?” He opened the door wider to allow her entry. 

“No, my radio was broken? Storms? Snowstorm?” 

“Yes. It is bad one. Will get worse. You must not stand out here like this. Please, come in. You are letting the heat out.” 

“Oh, sorry.” Rian apologized, rushing inside. And there goes my self-preservation, she thought. 

The cabin was decorated in a very cozy fashion, with numerous houseplants adorning the space. Plenty of blankets and pillows around, lit by the lamp light and the fire. The whole house smelled of nutmeg and cinnamon. There was a black and grey kitten curled up on a pillow that had been placed on top of a side table near the window. 

“What is your name?” He asked. Again, his voice was familiar and it itched at Rian's mind. 

“Rian. Rian McCarthy. You?” 

“Nikolaj Zakharov. You may call me Niko, if you like.” He eyed a steaming pot on the stove. “I was making cocoa when you knocked. Would you like some? It eases the cold.” 

“Yes, please, Niko. I would appreciate it.” She smiled at him. 

“There is landline there - next to the shelf. Phone book too. You can try to call for tow truck before roads close completely. But I tell you now, they will not come tonight. Visibility is already gone.” 

“Thank you.” Rian thumbed through the yellow pages, locating the number for the mechanic at the last town she'd passed through. 

“Thank you for calling Northern Valley Auto. This is Makayla speaking. How can I help you?” 

“Hi, my name is Rian McCarthy, that is R-I-A-N, my car broke down on Evergreen off the 96, it was sputtering before it rolled to a stop, and then it was smoking, and I couldn't get it to start,” Rian explained to the lady on the phone. 

“I'm so sorry to hear that. Are you safe now? Can you give me your exact location?” 

Oh, god bless this woman, Rian thought, if this man killed me, at least someone would have my last known location. 

“Yes, I think I am. Just in front of where I left the car, there were the markings for a turn off. I walked up that road to a cabin, so I should be okay for now. It's starting to snow badly, though.” 

Makayla continued to ask her questions, and Rian answered each one the best she could, hiding her disappointment when Makayla informed her that she couldn’t promise a truck would be able to make it out tonight, even though Rian was put at the top of the priority list.

“Okay, Rian, I've got you in my system. Hang tight and we'll get to you as soon as we can.” 

“Thank you, Makayla. I appreciate it.” 

“You're welcome. Stay safe.” Then Makayla disconnected. Then silence. Then Nikolaj. 

“It is taken care of?” He asked as he handed Rian the large clay mug of hot cocoa. It looked hand-thrown, which she loved, and it was half-glazed in a rich plum color. Every aspect of the home reeked with a woman's touch, but so far, she'd seen no presence of a woman. At least if there was another woman in the home, Rian could get enough room to breathe without worrying about whether or not tonight would be the last night she'd be seen alive. Or she just listened to too much true crime. 

“Yes, they are trying to send someone out tonight, but they said it could take a while. I told them they could call me back here when the drivers close, if that's okay.” Rian tucked a strand of her loose auburn curls behind her ear, exposing the series of hoops along the cuff of her ear. Outside, the large white snowflakes came down in a thick blanket. She couldn't see out more than a foot beyond the window. 

“Yes, of course,” Nikolaj smiled warmly, his own mug of cocoa cupped in his hands. “We wait two? Three hours?” 

“They said it could take up to three hours, but that depends on the weather.” 

“I see.” 

Nikolaj was quiet for a long time, perhaps thinking, and Rian unshouldered her carry-on, placing it next to the couch. She pulled a tangle out of the pocket and fidgeted with it, taking in the crackling of the fireplace. 

“Tell me - have you eaten?” Niko said finally, shifting on his feet. 

“No, but you don't have to make me dinner, I promise, I'll be okay-” she protested, but he cut her off. 

“No, no. I insist.” His voice was gentle but firm. “You are guest in my home. My mother would be ashamed if I let a beautiful woman sit here hungry. This is not how I was raised.” Rian tracked him with her eyes as he moved toward the kitchen. “Have you tried moose before? I have stew in the freezer. Very good. I will heat some for us.” 

How long had it been since I had a home-cooked meal that I didn't have to cook? She mused, biting her lip. Her mind was split. She didn't want to be a burden, but it was also disrespectful to turn down such hospitality. 

“I can't say I've ever had moose, no,” she giggled at the absurdity. Where she was from, you couldn't find meat like that, and it was not like hunting was common for her. Did he hunt? He looked like he might. His flannel was rolled tight around his biceps. Honestly, his build wasn't far off from Captain America, but instead of having an inverted triangle for a torso, he was pretty straight up and down, like a strongman, but not quite barrel-chested. 

He was handsome, she thought, admiring the way his hair and beard framed his face. It made his green eyes that much more alluring with their stark contrast against his dark features. He didn’t seem dangerous, but that didn’t mean he was harmless either. Rian didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth; however, she remained at an arm's length. 

“We will have moose stew, then. You will like it—I am sure,” His smooth voice disrupted her musing. “And by the time dinner is ready, the truck will have your car.” 

Rian watched him curiously as he moved about the kitchen. Nikolaj pulled a pot from a cabinet, filled it with water, and popped it on the stove. From the freezer, he pulled out two bagged bricks of a brown substance that she could only assume was the stew. He dropped them in the water, bag and all, with the seal facing up. 

“Your home is very nice.” Rian offered awkwardly. 

“Thank you,” Nikolaj responded curtly. “It will not take long—once stew thaws.” 

“Did you decorate on your own?” 

“No. Pinterest board helped. And my sister.” 

So no woman at home then, Rian thought. However, she didn't know if that thought excited or disappointed her. He checked the bag periodically, ensuring it was thawing properly. Once thawed enough, he dumped the boiling water from the pot into the sink, and emptied the bag of stew into the pot, so he could finish heating it properly. 

“Why did you come to Canada?” Nikolaj asked, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence. 

“To see the Aurora Borealis,” She responded, “Can't see them where I'm from.” 

“The Northern Lights,” he said with a slow nod. “Yes. They are beautiful. And reliable.” 

“You've seen them?” 

“Da. Many times.”

“What are they like?” Her interest bubbled to the surface as she leaned forward, rapt attention focused solely on him. His green eyes flicked to hers and lingered for a moment before he turned back to his work. 

“It is like sky splits open,” he said quietly, almost reverently. “And the heavens pour color over the earth—slow, silent, endless. You feel very small. And very lucky.” 

His face was so serious with this hint of awe, like he’d been truly blessed by witnessing their beauty. 

“I have special room for watching them,” Nikolaj said. “Windows look north. You lie back, and sky does the rest.” 

Rian couldn’t speak; she had nothing to follow that up with. The look on his face only made her want to see them more. “I’ve been dreaming about them since I was a kid,” Rian admitted, nervously fingering her mug. “I’ve always wanted to see them.” “If you are still here when they come, I will show you.” He seemingly decided after thinking for a moment. The pot in front of him was slowly starting to steam, as thick bubbles slowly began to rise to the surface. From the pantry, he pulled a rice cooker off the shelf, and set to work on prepping rice for the dish. “This will be ready in twenty minutes. Go. Sit on couch. Enjoy the fire.”  

Without taking offense, Rian made her way back to the living room. She set her mug on an available coaster as she dug into her carry-on suitcase to pull out her sketchbook and pencils. Taking a comfortable position on the fuzzy rug, she began to sketch the kitten sleeping on its pillow. If only to distract her from the fact that all she could do was wait for the landline to ring. 

Eventually, Nikolaj’s large frame entered her peripheral vision, making Rian jolt in surprise as he placed a bowl onto the coffee table. He quietly took a seat on the couch, giving her space as he started to eat his dinner. She placed her sketch pad to the side as she took hold of the bowl, inspecting the dish. 

It was a thick brown stew of meat and vegetables poured over rice. It smelled delicious, and Rian tentatively took a bite, gathering all of the meal's elements on her spoon. It warmed her to her very soul, as she let out a pleased hum. 

“Thank you, this is delicious,” she said, giving him a warm smile. 

“You are welcome.”