Winter

by

Reece Ran

Winter / Ran 2

The Winter

December 21, 2049

I went over to shut the gas freezer—and I spotted another dead rabbit in there. I took it

out, then grabbed an old injection needle and pumped the carcass full of hot water and some

human blood I had on hand for emergency transfusions, all from my family. I didn’t really know

why I did it, but I figured that my Cousin Jim’s therapy was working. I like to call him Jimbo. It

had indeed calmed me down. But I guess I figured that it would be even better to shoot

something with some heat in its body, rather than a cold, hard carcass that just broke into pieces

when the bullets hit it—plus, the snow wouldn’t just let it lie there now.

After giving the rabbit a couple minutes to thaw a bit and get softer, I took it to the attic

window and threw it outside as high into the air as I could get it. I raised the rifle and fired a few

times, but I only hit it one time, and the bullet just nicked it across the back. The rabbit

plummeted into the snow—and I waited, knowing what would happen with a warm body full of

blood. With no hesitation, the snow sprung up in giant white tentacles that grabbed the rabbit and

began devouring it. It felt like I was watching some old horror flick. The tentacles wiggled like

worms—each one ridged with icy fangs along its entire length. The tentacles dragged the rabbit

down and out of sight, and I could soon literally hear the bones of the rabbit cracking and

popping beneath the surface of the snow.

It reminded me how I always thought of the snow like a large bowl of sugar on the table

for ants to eat—only in our winters, the sugar would come to life, form a hand or tentacle or

something, and then eat the ant instead of the ant eating it. Just like that, the rabbit was gone.

Researchers discovered that a particular microbe in the air was the reason behind the

snow’s sentient nature. The microbe lay dormant in warmer climates, but when the temperature

Winter / Ran 3

dropped to a certain degree, it awakened. It froze into a snowflake and fused with other frozen

microbes that settled on the surface. Individually they’re harmless, but together they could form

dangerous appendages from the snow.

The microbes relied on heat or heat based elements to survive. Humans and fire were the

two best options for the microbes in the winter. Before World War X, we never knew they

existed. Environmentalists claimed centuries of pollution, global warming, and the depletion of

the O-Zone caused the microbes to awaken and seek out alternative sources for sustenance.

After the rabbit was toast I stared at the snow for a minute, and then I shook my head

and smiled.

“Yeah, whatever,” I said. “You can have that old rabbit. Hmph. Too bad you can’t reach

me up here, huh?”

I eyed the snow, as if it could respond or something. Then I got another rabbit, pumped it

full of hot water and human blood, and went back to the window.

“Hey, you’re probably still hungry, right? I got another rabbit heating up for you, okay?

Not getting near me, heh.”

A couple minutes later, I threw the warmed rabbit carcass into the snow. This time, the

rabbit landed in a mound of snow, and the snow created a sinkhole for the carcass to just drop

into. The drift closed over the icy tomb of the rabbit, and I could see the snow pulsating and

roiling, like some churning vortex. It pumped and throbbed like it had a heartbeat. I just stood

there and watched as it devoured the flesh and crunched up the bones of the rabbit like a meat

grinder, then sucked the fluids out, like some spider draining the fluids out a trapped fly.

I took one more rabbit and injected it with hot water and more blood, then waited a few

minutes. My mind drifted for a bit. I pondered over the strange reality I found myself in. It was

Winter / Ran 4

now the official first day of winter, although that meant little this year since the heavy snow had

already come and once again interrupted our lives. I would never forget this winter, though,

because this was the first time in a long time that I had all of my relatives with me, but almost

none of my immediate family. Days had passed since the lockdown, and my wife Daphne went

to her mom’s house, as she always did whenever we got into a heated argument. We had a nasty

fight a few days ago. My two teenage boys Zach and Micky were stuck in a store with a bunch of

strangers. They went out to get a few things before the snow poured, but it came down sooner

than expected. I knew letting them go out was a bad idea.

God, I wanted to go out there and do something, to get them back. But I couldn’t. Not

with the shutdown, and not in this weather.

Downstairs I could hear my relatives: having drinks and talking a lot, the kids playing

video games, messing around on their tablets, and running around. They had called me to ask if

they and their families could stay at my house for the winter. I didn’t understand why at first; but

I listened to the messages they left me. I learned that each and every last one of them didn’t

qualify for the HAR insurance: a heat and hot water service that the government provided to us

every winter. I couldn’t believe it. This had never happened before. But the economy had never

fully recovered. Plus, this winter was supposed to be the worst we’d had in years. So the HAR

providers might have been a lot stricter than before. I texted each of the family heads and told

them yes, but to bring heaters and everything that they would need for the next three to four

months.

And then there was my wife’s sister Nancy, and her boyfriend Bob.

Winter / Ran 5

Lord, I hoped Bob didn’t come over. But he did. He always had something to say about

the war in Africa, how bad it was and such. But every time he was with Nancy, she always had a

bruise somewhere on her arm, neck or face.

I remembered the day they arrived, rushing into the house with their heavy winter

clothing, boxes of food, and plenty of luggage.

“Hey, hey, hey. Don’t bring that snow in here,” I told them.

“Relax, Zimmery,” Bob said. “You know the snow is only a threat when there’s a foot or

more of it in one place.”

I shut the door as fast as I could. The whole family came in jabbering away.

“Man, the snow is coming down,” Jim said. “And it’s early too—just like the weather

reports have been warning.”

“Ha. Yeah, well, they didn’t expect so much so soon,” Bob said. “It’s like a blizzard out

there.”

I glanced at Nancy. She had a mark on her head, like something or someone had hit her.

I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Why do you ask?”

I glanced at the mark again, and she covered it with her hair. I looked over at Bob, and he

stared at me. I slit my eyes at him and shook my head. Later on that day, Bob and my other

sister-in-law Jamie got into an altercation.

Bob came bumbling down the stairs with a bottle of sour whiskey in hand. Jimbo and I

were trading war stories. He’d served with my now deceased brother Carl Mac. Both were Navy

SEALs. Jim and I talked about some of our military memories, especially the heavy firefights

Winter / Ran 6

we’d been part of. In fact, Jim, Carl and I served together in the Somalia War back in 2044. The

three of us were stationed in East Point.

We eventually began comparing our experiences to the events way back in World War

X, but that was something else entirely—something no modern mission could really ever

compare to. At the end of that war, we actually saw with our own eyes how dangerous the snow

really was. We learned what the snow was capable of and what it could do in the worst

situations.

Jamie was listening to us. And then Bob began to put his two cents in.

“You know …” Bob said, speaking pretty well for as drunk as he looked. “Its stories like

that and your stupid enjoyment in telling them that we have so many mass-murderers in the first

place, like in Africa.”

We just rolled our eyes and turned our heads to ignore him—except for Jamie. She

walked right up to Bob when he came off the steps, looking like she was ready to go head to

head with him.

“You know, you like to talk about nonviolence when you constantly act violent all the

time,” Jamie said.

“Wha-chu talking about, woman?” Bob asked, his voice now sounding like an angry

drunk.

“Oh, please,” Jamie said. “Like we don’t know you’re beating on Nancy and you walk

around acting like there’s nothing going on between you two.”

Bob’s eyes got as wide as could be, and I saw a wildness that looked ready to explode.

He yanked his arm back and hurled the bottle at Jamie. My military instincts kicked in, and I

Winter / Ran 7

moved toward Bob to restrain him—until I saw that Jamie had already pulled out a 45mm pistol

and had it aimed at Bob.

“Whoa whoa whoa, honey,” Bob said.

“I will bust a cap in you fool!”

I stood there, with me, Jamie, and Bob forming a triangle. I could hear some of the kids

whimpering. I glanced at my little girl Lane and motioned for her to get out of the room.

Everyone else seemed frozen in place.

I knew Jamie; she was married to my brother, Carl. She was professional and smooth, but

she did have another side to her.

“Jamie, put the gun down,” I said. “Please, Jamie.”

She slit her eyes at Bob, shook her head, and then stuffed the gun into her purse on the

end table. Bob muttered something, shot some eye daggers at Jamie, then went back upstairs

with a scowl on his face. I was afraid he was going to do something stupid, like take out his

frustrations on Nancy. She was upstairs too. Before I could do anything to make sure that didn’t

happen, my little girl Lane walked up to me. My sweet precious Lane, my everything.

“Daddy,” she said. “Is the gun Auntie Jamie has bigger than the ones you have in the

attic?”

I felt my own eyes grow wide at her comment, but I tried to laugh it off when I noticed

all the adults looking at me with shocked expressions. I felt kind of embarrassed that Lane would

bust me out like that, but I had to answer her.

“No, honey, mine are much bigger,” I said.

She raised one of her eyebrows at me. A six-year-old raised an eyebrow at me.

Winter / Ran 8

When winter came every year, it was pretty much every man for themselves. But in this

case, I figured I would make an exception. We had the space, so we could afford to do it.

The winter did do something that no doctor or television show could’ve done: it brought

us all together. Still, as I looked at all this technology we had, it boggled my mind that most of

this stuff was around decades ago.

It was the year 2049, so you would think we would have had flying cars and cybernetic

implants in our heads by now—or maybe space travel and settlements on the moon. But nope,

none of that was going on. And I knew it might never happen, at least not in my lifetime. The

winter shutdown in affected areas had been put into place decades ago, and that hindered a lot of

technological advancements across the board. So even now, we were no closer to solving

mankind’s problem than we were to finding a cure for the common cold—and around this time

of the year, catching the flu was a whole lot easier than it was decades ago.

The air had grown thinner, and the snow was heavier and more widespread than ever

before. But we as humans were at least partly responsible for this hindrance in the first place.

Maybe it was a good thing, I thought, that we as a society couldn’t move forward. Sometimes I

wondered if this was God’s way of saying, “Enough is enough.” I knew that was not necessarily

the case, but the thought still crossed my mind.

Unlike the old days, we had the poor, the rich, and the super-rich. There was no such

thing as a “middle class.” The rich had become the middle class. I just happened to be in the rich

class because of my father, and we made out okay during the winters because of this. But the

super-rich? Winter meant nothing to them because they had all the resources they could ever

need to get through. And the poor … Well, the poor are just food for the season—a Christmas

gift to the white wonderland that surrounds us during winter.

Winter / Ran 9

After Lane did what she did, she asked if she could play with Stacy’s adopted son, Pete.

Stacy was another sister-in-law of mine, and Pete was from Africa. He brought his Husky dog

Ranger, along with him too. I told her she could, and the two of them went into the basement to

play. I didn’t mind. She needed the company. Both of them were around the same age. Pete

might’ve been around seven or eight.

Seconds later, Jimbo walked over and stood by me with a Coke in his hand. He took

small sips from it but didn’t say anything. I knew what he was trying to do. I looked at him, and

he eyed me from his peripheral vision.

I sighed and said, “Come on.”

He nodded and smiled.

Thankfully no one else seemed to be paying much attention, so just the two of us went to

the attic where I stowed all my gear. I cracked open a footlocker and then my gun safe. I grabbed

an M16A9 assault rifle from the safe, and when Jimbo hefted my .56-caliber rifle, his eyes had a

spark in them.

Needing some fresh air, and wanting to blow off some of my own steam, I opened the

attic window so that we could shoot some rounds into the snow. It felt good, hearing those shots

being fired. I started to feel like I was alive again, like I belonged somewhere. With every shot, I

felt even more excited and kept unloading round after round. Then I began to imagine I was

shooting enemies in a battle, and I started feeling some anger churning in my gut. I wanted

nothing more than to cut them to ribbons. Then for a brief second, an image of Daphne flickered

in front of me.

“Ahhhhhh.”

Winter / Ran 10

I’d emptied my clip … but I stood there holding the trigger and aiming the barrel out the

window like I was still firing off round after round.

Then Jimbo laid his hand on my shoulder. I pulled my finger off the trigger and looked at

him. I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding. Right then and there, I knew what Jim

had done—and I didn’t like it, because I knew he was a psychiatrist and he was assessing me.

I shoved the rifle into the safe and did the same with the .56-cal, then locked it up and

headed for the door.

“Zim, stop right there,” Jimbo said. “I know you don’t like what I did there, but I had to

see if I could get a clue about what’s troubling you.”

“How do you know anything is troubling me?”

“Because of the way you look … it’s that same look you always had when Daphne was

acting funny.”

I slit my eyes at him. “Did you and Daphne talk when I was away in Somalia?”

He shook his head. “No, but I knew what the deal was with you two.”

I never liked mind games because that’s what they did to me in the Somalia POW camp.

And then when I was rescued, I had to go back to base for a psychiatric evaluation.

“I just want to help if I can,” Jim said. He put his hand on my shoulder again.

All the pressure building on the inside of me just deflated. “I know man. I know … and

I’m sorry. But … I’m … I’m afraid. I’m afraid she’s going to leave me this time.”

“I figured as much. But I know you both too well to know that’s not going to happen. I’ll

put my kids’ lives on that.”

Jimbo had always impressed me on how he could just figure stuff out. That was one

reason why I liked him. It often saved me the embarrassment of having to tell him myself.

Winter / Ran 11

Maybe that’s why his patients kept coming back to him. Ever since the doctors removed the

brain tumor he had about a year ago; he always seemed busy during the open work season from

spring through fall.

More than that, though, Jim had always been a good friend. He got into helping people

through their own issues once he left the military.

“Hey, I didn’t know you had one of these,” Jim said.

I looked over and saw him admiring our gas freezer. In addition to keeping everything

super cold, the beauty of the gas freezer was that it wouldn’t ice up. Therefore, when we would

take out food or anything frozen in the gas freezer, it would thaw out right away. See, it was

impossible for us to have ice or any kind of frost accumulating on anything in the house. Having

any form of ice in the house was far too dangerous in the winter. After a few more minutes, Jim

went back downstairs, but not before he gave me some advice. He told me to take out my anger,

on some game in my gas freezer. That was the therapy he gave me; and that’s what I did.

/////

I shook my head and returned to the present. “God, I hate when my mind zones out like

that.” Well, at least I have her here, my sweet precious little girl, Lane.

I looked at the rabbit I held in my hand and threw it outside. This time, the snow created

a ridiculously large arm. It reached up and grabbed the rabbit before it hit the surface. I jumped

back a little and closed the window.

I glanced back outside at the snow, and saw a large patch of snow that was stained red

with blood. It looked like quite a bit of blood and the snow was just sucking it in. I stared at the

Winter / Ran 12

blood and it hit me that it was way too much for a few rabbit carcasses. I looked almost straight

down, closer to the house, and noticed that the blood seemed to be coming from the drain hose

connected to the washing machine, which was located in our walk-out basement. Then it hit me

like a bullet in the head. “Lane!”

I ran downstairs as fast as I could. I came all the way down out of the attic; I heard a loud

scream come from the room Nancy and Bob were sleeping in.

“Ahhhh, Ahhh, Ahhh, Ahhhhh.”

My mind, though, was focused on making sure Lane was okay. I started down the stairs

to the first floor and saw Stacy and my brother-in-law Eric rushing up the steps, no doubt to see

what all the screaming was about. When I hit the first floor, I saw Pete and his dog Ranger

playing in the living room. I grabbed the railing and jerked myself to a stop.

“Pete, where’s Lane?” I asked.

“Uhh, she stayed downstairs with Auntie Jamie to look at some old pictures and go

through some clothes.”

I sprinted down the stairs to the basement to see what the cause of the blood was—hoping

against hope that Lane wasn’t involved. Part of me said that maybe it wasn’t blood, but … no; I

knew blood when I saw it.

“Lane? Jamie?” I said.

I walked into the finished section of the basement and saw photo albums and some boxes

of old clothes, just like Pete said, but I didn’t see the girls. Then I heard it—the washing

machine. I walked slowly toward the laundry room, wondering who in the world would have put

a load of clothes in. I walked through the basement and could tell that the washing machine

sounded like it had something big and bulky in it—and it didn’t sound like clothing at all. As I

Winter / Ran 13

crept toward the laundry room, I stopped when I heard a lot of commotion upstairs. I recognized

Bob’s voice, then Nancy’s, then Jim’s and Stacy’s, all shouting and screaming at each other.

“Stop, stay away,” Nancy said.

“What the hell are you doing?” Stacy asked.

“Hey. Hey. Wait. Think about this,” Eric said.

What the hell was going on up there? I knew it had something to do with Bob and Nancy,

but I couldn’t focus on that right now. I was still looking for Lane. I entered the laundry room,

and I saw that it was leaking reddish water—blood mixed with soap, oozing out from under the

washer.

I clenched my fists and took a deep breath, then went to the washer as the sound inside of

it got louder and louder. Thump. Thump. Thump. That’s what I heard now. I approached the

washer; my heart raced inside my chest, even as the shouts from upstairs grew louder and louder.

Then I heard thumping from upstairs, just as loud as the thumping in my washer. Thump.

Thump. Thump. The washer began banging and jumping so hard that my lips quivered. I feared

what was in that washer as much as I feared what could be happening upstairs. The shouting and

all the commotion upstairs kept getting louder, and the thumping in my washer felt like it was

going to make my head explode. Thump. Thump. Thump.

I heard Jim shout upstairs. “No. No. Stop.”

I finally noticed that my shoes were getting wet from all of the bloody liquid leaking out

of the washer. With a trembling hand, I reached out and turned off the washer, then took another

deep breath. I cleared my throat and whispered, “Oh Lord, please don’t let my baby be in here.

Please don’t let her be in here. Please.”

Winter / Ran 14

I reached to open the door to the washer. All of my horrible memories of fighting in that

war in Africa went racing across my mind’s eye. The conflict in Somalia hit me like a ton of iron

balls. At the same time, the screams and the thumping from the mysterious conflict taking place

above me grew fiercer and louder. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Nancy shouted upstairs, “Stay away. Stay away from me.”

I held my breath and opened the door to the washer. Blood and soap frothed out onto the

floor and my shoes. Then I saw a tangled clump of dark hair flop out. I pulled on it and felt

something heavy at the other end.

“Oh God no.”

And then the hair became a head and a neck that had been severed from the body.

“No no no no.”

It was a female.

Winter / Ran 15

The Winter

December 21, 2049

2:00pm

“Oh my God—Jamie.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I opened my mouth to scream—or throw up … or both. But

before I could, I heard a loud noise upstairs—Bam.

And then, “Nooooo.”

And then Bam again—like a gunshot. Bam—Bam, again. Each time I heard it, my body

jerked and I lost my grip on Jamie’s head. It fell to the ground, and I collapsed next to it, still

feeling like I was going to hurl any second.

I looked down at Jamie’s face and then into the washer. Now I noticed that other body

parts had been stuffed in there with her head. I kept myself from hurling, and looked closer at her

head. What in the world had happened to her? It looked like somebody had smashed her head in,

dismembered her, and then squeezed most of her into the washer. I wondered where the rest of

her body was, because no way could it have all gotten shoved into the washer.

“Oh man …” I said.

I just couldn’t comprehend how and why this had happened. Is this some kind of sick

joke? I thought, again feeling ready to throw up. My head started to spin like a quarter ready to

fall off a table. I couldn’t believe that someone in my family had died in my house. And the only

people in the house were my family. Well, except for a few.

Winter / Ran 16

I was trying to get it all figured out in my head, but I thought of Lane and wondered

where she was now. I also noticed that the racket above me had stopped, so I ran upstairs to find

out what had been going on. But I didn’t want to spill the beans just yet on Jamie. After all, I was

still trying to soak in what had happened. I closed the basement door behind me and saw Pete,

Jamie’s sister Lateia, her three kids; and her wheelchair bound brother Dupree. All of them stood

in the living room and in the kitchen with these weird expressions of fear and shock. I wanted to

ask them what had happened, but the thought of Jamie’s dead body in my washer was still

twirling in my head. I ran up the stairs and saw a blood spatter on my hallway wall.

“Oh Lord not again.”

I ran inside Nancy’s room. Bob, Stacy, Jim, and Eric were all just standing there, eyes

wide and mouths hanging open. I glanced over to see what they were looking at. It was Nancy—

shot in the chest … one … two … three times, with a fourth bullet in the wall. The gun was on

the floor next to her.

“What happened?” I asked.

None of them answered.

“What happened dammit.”

Once more, none of them answered.

I felt my gut tighten up and the rage start to build, even as the confusion and nausea

fought within. I don’t like it when people don’t answer my questions, and this was a very big

question I wanted answered. I looked at them again, and they all looked scared out of their

minds. I focused on Bob, and he, too, had the same look of fear—but then it hit me: He’s faking

it. He did it.

Winter / Ran 17

I rushed over to Bob and knocked him on the floor. He didn’t even try to defend himself

at first as I started to punch him in the face.

“No, stop,” Eric said, and then he, Stacy, and Jimbo all tried to pull me off of Bob.

“He didn’t do it, Zim. He didn’t do it,” Eric said.

I finally stopped and shouted, “Well who did?”

They all just stared at me, not saying a word. Bob got up and eyed me, but didn’t look

mad. I asked them all again who did it, but none of them responded. They all had that look of

fear, all four of them looking at each other as though they were hiding something. Seconds later,

I heard a scream come from downstairs.

“Ahhhhhh Nooooo.”

We all rushed down to see what was going on now. I saw that the door to the basement

was opened. Oh no …

We continued on down into the basement. There, I saw Lateia and her oldest girl Aliesa,

staring down at Jamie’s head. Aliesa was balling and holding onto her mom Lateia, but Lateia

couldn’t even hold herself up.

“Oh my God. Oh my God. How …” She said. “How did this happen? Oh my God no. No

no no.”

Eric jumped in front of the washer to shield Aliesa and Lateia, and I saw that Pete was

trying to come downstairs but Stacy wouldn’t let him. Lateia continued to wail and sob, shaking

her head.

“Oh God. What happened?” she asked.

“Auntie Jamie,” Aliesa said. “She’s dead. Auntie Jamie. Noooo.”

“What happened? “ Lateia rocked back and forth. “What happened? God no …”

Winter / Ran 18

I put my hand on her shoulder. “I … I don’t know,” I said. “I just came down here … and

found her … found her like this. Then I heard the shouting upstairs and—”

“You,” Lateia said, pointing at Bob. “You did it.”

Lateia jumped up and charge at him, screaming, but I stepped in her way and grabbed

her.

“You monster,” she said. “You killed my … ahhhhh!”

“Get them upstairs,” I said to Jim and Eric. “I’m going to clean up down here a little.”

They led Lateia and Aliesa up to the living room.

I hurried to get a few heavy-duty lawn bags, then proceeded to stuff Jamie’s

dismembered body into the bags, knowing I would have to come back to place everything in a

government-issued body bag later on. I surprised myself with my cold efficiency, but then I

realized it was because my mind was so fixed on what could have happened to Lane. A couple of

minutes later, I ran back upstairs to see most of everyone just standing around or sitting, all

looking like they were still in shock. Dupree was holding Lateia’s hand, crying.

Eric looked up at me from a recliner. “I can’t … I don’t … This is unbelievable,” he said.

“Yeah, how in the world did …” Jim said. “This just … doesn’t make sense. How did

most of her body get in the washer like that?”

As Eric and Jim continued to ponder what had happened, I sprinted around the house

trying to find my little girl Lane.

“Lane, Lane. Honey, where are you?” I said.

But I didn’t see her anywhere. Maybe she’s hiding?

I went to Pete and asked him, “When did Jamie go down to the basement?”

Winter / Ran 19

But Pete just sat there on the floor of the living room, staring at the wall while his hands

shook. His eyes looked red, like he’d been crying. He didn’t—or couldn’t—answer me.

On a sofa nearby, Stacy sat trembling. And Bob now stood in a corner, mumbling to

himself. “No way, man. No way that just happened. I … I didn’t …”

“What you say?” Lateia glared at Bob.

“Leave me alone.” Bob replied.

“You are so lucky Eric and the others are here,” Lateia then broke down sobbing. “You

… You son of a …”

“Hey, does anyone know where Lane went?” I asked.

But no one responded. Instead, they all bickered amongst themselves, trying to figure out

whom or what killed Jamie.

“Maybe the snow did it?” Stacy said.

“No. The snow doesn’t stuff people in a washer, you idiot,” Bob said.

“Oh sure, you would know because you did it,” Lateia said.

Then she rushed Bob again, hammering at him over and over again with her fists even as

the others tried to break it up. Lateia’s kids started crying and wailing.

There were so many things going wrong in my house, I didn’t know what to make of it.

My head felt like it was going to explode all over everything. Nancy had been shot dead in a

room full of people that wouldn’t say anything. Then we found Jamie dead and most of her body

stuffed into a washer with no knowledge of who did it. Then, lastly and worst of all, my daughter

Lane was missing in the middle of all of this. I raised my voice as loud as I could.

“Quiet!”

Everyone finally shut up, except for some of the kids who kept sobbing.

Winter / Ran 20

“Where is Lane?”

Then it finally seemed to hit everybody that I couldn’t fine Lane.

“Oh God no,” Jim said.

“Pete. Where did she go?” Eric asked.

Pete looked up at Eric through glassy eyes. “Uh … I … I played with her … downstairs,

yeah, downstairs, with the dog. Then Jamie … she came down and I came up … up here.”

It was the same thing he had told me. Just then, Eric’s uninvited girlfriend Debra came

out of the hallway and into the living room yawning “Wha-What’s going on?” she asked. I didn’t

care for her, but out of my unconditional love for Eric, I let her stay with us too.

“Where were you this whole time?” I asked her.

“Uhhh … cuh … I was taking a nap.”

“You took a very long nap.”

“Eh, whatever.”

“Don’t ‘whatever’ me. This is my house.”

“Zim, Zim, hold on, wait a minute,” Eric said. “Debra did you see Lane anywhere?”

“Are you kidding me? Ain’t this your house, Zim? Don’t you know where your own girl

is?” Debra said to me.

Oh God, did I ever want to punch her right in her big-lipped Botox mouth. Eric however,

held me back, putting his hand on my chest.

“Deb, please. Did you see her?” he asked.

“Cuh … Yeah … sure,” she said.

I took a step closer to Debra, and it looked like she was strung out on something.

“Where did she go, Debra?” I asked.

Winter / Ran 21

“Uhh, I think she wanted to go outside and play in the snow. So I unlocked the door in

the garage for her and she went out.”

“What?” I said. “Impossible. Once the doors are locked for the winter, there’s no way

out. You know every building in a lockdown area is put into automatic pressure lock. No one can

get in, and no one can get out—not without the code that only the homeowners have … which

means me and Daphne. Now tell me the truth.”

“That is the truth,” she said, her eyes looking bloodshot and baggy.

“No way,” I said. “And even if it was somehow possible, why in the world would you

unlock the door for her to go out and play in the snow? You want her to get hurt or killed or

something?”

Debra just shook her head and looked about ready to pass out.

“Debra, you okay?” Eric asked.

“I’m fine.” Debra replied.

She went back down the hall into her room and slammed the door. I didn’t trust her; in

fact, I barely knew her. I glared at Eric, then rushed down the hall to her room and threw open

the door.

“What the…?” she said.

Walking in with Eric on my tail, I said nothing, but looked on her bed and saw pills and

white powder. She was doing drugs. Then I noticed a keychain lying on her bed.

“What the hell is Lane’s keychain doing in here?” I asked her.

She didn’t reply, and Eric went over to sit by her. I picked up the keys and looked at

them. I had given Lane those keys for when she would come up to visit in the summertime. I

thought I had taken them back when she went back down to Mexico to live with her biological

Winter / Ran 22

mother during the fall. I shook my head. Her keys couldn’t have opened any of the doors during

winter, so the only way she could have gotten out was …

“Damn.”

I rushed upstairs and then up to the attic. My lips pursed as I saw that I had indeed left the

window open when I saw the blood outside. But it still didn’t make any sense to me. Lane had

still been downstairs when Jim and I were shooting outside. Even when Jim left to go back

downstairs, she still would’ve been down there. So how could she have gotten past me and

everybody else in the house without anybody noticing? Plus, Eric, Stacy, Jim, and Bob had been

upstairs when Nancy was shot—and nobody was saying anything. Jamie mysteriously appeared

in the washer, dead, and only Pete and Lane had been down there with her.

And now Lane is gone. Something’s up in this house.

Bob had an argument with Jamie, I knew, but he couldn’t have gone upstairs shot Nancy

and headed back down in time to kill Jamie. Eric, Stacy, and Jim all had said Bob didn’t kill

Nancy. Then Debra said she unlocked the door to let Lane play outside. But Pete said Lane was

downstairs with Jamie. It just didn’t make any sense to me. Nothing added up. I was so confused.

I didn’t know what to do. So I went into Marine mode. I headed out of the attic and went down

to Lane’s room and grabbed one of the shirts I’d seen her wearing in the last couple days,

playing a gamble. I went back downstairs to the living room, where everyone was still gathered.

“What are you doing with that?” Eric asked.

I said nothing and just went to the dog Ranger and held Lane’s shirt to its nose, hoping it

could get her scent and then track her down. Ranger looked at me with eyes that seemed to tell

me he knew exactly what I wanted him to do. He sniffed the shirt and then put his nose to the

floor to sniff around the house. He soon headed into the garage and headed right to the side door

Winter / Ran 23

that led outside—the door that Debra said she had somehow unlocked for Lane. Ranger barked. I

shook my head and closed my eyes. Nothing lay beyond the door except for the death that

awaited outside.

So … it’s true. My little Lane … She’s out there … all alone … in the snow.

And then I went into overdrive. I ran to my closet and got my heavy winter gear—Nitro

clothing that would protect me from the snow.

“What are you doing, Zim?” Jim asked.

“I’m going to get my daughter back,” I said. “She’s out there … somewhere.”

“What? Wait … wait. Zim. There’s no way she’s out there,” Eric said. “Like you said,

she couldn’t even have gotten outside.”

I zipped up my full-body coveralls and looked at him. “Then where is she? Where? Tell

me where and we will go there to find her. Where in this house, Eric? Where?”

“I don’t … I don’t know … but if she’s … if she’s out there, then … well, you know, um,

I don’t know why you need to go …”

I stared at him, daring him to come right out and say that if Lane was out there, she was

already dead. I rubbed the dog’s head and then pulled on a knit cap and flipped up the hood of

the Nitro clothing. I was ready to go outside.

“Wait, Zim. You can’t just go alone,” Jim said.

“Well, if you want to go with me, then tell me what happened to Nancy.”

Jim didn’t respond, but just looked down at the floor.

“Fine, have it your way,” I said.

“Zim, come on,” Eric said. “You can’t go out there in the snow. You won’t survive out

there; you know that. The snow will get you before you even take two steps outside.”

Winter / Ran 24

“Eric,” I said, turning and looking at him, “it’s not often you come to visit us, so you

obviously don’t know me very well to say that.”

He said nothing in reply, so I went back up into the attic to get some weaponry to defend

myself out in the cold. Over the top of my coveralls, I strapped on my ammo belt and then my

favorite pistol. Then I reasoned that a single bullet would do nothing more than just pass through

the snow if it rose up to attack me, so I also grabbed an assault shotgun with a full-length barrel,

plus a short-barreled tactical shotgun with a pistol grip. I loaded myself up with as many shells as

I could carry, and then I heard the steps creaking.

“Zim,” Jim said, as he came upstairs. “Don’t go out there by yourself, man.”

I finished loading my gear and headed for the door. “I told you before, Jim, if you want to

come, then you’re going to have to tell me what happened to Nancy.”

I met him on the steps and he just looked at me, but once again didn’t say anything. So I

headed downstairs to the garage to finish getting ready to go out. After I’d grabbed a survival

pack, complete with food and water, I saw Jim come into the kitchen and into the garage, loaded

down with some of my winter gear and weaponry from the attic.

“What are you doing?” I asked him.

“What does it look like? I’m going with you whether you liked it or not.”

“I beg to differ.”

I fast-drew my pistol and pointed it at him. Jim’s eyes went wide, then he backed up and

slowly raised his hands.

“So it’s come to this?” he said.

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s a pretty crazy day.”

Winter / Ran 25

Behind Jim, I saw Eric look at Bob and then at Jim. Bob looked at them and gave a little

shake of his head.

Finally, Jim sighed. “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you after we leave the house to go look for

Lane.”

I didn’t trust him—hell, I didn’t trust anyone right now. On top of that, my combat senses

from the war started to kick in. Deep down, I knew Jim and Eric would never turn on me, but in

a tense situation like this, I just couldn’t be sure. Besides, I had the upper hand anyway with my

multiple weapons and battle experience.

“Okay … okay. Fine,” I said, “but Eric and Bob are coming with us too.”

Eric nodded, but Bob looked like some giant owl with his eyes opened so wide.

“What? Oh hell no. I’m not going out there.”

“Oh, you’re going,” I said.

“I … Zim. Are you kidding?”

I shook my head. “I’m not laughing, Robert.”

“I … I, uh, I got asthma,”

“Bull. I don’t care if you have only one lung to breathe with, you’re coming with us.”

I pointed my pistol at him. “After all, it’s better to have one full lung than one with a

bunch of holes in it, right?”

Bob sighed and then nodded. “Alright, alright, just stop pointing that thing at me man.”

After holstering my pistol, I went into the living room where Lateia and her kids were

sitting together on the couch. I approached her sixteen-year-old son Ron.

“Ron,” I said, “get up, son. You’re coming with us.”

“Oh no.” Lateia said, jumping up. “No, Zim. Not my—”

Winter / Ran 26

I cut her off with a raised hand. “He’s the oldest of the boys here, and he’s close to being

enough of a man to find his little cousin. And we need every man we can get.”

I then turned. “Dupree.”

He held his head up, quivering in his chair.

“Watch over them while we’re gone, okay?”

“Uh … Uh … ye-yeah, sure, okay.”

“Oh, and no one is allowed in Nancy’s room or in the basement again.”

Lateia looked like she was going to throw up at the mention of the basement. “Why …

Why not Nancy’s room?” she asked.

I shook my head. “Because it’s better for your health if you don’t go in there, so I’m

locking it before I leave.”

She nodded, then gave Ron a hug. I headed back up to lock the door to Nancy’s room,

then on up to the attic for more gear, and finally out to the garage with Bob, Ron, Jim, and Eric.

“But how you know if Lane is even … you know, still alive?” Eric asked.

“Because the dog picked up her scent and followed it out here,” I said to him.

Bob shook his head again, and I glared at him because I was really getting tired of his

attitude. I handed each of them a pair of Nitro coveralls and told them to get dressed.

“What if Ranger was just sniffing some old scent trail of hers?” Jim asked. “Or maybe

some old clothing of hers that’s out there in the garage?”

Wait a minute.

“Her clothing,” I whispered.

I ran back upstairs to Lane’s room. I opened her closet and exhaled with relief. “Thank

God, she put on the Nitro snowsuit.”

Winter / Ran 27

Lane had on the same kind of winter wear that the other guys and I were now wearing for

our foray into the outdoors—except that she had the kids’ snowsuit version while we had adult

coveralls. Nitro coveralls kept all of the major parts of the body warm: arms, legs, chest, neck,

and head—thanks to a space-age layer of insulated material against the skin. An outer layer of

the clothing, though, remained just below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, due to a type of coolant that

filled the individual micro-fibers of the fabric. Therefore, the Nitro clothing had been designed to

protect its wearers from the sentient snow. The clothing’s outer layer kept the snow from sensing

that heat—although it wasn’t foolproof, as intense emotions and overexertion could spike body

heat levels to the degree that the Nitro material couldn’t completely mask a heat signature.

Lane must have also put on the strider boots to help keep her from sinking into the snow.

Thank God for that much.

Back at the garage, Eric, Jim, and Ron all had on Nitro coveralls just like mine—

including pull-over ski masks, hoods that had built-in infrared goggles, a watch on the right

sleeve, and an ice pick attached to a small holster on the left. Bob had on what I called the

“guest” pair of coveralls, which were really just a basic pair we kept in case someone needed

them, but this pair had none of the cool features of the other ones.

Bob got dressed; I kept my eyes on him, and he did the same with me. But I didn’t care.

This was no joke and I wasn’t going to trust anyone. Two people—no, two loved ones—were

dead in my house. I could still hear Lateia and her kids crying in the living room. I looked at

Ron. He was trying to be a man and hold it in, but I knew he loved his auntie very much. On my

way back to the garage, I had seen Stacy sitting there, shaking, next to Pete, and I figured that

she knew full well what had happened to Nancy, but wasn’t saying anything.

Winter / Ran 28

In the garage, tensions ran high among us. I figured I was the most wounded. My

thoughts were all jumbled up, trying to make sense of everything: My family is out there,

including my wife, who hates my guts. I sighed. I have a potential killer—maybe two—in my

house but have no idea who it could be. My money was on Bob or Debra or both. Each of them

drank and did drugs. But I couldn’t prove it, and any potential witnesses weren’t willing to help

me. And my poor Lane, my precious Lane … She was out there in that nightmarish winter—all

happy and excited to play in the snow, the way a little kid used to feel in the old days. But this

ain’t It’s A Wonderful Life and this ain’t no Christmas Story or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

—or even Frozen or Jackie Frost and Her Ice Brigade.

I frowned as Bob wrestled his way into his coveralls. This is winter, damn it. And it’s

dangerous. It waits for the kill in the calmness of the white wind. It wants us dead and gone. And

the snow—the winter—will devour us.

I let out a long breath as the other guys faced me, all dressed up and ready to go.

“Let’s go,” I said.

We got our gear together and headed back to the living room.

“Okay,” I said. “Listen to me. Don’t panic, and don’t touch anything. Dupree, try to keep

them calm.”

Dupree nodded. “I’ll … I’ll try.”

I knew it wouldn’t be easy to have two dead people in the house for them, and I knew

that we needed to clean up a bit more before we headed out. The government had specific

procedures for civilians to follow in case of a death in a home during the winter months. I headed

back into the garage and grabbed two self-embalming body bags. I had Jim go upstairs with me,

and we placed Nancy’s corpse into one of the bags to preserve it for a later autopsy—and to keep

Winter / Ran 29

the odor from getting worse. We then went down into the basement and did the same with

Jamie’s body parts.

After we had lugged both bodies up into the cool attic and placed them in a corner under

a blanket, I went back to the living room and found Stacy, then led her out into the kitchen.

“Listen to me, Stacy,” I said. “Watch out for Debra, okay? I don’t trust her, or anything

she said, okay? Make sure everyone is okay.”

Where Stacy’s eyes had been wild and darting all around before, they now looked glassy,

almost catatonic.

“Um … uhhhh … Yeah … okay,” Stacy said, then took in a sharp breath.

I put a hand on her shoulder and nodded to her. I didn’t like the idea of a junkie like

Debra in my house along with my family, but I trusted Stacy—and Lateia would definitely never

allow something bad to happen when it came to Debra.

Dupree was the only man left that could watch over them, because if he wasn’t

handicapped, it would’ve been him coming with us instead of Ron. I headed back and told him

what I told Stacy. He nodded and I patted him on the shoulder.

“Zim,” Dupree said. “What if … you guys don’t make back? Please, man. Please don’t

go out there.”

I shook my head. All I cared about right then was finding my baby girl. “Listen, we …

we have to find Lane. But we will be back, okay? We’ll be alright.”

“Besides,” Eric said, walking up from behind me, “Lane could just be right outside the

garage door.”

I wished that would be the case—but doubted it. And if it ended up happening that way

… I hoped it would have us finding Lane alive.

Winter / Ran 30

We said good-bye to everyone and then headed back into the garage, with Ranger in tow.

Since the snow didn’t harm animals for some reason, I figured we could use Ranger to help in

our search. We pulled on the Nitro ski masks, then placed ski goggles over our eyes to help block

any body heat from coming out of our exposed skin around the eyes. My heart started to race.

“How long has it been since any of us ever walked in the snow?” Jim asked.

Nobody said anything.

“I guess for you younger guys, it’s been never, huh?” Jim said. “For us older guys, well

… sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago.”

“Yeah,” Bob said, “and the ones who did go out since then, you can find their bones in

the springtime.”

“Just shut up,” I told Bob.

“Okay, enough, you two,” Eric said. “Put the code in to open the door and let’s get this

over with.”

“Don’t freaking rush me,” I told him.

I stepped forward, took a deep breath, and entered the code, then hit the button for the

garage door. The door opened, and Ranger barked. We saw a flash of white hit us, a warning

sign that we were ready to enter the winter. The door was open; we heard the cold wind raging

like a mad mob. The wind in winter just never sounded pleasant or peaceful. It was hard, like a

thunderous train—enraged at all who would enter its presence. The sound of the snow seemed

like a monstrous growl, as if it was waiting for us to make a mistake. We all stepped outside, and

I closed the garage door behind us.

Winter / Ran 31

The Winter

December 21, 2049

5:00pm

The harsh snowflakes hit our faces and coats, but our goggles protected our eyes. I could

already feel the snowflakes biting and gnawing at my coat, and I was grateful for the Nitro wear.

But then I started to see little holes form on my coat sleeves. The snow was actually starting to

eat its way through, trying to get to our skin. I realized my heart was beating like a jackhammer,

which meant my body heat was rising and maybe be too much for the Nitro technology to

overcome. I heard the other guys start to murmur and gasp; I took a deep breath.

“Don’t be afraid, guys. Don’t get too excited. Just keep it cool,” I said in a soft voice.

“The snow already senses our heat because of our anxiety, so we need to stay calm.”

“Ahhh. No. No,” Ron said. “I can’t do it. I don’t want to be out here.”

I looked over at Ron as the snow continued its assault on us, striking us all over. It felt

like thousands upon thousands of small little nails hitting us at once.

“Zim, let Ron go back inside,” Jim said.

“No, I can’t keep opening and closing the door. You know it will just freeze up on us

because it’s so cold. We have to go now.”

I heard that monstrous growl again. I looked over at Ron—a sixteen-year-old weirdo who

loved scary tales, but couldn’t handle this story that he was now a part of. Well, today he’s going

to have to handle it, I thought. He’s going to be a man and help me find my little girl.

“We have to go now,” I said.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out Lane’s shirt, then held it to Ranger’s nose again.

Ranger sniffed the shirt, then the air, trying to pick up Lane’s scent. He barked and plowed into

Winter / Ran 32

the snow down our driveway. I swallowed, hoping that maybe this meant Lane was alive and her

scent was fresh enough for Ranger to pick up with ease. As the cold air hit me, I knew I was in

winter now. I couldn’t smell anything, I couldn’t taste anything.

“Let’s move,” I said.

It felt like walking into the lion’s den. We were outside, in the snow, in the winter.

Not only did we have to slog through about a foot of snow, but the wind fought against

our every step. We could barely see anything, hear anything. I started to think the coats weren’t

going to last. And then I saw small cracks forming in the lenses of my safety goggles—the same

kind we all wore: bulletproof polycarbonate.

“Uh, Zim,” Bob said. “My goggles are starting to crack.”

Everyone else started saying the same thing. I nodded.

“Let’s be fast,” I said.

Soon I started to see small white strains of snow crawling their way into my goggles,

trying to penetrate the heat coming from my exposed eyes. I purposely made my eyes tear up to

melt the snow worms (that’s what I called them) so that they wouldn’t eat at my pupils, since

water diluted the snow and kept it harmless.

“Try to make tears with your eyes to melt the snow,” I said.

To my right, though, I could hear that Ron’s emotions were getting the best of him,

making way for the snow worms to enter his eyes.

“Ahhhh!” Ron said. “Ahhh, my eyes, my eyes.”

“Don’t move,” I said. “Don’t move. Stand still while I get you.”

“It burns.”

Winter / Ran 33

I charged toward Ron, but a large snowy tentacle sprung up and tried to grab my leg. I

slowed down and calmed myself to keep my body heat from rising. I didn’t want the snow

ripping my leg off. The arm seemed to sense that I had calmed down. It proceeded to retract back

into the snow. I slowly walked over to Ron as he was holding his eyes and screaming. The other

guys formed a wide circle around us.

I put a hand on Ron’s arm. I had to make sure the snow didn’t get him. Lateia had already

lost her sister. And we had all lost Nancy. We were not going to lose anyone else. If anything,

we were going to get back a member of the family, my daughter.

“Okay, Ron, listen to me,” I said, noticing a few snow tentacles forming and reaching up

his legs. “You’re starting to cry, but I want you to cry harder—as hard as you can.”

“No,” he said. “I’m—Ahhh,—I’m trying to … to fight it … fight the pain.”

“No, Ron, quit fighting it and let the tears come.”

“Why? Ahhhh, oh God it hurts.”

I slugged him in the arm and then did it again.

“Oww!” he said, “Ahhh, what … What’d you do that … for?”

I hit him again, and this time I saw the tears coming. That took care of the snow worms

attacking his eyes, but he was still too wound up, and his body heat was no doubt rising.

“Deep breaths, Ron,” I said. “Take deep breaths and look at me. Don’t look at the snow.

Just stay calm, okay? We’re here with you. Okay?”

Ron nodded, and then sniffled. I could see that his body started to relax. A second later,

the snow tentacles retracted back into the ground—except for one, and that tentacle honed in on

the two of us. It moved toward us like some creature from a horror movie. I reached for my

pistol-grip tactical shotgun, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to fire in time. Then, right before the

Winter / Ran 34

snow tentacle came down at us, a flurry of bullets blasted it apart. The snow tentacle broke apart

and fell back into the snow on the ground. I turned and saw that Bob and Jim had fired the

automatic rifles I’d given them, since I didn’t have any more shotguns. Jim looked so calm

standing there, like a true SEAL.

Bob also looked calm, like he had done this before.

The gusting wind died down with the rifle fire. I was able to hear Ranger barking and

then spotted him ahead of us. After the wind ceased, the sky and field before us became nothing

but white. It was a calm white wonderland, beautiful and peaceful as it should be. But we were

still standing in our greatest and deadliest enemy—even as it swirled in the air around us. The

snow was just waiting for us to make a mistake or a wrong move.

“Let’s go,” I said.

We all walked carefully toward Ranger.

“I’m surprise the dog came with us in the first place,” Jim said. “It never leaves Pete.”

“I still don’t get why the snow doesn’t attack animals,” Eric said.

“Yeah, but then why did the snow eat those dead rabbits you were throwing outside from

your attic, Zim?” Bob replied.

I looked over at him. “How do you know I was throwing dead rabbits outside of my

house?”

“I saw you through the window, from the other part of the house.”

I stopped and turned toward him. “Which window? Nancy’s room window? That’s the

only one that faces the attic window, Bob.”

“Uh, yeah, so?”

“So did you see me up there right before you shot and killed Nancy?”

Winter / Ran 35

“Okay, that’s enough,” Jim said. “Everybody stay calm. Let’s not get ourselves worked

up again.”

I noticed the snow starting to move around our feet.

“He didn’t kill Nancy, Zim.”

“Then who did? Tell me, Jim. You said you were going to tell me when we got out here.

Now we are out here.”

Jim backed up and looked down at the pulsating snow. “Calm down, Zim. C’mon, man.”

I glanced down at the snow and took a deep breath. Jim was right. I was just going to get

us all killed if I kept going off. I relaxed … and so did the snow.

“Well?” I said.

“Zimmery, you don’t want to know,” Jim replied.

“I do want to know. Otherwise I wouldn’t be asking you.”

“Zim,” Eric said, his eyes darting between me and the snow. “Zim, Nancy killed

herself.”

I looked at Eric and just shook my head, then walked over to him, noticing that Ron and

Jim moved in close as well, but Bob hung back a bit.

“Eric,” I said, “How could Nancy kill herself with three bullets in her chest? Not one, not

two, but three.”

“She pointed the gun toward her chest and fired, but one missed. One hit the wall.”

“Zim, just back off, man,” Jim said.

“Then tell me the truth, Jim,” I said. “Tell me what really happened up there.”

No one said anything, and I cut my eyes at Bob, then leaned in close to Jim and Eric.

“What did he do to you that you won’t tell the truth?” I asked them.

Winter / Ran 36

I glanced over at Bob again, hoping to catch something from him. But he just stood there.

“Zim, c’mon, let’s look for Lane so we can go back home, okay?” Eric said.

“Shut up,” I said. “It’s your fault we are out here in the first place.”

“What? How is it my fault?”

“If you didn’t bring your junkie girlfriend into my house—someone who is way too

young for you anyway—then Lane wouldn’t be out here.”

“Are you freaking kidding me?”

This time, I could feel the snow trembling beneath us. I could hear that heinous growl

rising.

I took another deep breath and lowered my voice. “Wait, wait, wait. Everyone calm

down.”

“Really?” Bob said in a low voice. “How are you the one asking everybody to relax when

you’re getting everybody heated up?”

Just then, I heard Ranger bark again. His barking brought me back to why we were out

here. We had braved the snow to get my Lane back. And if she was still alive, then I had to find

her. I stepped out of Eric’s face and went on my way toward the dog. We all followed along as

Ranger continued to sniff and guide us to Lane. My mind was a jumble of thoughts—about Lane,

the boys, Daphne … and I couldn’t stop questioning my trust of my own family members as we

walked along this white field of danger and emptiness.

“Hey,” Ron said. “What’s this?”

I stopped and looked back to where Ron was pointing at something in the snow. He must

have calmed down a little if he was noticing something out of the ordinary, but it was obvious

Winter / Ran 37

that he didn’t want to pick it up. I saw that he was shuffling his boots around in the snow also,

like he wasn’t even comfortable standing in the snow.

I walked over to see what Ron was talking about, and I saw a gold chain in the snow. I

bent down and pulled the chain out of the snow to find that it was a necklace, but not one that I

recognized. Someone had lost their necklace in the snow. Hmm, I thought. But how could it still

be near the surface when it’s been snowing so—

All of the sudden, Bob grabbed the necklace from my hand before I got a good look at it.

“Gimme that,” Bob said.

I let go of the chain and shrugged. I didn’t really care whose it was, but I wondered why

Bob acted so funny about it.

“How did you lose it?” Eric asked Bob.

“Ehh,” Bob said, “it must have broken off when I was trying to get the semiautomatic off

from around my neck.”

Eric nodded.

“Yeah, and I want that weapon back when this is over, Bob,” I said to him.

Bob rolled his eyes and started back toward Ranger’s barking.

With all that was on my mind, I now thought of something that was bugging me.

“So, Bob,” I said, “where did you learn how to defend yourself with a weapon like that?

That was a military-level response with how you handled that rifle.”

“Oh,” Bob said. “Uh, in a defense course.”

“Really? What course?”

“Some guys in the military I hang out with sometimes. They taught me how to shoot a

few years ago. You know, to protect myself. And I practice at a local range whenever I can.”

Winter / Ran 38

I nodded and walked in Ranger’s direction. I didn’t know that much about Bob; none of

us did, really. Nancy never said much about his background. We all did know that Bob was a

bum—and a redneck bum, to say the least. He had no job, and hadn’t for a while. He’d been in

construction, but got fired. After that, he moved in with Nancy, and he’d been living off her for

the longest time—true white trailer trash. This guy even went to prison a few times while dating

Nancy. Daphne and I never could understand why Nancy loved this man, this nobody. That’s

why it shocked me to see Bob handle his weapon like a pro and shoot it so well. It seemed like

he might be almost as good a shot as Jim or I.

Whatever, enough about Bob …

And with that, my focus went right back to Lane. She’d never left my mind, but I had to

admit that it felt okay to think about something other than her missing out there in the snow

somewhere. My thoughts then drifted to memories of Lane … and then back to my green eyed

Daphne … and Bob … and my time in Africa … and the bodies in my house … and Lane

missing … and on and on it went as we all plodded on through the snow for mile after mile.

/////

As the hours progressed, I worried more about my boys and Daphne—especially our

boys, given the tension that remained with my wife. But, our boys … They were out there in the

snow in a store with God knows who. And of course, there is Lane. She’s the main reason we are

out here in this frozen hell. I turned my head to look at Eric and Jimbo. Both of them panted

through the snow. I remembered how much energy they had when they told Lateia’s kids those

scary stories. That was only, what, a few hours ago?

Winter / Ran 39

Eric and Jimbo had to start talking about some of the most insane killers in our country’s

history.

“So who do you think is the worst, huh?” Eric asked Jim. “Charles Manson … Dr. Death

… Ted Bundy … the Zodiac … the Phoenix … the Grudge … or the current wack-job, the

Snowman.”

“Shush. Don’t mention the Snowman in front of the … you know, the younglings,” Jim

said.

For some reason, the two of them had always gotten a kick out of that kind of stuff. Eric

and Jimbo were both psychiatrists. They also knew, though, that Lateia’s kids—Ron, Stan, and

Aliesa—liked that kind of gory stuff—gruesome real-life murders and gory movies. I honestly

thought they were all pretty weird, not just Ron. But I didn’t say anything. I just stayed at the

window and kept staring out into the void, although I didn’t stop listening to the conversation

that was just getting started.

“Hey, Uncle Jimbo. Tell us about the Snowman,” Stan said.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Jim said. “I don’t think we want you kids to have nightmares and

stuff. This is grown-up talk right now, okay?”

I just rolled my eyes, knowing he was goading them on.

“Oh, come on,” Aliesa said. “We aren’t scared of that stuff. Tell us what you know about

him. Did you ever see him before or something? Come on.”

Eric and Jimbo laughed. Then I realized that they had decided to start talking about the

Snowman killer in the evening—and in the winter, it got dark much faster. So the mood was

already set perfectly for them.

“Hmm,” Jim said, rubbing his five o’clock shadow. “Let’s see … Where do I begin?”

Winter / Ran 40

“Man, you take too long. I’ll tell them,” Eric said. “Now, from what I’ve heard, the

Snowman only comes out during the winter time. He dresses up like a snowman your great-

grandparents used to make back when it was safe to play in the snow. And he travels to different

homes, preying on little children—just like you guys. That’s how he got his nickname.”

I turned my head a bit and saw Lane and Pete hanging in the back, sort of listening in.

“See,” Eric said, “what the Snowman does—from what I heard, mind you—is that he

chops off your hands and your feet so you can’t resist him. Now it’s only natural to fight back.

So you try defending yourselves by clawing at him as he hacks your limbs off, and then you

scream as loud as you can. But whatever you do, it won’t help you. I mean, why would it? It

didn’t help the hundreds of thousands of kids he killed so far. So what makes you any different?”

I frowned and got ready to turn around to say something, because it seemed to be getting

a bit much for the kids, in my mind.

“I don’t think he killed that many,” Jim said, before I could get a word out.

“Shut up,” Eric said. “You’re ruining the moment.”

Eric turned his attention back to the kids, and I could see that they all looked like they

were under some kind of spell that he had cast upon them.

“Next is the juicy part,” Eric said. “The Snowman has his way with you in the middle of

the snow so that nobody will ever find out. After he finishes with you, he buries your body in the

snow. And after the winter is over, then that’s when your frozen dead corpse will pop up … in

Jim’s backyard.”

Eric burst out laughing.

“Shut up, you idiot,” Jim said. “They would show up in my dog’s house—not my yard.

Hee-hee-ahh-ha-ha.”

Winter / Ran 41

I just rolled my eyes. Such idiots …

“Ha-ha, very funny guys,” Lateia said. “Now knock it off.

“Heh-heh,” Jim said, ignoring Lateia. “But, yeah, the Snowman, he disappears in the

warmer months. Now, though, he’ll be back. Oh, and he leaves a sign of his presence by putting

ice-sculpted carvings of a snowman next to the dead corpses. And, like Eric said, since the police

hardly operate in the winter, they never find him or the bodies.”

Lateia’s three kids were trembling now. But, at the same time, they seemed to love the

story Eric and Jim were telling.

And it’s those types of stories that will get you killed one day.

“But, hey,” Eric said, “this year, he’ll be looking for some new meat. Ain’t that right,

Pete … Lane?”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” I said.

I looked over at Lane and Pete. Neither one of them really seemed to care too much about

what was being said. In fact, I knew Lane had seen a lot of stuff in her short life living in

Mexico. She was used to scary stories—well, actually, she lived in a scary story down there.

Pete, I believed, had no clue, but he seemed alright. Maybe he thought the dog would protect

him. My mind jerked back into the present. I heard Ranger bark.

He kept on moving, stopping only to check for Lane’s scent, and it seemed like we’d

been following him for days now. I checked my watch. No way … We had been following the

dog in the snow—safely—for around two hours. Its funny how that works: as soon as I realized

how long we had already been walking, I started to feel fatigue. The white, dead environment

was getting to me; I think it was getting to all of us, from what I could tell looking at the others’

Winter / Ran 42

faces. We had all been walking on adrenaline for the majority of the search, and now we were

hitting the wall.

Just then, Ranger stopped and started to bark again. Must have spotted something, I

figured. Ranger then proceeded to dig in the snow. He’s found something. I jogged forward and

stood over Ranger, but a part of me was hoping it wasn’t what I thought it might be.

Please, God, don’t let my Lane be down there.

Ranger continued to dig. My eyes got wider, and wider, and I could feel my heart racing,

but I took a few deep breaths, trying to keep my composure as I saw the snow around me starting

to roil. A few seconds later, I could see something under the snow where Ranger had been

digging. It looked like … a boot. Like Lane’s boot. And then I saw …

“Oh no.”

Alongside the boot sat a red teddy bear—the one I had bought for Lane last year. I fell to

my knees, not caring at that moment what the snow did to me, and the snow began to form up in

little mounds all around us, ready to attack.

“Oh Lord,” Eric said. “Zim, are those … are those … Lane’s?”

I grabbed the teddy bear, nodded once, and then hugged that bear like it was my little girl

herself in my arms.

Jim turned away and glanced to the side, and Ron looked as if he was about to explode

with tears. Bob must have been standing behind me, and I didn’t really care where he was

anyway.

“No no no.”

The snow began to form tentacles again.

Winter / Ran 43

“Zim, everyone …” Jim said. “Take a deep breath and calm down. Just take it easy.

That’s it. Calm. We’re no good to anyone if we can’t keep a cool head now.”

He was right, of course, and he helped me to refocus and look at the facts. Finding these

items seemed to say that my little girl was gone—that the snow must have gotten her. But I

wondered why just one boot had come off her foot, still trying to hang on to hope that she might

be alive. Maybe Lane hadn’t put it on tight enough? Maybe some snow got in it? But none of

that made sense. It was over, I figured. I unzipped my coat, stuffed the bear inside, and then

zipped back up before more body heat could escape.

“I’m so sorry,” Jim said, laying a hand on my shoulder. “We should … We sh—” He

stifled a sob, then finally said, “We need to head back to the house.”

But then Ranger started to bark again. And then he proceeded to dig some more. I stood

up and looked into the pit that Ranger had excavated. I saw a pair of gloves, then a hat, and then

a couple of goggles and two coats.

“Huh?” I said.

None of these items were Lane’s—just the boot and the bear.

“Where did all this stuff come from?” I said.

“Yeah … and whose is it?” Jim asked. “Not Lane’s, right?”

I shook my head.

Crack-blam!

We all turned our heads at what sounded like a gunshot in the distance.

“What the hell was that?” Eric asked.

I stood up and shook my head again. “Don’t have any—Wait. Listen …”

Winter / Ran 44

Now I heard a whooshing sound, like something was flying through the air—toward us, it

seemed, the way the sound was getting louder, but I couldn’t see anything through all the snow

that was coming down. And then—

“Ahhh, look out,” Ron said.

A giant net appeared amidst the falling snow—and landed right on the entire group of us,

even the dog. It knocked us to the ground, and I could feel the weight of it on me. I turned my

head and grabbed at the net, but it barely gave at all.

Some kind of metal alloy …

“Oh, man. Lemme out of here,” Ron said.

“Help, oh God help,” Eric said.

Then I felt the snow moving around us.

“Quiet,” I said. “Relax, okay?”

But Eric and Ron kept squirming. Only Jim, Bob, Ranger, and I kept cool. We scooted

our way to the edge of the netting, but it held fast in the snow thanks to some kind of weights

that held tight to the ground.

“God no,” Eric said.

Ron, meanwhile, sobbed.

“Shhh, guys,” Bob said.

The snow, though, already started to attack Eric and Ron with small tentacles. I could

only think that this was the end—that we were all going to die out there. But then I heard

gunshots in the distance again. At the sound of the shots, Ron and Eric quit crying and yelling

and managed to get themselves together. We sat there for a few moments, then I saw a group of

men emerge from the swirling snow.

Winter / Ran 45

“Look,” Ron said. “Who in the world—”

“Shhh,” I said.

I squinted to see all the individuals that were circling around the net, surrounding us.

More than thirty easy, I thought. Every one of them wore the same kind of protective gear we

had, but theirs looked much more advanced. They all carried automatic weapons and pointed

them in our direction as they looked at us. Then one of the men gave a loud whistle and several

of the others ran forward, then started to cut the net to free us.

The man who had whistled walked up to me. “What are you all doing out here?”

I eyed the man, keeping my finger on the trigger of my tactical shotgun. Through his

goggles, I saw eyes that appeared to be of Asian origin.

“We’re searching for someone,” I said.

“Really? Well, we’re looking for someone too,” the man said, then stuck out his hand.

“The name’s Akin.”

I nodded and shook his hand. “Zimmery … or just Zim. So what’s with the net?”

“Couldn’t be too careful,” he smiled, but offered nothing more. “Oh, this is Chris,

Russell, and Devon.” He gestured to the three men closest to him. “We’re kind of the unofficial

leaders of our search party.”

I shook each of their hands. “This is Jim … Bob, Eric, and Ron. Oh, and the dog’s

Ranger.”

Chris and Russell looked like they were white from what I could tell, while Devon was a

tall, dark-looking man—black, I figured.

“Anyway, we’re looking for some children who went missing,” Akin said. “Chris,

Devon, and Russell here are the dads of the missing kids.”

Winter / Ran 46

It was a bit odd that they were also looking for missing children.

“We set up a point of return in some nearby woods across the snow field,” Akin said.

“You’re invited to come with us.”

Before I could answer, Russell stepped forward and pointed at everything we’d found in

the snow. “Wait, what’s all this?” he asked, with an accent that I marked as Cajun.

“The dog found all this stuff in the snow, buried deep,” Eric replied.

The four of them crouched down and looked at each of the items. I had already taken

Lane’s boot and bear, but we’d left everything else where we’d found it. Devon reached down

and picked up the gloves.

“Oh my Lord,” he said. “These gloves are Pam’s—and this coat, too.”

Akin nodded and looked at me. “Pam’s his daughter.”

“And I gave this hat to Johnny a few years ago,” Chris said.

“And look …These goggles and coats … They’re Alexis and Alex’s,” Russell said.

Akin turned his head toward me and whispered, “His twin stepson and stepdaughter.”

I only nodded, knowing the kind of pain the fathers had to be going through … because I

was right there with them.

“Who are you looking for?” Akin asked.

I showed him the boot from my daughter. “My daughter Lane.”

Bob then leaned over to me and whispered, “Well, at least you’re not the only free-

spirited parent out here.”

I didn’t like that remark at all, but heavier concerns weighed on my mind at the moment.

Like, how did four of us fathers lose our children out here at the same time? And how did all of

the kids’ stuff get placed in the same spot?

Winter / Ran 47

Ranger, meanwhile, proceeded to dig even deeper in the snow and soon found one last

thing. He lifted it out of the hole with his teeth and turned toward me. I reached down to take it

from him amidst the blowing snow, but then I saw what it was and my hand stopped.

“Damn,” Devon said.

“Oh no,” Jim said.

In his jaws, Ranger held an ice carving of a snowman. The words, “I’m back.” were

written on it in blood.

We all knew what it was. The stories we heard on the news … The hundreds of missing

children and the grieving families that later found their dead bodies after the weather cleared …

The monster had come to our town, to Scranton. The infamous serial killer had come to

our area this season, the vicious child predator, the Snowman.

Even as I felt my blood pulsing with rage, I felt my heart race with fright, didn’t matter

though. The rage had conquered my fears. This time the sadistic Snowman had picked the wrong

family to mess with.

Winter / Ran 48

The Winter

December 21, 2049

8:30pm

After some discussion with Akin, we decided to all head to the base he’d set up nearby,

as it was a lot closer than hiking back to my house. After we arrived and started a fire, we got to

talking about how our children had wandered off.

Russell shook his head and sighed. “Alexis and Alex went outside to get some wood from

the back of the house. We bring in firewood every winter, so I figured it wouldn’t be an issue.

The kids are twelve years old, and they both had on Nitro wear, so I argued with my wife that

they were old enough.” He looked down at the ground. “Oh man, I’m gonna hear it from her.”

A few of the guys around the fire grunted, and then Devon cleared his throat.

“Well,” Devon said, “Pam was staying with her cousins not far from here, and she was

supposed to come back home before the big snow hit. I never heard from her cousins even

though I kept trying to get in touch with them. Then the snowstorm came early, so I couldn’t

communicate anymore to see what had happened.”

“And my son Johnny,” Chris said, “he’s thirteen, and he was supposed to be flying back

to the Bahamas for the winter to continue his education. Since all schools close during the

winter, we like to have him keep up his studies during that time. He was supposed to be on one

of the last flights out, but I know he didn’t make it. I was on the phone with him when they cut

the signal.”

When Chris said that he flew his son to the Bahamas to continue school, I knew right

then what kind of person he was—especially when I took another look at Akin and the other men

Winter / Ran 49

around him. To afford to send your kid to the Bahamas for school every winter and to hire a

squad of men with a commander leading a rescue party for your children, Chris had to be part of

the rare class known as the “super-rich.” Akin and his men had to be hired guns or mercenaries.

After a few moments of silence, I asked, “How did you manage to trace the children to

the exact spot where the Snowman placed their clothes?”

“I had a GPS in the Nitro coat I gave Pam,” Devon said.

“And you guys all know each other, then?” Jim asked.

“Well, Chris and I know each other,” Russell said. “And our kids—well, I mean, my

stepkids and his son play together, so yeah.”

“Well, we don’t know each other that personally, but our kids do hang out together,”

Chris replied. “And Devon here is an employee of mine who doesn’t live too far away. And if

you haven’t already guessed, I hired Akin and his team to find my son and their children as

well.”

“What about you guys?” Russell asked. “How did your kid get out here? And how did

you find this spot?”

I nodded my head toward Ranger. “The dog led us here. And my little girl, she was, uh

… let out by someone in my house.”

“How does that happen?”

I didn’t respond, because I was still wondering the same thing, especially since it seemed

the other guys were trying to hide something from me.

“The freaking Snowman,” I muttered. “What are the odds?”

Ranger kept sniffing around and started barking again.

“It appears that your dog is trying to tell us something,” Devon said.

Winter / Ran 50

Ranger was barking toward the north. He seemed to be acting on the scent of the different

clothes.

“His sniffing could lead us to the Snowman,” Chris said.

“Do we really want to find him?” Russell asked.

“I do,” I said, hoping that Ranger’s barking implied that the children were indeed still

alive. “But most of all, I want to find my kid.”

“God, I hope they’re okay,” Chris said, and then he started to sob. “My boy is out there

with that maniac.”

Chris fell to his knees, but Devon pulled him back up.

“Hey, boss,” Devon said, “I know how you feel. I feel the same about my girl being out

here too. But losing it here ain’t gonna get them back.”

Chris nodded and started to calm down, and I felt good about that, because I had seen the

snow starting to move around us.

“What in the world is Janet going say when she finds out about this?” Russell asked.

He got up and paced around the fire. “Damn it.”

“There is a good chance that the children are still alive,” Jim said. “The Snowman always

cuts off the limbs first to get his sick mental fantasies started. We only found the clothes and

stuff, and we haven’t found any body parts yet or any sign of a struggle.”

Bob, though, had other thoughts. “Whatever. The snow itself could have killed the

children … and the Snowman. Why are we wasting our time out here?”

Devon grabbed Bob and pinned him against a tree. “We are out here because of my girl

and the other missing kids.”

Winter / Ran 51

“No, we are out here because of somebody’s stupidity. And that led us out here to find a

bunch of kids who might be already dead.”

“You bastard,” I said.

Devon held Bob tight against the tree trunk; I raised my shotgun and stuck the muzzle

against Bob’s head, ready to put him out of his misery. Akin and two of his men stepped up to

surround the three of us.

“Calm down,” one of the men said.

I ignored him. “I’m going to rip you a new one, you little prick.

Then one of Akin’s men tasered all three of us, and we all fell to the ground, writhing.

“Now calm down, dammit,” Taser-man said.

And right then, the snow rose up and grabbed hold of Taser-man’s lower half and started

to pull him under.

“Ahhhhhh, help, help!” he cried.

Several of Akin’s men ran toward him, but then the man’s head went under. Even as his

screams died beneath the white death, the snow around us came alive. Our heated argument

finally caught up with us. The whiteness began to rise up in tentacles, some with pointed ends of

hard-packed snow. Ranger barked at the snow.

“Everyone, be calm,” Akin said.

“Yeah, guys. Cool it,” I said.

But it was too late. The snow began to suck some of the men under. Other men shouted

as the snow impaled them on the pointed ends of the tentacles.

“Get to higher ground now,” Akin said.

Winter / Ran 52

Bob ran up a rocky hill that the wind had mostly swept clear of snow, and Akin and I

soon followed. A few seconds later, Devon joined us. I didn’t see where Jim and Eric got to in all

the commotion and swirling snow. Ron, though, looked frantic, and he tried to run toward the

rocky hill.

“Ron,” I said. “Just calm down and head this way.”

But Ron fell into the snow. “No. Oh God no,” he said.

I started down the hill. I wouldn’t let Lateia lose a child after already losing a sister. But

as I saw Ron flailing around and screaming in the snow, I knew I couldn’t reach him in time. The

snow made an arm and latched onto Ron’s head, completely engulfing it.

“Noooo!” I said.

The giant snow arm twirled Ron’s body like a rag doll. Back and forth, back and forth. I

reached the bottom of the hill and prepared to plow into the snow to save him.

But Devon grabbed me by the arm. “No don’t.”

“Lemme go.”

I tried my best to free myself from his strong grip. But then I saw the snow around Ron

open up like a pit—with teeth that looked like icicles.

“Oh my God no,” I said.

The snow pulled Ron’s body under, like he was some prey for a monster to feast on.

I fell to my knees on the hilly slope, feeling the hard rock on my knees. I stayed there for

a while, just staring out at the snow as it worked on the men it had pulled under. Akin finally

gathered all of us together, and we climbed into some nearby trees. I didn’t see Ranger

anywhere, but I figured he was safe since the snow wouldn’t attack him.

Winter / Ran 53

/////

With all the gray snow clouds, it got dark real quick. The clouds, though, soon gave way,

and the moon began shining in the sky like a blue beacon of light. The trees seemed as calm as

the night sky. But the snow wasn’t quiet. We could still hear it rending and consuming the flesh

of the men it had taken under its vast and deep white fields. We even heard some of the men

screaming and crying in agony under the snow.

“Help. Oh God … Oh God … Help,” I heard faintly from under the snow.

We sat above it all, thankfully, and I was grateful that a few of us were left. Around

twenty of us made it into the trees, but I had no idea where Jim and Eric were. I ended up in a

tree with Devon, on a branch to his left.

After listening to the deadly snow for a bit, Devon said, “Looks like we made it out of

there at the thin of our skin.”

I wasn’t in the mood to talk. Ron’s face roamed through my mind. What could I have

done different to save him? Should I have even brought him out here? All these thoughts started

to tear through my head. But it was too late. All of it meant nothing. I felt like my head was

about to explode all over Devon.

My daughter has been kidnapped by some psycho killer. Two of my in-laws are dead in

my house, and my family is hiding the truth from me. Now Ron … is dead. I sighed and just

stared up at the moon. To top it all off, there we were outside in winter, sitting in a tree and

wondering if we would ever be able to get down from there without the snow eating us. I knew

that was going through everyone’s mind. And apparently Devon picked up on my brooding.

Winter / Ran 54

“Come on, man,” he said. “Don’t worry. Okay, I mean, you will worry, just like I am.

But we’re getting out of here and getting our kids back.”

To my surprise, those words really did lift my spirits a bit. And then I saw Akin, climbing

from tree to tree.

“Move from these trees and head to the ones on the north side,” Akin told us.

“Is he crazy?” Devon asked. “Does he expect us to hang and swing from a tree like a

monkey?”

“Well, isn’t that what you people are?” said someone in a nearby tree.

“Who said that?” Devon replied.

I shined my flashlight and saw it was Bob who made that racist comment.

“Watch your mouth, Robert,” I said.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Bob said. “We’re in the middle of nowhere in the snow,

ready to be ripped apart by it, and it’s your fault.” Bob then turned his attention toward Devon. “I

mean, what kind of father loses his child, especially out here? You guys—all of you—are so

stupid.”

“If we weren’t out here, you wouldn’t be alive,” Devon told Bob.

Then I noticed that Bob’s tree looked like it was … moving. My God, that tree is actually

moving its branches.

“Bob, get out of the tree,” I said.

Even as I said it, several tree branches bent toward Bob from his rear, as if it was a sneak

attack.

“No way, man,” Bob said. “I’m not getting off this tree. You’re trying to kill me, aren’t

you?”

Winter / Ran 55

“The tree branches behind you.”

“Man, shut up,” Bob said. “I’m tired of your bull … and this thing you got against me. I

didn’t do anything to Nancy.”

Then Devon shot a bullet at one of the moving tree branches to shut Bob up. “Get out of

the damn tree you idiot. The branches are moving.”

Bob laughed. “Whatever, you guys are so full—Ahhhh!”

A tree branch knocked Bob from his perch and he fell downward, but caught onto another

branch that wasn’t moving. That was when I noticed that one side of Bob’s tree had a lot of snow

on its branches. Thus, the snow on the tree actually began to move the branches.

I shined my flashlight in Akin’s direction. Now I knew why Akin had told everybody to

move to the trees to the north. They had almost no snow on any of their branches.

“Guys,” I said. “Let’s do what Akin said. Move to the northern trees. They have barely

any snow on them, so we’ll be safer there.”

So we all began to climb from tree to tree, still not wanting to chance stepping foot on the

ground after seeing so many men die in the snow. So we tried to do it quick and calm. If we got

too emotional like Bob had, or if we worked up too much body heat, then the snow on these trees

would go after us. And off we went, swinging and climbing our way to the next stand of trees to

the north. A few of us, though, must have either gotten scared or been generating too much heat,

because several tree branches grabbed at some of us and tried pulling us downward into the snow

on the ground.

“Ahh, nooooooo,” one man said.

I watched as someone plummeted to the ground not far in front of me.

Winter / Ran 56

“Everyone calm down,” Akin said, his voice carrying through the crisp night air. “Just

take it slow and easy.”

But others began to slip off, falling down to their deaths, screaming in horror, some

calling on the name of Jesus to save them. Others cursed like a sailor all the way down.

I grimaced as I watched Akin continue to move forward like some jungle cat. He was

easily the most flexible and agile of all of us. Akin stopped and positioned himself on a tall oak

tree in the northern stand of trees.

“What’s he doing?” Devon said in a tree next to me.

I stopped and hung from a branch, then pulled myself up to watch. Devon did the same

and then pointed.

“Look,” he said.

Akin then took out a collapsible sniper rifle from his backpack and opened it up, then

took aim in our general direction.

“What the hell is he doing?” Devon said. “Oh man …”

“No, he’s not aiming at us,” I said.

Akin started to shoot rounds at the tree branches that were trying to grab us. Then he fired

at some of the men that had already fallen into the snow and were screaming in agony.

I saw Devon turn and look at me. “Mercy killings,” he whispered.

I nodded. “Let’s keep going.”

Devon and I kept swinging from tree to tree as best as we could. We came upon Bob,

who had apparently gotten ahead of us when we stopped to watch Akin.

“Guys,” Bob said. “Guys, help me. Please.”

“Hold on, man,” Devon said. “We’re trying to save ourselves first.”

Winter / Ran 57

Devon kept moving, but I stopped and looked over at Bob—and that’s when I saw some

snow on a nearby branch began to crawl in his direction. It must have sensed Bob’s heat from a

distance.

“Bob, watch out,” I said.

Bob turned and saw the snow heading toward him. “Oh man.” Then he clambered down

to the branch beneath him. He yanked out his gun and shot at the snow above him. It worked—

for the moment, at least, as the snow scattered and fell to the ground.

I nodded and started swinging again. One of Akin’s men grab onto a tree trunk to take a

break. But from below him, some snow began climbing the trunk to get him.

“Hey look out,” I said.

But it was too late.

The snow covered his right hand and instantly frostbit him. The man screamed in agony.

I climbed up onto a branch, hoping for a chance to fire my tactical shotgun and save him. I

pointed my flashlight at the guy, and I could see his hand had turned black and blood was

already oozing out of it.

“Oh God help. Someone help me.” the man said.

I raised my shotgun and flashlight together, but I couldn’t get a clean shot. The snow was

starting to cover his body. Then the tree leaned over toward a snowbank, which in turn opened

up into a giant hole, looking like a white hill with teeth poking out of it—and one that had a taste

for human blood.

“Nooooo, help me,” the man said

I watched as a long tentacle of hard-packed, icy snow came up out of the snowy hole and

grabbed the man.

Winter / Ran 58

The man screamed from beneath the snow. “Ahhahhhhhh. No. Ah God no.”

I looked ahead and flashed my light across the trees. Akin was already aiming his rifle

down into the snowbank. One shot, and the man quit screaming. Akin threw a glance in my

direction, but I doubted he could see my face. I shut off my flashlight and moved forward,

wondering how many of us were going to be left.

A few minutes later, I heard Devon curse to my right.

“Ahh, I’m stuck,” he said. “Damn foot is caught between some branches.”

I pulled myself up onto a branch close to Devon and shined my light at him. A line of

snow was already heading toward his stuck foot. I reached out and tried to grab his hand. But his

foot was snagged in the branches pretty good.

“Hang on,” I said.

“Can’t go anywhere anyway,” he replied.

The snow got closer and closer to his caught boot, ready to attack. I kept pulling at the

branch, but it was just too strong.

Blam!

“Ahhhhh,” Devon said. “What the hell. Who the hell just—oh damn that hurts. Who shot

me?”

The shot, however, had released his foot from the branch. And the snow began to absorb

and feed on the blood left on the branch by the gunshot wound. I looked down and saw that Bob

had shot the bullet, but before I could say anything, I heard Akin’s voice.

“Let’s move, people,” he said. “There’s a cave just ahead where we should be able to find

shelter.”

Winter / Ran 59

I saw the remaining guys, including Bob, all climb and swing forward as fast they could.

But Devon just looked at me.

“I can’t move, man,” he said. “My foot … It hurts too much.”

I nodded and then looked down. We were pretty close to the ground, and only about

twenty yards from the cave. The snow had drifted to at least a couple of feet deep below us. I

twisted around on my branch so I faced Devon’s back.

“Just stay calm and be ready to move, okay?” I said to him.

He looked back over his shoulder at me. “Why? What are you going to—Ahhhhh.”

Devon sailed through the air thanks to a double-footed push from me. He landed softly in

the snow below and tried to stand.

“Damn man,” he said.

“Shhh. Just stay calm, remember?” I said.

“I can’t … Man, I can’t walk,” he said in a quiet voice.

“Crawl. Just crawl. Nice and easy.”

I swallowed hard as I watched Devon crawl the last few yards toward the cave. A

moment later, Akin ran out and helped him the rest of the way—just as a few small snow

tentacles formed and took aim at Devon.

I took a few deep, calming breaths, and then jumped down into the snow myself. It was a

harder fall than I expected, and I almost split my left leg in two. But I made it.

“I think you’re the last two. Keep going … deeper,” Akin said. He handed Devon off to

me and shined a bright flashlight ahead of us. “It’s a lot warmer and moister deeper in, so we’ll

be safe there.”

Winter / Ran 60

I nodded and helped Devon along. Soon enough, Devon and I heard some of the other

men milling about ahead of us, then we saw them in the light of Akin’s beam.

“Hey, you hurt, Devon?” one of the men asked.

We walked forward and helped Devon into a seated position against the side wall of the

cave. It was Chris who had asked, I now saw as he walked up to us.

“Devon, he’s been shot,” I said.

“What? By who?” Chris asked.

That’s when we all heard somebody screaming and shooting from the direction of the

cave entrance—and he was getting closer to us. We all turned and aimed our weapons. But when

we saw who it was, everyone except me put their guns down. It was Bob, running from the snow

like a madman.

“It’s me. I’m okay,” Bob said.

“That’s the problem,” I said.

“Hey, lower your weapon,” Chris said to me.

But I didn’t respond.

“If you guys got some issues to work out, then settle it when we all get the hell out of

here,” Devon said.

“He shot you, Devon,” I said, still eyeing Bob with my shotgun leveled at him.

“Well … yeah, but it saved my life, didn’t it?”

I sighed and lowered my weapon. I couldn’t just shoot Bob at point-blank range. I didn’t

have proof that he killed Nancy and/or Jamie. But I knew that if I let him live long enough, the

truth would come out, especially in this environment—in this white death trap.

Winter / Ran 61

We settled in and one of Akin’s men made a fire, and we all sat and watched as the

smoke wisped its way up through cracks in the cave ceiling. The night outside seemed to grow

even darker. We heard the cold wind moaning at the entrance. Something told me that we were

going to be in here for a while. I didn’t mind, though. I needed the rest.

But a part of me felt that in this cave were more than just us men looking to save our

children. I had a feeling that we needed to be saved from something lurking in this cave.

I might have been paranoid, but sometimes being paranoid can keep you alive.

Winter / Ran 62

The Winter

January 1, 2050

It was New Year’s Day. I’d be forty-one years old in two months. In those coming two

months, I hoped the snow would die down. Some years, we’d had just normal winters. No real

blizzards or snowstorms and hardly any snow. Sometimes the country never even really shut

down. It was just put on standby depending on the weather. And we had some winters that were

so nice, you would have thought it was summer. Still the government took no chances. So the

kids and all us grown folks didn’t have to go to school or work. Those warmer winters with no

snow ended up being a lot of fun—but not this time. This time, the winter was terrible. And not

just the weather.

This winter was worse because of all that had transpired. I didn’t have to say it again to

the guys I was with. I’d said it many times in the cave that we were all in. I’d said it too many

times, how messed up this whole situation was. And these men knew it themselves all too well

after these past few weeks. We’d been stuck in this hole since late last year, thanks to blizzard-

like conditions that never let up, starting the day after we made it into the cave. Akin, though,

had packed plenty of survival food, and we found a small spring deeper in the caves. After all, it

wasn’t like we were going to go out and collect some snow to melt it for water.

After I got somewhat comfortable I started to think about the last time my immediate

family and I were all together. It was a few days after I got back from a recent tour in

Johannesburg, the final weeks of autumn passed by quickly. December 21 was around the

blasted corner. But the way the weather forecast looked, the heavy snow would likely come

earlier than that. It became clear to me that it was going to be a dangerous winter. My plan was

Winter / Ran 63

to finish getting everything ready and then lock down and spend some quality time with my wife

and kids.

“Zach, is the winterization furnace on?” Daphne asked.

“Not yet, Mom—but almost,” Zach replied, while running back down the stairs again.

The light snow had continued on and off since I’d returned home the last day of

November—going back and forth fighting with autumn—but we hadn’t even gotten close to a

foot of accumulation, so we were still safe. If you would ever experience winters like what we

have, you would start to think of the fall season as your friend. You view the fall as trying to

hold back the old man in the frosty blue coat from peeling his way into your lives for three to

four months or even longer.

“You got the firewood man?” Micky asked Zach.

“Not yet. Mom wants me to keep checking the furnace to see if is revving up,” Zach said,

still running around the house.

“Hurry up boys,” Daphne said.

Lane was too busy bouncing around the house. “Winter is coming, winter is coming, I get

to see the snow.”

Soon enough, Daphne got on the phone with the insurance agency. “Yes, I like to speak

with someone about getting the super-generators turned on in my house.”

Daphne turned around and snapped her fingers at me. “Uh, Zim.”

“Yeah, honey.”

“Take these forms to the agency for me?”

“What? Can’t we just submit the forms online?”

“Yeah, but I need you to pick up a few things too. Kill two birds with one stone.”

Winter / Ran 64

“Uh, okay, but it’s easier to just do the forms online, isn’t it?” Or give them the codes on

the forms and verify our info since you’re on the phone with them and—”

“You know what? I’m not trying to argue here. Can you please for once just do what I

want?”

I stopped and stared at her for a moment, wondering where such an outburst came from.

“What’s that suppose to mean?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes, got out of the chair, and went upstairs. I don’t like it when people

don’t answer me—I really don’t—so she had me about as wound up as I can get.

“Daddy, Daddy, let me come with you,” Lane said, running toward me like a happy

puppy.

“Ehh, I don’t know,” I said.

“Pleeeaaase, please, Daddy, please. I love you Daddy please.”

How could I say no to that?

“Oh, alright sweetie, get your coat and come on,” I told her.

“Yahooooooo.”

She ran and then went up the stairs like a NASCAR driver burning some rubber.

I got my jacket and headed to the garage. Just then, my boys came through and grabbed

their coats and hats. They came rushing into the garage with the keys to my old truck.

“Oh now wait a minute,” I said. “Where do you think you two are going?”

“Mom wants us to get some things from the store across the bridge,” Zach said.

I raised an eyebrow. “Really? Well, I’m going to the agency and I’m supposed to pick up

what she wants on the way back. So what does she want?”

“Uh no, that’s okay Dad. Mom, uh, wants us to go, so we’ll get it for her.”

Winter / Ran 65

“Yeah, no probs Pops,” Micky said. “We’ll get the stuff for her. We just need to borrow

your truck.”

Zach punched Micky in the arm after he threw that little remark out to me.

“Oh, I get it. You boys wanna drive my truck, huh?” I said.

“Come on Dad, it’s not winter yet,” Zach said. “We’ll be back before you know it.”

I put my finger on my chin, contemplating whether I could trust them with my truck in

the snowy conditions. Then I checked my phone for the current weather.

“Dad, we promise,” Micky said. “We’ll be back in time, promise, come on, Dad.”

I sighed. “Okay, okay. But that snow looks like it might pick up quickly, so get what you

have to get and come straight home.”

They fist-bumped each other and ran to the truck.

“And keep those seat belts on at all times, boys,” I said. “No funny stuff.”

“Sure thing, Dad,” Zach said.

My sons jumped into my truck, backed out of the driveway, and off they went. Lane soon

came running into the garage, all bundled up, and the two of us got into my SUV and pulled out.

Before I backed down the driveway too far, I looked up and saw my wife staring out of our

bedroom window. She was glaring at me with the same expression she’d had since I came home.

As we drove to the office, I wondered about that glare for the whole duration of the ride.

We soon arrived at the agency and stood in line with a bunch of other people. Some were

mad that they couldn’t qualify for the free heat and hot water. Some were dancing with joy. After

I sat down with the agent, I was still thinking about Daphne. “Sir,” the agent said, drawing my

attention back to him. “Sir, I need you to sign on the dotted line here.”

Winter / Ran 66

I looked at the forms again and signed on the dotted line. Lane jumped into my arms and

we both headed back to the car.

Just then, I remembered my boys and their trip to the store. I opened my phone and

turned on the GPS tracker that linked to my old truck to see where the boys were. It showed that

they were indeed at the store, so I felt a little more at ease—even though the snow was picking

up. Still, there couldn’t have been more than five inches on the ground, so we were all still safe.

“Is the snow mad at you or something Daddy?” Lane asked me from her car seat.

I chuckled a little. “No, honey, it’s not mad at me.” Then I looked at the road as the

snowflakes came down. “It’s just mad at everybody.”

She shook her head. “That’s weird.”

I heard her sigh and we fell into an uneasy silence.

As we got closer to the house, I asked Lane how it had been living in Mexico with her

mom. I’d had Lane with another woman from a previous relationship.

“Its fine,” she said, with no expression on her face.

“Is Mommy treating you right down there?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she replied, looking outside.

I could tell Lane didn’t like living there because she didn’t talk about it too much. In the

part of Mexico where Lane lived, it was hot—and dangerous, because of all the drugs and stuff

being shipped back and forth.

Still, I loved talking to Lane, and she loved talking to me. I figured the only good thing

about winter coming would be that we’d get to spend it together.

“Hey, Daddy,” Lane said.

“Yes, honey?”

Winter / Ran 67

“Let’s sing that song.”

“What song?”

“The ‘I Love You’ song.”

“You still remember that song, sweetie?”

“Uh, yeah, Daddy,”

“Oh, okay. I guess. You start.”

“Okay.” She cleared her throat like she was getting ready for a music recording. “I love

you. You love me too. Lane loves Daddy, very, very much—very, very much.”

I smiled and reached back to pat her on the leg.

“Your turn, Daddy.”

“Alright, get your ears ready for this,” I said, laughing. “I love you. You know it’s true.

Daddy loves Laaaane, very, very much—very, very much.”

Then Lane joined in and we sang together: “I love you. You love me too. Lane loves

Daddy, very, very much—very, very much. I love you. You know it’s true. Daddy loves

Laaaane, very, very much—very, very much.”

We sang the rest of the way home. When we arrived, I picked up my Lane and carried her

into the house. She looked tired, so I put her to bed in her room, which was decorated from top to

bottom with stuff that featured Red Bear, a cartoon character that Lane just adored. I knew she

didn’t like naps, so I had to trick her.

“You don’t have to go to sleep, baby. Just lie down and rest your eyes,” I said to her

softly.

She listened and rested those little eyes, lying down comfortably on her Red Bear bed.

She soon fell asleep—it worked every time. Afterwards, I pulled out my phone and pulled up the

Winter / Ran 68

GPS to track my sons again. They were still at the store. I wondered what was taking them so

long. We had been gone for like three hours. And the store was not that far from the house. I

started to call them, but then I figured that the boys didn’t know a thing about grocery shopping.

And I had to face it: neither did I. So I figured it might be awhile before they got home.

I slipped out of Lane’s room to look for Daphne, hoping to finally smooth things out now

that the house was nice and quiet. I found her in our bedroom … sitting on the bed … with her

phone in hand … texting away. I stopped in the doorway and pursed my lips. I took a deep

breath and tried to relieve all the anxieties I felt by throwing some playful banter her way.

“Hey, I didn’t expect to find a beauty queen waiting on my bed when I got home.”

She didn’t even look up.

I jumped on the bed behind her and started to kiss her neck while sliding my hands

around her stomach.

She leaned forward and pulled out of my grasp.

I sighed and decided to take things a little slower. I put my hands on her upper back and

started to give her a massage, hoping to relieve some of the stress that she seemed to have. But

she just got tighter around the shoulders and neck.

I didn’t get it—and I certainly didn’t like the vibe I was getting from her. I threw up my

hands and asked, “What is your problem?”

“You,” she said, slamming the phone onto the bed.

The last shred of patience inside of me snapped. “Huh?” What do you mean me? You’re

the one with the attitude.”

Daphne pushed herself off the bed to stand up and face me. “Oh God, now all of a sudden

I’m the one with the attitude, you voluntarily leave for another tour over there after I tried to be

Winter / Ran 69

the best partner I could’ve been for you. But whenever you were home, you always had the

attitude. You would always get mad when things didn’t go your way.”

“Woman, what are you talking about? What things didn’t go my way, huh?”

“Oh please. You know what I mean—when you couldn’t visit your Mexican whore.

When you had to stare outside the window here, looking at the snow and wishing you were down

there with her and Lane rather than spending time with me and our boys—especially knowing

the little time we had in the fall.”

With her final words, she was so close to me that I felt her spit on my face.

“You have got to be joking. You think I want to be with her? Is that what this is about? Is

that why you’re so angry with me?”

“Why else you would volunteer to go on another tour? That’s your chance to go to

another outpost somewhere, like you did the first time in Mexico … where she lives. And where

Lane lives.”

“Stop it. Stop. You think I would risk my life to go somewhere to be with another

woman? And besides, Daphne, it’s not voluntary. It’s required service. I still had two more years

on my active-duty contract to fulfill until I was cut loose. The only reason I’m back now is

because of how far we got in the war. Besides, you never acted sad or angry when we were going

out and having fun.”

“Well, I guess I’m just as good an actor as you are, Zim. Acting like you care, acting like

you’re such a good father to our sons—when all you really care about is your other life.”

As we both continued to yell at each other, I thought about Lane—how she would be

disturbed by all the screaming and shouting. Or worse, she could actually be listening to me and

her stepmom screaming at each other. She would probably think that being here with us was no

Winter / Ran 70

different than being at home in Mexico. This experience would probably remind her of the

relationship her biological mother and I had when I was able to visit there.

With all this in mind, I stopped shouting and tried to calm Daphne down. “Okay, listen

let’s lower our voices and talk about his like grown-ups, okay?”

But Daphne just kept getting louder. “No. What kind of husband wants to go to war

instead of spending time with his family? What kind of husband and father is never here, always

working, and always putting duty above me and my needs? You never called me while you were

deployed—never once did you call me.”

“Oh, stop lying. I did too call you.”

“Yeah, once or twice—out of the ten different deployments.”

“Hey, hey, lower your voice.”

She laughed, shook her head, paused and then began crying. “I had …” She sobbed and

wiped at her eyes. “I had to raise the boys—two boys—and then my stepdaughter since she

arrived … all by myself. I had to avoid advances from other men—because whenever I went out

somewhere, I was always alone. I would tell them that I was married. But the guys would never

see you—never, Zim. They would never see you, Zim, even when we were together. Never.”

“What? Stop it. You’re not making sense. Where is all of this coming from?”

She just continued to rant. “All I had to prove it was a wedding ring.”

I wanted this nagging to end, mostly so Lane wouldn’t hear it, so I decided to be the bad

guy.

“Okay, I realize what you’re saying, and how important this whole situation is to you.

But I need you to lower your voice. Lane is sleeping, Daphne.”

Winter / Ran 71

“No, no, I won’t listen to you. You never listened to me when I tried to tell you this in a

nicer manner before. Now I’m telling you the only way I know you will listen to me. Maybe all

that shooting over there in Africa, or the sounds of your drug-dealing whore pleasing you in the

bed in Mexico plugged your ears up or something.

“Clearly didn’t hear me when I was crying to you. I was crying for you not to go over

there, to stay with me and the boys. But no, you hardly ever stayed here—except when Lane was

here and not with her mom … where you wanted to be anyway. But I guess the child of that

crackhead whore you knocked up is more important to me than the children you and I had

together.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head, wishing this would all go away. When I opened my

eyes, I felt odd, like I was out of it, then I saw Daphne fall, hitting the right side of her head

against the nightstand on her way to the floor.

“Oh no. Daphne, are you alright?” I asked.

I dropped to my knees to help her, but she pushed me away.

“Don’t touch me, you monster.”

“You need to calm down. Your attitude and rage are what caused you to fall in the first

place.”

But when I got a good look at her face, I realized that wasn’t true. I saw that she had what

looked like a fresh welt on her left cheek. Huh? But … she … smacked the right side of her head

when she fell. I reached out to touch her face, but she slapped away my hand, jumped up, and ran

down the stairs. I ran down after her and found her getting her coat out of the closet, trying to

hold her tears in. I knew where she was going. She always went there, whenever the both of us

had issues, her mother’s.

Winter / Ran 72

“Who hurt you?” I asked.

She looked at me with an expression of such confusion and dread. She shook her head

and ran into the garage, then proceeded to get into her car and open the garage door. But I

couldn’t just let her leave without her answering my question.

“Who hurt you?”

She turned on the car and glared at me. “Are you some kind of psycho? Maybe you

should’ve stayed in that crazy place over there in Africa, since you wanna be anywhere but here

—and you belong somewhere else anyway.” She sped off, almost ripping my fingers off since

they were hanging on to the door handle.

I watched as she tore down the driveway, then I sighed and closed the garage door. I still

wondered why Daphne had fallen—and how she’d gotten that fresh bruise on her face. I went

back inside and headed to the bathroom. I put some cold water on my face, but I suddenly felt a

stinging sensation on my right hand … like I had hit something—hard. I looked at my hand. And

then it all came to me …

Daphne’s bruise and her fall—that was because of me, because I had hit her.

“Oh God no …” I said.

I didn’t remember doing it—at all. And then I thought about the war in Somalia—how I

would get so mad at something or somebody that I would do something irrational … like shoot

down an entire platoon of Somali or Nigerian freedom fighters. Or punch a senior officer in the

face because of some smart remark he’d made. I never remembered doing those things until a

few minutes afterward. The doctor said it was a “delayed rage blackout”—and that I needed to

keep my anger in check.

Winter / Ran 73

War makes you do crazy things—but having an abusive father can make you do crazy

things too.

I went back upstairs to check up on my Lane. I heard a thump in her room. I opened the

door and saw her lying down in bed. I thought to myself that she hadn’t heard what was said. I

looked at her sleeping soundly. As I was ready to leave her room, I glanced at the mirror on the

side of her bed. It was a big mirror. You could practically see everything in it. And I saw her in it

too, and the way the mirror was positioned, I was able to see her face. I noticed that she was not

sound asleep. She was very much awake—and her eyes were wide and fearful. I then knew she

heard everything that had happened. I figured she had even heard me hit her stepmom. I started

to walk toward her to comfort her. But every step I took toward her bed, she squeezed tighter and

tighter to her big red teddy bear, as if she was afraid of me. I felt my heart drop, knowing that I’d

allowed this to happen. I backed away and proceeded to close the door, noticing that her death

grip on the bear lessened with every inch of the door closing.

I stopped for a minute to reflect on what had happened. My wife Daphne is gone and my

Lane is scared of me. I shook my head. I couldn’t deal with it. I went to the couch to lay my head

down and rest. I dazed out of reality right away. It felt good that I could get some sleep. But the

stress from my wife and Lane still hung heavy in my mind. In fact, it felt so heavy that I began to

dream about them. I dreamed I was back in Somalia, fighting the two men responsible for the

war: Joseph and Vernon Kion. I dreamed my Lane was held hostage. I dreamed that Joseph Kion

was laughing, as he slit the throats of a thousand Lanes’. I dreamed that the snow began coming

down on us in the middle of nowhere. I dreamed of the soldiers trying to take cover. I dreamed

of the sergeant screaming over and over again, “Stay away from the snow! Stay away from the

snow!” I dreamed that the top of my head was chopped off by a machete. Then, my daughter, my

Winter / Ran 74

boys, my Daphne, the children of Somalia, the Kion brothers, all shouted, “Daddy, Daddy,

Daddy!”

Blood and pieces of brain tissue spilled all over the snow. I watched as it devoured every

morsel of me that fell onto its white fields. “You are one of them,” Joseph said. “And one of us,

Zimmerth Mac.”

Lane shouted, “Daddy, Help me!”

I jerked upward into a sitting position, my heart pounding, sweating all over, and with a

bad chest pain. I was back, back in the present, back in the cave. The men stared at me as I

caught my breath. “Hey bud,” Russell said. “You okay?”

“I’m … yeah,” I said. “I … just … had a bad dream.

“But you were awake though. Your eyes were wide open.”

Oh great, I thought. I must’ve had a daymare. I hoped these guys didn’t think I was a

psycho. I sighed and said, “Oh … well, bad memoires … bad memories.”

Winter / Ran 75

The Winter

January 1, 2050

12:30pm

By this time, we’d all gotten to know each other pretty well: me, Chris, Devon, Russell,

and Bob, unfortunately. Akin, though, had disappeared one night and was nowhere to be found.

But Chris didn’t seem worried about him.

“Where is your boy … Akin?” Devon asked Chris.

Chris just shrugged. “I really don’t know. But he deals with this kind of weather all the

time. He should be alright.”

Five others also made it out of the woods with us: Cody, Maze, Spacey, and the two

brothers, Fred and Ted. We called them the “Jewish Brothers” because it fit well enough. Hours

later, we all sat around the fire listening to another one of Devon’s funny stories. I noticed Bob

glaring at Devon. Now, Devon was the one guy who would try to cheer us all up with interesting

or humorous stories, either from his own life or from something he’d heard or read. And,

fortunately, the bullet wound in Devon’s foot was only a flesh wound, so he was still able to

move around after only a few days in the cave. He wasn’t a comical guy necessarily, but he knew

what it took to lighten the mood. Apparently, though, Bob didn’t like it at this moment.

“Is that all you do, just joke around?” Bob asked.

Devon didn’t even acknowledge him. So Bob picked up a rock and threw it at Devon.

“Hey man, what is your problem?” Devon asked Bob.

Bob shook his head, then got up and walked away. I saw him glare at Fred and Ted as he

passed by them, even though the two of them were just talking to each other. As I thought about

it though, I realized that Bob seemed aggravated by the brothers too. Of course, I already had my

Winter / Ran 76

doubts about Bob. Lately, he would always fiddle with his necklace, but always at an angle away

from us so that no one could see him clearly.

I watched as Bob stopped several yards away from the fire. His hand reached into his

coat, and he fished around until he pulled out that necklace again.

“Hey. What’s with you and that necklace, man?” Chris called out to him. “You married

to it or something?”

Bob didn’t answer or even turn in his direction. I just rolled my eyes. What was Bob’s

problem anyway? I’d never liked him from when he’d started dating Nancy. And now, with all

that had happened at my house, I liked him even less. I was going to find out what happened in

my house. I just knew he had something to do with it.

For a few moments, no one spoke, and we could only hear the howl of the wind whistling

through the cave. As always, my mind went to Lane … and my boys … and even Daphne. I said

a quick prayer that they would all be okay—even Daphne. Then I started thinking of the ones

who had already died … and I wondered where Jim and Eric could be.

Then … Boom.

It sounded like an explosion … coming from farther back in the cave.

“What in the world was that?” Devon shouted above the echo that washed over us.

It hit my ears like a raging roar as it rumbled the cave to its core.

“Oh man …” Cody said.

We all just sat and waited to see if it would happen again. But it didn’t.

I stood up and hefted my assault shotgun.

Chris stood up not far from me. “We should go and see what that was, right?”

Winter / Ran 77

To my surprise, all of the other men agreed. I guess waiting here with nothing to do

would have been worse than going forward to see what had blown up.

As we all ventured farther into the cave, we eventually came to a fork that split into two

corridors.

I looked at Chris, who had been in the lead with me. I didn’t know his background, other

than he was likely super-rich, but he seemed pretty sharp in terms of military tactics.

“We should split up into two groups,” Chris said. “Zim, Devon, Spacey, Cody, and Maze,

you check the right side. Russell, Fred, Ted, Bob, and I will check out the left side.”

Everybody agreed—except me, but I didn’t say anything out loud. As the other guys split

into their groupings, I pulled Chris to the side.

“I wouldn’t recommend taking Bob,” I whispered to him.

“You got a better idea?” Chris whispered back.

I looked at him then glanced at Bob as he was prepping his weapon. “No, not really,” I

said.

The two groups proceeded down the assigned tunnels, shining a flashlight to illuminate

the paths. Devon and I took the lead in our group, with Spacey and young Cody not far behind us

and Maze behind him. I noticed how the tunnel grew narrower as we went farther.

“So how are you doing man?” Devon asked me.

I shrugged. “Better than the dead.”

Devon looked back over his shoulder and then leaned closer to me. “Hey, I really don’t

know that much about what happened with you and the others you came with, just the bits

you’ve told me. But you shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened … especially with Ron.”

Winter / Ran 78

I slit my eyes at him. I’d never talked to him or anybody else in the cave about Ron and

what I thought about it. Even though we’d been in the cave for some time since Ron had died, I

stayed quiet, not saying much. And there wasn’t much to say anyway. Another member of my

family had died, and it had all started with us being out here when we shouldn’t have been.

I took a deep breath and nodded at Devon. “Thanks for the whole ‘cheer up’ thing.

You’re good at that. But I’m not in the mood right now, nor do I know you that well to talk about

it.” I tried to come across as polite but firm.

“I understand,” Devon said. “I never liked to talk about the death of my wife to anyone,

either. But I realized that in time I had to just let it go and express how I felt to someone.”

Now he got me curious. “How did that feel, finally talking to someone about that?”

“Uh … Well, I don’t know yet. You’re the first person I told about it. I … I just had all

this time to think about it, and I know it’s eating me up, so … Well, here I am—talking about it.”

I slowed down and almost stopped. Boy, did that stomp me when Devon said all that. He

really must have had a lot on his plate. He seemed so calm and cool about everything that was

happening.

“So, Mr. Devon, how did your wife die?” Cody asked.

Devon and I turned around to find Cody and Maze right on our tails.

“Man, don’t be asking someone that.” Maze said to Cody.

Devon looked at me and just shook his head and smiled. “I’ll tell you when you turn

black and take my last name and social security number.”

I just had to laugh at that. Cody’s face, meanwhile, turned a bit red, but he still wore a big

grin.

Winter / Ran 79

With the mood a little lighter now, we ventured farther into the cave, and soon enough,

we heard a faint noise. We got closer and closer, and the noise grew louder and louder. Then the

temperature in the cave seemed to heat up in the blink of an eye, and it became humid. We all

stopped and listened to the odd noise.

“What is that?” Maze whispered.

“Sounds like someone’s stomach is grumbling and growling,” Cody said.

“Or snoring,” Devon said.

“C’mon,” I whispered. “Let’s see if the noise had anything to do with the explosion.”

We soon reached the end of the tunnel and came into another cave, and there we saw …

Cody gasped. “Oh Sh—Mmm.”

I covered Cody’s mouth before he could say what I knew he was going to say. We had all

stumbled into a group of sleeping black bears—a mother and five cubs.

Just what we need … waking a sleeping mama bear with her babies.

Devon tapped my arm and pointed past the bears. I saw another exit from the cave, so I

nodded at Devon, and he waved Spacey, Cody, and Maze forward. We tried to head to the exit

tunnel without waking the bears.

“Seems like they’re in hibernation,” Cody whispered.

“No kidding,” Maze replied.

“Shhh,” Devon said.

We tiptoed to the other side of the cave. Then Maze accidently stepped on one of the

cub’s small tails. The little bear gave off a loud yawn. Maze’s face showed his fear. I heard

something above us and shined my flashlight in that direction. I saw a large fissure directly

overhead—large enough that a few wisps of snow were swirling downward from outside.

Winter / Ran 80

“Oh man oh man oh man,” Maze said.

I shined my flashlight at him. Maze looked about ready to pass out from fear of the bears

waking up. I heard another noise overhead. The snow sensed Maze’s fear too.

A flurry of snowflakes fell on Maze’s head—and then I realized what was happening:

those snowflakes were “scouting.”

“Maze, move,” I said.

But Maze looked up and shined his flashlight that way with trembling hands, probably to

see where the snow had come from. But as soon as he looked up, a tentacle of snow shot

downward and its ice-hardened spike tip went straight through his eye. Without uttering a sound,

Maze fell backward. Devon jumped toward Maze and caught him before he landed on a bear

cub. More snow tentacles began to form above us.

“This place is a dead zone,” Devon whispered to me. “We have to get out of here.”

I nodded and shined my flashlight at Cody. He looked scared but seemed like he was

trying to calm himself.

We tiptoed as fast as we could through that cave of doom and into the exit tunnel. Some

of the snow from above fell down on us. But then the worst happened. The snow landed on some

of the bears. The mother bear must have woken up, because we heard her bellow. At that point,

Devon, Spacey, Cody, and I knew by her loud roar that she wasn’t too happy about being

disturbed. The four of us didn’t even try to be quiet anymore; we sprinted through the tunnel,

trying to escape from the mother bear and the snow.

“Oh man, we’ll never make it,” Cody said.

“Hey,” I said. “Just try to stay calm, okay? Just cool it and we’ll be all right.”

“Damn, I just remembered. Chris … He gave me this …”

Winter / Ran 81

Cody stopped, then jammed his hands into his jacket pockets and soon produced a small

electronic device.

“What is that?” Devon said.

“Guys, we need to keep moving,” I said.

Devon nodded and pulled Cody along.

“GPS,” Cody said. He was looking at the device and trying to walk straight, but kept

stumbling. “It’s supposed to be locked on to the other group’s signal.”

I looked at Devon and he just shrugged, no doubt also wondering why Chris wouldn’t

have told us about the GPS.

Cody played with the device for a couple seconds, and it started beeping.

“Shh,” I said.

“Can you see where they are?” Devon asked Cody.

RAAAHHHRRRRR!

“The mama bear,” Devon said.

“Move,” I said.

But our excitement ended up drawing more than just the bear. Just as I heard and then

caught sight of more snow coming down through the cracks in the ceiling, I heard Cody scream

from behind me.

“Ahhhh!”

I looked back and shined my flashlight, only to see Cody pinned to the floor and under

attack by a mound of snow.

“Help me. Help me, Zim … Devon,” Cody said.

“Devon,” I said.

Winter / Ran 82

I looked ahead and saw that Devon was doing his best to avoid the snow coming down

from above. He wouldn’t be able to get back to help in time. Spacey sprinted so far down the

cave; I couldn’t even see him anymore. I turned back to Cody and took a deep breath to calm

myself—just in time to see the snow mound form into six tentacles with sharp tips, which then

began to skewer Cody.

“Ahhhh. Help. Please help.”

I took a step to help him, but I knew it was too late. I closed my eyes, turned, and headed

for Devon.

RAAAHHHRRRRR!

“Oh God no, ahhhhh,” Cody said.

The bear … She was mauling Cody. The blood-curdling screams of that poor young man

rang in my ear. It reminded me of when I was in Africa, fighting in the war, hearing the cries of

young men falling to their deaths as they were shot to pieces. It also reminded me of Ron. I

shoved it all aside and ran to catch up to Devon, feeling like I was heading down a slight slope.

I got farther away from the bear and Cody, but his screams didn’t seem to fade from my

mind. It wasn’t until I hit a dark corner that I finally found some peace. I stopped to take a

minute to catch my breath and calm down. I shined my light all around and up at the ceiling.

Fortunately, I saw no snow around this part of the cave, and it felt moist and almost warm. I

figured I had reached some of the lower parts of the caverns. Wherever I was, I had no idea of

Devon’s location. He had completely disappeared.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts and figure out what to do next. I decided to keep

heading downward until I found another tunnel that would hopefully lead upward. As I

journeyed farther in, I found a river flowing through sort of an inner sanctum. I looked around

Winter / Ran 83

and saw—and heard—nothing. I wondered where the other group was. The only way to find

them would be with Cody’s GPS. I sighed. To get the GPS, I would have to go back toward the

cave where those bears were—and where Cody’s body likely laid on the ground, mangled. I

could feel my heart race. But I really didn’t have a choice in the matter. Devon was gone, so

Chris and his group were my best bet. I thought of Lane to muster up the courage to go back and

retrieve the GPS. Hopefully it was still on the ground near where Cody was attacked. Before I

left the river cave, I checked my weapons and decided to switch to my pistol, which I carried in

my right hand. In my left, I clutched my flashlight, but also had an ice pick hanging by a loop

from that wrist.

I crept back toward the cave. Most of the snow on the ground was scattered, and I was

keeping myself calm, so I didn’t have to worry much about that. I finally reached the point where

Cody had been attacked. I shined my flashlight back and forth over his remains, then stopped

myself from throwing up. I had to suck it in and keep on going—For Lane. I shined the light

around again, but didn’t see the GPS anywhere. I stood there for a few seconds, knowing that the

GPS had to be around there somewhere. And that’s when I heard a faint beeping noise.

“The GPS.”

But even as I felt excited about hearing the GPS signal, I realized where it was coming

from: the bear pit. As I moved in that direction, the beeping grew louder—along with some

moaning, which I could only assume was coming from the bear. As the beeps and moaning grew

louder, so did the beating of my heart, until it felt like my heart would soon explode out of my

chest. In fact, my chest started to tighten up, and it felt so painful that it stopped me in my tracks.

I hoped that all the stress wasn’t going to give me a heart attack—something that I’d feared for a

Winter / Ran 84

long time; unexpected heart problems ran in my family. I took a few deep breaths and rechecked

my weapon, then crept forward.

I got to the end of the tunnel and craned my neck to peek into the bear cave. It looked like

the cubs were all back to sleep, but the mother bear was laying on the ground, twisting and

turning and still moaning. And that’s when I realized where the beeps were coming from—inside

the mother bear. I pulled my head back and closed my eyes, then took another deep breath. The

bear had eaten the GPS when she’d devoured Cody.

But the GPS was still working at least. I shook my head, knowing what I had to do—

confront and kill a bear with an upset stomach. I peeked back around the corner and raised my

pistol; aiming in the direction I had just seen the bear.

The bear, though, was already charging at me. Without really thinking about it, thanks to

all that time in a combat zone, I fired three shots into the bear, but they barely slowed it down. It

barreled toward me, and I fired twice more before turning tail and sprinting back down the

tunnel. This time, at least, the bear had stopped, but then I heard it roar and then start after me. I

ran back to the sanctum and shined my flashlight back and forth, finally spotting an exit tunnel

near where the river flowed out of the cave. I ran that way, and my chest grew more painful. I

was afraid I was going to collapse there and be devoured by the bear like Cody had been. But I

knew I had to keep moving. I finally saw some light in the distance—and also heard the bear

roaring from behind. I reached the exit and stopped right before reaching the snow. I could walk

out into it, yes, but I also knew that I was so stressed right now that the snow would immediately

sense my body heat and attack me. The bear roared again. It was getting closer. But in front of

me lay the white death, and I might as well have been seasoned and cooked to perfection for the

snow to rise up and kill me.

Winter / Ran 85

In the light of the moon, I looked around to see what I could do. When I saw the river, it

hit me. My survival classes from the Corps came back to me. I remembered my instructor

teaching us how to survive in these kinds of conditions. I took a deep breath, then jumped into

the river, hoping what I’d been taught would work. I surfaced and saw the bear emerging from

the cave. It followed in my tracks to the river’s edge and just stood there and eyed me, growling

but not coming into the water. I stayed in that ridiculously cold water for at least ten minutes,

letting the river guide me downstream. The bear followed me down the shoreline, but still didn’t

come in. It was just waiting to kill me when I came out of the water. But I finally felt that I had

been in the water long enough. I started swimming toward the shore opposite of the bear.

“Oh, God, I will go to church more if you allow me to survive long enough to save my

daughter.”

I emerged from the river like a man who been baptized. My nearly frostbitten hands

touched the snow, and I kept my eyes shut tight in case my idea didn’t work. I at least wouldn’t

have to see myself being eaten alive by the snow. I waited a few moments. Then I opened my

eyes. I was still alive and fully intact. My instructor had been right about lowering your body

temperature so low that the snow couldn’t sense your body heat. And the gear I had on helped

out a lot too. My emotions, though, still felt like they were running wild, so I took a few deep

breaths and calmed myself. And just in time, too, because I looked up and saw that the bear had

decided to swim across in its pursuit of me. I got up and clutched my ice pick, knowing that my

pistol and shotguns wouldn’t be worth a damn until I had a chance to dry them out and clean

them.

The bear lumbered toward me, bellowing a powerful roar. I stood my ground, ready to

defend and attack. The bear rose up and swung its forepaws at me, trying to claw me. But I kept

Winter / Ran 86

on ducking and dodging. At the same time, I would swing my ice pick, hoping to strike it

somewhere and maybe disable it a little. The bear just kept coming, though. It finally got a piece

of my overcoat, but I got in a good swing of my pick and tore off a chunk of its fur. The bear

roared as its blood dripped onto the snow. I felt proud of myself, maybe even like I had a chance

to survive this fight. Then, all of a sudden, the snow rose up in front of me.

And it was no surprise. My adrenaline was racing now, along with my heartbeat, and I

knew I’d lost all the advantage I’d gained by taking my ice bath in the river, all because this bear

wouldn’t leave me alone.

The snow grew four tentacles, and it seemed like it would try to protect the bear

whenever I struck out with the pick. Then, as the bear struck, so did the snow. I fell back and

picked up some large rocks around me, then started hurling them at the bear. But the snow’s

tentacles just smacked them away.

“You gotta be kidding me.”

Two against one, with both of my attackers bent on killing me. One of the snow’s

tentacles lashed out for my legs. It grabbed my right leg and picked me up. It pulled me in closer

to the bear’s field of attack.

“Ahhhh.”

I chopped at the tentacle and the snowy arm fell apart just before the bear could reach me.

I scrambled back out of the bear’s range. I got my footing again just as the bear and the snow

tentacles joined forces—no doubt in hopes of killing me, then sharing my remains with each

other. I felt my heart beating super fast, almost to the point where I couldn’t keep standing. I

clambered up onto a boulder to get some higher ground. But there was snow on the boulder, and

it purposely shifted so that I would slip off. I landed back on the ground, and another patch of

Winter / Ran 87

snow tried to attack me. I fought it off with the ice pick just in time to have the bear and snow

tentacles reach me again.

I knew I didn’t have much time, especially with my chest acting up on me. I knew I had

to act fast and kill the bear, then get away from the snow, maybe even go back into the caves. I

continued to fend off the snow tentacles and the bear with the ice pick, even piercing the

creature’s skin a time or two, but I was getting so tired. I knew that I wasn’t going to last long.

But then it hit me sooner than expected. My heart ached like nothing I’d ever felt before. Then a

sharp pain struck my left side. I knew I was finally having a heart attack.

I fell to the ground in agony. The bear and the snow tentacles rushed toward me. Then I

felt the snow beneath me eating away at my gear.

This is … the end. Going … to die. I’ll … never … never see my Lane again. Never see

… Zach … Micky … Daphne … again.

Even amidst the pain in my chest, images began to flash before my eyes. I thought about

Bob—and how he was going to get away with murder. And then the daymares came, the

headless corpses, the war. It all came to me in a matter of seconds.

“Damn it all.”

I felt another stab of pain.

“Ahhhh.”

Lane … She could be out there, getting molested by a predator that thinks the winter is a

good time for his sick games.

As the bear came at me, I snarled. “Damn you. Damn you all.”

In one last desperate attempt, I propped myself up and hurled my ice pick at the bear. I

didn’t know if it did any damage because I fell right back down, the pain having its way with me.

Winter / Ran 88

I heard the snow swooshing around me, and then I saw it as my eyes fluttered … and then

finally closed.

“This is … the end, isn’t it?”

Winter / Ran 89

The Winter

January 4, 2050

It was cold. I felt dead.

But I don’t think I’m dead. If I was, I wouldn’t know it anyway, would I?

I opened my eyes after a series of horrible dreams—a dream about my wife sleeping with

the Kion Brothers. Then I had a dream about my little girl lost in the snow, a dream about my

deceased brother, a dream about exploding little limbs, and finally a dream about a memory.

I remembered the day we raided the secret rebel base in East Point. We uncovered a

massive human experiment operation in one of the Kions’ bunkers. They were performing

unauthorized brain transplants on enemy captives. We saw exposed skulls, and brains lying on

the table.

Two of my men (Jesse and Walt, both around twenty five) stood next to me. We were

surrounded by a group of young Kion soldiers, each no older than fourteen. On the floor around

us were dead bodies: children to be exact. But they all tried to kill me and my team. We had to

take them down. As much as it pained me, we had to do it. We just had too.

Moments later, a tall dark man entered the room. He wore a pair of camouflage pants and

a white polo shirt. He looked around and saw the carnage. His eyes dripped with sorrow and his

mouth quivered with rage. He looked at us and came toward us.

“You did dis?” he asked, “you?”

Neither of us responded. I recognized the face; it was posted all over the billboards, the

mission files, and the internet. The man was none other than Joseph Kion. He shook his head,

and then his quivering mouth turned into a creepy smile. “Hmm, you must be wondering how I

Winter / Ran 90

found you, no?” Kion asked, in a deep African accent. “You people have people on da inside dat

I love. I have brains of my greatest spies, embedded in your units. I simply asked dem, what’s

the tip top operation?”

I heard rumors that this guy loved to boast about how he managed to pull off some of his

attacks. He once told a small band of UN soldiers how he ambushed their unit in one of his

jungles. The story was so long, that before he knew it, a rescue party had tracked them and took

out Kion’s entire infantry. He escaped of course, as he always did. I suppose running from death

your whole life could make you as fast as a cheetah. I prayed he would ramble on about how he

found us, and once again a rescue party would show up and get us out. But the more I prayed for

it, the more unrealistic it seemed. This mission was off the books big time, we were miles away

from the nearest base. I doubted we would still be alive before anyone found us.

After his prideful monologue, Kion pulled out a pistol from under his shirt and pointed at

Walt. “What is your name?” Kion asked. Walt didn’t respond.

Kion huffed, and then shot Walt through the eye. Blood flew out the back of his head,

and splashed on the white shirt of the armed boy behind him. Walt’s body fell back. I closed my

eyes, trying to hold back my tears. I heard Jesse breathing intensely.

“Deez children you see here, lying on the ground … were my family,” Kion said. “My

future. And you took dem away from me. What gives you UN soldiers the right to come here and

take away a future me and my broda spent years building? What gives you da right to tell us how

to live our lives? Huh?”

He pointed his pistol at Jesse. Jesse continued to pant and pant and pant. “No please,”

Jesse said. “Please don’t do this.”

“What is your name?” Kion asked.

Winter / Ran 91

Jesse froze up and shook his head. Kion huffed again and shot Jesse in the neck. He fell

forward. I was next. I closed my eyes again, waiting for my turn to come.

“No more,” Kion said. “No more will we be under the foot of you UN people, first

Romacovina, then WWX, now us? No, no, no more.”

He began to cry, then chuckle. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. He began to chant

something evil. He waved his head to and fro like a loose rag doll; his boys began to chant with

him. He stopped and dropped his eyes, looking dead at me. “What is your name?” He pointed the

pistol at my chest.

I looked at him, without fear in my eyes. But deep down, I was afraid. He stared at me

for what seemed like eternity. “You … you pulled the trigger didn’t you?” he asked.

I snorted. “We all did.”

“Ah, I see, solider man.”

I continued to huff and puff. I felt a rage growing in my gut. My anger began to eclipse

my fears. I wanted this man dead. I wanted him dead now. “What is your name?” he asked once

more.

“My name is Zimmery Mac,” I said.

I didn’t bother to tell him anything more, no rank, what division, nothing.

“Zim-merth … Mac,” Kion said. “Nice to meet you.”

He said the last part in what sounded like a mocking of my own voice. And creepy as it

was, it sounded almost exactly like mine.

“Any last words Mr. Mac?”

I paused then said, “I’m going to kill you. So help me God I’m going to kill you.”

He smirked, as if he knew the threat was empty. I knew it was too.

Winter / Ran 92

“Hmm, well whateva makes you sleep at night old timma.”

This time I didn’t close my eyes.

Suddenly, the door behind us flew open. Kion and his boys looked back to see who it

was. “Weapon down,” Someone from the outside shouted.

I snatched Kion’s pistol from out his hand, and shot him in the belly. He shouted and fell

to the ground. His boys took aim at me. But the UN unit from the outside shot them dead. Kion

rose up and sprinted to the side of the room. He dove through a window and ran into the jungle. I

fell to the ground, seeing a gush of blood pouring out of my stomach. One of the armed boys

must’ve shot me. “Man down, man down,” The unit commander said. His voice became a blur.

Everything became a blur. The sounds faded; everything faded into the darkness of an eternal

void.

Then after a few seconds, the sound of an IV monitoring system rang in my ears.

/////

“Noooo,” I said.

My eyes popped open, and I sat up, my heart and breath raced. I’d woken up on a bed in

the middle of a cave with candles flickering all around.

“I’m back.”

I saw photographs of people hanging on the cave walls. I noticed a pinup of a woman,

and a wooden table with a chewed up stick of dynamite on top. The explosion in the bear cave?

Along one wall, I saw a well-stocked gun rack with rifles, pistols, and even a crossbow, and a

Winter / Ran 93

bookshelf, and a refrigerator standing against another wall, as if someone was living here. My

breathing slowed, then I noticed a faint sound.

Singing?

I twisted my body to look behind me, and that’s when I saw a man in a large fur coat,

singing to himself while standing at a stove. His song sounded like one of those old ice cream

tunes that I’d listened to on the Internet, from the 1950s, I thought. As I got up, the man saw me

moving and started to sing louder.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Just another resident of this area,” he said.

I eyed him as he looked at me with these big, weird bug eyes. He looked dirty. He had a

long, stringy black beard, and his hair seemed to have bugs in it.

Looks like some homeless nut. I looked at him closer. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t a nut, I

figured. After all, I think … this guy saved my life.

How he did it, I didn’t know. But however he pulled it off, I was grateful he’d been

around to do it. I got up from the bed.

“So … what’s your name?” I asked him.

“Oh, me—Ralick, my friend, Ralick. Yours?”

I eyed him. “Uh … Zim. You-You live here, buddy?”

“Hee-ahh, uh … I think so … I think. Yeah, yeah, it’s mine.”

He sounded fairly unsure of himself. The one thing about homeless people, if he was one,

they knew how to survive in the winter—better than most sheltered folks, like me. That would

explain how he had been able to fight off a bear and the living snow, and save me from being a

Winter / Ran 94

midnight snack. He might have used some of those explosives we heard in the cave to help him

survive the outdoors. At least that’s what I hoped.

“So, my friend, what you doing out here anyway?” Ralick asked.

I thought about what I wanted to say; I didn’t really know this guy. “Uh … I got lost,” I

said—true in some ways, but still a lame excuse.

“Well, you’ve been found.”

I like this guy, I thought. He reminded me of the great men and women I’d fought

alongside of in the war. If there’s one thing that I like, it’s a survivor. I like a person who can

overcome all the odds no matter what the cost, or how much of a struggle it is. Whether it’s

emotional or physical or both, they learn to deal with it and keep living.

Just then, Ralick turned back to the stove and his open fur coat smacked against it,

making a loud sound, like he had something hard in his pocket. And then I heard a beep coming

from Ralick’s direction. It took me a second, but then it hit me.

The GPS from the bear.

“Sounds like you have something beeping in your pocket,” I said.

He looked back at me and smiled. “Oh, that’s nothing.”

I nodded, sensing he wanted to hold on to the GPS, which made sense to me. Most

homeless people didn’t have much, so they salvaged whatever they could find. That thought

alone made me wonder if most of this stuff around his cave was even his, especially all the

pictures of the families. I really didn’t think those people were related to him. But I understood

how he felt. I had encountered many like him in Africa.

“Is that a GPS that’s beeping?” I asked him.

He looked down toward his pocket. “I don’t know.”

Winter / Ran 95

Ralick pulled it out of his pocket—and there was the GPS that Chris had given to Cody.

My first instinct was to jump up and just snatch it from Ralick. But that was my old

temperamental ways from the war returning to me. I knew I had to treat this man differently.

After all, it seems he did save my life.

“Is someone looking for you? I asked him. “The beeping noise tells you if someone is

looking for you.”

“Well, why would that be? I’m not the one lost; you are,” he replied, looking both

curious and confused.

Bingo. I knew I had him, but I played along with him: “Oh, yes, you’re absolutely right.

Someone must be looking for me, then.”

“Yes, yes.” Ralick said, and then got a super-serious look on his face. “We should find

these people so you won’t be lost anymore.”

He went to his gun rack, and picked up an ice pick and a crossbow. I wondered if he’d

used those to save me. Then he reached around the side of the gun rack and pulled another fur

coat from where it had been hanging out of my sight.

“Here,” he said, “put this on.”

I reached for the coat, the fur of which looked like a bear’s.

“A little hair off the dog that bit ya—or should I say bear? Ha-ha-hahhh,” Ralick said.

I chuckled a bit too. And then I got to thinking about Ralick and the fur coats as I put

mine on over my Nitro gear. I realized that this might have been how Ralick survived in the

snow so long. Everyone knew that, for whatever reason, the snow didn’t attack animals, whether

dead or alive—unless there was human blood in them, like with the rabbits I’d been shooting at

my house. So Ralick must have figured out that the fur of animals could mask a human’s heat

Winter / Ran 96

signature from the snow. I stood there, shaking my head as Ralick packed up some equipment.

The Nitro winter gear I had on did a pretty good job protecting against the snow, but I bet it

couldn’t match the performance of animal skin—because Ralick had no Nitro gear on

underneath his fur coat, so he had to be relying on it for protection.

Why hasn’t anyone else thought of this?

I buttoned up my bearskin coat and proceeded to follow Ralick out into the wisping snow

to find the others. Ralick handed me the GPS he’d no doubt sliced out of the bear’s stomach.

We walked through the snow in silence. Ralick didn’t seem eager to say much, and I was

still running everything through my mind, thinking of Lane and the boys and Daphne, and Akin

and Chris and whoever else was left from our group. Eventually, we stumbled across a road. This

was the first time I had seen a road since leaving my house—and it felt really good. Ralick and I

stepped onto the snow-covered road and kept walking.

“Wow,” I said, “using animal skins for protection is an amazing idea, Ralick.”

He looked over at me and smiled. “Survival of the fittest, my friend, survival of the

fittest.”

/////

Using the GPS, we continued down this long road covered by a white army of tiny

hunters—a white death that was no respecter of persons.

Eventually, we spotted a large mansion in the distance. The GPS signal grew stronger as

we got closer to the mansion. It was a lot bigger than the house I had. I could tell this was one of

the super-rich people’s houses. I glanced over at my traveling companion. In this white weather,

Winter / Ran 97

Ralick’s red face told me that he didn’t like what he was looking at. As we got closer, I could see

that the mansion had a giant transparent bio-dome over it. The dome blocked the snow from

hitting the mansion’s multimillion-dollar luxury heat-insulated windows. The building shined

like a diamond on a hill, as if taunting the rest of us poor and just rich people on how the other

half lived.

We spotted the long driveway that led to the mansion and headed that way, even as

Ralick’s eyes grew crimson like a hot pepper. But the snow beneath him did not sense his rage.

But I did. As I said before, in this world we had only three classes of people: the dirt-bottom-of-

the-pit poor, the rich, and the super-swimming-in-piles-of-money rich. That’s what we both were

noticing—and I only wondered what Ralick would do once we met up with the owner.

Since Chris had given Cody the GPS, I began to wonder if it was Chris’s place, or

somebody he was affiliated with. That would explain the small army he had looking for his son. I

also wondered if Devon and the others were in there. And Bob … I prayed to God he wasn’t.

We approached the mansion’s dome, and a large red beam shined down on us from our

right. I looked that way and saw the laser attached to a nearby tree. The beam, I knew, was

scanning us to see who we were.

“Identify yourself,” came a voice over an intercom.

I saw the intercom mounted to the same tree that held the laser, so I walked over and said,

“Zimmery Mac, and I am here looking for Chris and the other team searching for the children.”

Ralick looked at me, now knowing the truth.

The voice inside didn’t respond.

Great, I hope this is the right place.

“Who is that man with you?” the intercom voice finally asked.

Winter / Ran 98

“This man saved my life from the mother bear in the cave. Because of him, I’m talking to

you, asking for help.”

The voice once again paused, probably receiving confirmation from somebody in the

mansion. But I got tired of the wait.

“Hey. Come on. Chris. I know you’re in there. Devon, Bob … Somebody, open up. I’m

freezing out here.”

“Maybe they don’t know you?” Ralick said. “We should leave and go back to my cave,

Zim.”

But I wanted to wait. I knew there had to be a surveillance camera looking at us, probably

rigged up in the tree near the laser scanner. I held up the GPS that Chris gave Cody, and

suddenly we heard a small section of the bio-dome open up.

“Enter,” said the loud voice from the intercom.

Ralick and I slipped through the opening in the dome and felt the warmth all around us.

The dome resealed itself, and I had to stop and look at the ground that had no snow atop of it.

The grass was still green. Amazing …

A single spotlight came on from high up on the house, leading the way to the mansion.

“So this is how these slime-sucking parasites live, huh?” Ralick said.

I had to agree that this kind of lifestyle was ridiculous. And I bet only a handful of people

live in this big ol’ place—even though this sort of technology could shelter thousands from the

deadly winters. But it seemed the government just wasn’t smart enough to think like that

anymore. Ever since the stock market crash of 2021, the economy had never been the same, but

it had only gotten worse, especially now with the extinct middle class.

Winter / Ran 99

The steps to the door entrance were long, almost as if the person or people living here

wanted us to see how low we really were. In today’s society, the super-rich try to outdo the rich.

And they look at us as if we are the poor ones now trying to gain what we know we can’t have.

And the poor guys, like Ralick, are like dead souls out here. “Beings that are non-existent” is

what one super-rich man I knew called them. How sad that humanity had sunken so low to the

point where we would try anything to be on top—even if trying to be on the top resulted in the

deaths of millions. I always believed this deadly weather was our own doing and, because of

that, nature itself now wanted to destroy us.

Ralick and I finally reached the seemingly unreachable door to the mansion. The giant

door—a golden monstrosity that shouted money—opened on its own. And my eyes couldn’t

believe what I saw before me. We stepped into a beautiful foyer; I felt the heat from that billion-

dollar furnace. In the front of the foyer stood a giant dry-ice sculpture, a man with four arms,

apparently representing some Indian god or something. Beyond that, numerous guards stood

around and lounged on couches and chairs, drinking wine and eating cocktail shrimp. I realized

that the heat felt pretty good after being in the cold for so long, but that was beside the point. The

scene before me played out as if reality outside wasn’t happening—as if nobody was in trouble,

nobody was out there dying, no serial killer out there doing God knows what to our children …

to my little girl Lane.

Then to put the icing on the cake, I took a few steps forward and saw some of the men

from the team I’d been with earlier: Chris, Spacey, Devon, Akin, and Russell. They were all just

standing there, sipping on something. I walked up to them and got a good whiff of what they

were drinking. It smelled like French vanilla coffee. They all looked at me and started to smile

and say hello. I clenched my fists, my heart started to pound.

Winter / Ran 100

“Our kids are still missing, you stupid bastards,” I said.

Devon looked at me with disbelief and shame. But Chris and Russell remained very calm.

“Nice to see you again, too, Zim,” Chris said.

“What the heck is all of this, Chris? Did you find the kids?”

He shook his head. “No, not yet. We had to regroup back here after we finally made it out

of that cave.”

“I also decided to reconnect here,” Akin said, “after I found something interesting in the

middle of the woods.”

“You were the only one who made it other than the rest of us who went in the caves?” I

asked. “What about Jim … Eric?”

“Only Jim made it out,” Akin said. “I can only assume the snow got Eric.”

“Oh God. Only-Only Jim?” I asked.

“Yeah. He’s sleeping in the recovery room on the main floor. Still pretty out of it, so I

wouldn’t go see him just yet.”

I nodded, then turned away from him and shut my eyes tight. “Uhhh … Oh God. How in

your holy name am I going to break all of this bad news to the family?” I turned back around to

face Akin and the others. “That’s four dead already, people who were close to me and my wife.

Ahhhh.”

I just couldn’t believe how messed up this whole thing had gotten. But we had known the

risk when we went out to find my sweetie. We did what any man should have done. I just hoped

all this death so close to home didn’t end in vain.

“Zim,” Chris said. “Hey, please make yourself comfortable and then we’re going to my

office to see what Akin found in the woods. Maybe it will help us with our search.”

Winter / Ran 101

“Seriously?” I said. “How can I get comfortable with all of this happening?”

Chris frowned and looked at the ground, almost in shame, it seemed. But then he looked

back up and now exuded a sense of confidence. “Try. Just try, okay?” he said.

Before I could say anything, a large man came up to Chris. He was dressed in black and

sported a holstered pistol on his hip. I figured him to be one of Chris’s personal guards, as most

super-rich folks had a squad of bodyguards.

“Sir,” the man said, “what do we do about the homeless man?” He reached toward

Ralick’s arm.

Ralick grunted something under his breath and pushed the guard’s hand away. “Hey, my

name is Ralick.” He spit it as much as said it.

Ralick still seemed plenty hot about everything he saw around him, and by the look on

his face, I could tell that touching him wasn’t a good idea. Chris apparently could see it too.

“Escort him to one of the spare rooms where he can rest,” Chris told his guard.

Ralick cut his eyes at Chris and then the guard, but then he looked at me, as if he wanted

my approval to go. I nodded, and Ralick went with the guard.

“Where did you find him?” Russell asked me.

“He found me—and saved me, not to mention,” I said. I gave Russell what I hoped was a

dirty look.

“Now, calm down, Zimmery,” Chris said. “We were trying to find you, but we had to get

back to the mansion to regroup and resupply.”

“Plus,” Russell said, “we heard reports of a huge blizzard coming in. So we couldn’t stay

out there for too long. And we barely even found Devon. We looked for you for a while and then

decided we needed to get back here, like Chris said.”

Winter / Ran 102

I shook my head, realizing that I hadn’t seen the Jewish Brothers, Fred and Ted, or Bob. I

assumed that Devon had told them about what happened to Maze and Cody. But I was curious

about the Jewish Brothers. Not so much Bob, though. Part of me prayed that Bob hadn’t even

made it out of that cave.

“What about Fred and Ted? What happened to them?” I asked.

They all just shook their heads.

“Fred and Ted are dead, Zim,” Russell said. “Disappeared into the snow and we never

saw them again.”

“Well, what about Bo—” I began to say, then heard clomping footsteps coming down the

red carpeted steps that led to the upper floors.

It was him—Bob, drinking what appeared to be white wine. He seemed to have no

problem living the good life in the midst of this nightmare.

Bob didn’t seem too happy to see me, either. “Hrmm,” Bob grunted, no doubt hoping that

I was dead in the snow somewhere.

“Well, since we all have finally met up, I guess we should head upstairs,” Chris said.

“Unless you need something to eat or drink, Zim?”

I shook my head. “Let’s just get back to work finding the kids.”

Everybody headed for the stairs. But Devon came up to me. “Hey man,” he whispered.

“I’m so glad to see somebody here I can trust.” He nodded, then went on ahead of me up the

stairs.

I stood there at the base of the staircase for a moment, wondering why Devon had said

that. Was there something else going on here? Because, to be honest, I was feeling the same way.

But I, too, was happy to see Devon. Out of everybody remaining, I also felt he was the only

Winter / Ran 103

person I could trust. I might have trusted Akin, but he’d disappeared for so long that I didn’t

know what to make of him yet.

After we all walked upstairs, we entered into a large office room filled with pictures of

Chris’s family and friends. I saw a picture of his wife and his missing son. I couldn’t remember

the boy’s name, but I knew that it had to be him. I also saw a slew of trophies and awards on the

top shelf. Whatever Chris did, it had made him rich beyond words. Along with these displayed

pieces of egotism were multiple computer screens—all with satellite codes on them. I could tell

because we used those same codes when I’d been in the service. I saw a comlink phone sitting on

the desk next to the virtual computer keyboard—and I only hoped that I’d get a chance to use the

phone sooner than later.

Akin stepped forward and plugged his camera into the USB slot on Chris’s computer. We

all gathered around.

“I took a short video of something from a far distance,” Akin said while bringing up the

image. “It looks like someone or something was moving in the snow, but I couldn’t make

anything of it.”

“Uh … okay. So how is it supposed to help us find our kids?” Devon asked.

“How many things you know can walk in the snow without it snatching them up?”

“Well, maybe it was a bear, like the ones in the cave,” Bob said.

Akin shook his head. “I don’t think so. Bears are usually in hibernation during this time

of the year. Those bears that Devon’s group encountered in the cave, they woke up because you

woke them. Also, those caves are located pretty far to the south of where I took this photo, so it

couldn’t have been.”

“Well, maybe it was a wolf or some other animal,” Bob said.

Winter / Ran 104

I grunted, completely sick of the guessing of the game. “Just show us and let’s see what it

is.”

Akin put a still of the video on the computer monitor. It was indeed far away, and I could

barely see what it was. We all squinted at it.

“Uhh … So what is that?” Russell asked.

“Pfff … Whatever. That’s nothing. So much for this crap,” Devon said. He turned away

from the monitor and walked to a window to look outside.

I noticed, though, that Bob kept staring at the picture, and then it looked like something

caught his eye. Then his right eye began twitching a bit.

“This is nothing,” Bob said. He turned and walked out of the room.

“Wait,” I said to Akin. “Is there any way you could use your satellite uplink to zoom in

on the image? Once you do that, then you could clear it up with an aero program.” I guessed that

Chris had this program because of the computers in his office.

“Hey, that’s a good idea,” Chris said. “Akin, can you see if you can zoom in on the shot

and clear it up for us?”

Akin pursed his lips. “I’ll see what I can do, but it will take awhile. This is a camera shot

that was not uploaded from a satellite. So I’ll have to work with it.”

Devon leaned forward to look at the video still again. “Just do whatever you have to do to

help us find our children.”

As Akin began to work on the video, we all walked out of the room.

“Well,” Chris said, “since we are going to be here for a little while, I suggest that you all

try to get comfortable. I’ve had my housekeepers and butlers prepare food and rooms for you to

stay for the night.”

Winter / Ran 105

“What about Ralick?” I asked.

“Already in his room, not far from yours.”

I nodded. I was tired, but I still had many questions, far too many. My body, though, was

telling me it was time to rest up. And I learned that, in my old age, I’d better start listening,

especially since I almost died out there from a heart attack. But, before I could go to bed, I really

wanted to check up on everybody in my family. I knew Chris had connections to the forced

satellite comlinks for mobile devices, because I’d seen the phone in his upstairs office. That

comlink could bypass the shutdown of all electronic devices and reach anyone you want, as long

as they had their cell phone on.

“Chris,” I said, “you got another one of those comlink phones? I want to check up on my

family back at my house.”

He nodded. “I have them all over the mansion, each with a separate line. You can use the

phone in your room. Room 305 on the third floor is yours.”

“Thanks.”

“But you should hurry before the blizzard gets here. Once it arrives, it’s lights out for my

phones.”

I nodded and headed up the stairs, Chris pulled out his personal comlink phone—and I

wondered why no one out in the woods knew about it. Then again, I would have played it close

to the vest too with a bunch of strangers and our kids missing and the Snowman on the loose.

Chris dialed someone—his wife, I figured—and then held the phone to his ear.

“Hey, listen, it’s me. I know we had a rough patch, but are you okay?”

By the way he introduced himself and the tone of his voice, I knew one of two things

about their relationship. They must’ve been having a moment in their marriage like Daphne and I

Winter / Ran 106

was going through. Or they were already divorced and he was only calling her about their son. I

could only pray that Daphne and I didn’t get to that point. Chris’s conversation with his wife or

ex-wife started to fade as I walked upstairs toward my room. On the third floor, I noticed

expensive drapes hanging down the length of the hallway, along with marble moon floors fit for

a king. As I walked past several doors, looking for 305, I saw several of the other men doing

what I had in mind. They were calling their loved ones with Chris’s special phones.

The first I noticed was Russell, who had some quote-unquote “step-twins.” I thought their

names were Alex and Alexis, or something like that. I assumed he was talking to his girlfriend. It

didn’t sound good from what I was hearing. Russell was stumbling over his words. He was

stuttering and stopping, as if he couldn’t get a word out. And then it hit me. I remembered an old

trick from my days in the military special ops. I could log into a number that would allow me to

intercept transmissions—or, in simpler terms, I could tap phone calls.

I hurried toward my room to swoop in on the others’ conversations. I wasn’t deliberately

trying to be nosy for the sake of being nosy. But I learned from my training days in the force,

“You never truly know someone until you get up all in their business.” I would never forget that.

I could have done the same with my wife Daphne in the past. But the difference between her and

these guys was that I trusted her—at least I used to. Before this was all over, I knew that might

change, big time.

As I jogged to my room down the long hallway, I noticed Devon on the phone in another

room. I really looked forward to listening in on his conversation. I figured this would give me a

chance to get to know him much better. I trusted him more than any of the others, but I wanted to

use this opportunity to trust him more. Next was Spacey, who turned his light off and went to

bed with the door still open. In the next room, I saw Ralick, so I slowed down and looked in on

Winter / Ran 107

him. I caught him staring out the window, just gazing at the snow falling against the dome. His

face looked so sad. I wondered if he was thinking about his family—if he even had one. He

turned and caught my eye. He nodded. He must’ve known that this short phase of having a warm

bed to sleep in wasn’t going to last long. Or maybe it was something else entirely. I really didn’t

know. But he then sat down on the floor, turned off the lamp, and then laid down to sleep—right

there on the floor beside the king-sized bed with the pillows and firm back-healing mattress. I

truly felt sorry for him.

I went past the next room, as the door was already shut—and it was different from all the

other doors I’d seen so far. This door had the same basic design as the others, but it was black

and the lock on it was more elaborate: it had a key code. Whatever was in that room, it had to

have been important to Chris. But I really didn’t care. It’s his house.

At the next room, though, I stopped. I could hear a voice behind the door, and it was all

too familiar to me: my local, unwelcomed enemy, Bob. I could tell he was on the phone—unless

the guy was crazy and just talking to himself like he had been before. I really wanted to hear

what he was saying, so I rushed to my room as fast as I could.

I found 305 and went inside, finding a room much like all the others I had seen: a king-

sized bed, a writing desk with a comlink phone, a walk-in closet, and a chair. I picked up the

phone, wanting so bad to tap some calls, but I wanted even more to make sure my own family

was well. I called Daphne first. It rang through, but went to voicemail. I called again, but still the

same. I must have dialed that number like twenty times, hoping that she would just get annoyed

and at least answer it if she was able to. But she didn’t. So I started to think the worst. Maybe the

snow had gotten her. Still, I didn’t want to lose hope. I finally left her a message. “Hey it’s…me,

Winter / Ran 108

listen babe. I love you and…no matter what happens, I will always love you … I’m sorry. Please

… forgive me, please.”

Next I called the phones of my two sons, Zach and Micky. My calls, though, went

straight to their voicemail. After ten tries between their phones, I left messages for each of them,

then tried a couple of cell numbers of my family back at my house, as that’s all I could remember

off the top of my head. Again, though, no one answered, so I left a couple more messages.

“Crap, I can’t believe this.”

I waited a few minutes. Nobody called back. I knew this comlink system worked, but

maybe the blizzard had already hit that side of Scranton. I finally put the phone down and took a

deep breath to calm myself. If the blizzard had started, I figured that I wasn’t going to hear from

my family for a while. So I hoped for the best and prayed that they were alright—especially

Lane. I shook my head again. I really didn’t like to think about this stuff because of how it got

me going.

After all, I do have somewhat of a temper problem—and I already almost died from a

heart attack. Better take it easy. Now back to the phone tapping.

I took the phone apart and looked for the black and red wires. I pulled out my miniature

multi-tool kit and used one of the blades to cut the wires and then rewire it so I could listen in to

other calls. It would be a hit and miss as to whom I would find on the other end of the line,

though.

The first person I dialed into ended up being Russell. I could tell because of his Cajun

accent. He was talking to a woman named Janet. Seemed as Janet was wearing the pants in the

relationship. She sounded strong and came off very forward with Russell. And, poor Russell, he

was being ripped apart from head to toe.

Winter / Ran 109

Russell: “Look, Janet, I’m trying my best but this takes time. I love your kids like they

were my own, but after all that has happened you have to trust—”

Janet: “Shut up. I’m tired of your excuses, Russell. All you do is make up excuses. When

we got together, when we got married, you told me you were going to be better than my ex-

husband and provide for and protect both me and my two children. Now were you lying when

you said that? Or did you say that to get what you wanted from me?”

Russell: “No, Janet, no. Look … if that was the case, I would have gotten what I wanted

from you, which I did before we even got engaged, and then I would have left you. But I love

you and Alex and Alexis.”

Janet: “Then why aren’t you trying harder? I sent you the number to contact Chris so you

can use his resources to help get my kids back. He’s super-rich, as you know, so it shouldn’t be a

problem. “

Russell: “But, sweetie—”

Janet: “No, don’t ‘sweetie’ me, you worthless ogre.”

Russell: “Ah. Uhh … okay … Ah, look, Janet. I’m sorry but you have to listen to me.

The problem is the weather. I mean the snow is trying to kill us for goodness’ sake. Do you have

any idea how hard that makes everything? Especially when there’s a deranged child rapist out

there, maybe taking your kids and taunting you with figurines of snowmen.”

Janet: “What? A Child Rapist?”

Russell: “Oh shoot … Uhhh …”

Janet: “Wait. Wait, wait … you’re telling me that my son and daughter were taken by the

Snowman? The Snowman has my babies? Ahhhhhh!”

Winter / Ran 110

Russell: “Oh hell … Janet, no. I mean, we don’t know for sure. We just know he’s in this

area.”

Janet (sobbing): “And when … when were you going to tell me?”

Russell: “Um … Kinda like never, because I didn’t want you reacting like you’re doing

now. We just don’t know, baby.”

Janet: “That is it. I’m sick of you. You better find my kids, and you and that no-good

Chris better work your tails off to do it. If you don’t, I’m suing him and divorcing you to marry

your brother.”

Russell: “Wait, my brother George? Why would you do that? You never even met him.”

Janet: “And that’s what we both wanted you to think. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings

because you’re so pathetic as a man. I don’t know what I saw in you. In fact, that’s why I gave

you Chris’s number, because I knew you couldn’t do this on your own. And you still can’t do it

with him.”

Russell: “Wait, Janet. Please don’t divorce me. You’re all I have. You’re all I ever had.”

Janet: “No, I’m sick of you. You know something. Chris may have been a cheating

egotistical jerk, but at least he got the job done.”

Russell: “Well, apparently he’s not doing the job too well when it comes to finding your

children.”

Janet: “Are you raising your voice at me?”

Russell: “…”

Janet: “I said did you raise your voice at me?”

Russell: “No, sweetie, uh, I mean Janet, no. I’m sorry.”

Janet: “Transfer me to Chris. I’m through talking to your sorry self.”

Winter / Ran 111

Russell: (Sighs) “Okay, I’ll try. Sorry, Janet, I love—”

Click—beeeep.

Whoa … Now that was some good quality drama. Something out of a soap opera. It

sounded like Russell, Janet, and Chris had some past connection. Maybe I can get lucky and tap

Chris’s comlink line next.

I rewired the connection again, and …

Jackpot … Chris.

I listened for a few seconds.

Hmm. Talking to another guy … But not a voice I recognized.

Chris: “So did you get the papers?”

???: “Yeah, they were around the corner, but it shouldn’t be a problem in the future. How

goes the search?”

Chris: “Not good, but Akin’s got a clue, I hope. And I hope that sick piece of—”

???: “Don’t worry. As soon as you give me a location, I’ll handle it from there on out.”

Chris: “No, I want to handle this myself personally.”

???: “That is ill advised, Chris. The Snowman is dangerous.”

Chris: “He’s dangerous to children, not to me.”

???: “You’re not thinking straight. You’re thinking out of instinct and rage, not rational

intelligence.”

Chris: “Don’t talk about how irrational my intelligence is. I’ve been very rational up until

my son was taken by that perverted, demented psycho. How is it no one can track him and kill

him?”

Winter / Ran 112

???: “He uses the snow to his advantage and attacks only when there isn’t a potential

threat. He is very smart.”

Chris: “Almost as smart as us—ughh, I mean, you?”

???: “Heh, yeah, well, not quite. When I find him, he won’t even know what hit him.”

Chris: “Hmm.”

???: “What is it?”

Chris: “Someone else is trying to contact me on this line. I hope it’s not that tramp calling

about her kids.”

???: “Don’t you mean our kids?”

Chris: “Heh, I guess.”

???: “I can take care of that, too, if you want me to?”

Chris: “No.”

???: “As you wish. But once the Snowman is found, don’t do anything until I arrive.”

Chris: “If he has my son, I won’t just sit here and wait for you to pop up. I’m going to

save Johnny.”

???: “What about the other kids?”

Chris: “That’s what their fathers are here for. It’s enough that I’m providing them with

this much.”

???: “The Snowman is going to have a field day with them. This whole thing with him

leaving clues and taunting them and you is all part of a bigger plan—a plan I’m looking forward

to exposing and crushing.”

Chris: “Uh, I guess it takes a serial killer to know a serial killer, huh?”

Winter / Ran 113

???: “Isn’t that why you hired me? I’m the only one out here crazy enough to do this. The

government won’t.”

Chris: “I know, and as much as this pains me to say to you, I appreciate your assistance.”

???: “No need for that. We’re practically the same. Speaking of hiring me, do you have

my payment ready?”

Chris: “Yes, it’s locked away nice and tight.”

???: “Good. I’ll be by there to pick it up after the blizzard blows over. Once that’s

complete, killing the Snowman and saving Johnny and your wealth shouldn’t be a problem.”

Chris: “I hope you’re right. I don’t think I can hold out much longer with this. Johnny is

the only way the company will stay afloat over MicroTech.”

???: “Are you going to talk to the tramp now?”

Chris: “No, her giving Russell my number was enough. When Johnny is safe, then the

twins will be too. Contact you later, and when this is over, try not to hold the grudge anymore.”

???: “I wouldn’t be me if I did that. But for you, I’ll comply.”

Click—beeeeeep.

I put the phone back in its cradle.

“What the hell was that all about?”

I felt a bit uncomfortable listening in on that conversation between Chris and God knows

who, but still …

Seems Chris is having more than just family problems. He’s talking about saving his

company from MicroTech and all that. It also appears that he has plans for the Snowman when

he finds him.

Winter / Ran 114

But what was really giving me the itch was the whole payment thing. Who was the

mystery man and what was Chris talking about when he said he had his payment ready?

Wait.

Was the payment behind that black door with the key code on it? It had to be.

But what’s in there?

I honestly didn’t have any idea … and maybe I didn’t want to know. The guy said he was

coming after the blizzard blew over. I hoped, whoever he was, he could help us. He sounded

pretty confident.

Hmm …

But then, Chris also said something about “It takes a serial killer to know a serial killer.”

What the hell was he talking about?

Also, the phrase he used later: “Try not to hold the grudge anymore.”

Weird way to word it.

I would have to check all that out later. I looked out the window, and it was getting a lot

darker because the snow had grown heavier. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, then began to

rewire the connection to see who I could get next. I hoped I could tap into Bob’s phone line. I

listened in, but I really couldn’t tell what anybody was saying. The voices sounded raspy and

harsh—and like they were speaking a different language. It sounded like German. The only thing

I could make out was “I love you, Todd.” I knew a little German from my early Marine days, but

not enough to listen in on a conversation over a phone.

I hung up and rewired the connection again. This time, I recognized Devon’s voice.

Devon: “Really, I promise, Denise. When I find Pam, we’re all going on vacation in the

summer and try to rid ourselves of this nightmare. And I’m going to listen to you, so we’re

Winter / Ran 115

moving to a warmer place where there’s no snow. Tell me where you wanna go. I’ll quit my job

as a service manager for this lousy company and take my pension and retire early—just you, me,

and Pam. Okay?”

Denise: “You promise me, Devon?”

Devon: “I promise … and I love you so much.”

Denise: “I love you too. And please, Devon, be careful.”

Devon: “I will.”

Click—beeeep.

Well, I thought, I guess I really can trust this guy.

I didn’t hear too much of his conversation, but from what I heard, Devon was the only

man here that I knew had a shred of honesty in him. When he said “this lousy company,” I

figured it had to be the unnamed company Chris had mentioned, since I knew Devon worked for

him.

At least I know now I can really trust Devon.

I hung up and was ready to rewire the phone again, but then it rang. I couldn’t believe it.

Was it somebody from the house, was it my boys, was it Daphne? I snatched up the phone and

answered it.

“Hello.”

“Dad, Dad.”

“Oh my God,” I whispered. I couldn’t believe it. It sounded like one of the boys. “Micky,

Zach, is this you?”

Winter / Ran 116

“Yeah, it’s me, Zach. Here Dad, I’ll put you on speakerphone.” A pause, then, “Yeah, it’s

us, Dad. We got your phone call. We couldn’t believe you reached us. I thought the government

shut down all phone services?”

I tried to answer, but I started to choke up.

“Dad, Hello? Shoot, I think we’re losing the signal.”

I swallowed hard and held back my tears. “I’m here, son. I’m here. I just … It’s so good

to hear your voice—both of you.”

“You, too, Dad,” Zach said.

“Yeah, Dad,” Micky said.

“But how did you call us?” Zach asked.

“Oh, I met some guys that had access to equipment that allows me to reach you.”

“Huh? What guys?” Zach asked.

I shook my head. I didn’t want to go into too much detail, not now at least.

“Uh, I’ll tell you later. What about your mom? Did you ever hear from her before they

cut the line?”

“Did we hear from Mom? Isn’t she at the house?” Micky asked.

“Uh … long story son … she went to your grandma’s house.”

“Oh.”

There’s that, Oh, again. My sons knew what the deal was whenever Daphne ran to her

mom’s house.

“Is she alright?” Zach asked.

“Yeah, she’s fine,” I said. “I didn’t know if she called you guys before everything was

cut.”

Winter / Ran 117

“Oh, no, Dad. You’re the only one to reach us.”

“Where are you guys? Still at the store?”

“Yeah, the grocery store, with a bunch of other people. But we’re safe.”

“That’s good.”

They may have to stay at that store for the rest of the season and use the emergency

previsions the government provided for those registered. I’m confident they can handle

themselves, but I still don’t want them there. But with all that’s going on, it may be safer at the

store, than at the house or with me.

“Sorry we didn’t get back in time,” Zach said. “The emergency broadcast about the

shutdown came so fast and so early we couldn’t get out in time. And we couldn’t call you either

afterwards.”

“It’s okay son. I was asleep when the broadcast was announced. I’m just glad you and

your brother are okay. The rest of our relatives are back at our house. They didn’t get the HAR

insurance so they’re shacking up with us for now.”

“Oh … okay.”

“How is everyone else?” Micky asked.

I paused. I sure didn’t want to tell them about their little sister, nor about the two murders

at the house. So I lied. “Everybody is good.”

“Did you talk to everyone else, then?” Zach asked.

“No, not everyone. I couldn’t.”

“You didn’t try their cell phones?” Micky asked.

“No, I don’t know all of their numbers, boys.”

“Well … did you try Lane’s cell?”

Winter / Ran 118

I stood up from the bed; a slight chill came down my back. “What? What do you mean?

Lane doesn’t have a phone.”

“Uh, yeah, uh, Mom gave her one, like, months ago when you were gone, in case of an

emergency,” Zach said. “Mom didn’t want you to know because … didn’t want you … argue

with her.”

Shoot. I could hear our connection starting to get choppy. The blizzard …

“Give me her number, quick,” I said.

I prepared my mind to stick the digits deep inside my cranium. Zach started to give me

the number, but his voice kept fading in and out.

“Say that last number again, Zach. Hurry, before the blizzard drowns you out.”

Then I started to hear static.

“I … kis … this … shsssussh … 0 … 3 … 93 …” Zach said.

“Okay, thanks. I love you guys, alright? I’ll see you all soon, okay?”

“Love … you … oo … ad.”

I dialed Lane’s number. I felt so anxious, I was sweating buckets. It rang and rang, and

then I heard my little girl’s voice. “Hello there.”

“Lane. It’s me—Daddy.”

“This is Lane. Well, hee-hee, it’s my phone, not me. You can leave me a message and

…”

Dammit, her voicemail.

I ended the call. I actually got to hear that cute, innocent voice from a little girl that no

sane individual could ever bring himself to hurt. But this was no sane person I was dealing with.

This was a man that used the winter season as a weapon against children, even though it was a

Winter / Ran 119

time that kids should have been playing outside, having snowball fights and making snow angels.

It was no wonder the snow had come alive and was angry at us humans. It was because of people

like the Snowman that families all over the world now had to suffer. I turned on the

speakerphone feature and dialed Lane’s number again. Still no answer. I tried again and again. I

tried fifty times more. I wanted to hear my baby girl so bad. As much as I enjoyed listening to

her voicemail, I wanted to hear her in real life.

“Please, let somebody, anybody, pick up this stupid phone so I can save my Lane.”

Then I heard someone pick up. My prayers had been answered.

Praise the Lord.

I couldn’t wait to hear Lane’s voice. “Hello. Lane? It’s me, Daddy. Are you there, Lane?”

But I heard nothing. I sat there, looking down at the phone, waiting to hear something.

“Hello?” I said.

And still nothing.

“Lane? If you can hear me, please answer me.”

Then I heard loud breathing over the phone. My heart stopped, and my throat closed

tight.

“Who is this?” I asked.

“This is the Snowman.”

I almost dropped the phone. The sound of his voice literally sent chills down my spine. I

couldn’t believe I was talking to this scumbag. I was on the phone with the creature responsible

for the rape and murder of countless children and several pregnant women.

The Snowman.

I cleared my throat. “Where is my daughter?”

Winter / Ran 120

He didn’t respond.

“Where is she?” I said.

“Oh you calm down. She’s here with the rest of the kids. And we are all having a good

ol’ time, aren’t we? Pam, Alex, Alexis, Johnny, R Junior, and Lane—my sweet, precious Lane.”

His voice sounded a bit feminine, but with a touch of evil—cold and dark like the

blizzard coming in. I couldn’t tell if his voice was so creepy because of the signal fading in and

out, or if that’s just how he made it sound. Nor could I tell if he was raising his voice at me or

whispering in my ear. Either way, I didn’t like it.

“If you do anything to my little girl, I will end you,” I said. “So help me God, I will find

you and end you.

“Oh, like how you ended all the lives of those children in Africa, Mr. Mac?”

My breath caught.

How does he know about that? I thought. Who is this guy?

I heard the wind outside grow louder and louder. The windows in the entire mansion

started to shake. Not even the dome that protected this place was strong enough to hold out the

raging cries of the blizzard coming in with a vengeance. I felt even more nervous. It was like the

Snowman and the weather were working together to scare me. And it was working.

“How do you know about my time in Africa?” I asked.

“I watch all of my prey closely. It helps me to get my glossy white hands on their sweet

bottoms, if you know what I mean.”

“You sick bastard. I’ll rip your freaking head off. You sick son of—”

Winter / Ran 121

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I am. Why do I do what I do, you wonder? It makes me

feeeeel gooood. But don’t worry about finding me. I’m coming to meet you and the others, too.

Well, I’m on my way. And, hey, happy winter. It’s gonna be a jolly good time.”

He hung up. All I could do was stare at the floor.

“Lane … That mother fu- has Lane.”

I got up and turned toward the door.

“I need to—”

The door was wide open, and I saw that I hadn’t been the only one listening in on the

conversation. Chris, Devon, Russell, Akin, Spacey, and even Bob were all standing there at the

entrance of my room. Their faces showed their horror. How did they know?

And then it hit me. Damn …

I never rewired my phone back to normal, meaning that the last person I tapped could

hear my own outgoing calls.

Devon stepped forward. I looked at him, and he pursed his lips and nodded at me. “Let

him come,” he said. Devon walked through my door and pulled a machine gun off his shoulder.

Akin followed him in and threw me an assault rifle. The rest of the guys all had weapons at the

ready, as well.

“He’ll get what he’s coming here for,” Devon said.

I nodded and cocked my machine gun.

Winter / Ran 122

The Winter

January 5, 2050

The next morning, the blizzard continued to strike the peak of the dome like a hammer

ready to smash its way into our safe haven. All we could do was wait for the day the Snowman

arrived. I was nervous and yet angry at the same time.

How is it that this man, or this creature, has been able to do this for all these years

without ever getting caught?

Out of all the famous serial killers who had ever lived, not one of them ever got this far

for so long. It took a really sick man to use one of the most dangerous times of the year to hunt

his prey. I didn’t even want to pretend I knew what this maniac was thinking right now. All I

knew was that, when he arrived, he’d be in for a rude awakening.

Still, some of the others looked at me with a little bit of suspicion. We all had some

breakfast and then followed Akin and Chris down the hall. Russell and Spacey lagged behind.

“Strange,” Russell said, “the Snowman answered the phone of Zim’s kid, but not the rest

of ours?”

“Yeah,” Spacey said. “What’s up with that? You guys tried calling your kids a couple of

hours before Zim got here, right?”

All of them said they had, and that made me wonder. Why did the Snowman answer

Lane’s phone?

“I called it about fifty times in a row,” I said. “Maybe he got sick of it?”

Chris just shrugged, and a few of the others nodded.

“Let’s just gear up so we’re ready,” Chris said.

Winter / Ran 123

Akin led us into a room stashed with weapons. We all began to load up, but I noticed that

Bob got the most of any us.

“Hey, man, stop hogging everything,” Devon told Bob.

Soon enough, we each had all the gear we needed or wanted, so we got together in the big

foyer of the mansion. Just off the foyer, Chris had a small room with a wall of monitors that

showed us views from all over his property. If the Snowman was coming, he’d have to be nearly

a ghost to avoid being picked up by a camera.

I wanted to confront Bob again, but knew that wouldn’t do much for the overall mood, so

I went to the one guy I knew I could trust.

“Devon,” I said.

He had a stern look in his eye, like he was mentally prepared for whatever outcome he

had to face.

“So … how old did you say your daughter is again?” I asked him, knowing full well that

she was seven from what he’d told me in the caves.

“Seven,” he said. His face relaxed and he smiled. “She was—is—a sweet and intelligent

little girl.” He looked down at the marble floor. “Hm, it’s funny, I remember the time when she

would run around the park looking for bugs and insects, just to take home and care for them like

pets. I told her she couldn’t do that, because she would make a mess. But she would plead with

me to let her at least put one in a jar. Her favorite was the lightning bug that would glow at night

during the summer months. That was the only one out of all the bugs that I would let her take in.

Heh, I can’t wait until she grows out of that phase in her life.”

“Right, but then she’ll be a teenager and you’ll have to deal with that. Soon, you’ll be

wishing she was seven again, bringing lightning bugs into your house.”

Winter / Ran 124

We both laughed, and then some of the other guys did too.

“Lane’s not a teenager, right?” Devon asked.

“No, thank God. She’s only six.”

“Six, huh?” He looked down again. “He sure likes to get them when they’re young and

innocent.”

And that pretty much doomed the mood again. A few of the other guys scattered about

the room. Chris went into the monitor room to check on the guard he had in there.

I sucked up the tears ready to splash down my face, then I pulled out the red teddy bear

I’d bought for Lane. I gazed upon its little black eyes like it was my own child. I got closer to

Devon to keep the conversation private.

“I bought this bear for Lane last year,” I said, still choking back the tears. “I found it in

the snow where we found the gear from the other kids. Man … I’m so proud of her.”

“For what?” Devon asked.

I thought about it, and I realized I didn’t have a clue what I was proud of. I shrugged.

“I … I … don’t know. I mean, she’s only six. She hasn’t been on the planet long enough

to have any kind of ‘proud moment’ stories. Nor was I around that much, either. I was always

somewhere else fighting.” I shook my head. “And this blasted Snowman. Only someone like him

would take children away from their parents—destroy them from the inside out before they even

had a life. Before their parents could even have real memories of them. Only someone like him

would take away my baby girl and—”

“You know,” Devon cut in, “I don’t think I told you that Denise, Pam, and I were trying

to move to a warmer place.”

I nodded, even though I’d of course found that out by tapping the phones. “Huh. Really?”

Winter / Ran 125

“Yeah, and it really isn’t because of the snow but because of the company I work for, and

the service they provide.”

“Oh. What kind of service does your company perform?”

“Uh, it involves special biological materials—that sort of thing.”

“Does this company have a name?”

“No, not really, and that’s the way they like to keep it. It’s a private corporation that

mostly involves trading and distributing within the higher areas of the government.”

“Whatever that means …”

But I could take a pretty good guess at what he was talking about. I wondered if this

company was involved in our siege on the Devil’s Whisper weapons we had found in Somalia.

The Whisper was a toxic agent from a rare plant that destroyed a person’s free will and

caused them to come under the spell of whoever spoke to them. They customized the agent to

make their victims—many of them children—follow specific commands: kill a general, or blow

up an embassy with a bomb strap to their chest. Some of our own men and women were put

under this spell.

“Yeah, before that, I used to be in the Army,” Devon said. “So you’re ex-military too,

huh?”

Our military experience hadn’t come up in our conversations in the caves, and it wasn’t

something I just put out there for everyone to know. But I felt good about Devon.

“Yep,” I said. “I was in the Marines Special Ops, 3rd Division.”

“Really? I was a part of the 9th Infantry that invaded Somalia in 2040.”

Wow, now I was officially shocked. What an amazing coincidence that we both were ex-

military and both served in the armed forces for the same purpose. His job explained why he was

Winter / Ran 126

here with Chris and how he’d been able to keep up with me and the rest of the men for so long. I

felt a lot more at ease with him, so I figured I’d dig a little deeper.

“So is Denise your second wife?” I asked. “I remember you telling me your wife had

died. So Denise is your second?”

Devon’s cheeks got a little red, and he looked down. “No, Denise is just my daughter’s

mother. My wife … she, uh, she never knew about Pam or Denise.”

Great … way to go deeper with him, Zim.

So not only were we both ex-military, but we had similar circumstances in regard to our

little girls.

“Man, I’m sorry,” I said. “I …”

He shook his head and looked at me. “It’s all right. It was the biggest mistake I ever

made. To mess around with some girl I knew in high school, only to marry another woman I

knew was the one. But instead of having a baby with that woman, I had it with another. And then

I hid it for all those years.”

Devon held back his tears. “I … I always wanted to tell her the truth. I really did. But I

never could bring myself to do so—not until it was too late.”

I blew out a slow breath and nodded. “What did she die of?” I asked.

“Cancer, she had breast cancer. Her name was Jonnice. After she died, I left my old life

behind in New York to care for Pam and I got serious with Denise after that.”

Too crazy, how much our lives had been so similar. The only difference was that my wife

knew about my fooling around and having another kid.

“I wish I could have done things differently,” Devon whispered, the tears coming. “Now

I may not have just lost Jonnice, but Pam too.”

Winter / Ran 127

I felt for him, because I understood how he felt and what he was going through. That may

have been part of the reason why I always trusted him more than the others.

“You know, Lane is the child of another woman,” I said. “But the difference is that I told

Daphne about my infidelity with Isabella. That’s the name of Lane’s mother. Daphne and I split

once before. But we got back together after the death of my brother Carl. We were having

marital problems during those times. That’s what made me go to Africa during the special draft

for soldiers that served their duty. My brother Carl was also in the military like me. He was a

Navy Seal. He went to Somalia also but he didn’t make it back. But that’s a whole ’nother

story.”

Devon wiped his tears and looked a bit more hopeful again. I guess he felt comfortable

knowing that someone else in this big ol’ house was like him. I patted him on the shoulder and

turned to go check the monitor room with Chris.

“Hey, I guess we all missed the Christmas party, huh?” Devon said, jerking his head

toward the next room, where Chris still had up a Christmas tree with a pile of gifts under it.

“Ehh, I don’t celebrate Christmas,” I said with a smile.

“What, you one of those Jehovah’s Witnesses or something?”

“No, but hey, those are some smart people,”

“How’s that?”

“They save a whole lot of money that way.”

We both started laughing.

“Hey, bud, we’ll get our girls back,” he said. “And we’ll bring that nut down together,

just you and me.”

I nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me, brother.”

Winter / Ran 128

I walked toward the monitor room. As I did, I noticed Bob starting out the massive front

picture window, watching the blizzard slamming against the invisible dome. I didn’t stop to

speak to him. I really had nothing to say that was good. And as I got closer, I noticed he was

smoking a cigarette, and the smell on him was unbearable. I passed him by; wanting to talk to

Chris about this company Devon was working for.

“I guess we’re both at that point, huh, Zim?” Bob said.

I stopped and turned to look at him. “What?” I replied.

He was still staring out the window, watching the night sky turn the snow dark blue as it

raced at us.

“Can I ask you something?” Bob said. “What do you think of me? Your honest opinion

…” he said, taking another puff of his cigarette.

“My honest opinion?”

“Yeah, I know what you think of me. But I want to hear it from your own mouth.”

“Okay. Just remember, you asked for it. I think you’re a piece of trash that drinks and

messes up your life and the lives of others over blind hate for your own bad decisions.”

I paused for a second to see his reaction, but he said nothing and did nothing—just kept

staring out the window.

“Go on,” he said, then puffed once more.

I felt surprised he’d let me say that without a response, but I didn’t care. “I think you’re a

hypocrite. You talk about peace and being an antiwar activist, but yet you beat on woman. I

know you killed Nancy and somehow maybe Jamie. I don’t know what you said or did to make

Eric and Jim quiver in deception to protect you. But whatever it is, it won’t save you in the end.

Winter / Ran 129

And you know what else? I think you killed Fred and Ted too. How is that for an honest

opinion?”

“Is that it?” he asked with a disturbingly relaxed voice.

“Naw, not really, but if you want me to continue, then …”

He nodded.

“I notice how you treat certain people, mostly those that aren’t white. Devon is black, so

was Jamie. Not to mention Fred and Ted were both Jewish. I won’t go as far as calling you a

racist redneck, Bob. But maybe I’m not going far enough, or am I?”

He continued to look out the window, seeming to enjoy every puff of the cigarette.

“You think you got me figured all out don’t you?” he said.

“I figured out enough.”

“Well, you’re wrong about Nancy and Jamie. I didn’t kill them. I liked Nancy, but she

was a disobedient broad. Women should be told what to do at all times. They walk around like

they have a brain or something.”

“Is that why you acted the way you did toward Jamie? Because she had a brain and used

it to put a rat like you in your place? Then you took it out on Nancy, because you knew you

could. Was that it?”

He finally turned and looked at me. “Look, not everybody in that house is who they say

they are. At least I don’t pretend. You’d be surprised who the real liar is, Zim.” Bob laughed a

little at that.

“Oh yeah, did you feed that lie to Eric and Jim?”

He took another puff of his cigarette. “Ooooooo, you think they’re protecting me? You’re

wrong.”

Winter / Ran 130

“Oh yeah? Then who are they protecting, from you, of course.”

He laughed again.

I walked up to him and slit my eyes at him. He wasn’t answering my questions and that

laugh of his made me sick.

“Look, in the end,” he said, “everybody’s time comes, even if it has to end in violence.

That’s what I was trying to express to Nancy before she died. But I didn’t put three holes in her

chest.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right, she did that herself.”

“I never said that. Your brother-in-law said that.”

“Then be straight with me, Bob, so I can think differently of you.” I looked him straight

in the eye. “Who killed Nancy?”

He looked me back in the eye and said nothing. He just blew smoke in my face.

I wanted to punch him after he did that. But what good would it do? I had other things to

focus on. Like getting Lane back.

“It’s only a matter of time,” I told him, shaking my head.

I walked away, but then he said one last thing. “You know, Zim, you may not have it all

figured out. But I’ll give you this, though.” He put out his cigarette on the heel of his shoe. “You

call them how you see them. And you know what? You call them good, boy.”

“Boy?”

I glared at him. But he didn’t budge. He stared at me for a minute, and then just walked

away.

Winter / Ran 131

/////

I headed past the Christmas tree with all the gifts under it. I came around the other side,

and I saw Chris standing there, looking at some picture ornaments hanging on the tree. His face

looked sad, and it painted an odd picture with the machine gun slung over his shoulder.

“It’s very rude listening in on other people’s phone calls,” he said, still gazing upon the

pictures.

I pursed my lips and nodded, not at all surprised that he’d figured it out. “I’m sorry,” I

said. “I had to know who I could trust in here.”

He looked at me. “We didn’t leave you out there to die, Zim.”

“I know that—at least now I do.”

“Yeah, well, I’m sort of glad you hacked our phones.” He looked back at the ornaments.

“Now at least we know he’s coming here.”

I just stood there, watching him gaze at the pictures hanging on the Christmas tree, like

he hadn’t seen the photos for years.

“I take it that little kid in the picture there is your son, right?” I asked.

“Johnny, yes, that’s my boy.”

“And the brunette? Is that—”

“That’s Vera, my wife. She was a model.”

“Oh, where is she?”

“Not here.”

I got the message. I just nodded, but, man, did she look hot.

Winter / Ran 132

Chris picked up some of the gifts from under the tree; the gifts that I assumed would stay

there until all of this had come to a resolution. Soon enough, he put the gifts back under the tree,

looking even sadder. He then picked up a glass of red wine from a nearby table and walked to the

foyer, where the giant dry-ice sculpture stood—yet another useless taunt of how super-rich Chris

was. Across the way, I saw Ralick, just standing there and looking at the giant sculpture as well.

It was tall, about twenty feet high, and it almost reached the top of the ceiling. It looked human,

but like something out of India. The sculpture was holding two swords and two lances with its

four arms. It was decked out with marble necklaces and bracelets. Its clothing had a lot of

diamonds and symbols all over it.

I didn’t like it. The sculpture just seemed to have a distasteful look to it—almost as if it

was mad at the world, just like the snow.

Chris, too, just stood and stared up at it, like a man staring at an image of God.

“I bought this masterpiece from the famous Indian artist Rajia Semumia,” Chris said. “He

made only four of these kinds of sculptures in the whole world—well, he’s actually still working

on the fourth. This sculpture is a representation of the Indian god of death … Shiva.”

Typical, death and cold things went wonderfully together.

“Why did you spend your money buying this?” I asked. “Must have cost a fortune,

knowing Rajia.”

“Oh, so you know of him? Yeah, it was a relativity large sum—around 600 million

dollars.”

At that, I heard Ralick suck in a sharp breath. Then I saw Ralick’s hands begin quivering

in anger, and a moment later, he blew past us and went into the next room. I couldn’t blame him,

not after hearing just how much Chris had wasted on this nonsense.

Winter / Ran 133

“It reminds me that not all things, good or bad, last forever,” Chris said. “Plus, it looks

good.” He looked up at his expensive decoration.

I pursed my lips and proceeded with the question I really wanted to ask Chris: “So who’s

coming to help you take down the Snowman?”

He looked at me and shook his head. In his eyes, I saw his pain. He put his glass of wine

down on a nearby table. “Haven’t you dug too deep into my business already?”

“Please, I just want to know who the help is, that’s all.”

He sighed. “Fine. It’s somebody I wish I didn’t have to call.”

When he said nothing more, I figured that was all Chris was going to say. But then my

thoughts kept going. What is behind that door? I wondered. But I knew I had asked too much

already. Chris had done enough for us. Besides, I may not want to know. I just want Lane back. I

want all of us to get our kids back … and end all of this.

“Hey,” Chris said, “are you hungry?”

“No. No, thank you. I really don’t feel like it right now. I’ll get better when all of this is

done.”

“Well, don’t forget your relative Jim is in the medical room, healing from the snow attack

in the woods. I don’t know if he’s up yet, but you could check with the house doctor, since I

know you’ve been waiting to see him.”

I nodded. “I appreciate it.”

I began to walk off down the hall to see Jim, but stopped when Chris said, “Have you

ever been known to hold a grudge?”

I turned and looked at him. “Yeah, I’ve been known to hold onto a few feuds.”

“Hmm. Well, it’s been a bad habit for me. That may be why I’m in this mess.”

Winter / Ran 134

“Well, don’t be too hard on yourself. The Snowman got all our kids and many others

before ours. But this time, it will be different. It will end here.”

Chris said nothing, but just looked back up at the ice sculpture, gazing at the sparkling

beauty—but it was horrifying at the same time.

“I hope so, for our sake,” he replied, and then walked off.

“Uh, okay, “I muttered.

The more I got to know Chris, the scarier he seemed. I was there with a group of men

with deep pasts, just like mine. Maybe most of us here were more alike than we realized, I

thought as I headed down the hall to see Jim, but not before I went looking for Ralick. I hadn’t

really talked to him since we’d arrived. I found him back in the foyer, looking up at the dry-ice

statue.

“Hey, buddy,” I said to him. “I just wanted to tell you again how grateful I am for saving

my life out there.”

But he didn’t say anything. Didn’t even move. He just stood there, like a dull doormat. It

was kind of funny seeing him like that. Ralick still looked and smelled like he hadn’t taken a

shower in months. He finally looked over at me, then walked closer to the sculpture, his big bug

eyes continuing to gaze at Shiva.

“If any snow managed to get on this thing, it wouldn’t be posing like this anymore,”

Ralick said.

I stared at him, knowing that, as a homeless man who lived in the cold, Ralick knew all

about what the snow could do. And then I started to think the same thing. But I kept my cool,

because what were the chances that enough snow could get into the house and onto the statue to

animate it?

Winter / Ran 135

“Meh, I wouldn’t worry. The bio-dome that Chris has here stretches pretty far outside the

perimeter of the mansion.”

But my theoretical fact didn’t seem to faze Ralick. I could tell he had a hard time just

being here.

“So … did you get a chance to eat or take a shower?” I asked. “It will feel really good if

you take one. I know I’m going to.”

He shook his head. “Bah, the water here is too hot and gold looking.”

Okaaaay.

Ralick looked at me. “When you learn to survive in the presence of cold-blooded hate,

then that’s all that you know, you know how to survive. You learn to survive, and that’s what

you get comfortable with after time.”

“Yeah … sure,” I replied, not really listening to him.

I just didn’t want to encourage any more of the weird thinking coming out of his mouth.

As I was ready to walk away, though, he made one last comment. “In time, hopefully you and

everyone here will learn that … without it killing you. After all, he learned it.”

I raised an eyebrow at that. I didn’t know what he meant or who he was talking about, but

then again, Ralick could be talking to or even about himself.

I left Ralick swimming in his thoughts, and went to see Jimbo, the only one of my family

to survive out here.

Winter / Ran 136

The Winter

January 5, 2050

9:30pm

I walked down the hall and I started to think about the words of that maniac, the

Snowman, with his chilling voice that sunk to the bottom of my spine.

Someone like that has my daughter.

I couldn’t shake his voice out of my head. It reminded me somehow of some voice that

I’d heard years ago, only with a twisted, menacing vibe to it now. When I recalled his words

from our phone conversation, my stomach twisted itself into a giant knot of anxiety. I could only

imagine what he was doing to our children—or what he had already done.

I stopped in the hallway, and I could feel my heart racing.

Then I thought about the Snowman chopping off their limbs and laughing as they

screamed for help. My chest pounded with pain. My mind imagined him destroying their little

innocent bodies.

“God, make it stop.”

Then my imagination just stopped and I realized that I’d heard no sounds in the

background of our phone call. No screams, no cries for help. Only silence. And the Snowman

had been talking like they were still alive.

I started walking again, turning the phone conversation over in my mind.

Maybe he just said that to play around with my head? I wondered how he was going to

get here. I did feel kind of afraid to find out. What person, even if he was twisted, would use the

deadly winter to do his sick work? And even worse, how did he survive out in the snow? Did he

have Nitro gear? Did he wear animal skins too?

Winter / Ran 137

I can’t believe he’s coming.

Right then, I wished that Ranger the dog was here, and then for just a brief moment, I

wondered how the pooch was doing out in the snow.

But my mind went right back to my talk with the maniac. I could have sworn that the

Snowman mentioned the name of another kid I hadn’t heard of. Was there another dad out there

looking for his child too?

I took a deep breath. I had so many things rushing through my head, I didn’t know what

to focus on—which was exactly why I needed to just go and talk to Jim, so I hoped he was up.

I found the room where Jimbo was resting on a hospital bed, but I didn’t see the house

doctor or anyone else. Jim’s eyes were closed, and I figured he was still asleep. I didn’t want to

disturb him, so I turned to leave the room—until a voice called my name. “Zim.”

I turned around and saw Jim smiling at me. He was awake and he actually looked

refreshed. I could tell by the fancy equipment around the bed that he had been treated well.

“Oh God, Jim, are you okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, the house doc said I should be able to move within a day or so,” He looked away.

“When the situation blows over.”

“Jim, I’m so sorry, I never meant for this to—”

“Its okay, Zim. I know you didn’t.”

I nodded. “Wait,” I said. “What did you mean by ‘the situation’ blowing over?”

“I found out about the Snowman calling and saying he was coming over for a visit.”

“Oh, that situation.”

“Zim, I just knew it. The Snowman didn’t kill your Lane yet. And maybe it will stay that

way for a while.”

Winter / Ran 138

“What do you mean?”

“Well, by now, the Snowman would have done away with the kids. Also, he wouldn’t

have answered the phone or left clues to show that they were alive.”

I nodded. Maybe Jim was onto something.

“He has some kind of a plan, I bet. I was talking to some of the other guys about it, but

they didn’t know what to make of it, either. Oh, hey, did you know that Chris and Russell both

served in the Army together, in Somalia?”

I looked at him. “Really? No, I didn’t.”

He just nodded.

“Chris and Russell were both soldiers?” I said.

“Yeah, I overheard them talking about it awhile ago.”

“Hmm. Devon was in the armed forces too.” I paused. “They all served during the

Somalia crisis. In fact … we all did. Me, you, Carl … all of us.”

Jim nodded, then shrugged, but my mind was turning it all over now.

What a strange connection this is. We all served in the military.

“Hey, wait a minute. I think that’s it, Zim,” Jim said. “I think I know what’s going on.

The Snowman has patterned his attack. Like some other serial killers, they only go after one

group of people—like … like an addict when they get used to one form of addiction, then they

move on to an even stronger form of it. Or if a TV show gets boring, you simply turn the

channel. That’s what the Snowman is doing. In the past, he would sometimes only go after kids

of a certain background, whether race or social status or whatever.

“Oh, and remember that he would sometimes pick children of single moms only, or

single dads. Then when that got boring, he would go after children whose parents were quote-

Winter / Ran 139

unquote important—governors, judges, lawyers, celebrities, doctors, priests, and preachers … the

kids of people that mattered to the masses.”

I nodded. It was starting to make sense.

Jim raised the hospital bed so he was sitting up. “And the latest attack about two years

ago,” he said, “those were children of cops. And he taunted them with his snowman figurines.”

I remembered it all very well. The kids of famous people and then the police children …

It had all been a media spectacle that shook the nation—and eventually the world. Afterward, the

Snowman went after the kids of international figures, and he soon became the most famous man

in the world in a matter of months.

But now … children of men who served in the armed forces? Specifically, those who

served during the Somalia raid … It seemed …

“Yeah, that’s it, I bet. He’s looking for a challenge. Oh God. He’s looking for children of

men with special training, like you and me and Devon, Chris, and Russell.”

I nodded. “But why us?” We weren’t the only ones who served in that war. Why us?”

Jim shook his head and said nothing for several moments, then, “Maybe we all just

happen to be in the same area he’s hunting in this winter. The Snowman has always liked to

travel.”

I had to agree that it did all make sense. And now the Snowman was on his way here,

where all of us had gathered. We were all in one place for him. I thought again that it would be

great to have that dog here, to help warn us.

“Hey, what about the dog Ranger?” I asked. “Did he make it out alive too?”

“I don’t know. I never saw the dog after the attack. If Ranger is dead, more than likely a bear

might have gotten him. And who’s to say he’s even dead at all? He might just be out there lost.”

Winter / Ran 140

“Wish he was here now.”

“Yeah. Hey, is it really true that you were tapping into other people’s phone

conversations?”

I could only nod. “I had to make sure I could trust these people,” I said, giving him a look

to let him know what I was really thinking—and as a psychiatrist, he had to know what that look

meant.

“Look, Zim—”

“Jim, you have to tell me what Bob did to make you, a Navy Seal, lie about a murder you

know he committed. Hell, everybody knows, Jim. Even though Bob tried feeding me all these

lies when I saw him here before … Makes me sick.”

Jim looked down at the floor. “He wasn’t lying.”

“What? Then who killed Nancy?”

Jim just shook his head and said nothing.

“I can’t believe you won’t tell me,” I said.

I pulled away from his bed, in total disbelief. But Jim grabbed my arm and pulled me

closer to him. He brought his face right to my ear, and then his eyes darted back and forth around

the room, like he was being watched.

“I couldn’t tell you then,” he whispered, “and I can’t tell you now—not until we save

these children and get these men to come with us back to the house.”

“What? Back to my house? Why?” I whispered back.

Jim paused and looked around again. “Because he would’ve killed us easily, just like he

killed Nancy and Jamie.”

I jumped back a little at that. “So he did do it. It was Bob, wasn’t it, Jim?”

Winter / Ran 141

“No.”

“Who else could it have been?”

He said nothing and looked all around the room again. I glanced around also, just to see if

I could spot any cameras. I’d never gotten into the actual monitor room, but I knew there had to

be cameras all over. I didn’t see any here, though. My guess was they were hidden.

“It wasn’t Bob, Zim. Please believe me,” Jim said.

“Then why did Eric lie, saying Nancy killed herself, and why did you act like that’s what

happened?”

“Because she did kill herself, Zim, she did. It shook my head, as well as Bob’s.”

“You’re not making any sense man.”

“Please Zim, we need help to get through this. To stop him, we need these men and their

resources to help us, including Bob’s resources.”

“Bob’s resources? What does Bob have that we need?”

Jim’s mouth fell open. “You mean, you don’t know?”

“Don’t know what?”

“The necklace. I saw the necklace. Believe me, on any other day if I saw that necklace, I

would have thought it was him too—until I saw what really happened. But Bob said he could

help us get the guy—until you showed up and started hitting him and asking questions … until

Lane went missing.”

I shook my head. I didn’t get it. How did this “guy” kill two people in two different

rooms without me seeing it? I wanted more information. I wanted Jim to tell me who it was. But

he now looked scared out of his mind.

Just then, Spacey came rushing in, yelling. “Come with me. Hurry up.”

Winter / Ran 142

“What?” I said.

Russell barged in next. “Shut up, Spacey. And don’t scream. He’ll know.”

“What?” I said again. “Who will know? What is going on?”

I figured the Snowman had arrived, or the guy Chris had called.

“Akin found something,” Spacey said. “On the video. You’re not going to believe this.”

I looked at Jim; he nodded and closed his eyes before lowering his bed back down.

“C’mon,” Spacey said.

I followed him and Russell out into the hallway, running to keep up with them.

“Spacey,” I said. “What is it and why are we running? Uhm, ahhh … I’m getting too old

for all this.”

“Well, you better find some of that youth in you again,” Spacey said. “Because I think

you’re going to need it.”

/////

The three of us soon arrived at the room. Everybody else was there, too—except for Bob,

I noticed. Akin was already zooming in on the video to show us what was on it. He stopped

zooming, then cleared up the resolution. I hoped against hope that it was a clue to the

whereabouts of my daughter and the others.

But it wasn’t.

It was something worse—something that really didn’t surprise me.

Winter / Ran 143

The short video showed three men out in the snow, all wearing Nitro gear. A piece of the

video looked blotted out for some reason. Before Akin had toyed with the video, it had looked

like a single mass earlier. But it was definitely three men.

And one of the men proceeded to shoot the other two in cold blood.

Fred and Ted, the two Jewish brothers, fell into the snow. The other man …

I frowned. Bob. I shook my head.

Bob had shot Fred and Ted.

“Son of a gun,” Devon said.

Didn’t surprise me at all. The guy was a racist, as shown by the way he treated Jamie and

then Devon, both black. And he had a nasty violent streak. He beat Nancy and threatened my

family with violence.

And then Akin zoomed in on Bob. In the video, Bob pulled out his necklace and kissed it.

Akin zoomed in a bit more and stopped when the image started to get fuzzy. On the necklace, I

saw a swastika, with the letters V.o.l.k.s.o.n engraved under it. And then it all started to click,

and it apparently clicked with the others too.

“Damn,” Akin said. “A Volkson?

I could only nod. The abuse and demeaning attitude toward women, the racist comments,

the German talking on the phone … It was Bob. And the resources Jim was talking about. It all

made sense to me now: Bob was a member of the Volksons, a large group of neo-Nazis who

claim to hate war. They believed all the major wars started because of the Jews, the blacks in

Somalia, those in the Middle East and a whole lot of other bull.

“So what do we do about this?” Russell asked.

Winter / Ran 144

I said nothing and walked out, followed by Devon. I turned and saw everyone else

coming out of the room. Then the power went out.

“Chris,” Akin said. He turned on a flashlight and shined it back and forth at us.

“I’m here,” Chris said. “Akin, call all the guards and tell the in-house electrician to check

the power.”

“Will do,” Akin then keyed the mic on his walkie-talkie. “All units be on alert. This is a

code red, repeat, code red.”

I already knew what this was.

“The house is powered by an underground generator,” Chris said. “Plus, the snow is still

outside the bio-dome that protects the mansion. So this isn’t the weather that shut down the

power.”

“No shit,” Devon said.

We all checked our weapons. I ran to Jim’s room first to see if he was okay. He wasn’t

there. I rejoined the group as Akin went ahead of us to the front door.

“I think that we’re about to be ambushed,” I said.

“Impossible,” Chris said. “Nobody can get inside the bio-dome without the head tower’s

permission.”

“That would make sense if you didn’t have a specially trained neo-Nazi inside your

house.”

“Head tower watchman,” Akin said into his radio. “Do you copy, over? Head tower, do

you copy, over?”

No answer.

“Try again,” Chris told Akin.

Winter / Ran 145

“Head tower, say something. Do you copy, over?” Akin said.

Krraarkkkk … came the static before a reply. “I hear you, gook.”

“What?” Akin said. “Who the hell is this?”

Krraggkkkk … “The man you’re all trying to kill. The man Mr. Mac has been trying to

kill since this all started.”

“Bob,” I said.

“I’ll confess I did kill the two Jew brothers. They smelled awful,” Bob said.

“That racist punk,” Devon said. “Come down and take your beating like a real man.”

“I’ll bring the noose down with me for you,” Bob responded.

“I knew you were bad news, Bob,” I said. “Didn’t think you would take it this far,

though.”

Bob laughed, then we heard gunshots outside.

Akin crept up to a window and peeked outside. “Oh man,” he whispered.

Hell, if Akin was saying that, then we were in some huge trouble. Chris also took a look

outside, and then we all did. Dozens of Nitro-clad Volksons ran around the grounds, shooting

guards.

Man …

Bob had to have a strong connection to this group for them to come out in the snow to get

him—and kill us.

Now the overhead speakers in the house crackled, then came Bob’s voice again. “How

does it feel to be on the other side of the totem pole, Zimmery?” He laughed yet again. “You

know, I may not have killed Nancy or Jamie, but I would’ve liked to stuff that black spot in the

washer too. But you … taking you down will be a much more worth-it prize.”

Winter / Ran 146

“Come down here, then, Bob,” I said. “Be a man, and face me. You want to take me out

just as much as I want to take you out, right? Then come down and let’s go. If I had known this

was going down, I would have done you in a long time ago.”

The doors burst open. Men wearing Nitro coats and skullcaps busted in, shooting up the

place. Spacey got hit in the chest and fell down, dead.

“Get back! Get back now!” Akin said.

We all ducked down and went for cover in whatever spots we could. Akin drew their fire

off as he continued to pop rounds at them, forcing them to take cover or lay low.

“Chris, Russell,” I whispered, “what division of the Army were you in?”

They looked at me funny, then Russell mumbled, “Uh, the Forty-Seventh.”

“That’s a good division.”

“So you know, huh?” Chris asked.

“Yeah, and I hope you know, me and Devon both served in Somalia, like you guys,”

Now the gunshots coming from the AKZ-47’s and automatic assault rifles grew louder.

The bullets were flying fast over us. Akin responded, but I knew we needed to get into the game.

“Listen,” I said, “it may have been a while, but the reason we all survived this far is

because of our training. We may be old, but we haven’t forgotten, right? Use that training and

let’s take these skinheads down.”

“Speak for yourself. I ain’t old,” Devon said. “Let’s go on three. One … two … now.”

Devon popped up and started firing his rifle, and as I rose up, I saw that he’d hit a few of

the Volksons. They fired back, though, and then Chris and I started to fire. Bullets were flying

everywhere, hitting bricks and stones, plates and pictures. It was a firefight at the front entrance.

The guards still inside the house slipped up next to us and laid down more gunfire at the enemy.

Winter / Ran 147

Even with the guards’ help, though, I knew we were outnumbered. The Volksons forced

us to keep moving back in the foyer. They threw grenades and gas bombs, trying to force us out

into the open. The guards thankfully delivered their own heavy fire, giving us just enough cover

to make a tactical move. Devon, Chris, Russell, and I all sprinted up the stairs to get to higher

ground—the best place to be in a gunfight, or any fight for that matter.

We all took cover behind the golden marble railings of the staircase. Chris looked plenty

ticked off at how his place was being overrun by these thugs.

“My paintings and my marble railings,” Chris said. “That all cost me over 23 million

dollars.”

Super-rich Chris, everybody’s getting shot up and you’re concerned about some home

designs that cost way too much and look terrible anyway?

A second later, Akin ran up the stairs toward us. He had his semiautomatics shooting

Volksons by pointing his weapons backward as he ran upstairs—like something out of a big-

budget Hollywood movie. And it was working for him too. Akin was taking out these slums with

style.

“Man, wish I could shoot like that in my heyday,” Devon said.

“Yeah, that along with me being James Bond,” I said.

Akin made it up to us and took a knee as the guards downstairs began falling one by one.

The Volksons just had too much firepower and too many men.

“We need to get to the top tower deck and close the bio-dome door that Bob opened to let

his friends in,” Akin said.

“Why?” Russell asked. “I don’t think he has a whole army out there.”

“No, but it’s enough to me, looks like,” Devon said.

Winter / Ran 148

“The bio-dome is pressurized,” Chris said. “If the dome is left open with the blizzard

outside, it will bring in more snow than normal.”

“Yeah, and eventually it will cause a huge crack in the dome,” Akin said, “and if that

happens, the pressure will be so massive, it will make this house vulnerable to outside elements.”

I thought about what Ralick had said and looked at the giant Shiva dry-ice statue. If that

thing comes alive with a bunch of snow hitting it, then we are all screwed. And I didn’t like

“boss” fights. Was never good at beating them back in my teen days of playing video games.

“Let’s move, then,” I said.

The five of us ran down the hall to the stairwell that would lead us up to the tower floor

as the last few guards bought us time. We approached the stairwell; a group of eight Volksons

jumped us from a nearby room.

“Ambush,” Akin said.

We all dove and rolled, aiming our weapons the best we could. They fired at us in kind. I

felt a bullet graze me, and I heard both Devon and Russell groan.

“You guys okay?” I asked.

Our fire had forced the Volksons back into their hiding place, but we were too exposed.

“Yeah, just nicked me,” Devon said.

“Me, too,” Russell said.

“How did they get up here?” I asked.

“Bob must have opened the back door for them,” Chris said.

“Scatter,” Akin said.

The Volksons burst back out of their ambuscade. I leapt into the next room to try to lure

some of them in so that I could give the others more of an advantage fighting the Volksons in the

Winter / Ran 149

hallway. Two of the Volksons rushed in after me. But they couldn’t find me. I watched as they

searched everywhere. I was where they should’ve checked first—behind the door they’d entered

through. Both of those idiots went inside the bathroom looking for me. I snuck up behind them

and tossed a grenade in there with them, then pulled the door shut on them. I dropped and rolled

under the bed. Another pair of Volksons came running into the room. They entered the room; the

bathroom blew up and sent both of them flying out the window. We were fighting on the second

floor, so their fall sounded loud and crunchy.

I crept back out to the doorway and saw Akin whipping up on three Volksons with some

pure Bruce Lee/Jackie Chan martial arts. I watched Akin fight, and I thought of an old, old

movie I’d seen, called The Matrix. Akin was doing semi-Matrix kung fu moves off the walls and

kicking the Volksons into the other rooms. Then Akin pulled out his semi-autos and popped

those jokers as they hit the bedroom floor.

Devon, meanwhile, was doing well holding his own against another Volkson. And Chris

and Russell were shooting back to back, one piggybacking off the other in excellent teamwork.

But we all knew we couldn’t stay here any longer. Once all of the Volksons had fallen, the five

of us proceeded down the hall and up to the third floor—only to encounter another group of

Volksons. The hall had widened here to form a sitting area with easy chairs and couches. We all

knew what to do and each of us grabbed the furniture and made cover for ourselves as we fired at

the enemy. We had trained for this type of combat. The Volksons had not, so they were

somewhat oblivious to what we were doing.

Chris, I noticed, kept glancing at the black door with the keycard recognition on it. He

gave Akin an old military hand signal to cover him. Akin gave him a hesitant look at first, but

Winter / Ran 150

Chris gave him the signal again. Akin nodded and they both headed over to the door. Akin kept

firing both semi guns on the Volksons, mowing them down as he covered Chris.

I watched as Chris pulled out a keycard and entered in a number code. He opened the

black door and went in, then the door shut behind him. Akin then rolled to the next easy chair,

getting closer to the Volksons as they continued to open fire. Devon, Russell, and I heard some

gunfire coming up the stairs behind us. Russell and I turned to see who it was. Two of Chris’s

guards were being forced up the stairs by the Volksons below. The two guards dropped at the top

of the stairs, both dead. Russell pulled out a charger and threw it down the stairs. It exploded and

blew some of the Volksons off the stairs.

“I know this house better than y’all do,” Russell said. “Stay up here while I attack from

downstairs.”

As he took off, I wondered for a moment how this man could be so brave in a battle

against armed men, but cower before a nagging woman. Guess some are just like that.

Devon and I kept our cover, ready to assist Akin. But by the looks of it, he really didn’t

need the help.

“Cover me,” Akin said. “I gotta head up the stairs to the tower and close the door.”

Unfortunately, we weren’t that good at covering fast-paced Akin. I mean, the guy could

take on whole squadrons of Volksons by himself. He saw that he wasn’t getting too far with us

covering him.

“Come on. I thought you guys were good at this,” Akin said.

“Hey, it’s been a minute since I’ve seen some action, man,” Devon said. “Give us a

break.”

Akin retreated back to us to help us fight off the Volksons.

Winter / Ran 151

“Let me head up to the tower and you stay here,” I said. “You’re doing a lot better job

here than we are.” It was true, but I also really wanted to get my hands on Bob.

“No, try covering me harder,” Akin replied.

Crap, this isn’t going so well.

I continued to fire as fast as I could against all the odds stacking up against Devon and

me. It was an unbelievable brawl.

“Hey, put your comlinks in,” Akin said.

He tapped his ear, and I remembered the comlinks that Chris had given to us—and for a

second, I wondered what in the world Chris was doing in that room. But, whatever … Devon and

I both shoved our comlinks into our ears as Akin laid down suppression fire. Then Akin nodded

and took off, and this time, he made it.

Devon and I each took turns firing at the Volksons from our cover in the hall. It felt like I

was in the military again, in Africa, in the war zone, watching after my brothers in arms. And

during this momentous time, I really needed a brother like Devon. My real brother Carl, he was

never there. He was always alone. That’s why I believed he hadn’t made it in Africa. But that

didn’t happen to me; I stuck with my team in that fight. Where bullets and missiles were flying

over us, bombs and chargers going off, and sparks hitting the iron poles of the war-torn city

streets. We were all we had there and we made it out together.

That’s how it felt again in here, in this house on this floor—just on a smaller scale. And

this time, Devon was the only one I had to back me up, and I was all he had. And that was just

fine with us.

The Volksons tried to rush our defenses while shouting to each other in German; I heard

Akin on the com.

Winter / Ran 152

“I made it to the tower. But there is no sign of Bob,” Akin said.

“He must have jetted right before you got there,” I said.

Even as I said it, I thought about how good the comlinks sounded, even with all the

raucous noise coming from the weapons around us.

“Arggh,” Akin grunted over the com. “Man, he really put a hit on the dome control

system. He damaged the doors to the point where they can’t function anymore. Crap. This is not

good.”

“What do we do now, to keep more of these punks from coming in?” Devon asked.

It’s not these guys I’m worried about, I thought. Eventually, an army, even a large one,

would run out of soldiers. What concerned me more was what’s out there: the snow. It is the

element that outnumbers us in every possible way imaginable.

“We have to leave now,” I said. “Akin, are there any other exits?”

“There’s the back door,” Akin said, “but the only way I can take you out the bio-dome is

through the front entrance.”

“Oh, gee, you mean the entrance that the Volksons are blocking?” I fired at the last

remaining Volkson in front of us, then shouted, “Clear.”

A second later, Akin burst through the stairwell doorway—carrying a handheld triple-fire

missile launcher.

“Yep,” he said with a small smile. “That’s the entrance I’m talking about.”

The three of us nodded at each other as Akin put the launcher on his back and pulled out

his semi-autos.

“What about Chris?” I asked.

“He’ll be fine,” Akin said. “Trust me.”

Winter / Ran 153

I shrugged and Devon nodded. We headed toward the main stairs and started to fire at the

Volksons still running around on the third and then second floors. Devon and I flanked Akin, and

fired from the sides. The Volksons had no way of protecting themselves. We made it to the last

flight of stairs and chased the fleeing Volksons toward the foyer, where Russell was covering the

entrance extremely well. I saw him ducking and rolling between support beams, all the while

dodging bullets. The Volksons just couldn’t handle the tight coordination of our attacks. Even

though they weren’t as skilled in gun combat like the four of us, they still had the advantage of

numbers and equipment.

We neared the bottom of the stairs; a couple of Volksons pulled out grenades and lobbed

them at us. Devon and I dove off the stairs and slammed into the marble floors. It forced us to

remember we weren’t as young as we used to be. Akin, on the other hand, had to show off and

front-flip off the steps. We all took cover under support beams to the mansion, like Russell.

“Come on, man,” I shouted to Akin. “Use that death pipe on your back.”

“Not yet,” Akin said. “I’m not in a good position. I would blow us all to kingdom come

before the Volksons ever got scratched by the debris.”

The blizzard outside already started to break apart the open front entryway of the bio-

dome. It sounded like a mad mob trying to break through. We felt the cold air blowing in as we

continued to fire. At least it seemed that no more Volksons were coming in through the bio-dome

entrance, which hopefully meant that they didn’t have anyone else to send in. I looked at the

front entry to the bio-dome again.

This isn’t going to end well.

“Akin. Shoot the missile so we can get out of here,” I said. “We’ll cover you.

“No, not yet,” Akin said.

Winter / Ran 154

The bullets coming from the Volksons started to get extremely overwhelming. I could

feel my heart starting to race again. I just didn’t think we were going to make it between the

Volksons and the snow outside.

“Ahh,” Devon said. “My eyes.”

Sparks rained down on him from bullets ricocheting here and there.

“Akin, for the love of God, trust me,” I said.

“No,” Akin said. “If I fire from his angle, I’ll kill us all.”

And then I heard a loud cracking sound. I looked outside again. The bio-dome entrance

was beginning to buckle under the weight of the snow trying to get in. I figured it could sense

our rising body heat, even from that distance, because there were so many of us in one confined

area.

“Akin, we’re going to die anyway if this keeps up,” I said. “Trust us, we’ll cover you.”

“Yeah, man, come on. We got you,” Devon said.

“Yeah, come on. Shoot the damn thing,” Russell said.

Akin grunted. “Okay, okay. I’ll shoot it already. You guys get into position.”

Devon, Russell, and I all ran for a support beam off to the side of the foyer.

“Ready,” I said.

We began to fire with everything we had.

“Where is Chris?” Russell asked.

“Man, forget him. Just keep firing,” Devon said.

Akin crept up behind us and loaded the launcher.

“Hurry up, man. I thought that thing was ready,” Devon said.

“Ah,” I grunted.

Winter / Ran 155

“Damn,” Russell said.

Russell and I both had taken a bullet, but our Nitro coats, along with the padding of our

clothes, kept the wounds from being fatal, plus I had on my bearskin overcoat. Akin finally

aimed the launcher at the door. Some of the Volksons caught on to what was about to happen to

them. They scattered like roaches. The missile fired … but Akin apparently miscalculated how

far it would go. It didn’t hit anybody or anything except what it shouldn’t have hit: the bio-dome

entrance that was already falling apart.

The concussion wave bulldozed its way through the front doors and into the house. We

all fell to the ground, blown back by the blast. Everything began shaking, falling, and tipping

over. The ceiling above us crumbled a bit and drinking glasses on a nearby table shattered.

We all just looked at Akin, and Akin looked at us like it was our fault. Maybe it was. He

did say he wasn’t in a good position. But I think it was just poor aiming on his part, probably

because of the pressure of the situation.

And then we all heard it, the wind and snow rushing in through the wide-open bio-dome

entrance.

The snow rushed in like a river busting through a dam. As we gathered our wits, all we

saw were Volksons running around and getting snatched up by the snow—like a wave of death

plucking fruit for the harvest. The four of us took cover in a nearby room. From our vantage

point, we saw tentacles emerging from the snow, biting and striking the Volksons. The rising

tentacles struck and impaled the Volksons. I felt like puking at the horror of it. Blood was mixing

with snow.

The Volksons tried to shoot at the snow, and some of the bullets did break up the

tentacles coming after them. But when one tentacle was destroyed, two more grew.

Winter / Ran 156

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

“Help. Help.”

“Noooooooo.”

The Volksons—grown men—screamed in fear and agony, something I’d never really

gotten used to.

“Guys,” I said. “Stay calm or the snow will be after us, too.”

“He’s right,” Akin said. “Try to maintain steady breathing, and our Nitro suits will take

care of masking our normal body heat.”

“Okay, okay, fine,” Devon said, “but we still need to jet.”

“How?” Russell asked. “The front entrance is blocked by the snow now. And no missile

is gonna stop that.”

“Hey, where is Chris anyway?” I asked Akin.

He didn’t respond, too focused on the horror all around us.

“Is there another way out? Akin, what about that black door? Hey, Akin!”

“Yes, but …”

“Akin. Look at me. If you don’t help us, we will all die in here. I know you’re getting

paid to help Chris escape. But you won’t get anything if you’re dead too.”

He sighed and then nodded.

But just then, the snow cascaded its way farther into the foyer—all the way to the Shiva

statue … No.

“Akin,” I said. “We need to move now.”

I pointed at the statue.

“Oh my God,” Russell said.

Winter / Ran 157

The snow crept up and over the statue, engulfing it.

And then one of Shiva’s arms moved, followed by the other three—wielding two spears

and two swords.

The god of death was no longer just a statue. It was real. The snow had made it real.

Shiva was alive.

“There,” Akin said, then pointed to some stairs down the hallway from us.

But we would have to do it quietly and calmly to avoid the snow—and Shiva. We crept

toward the steps; Shiva stepped off the dais it was standing on.

“Move,” I whispered.

Akin led the way to the stairs, and the four of us went up to the third floor.

“Head to the black door,” Akin told us.

Once in front of the black door, Akin pulled out a charger and stuck it on the keyhole. We

all took a step back. Akin fired at it and it blew a neat hole in the door and disabled the locking

mechanism. Akin kicked the door open with his guns pointing at the room.

“Turn on the flashlights on your weapons,” Akin said.

We did as he said. I noticed that Akin had a nervous look on his face. I hadn’t known

him that long, but I’d never seen him this tense before. Even in the snow late last year, he never

showed that kind of fear.

We stepped into the room behind Akin, our flashlights showed nothing but a dingy-

looking staircase heading down somewhere.

What in the world? Where did Chris go?

I glanced over at Akin, who still looked about ready to wet himself.

Winter / Ran 158

What is down there that has Akin so spooked? Whatever it was, it gave me the spook

bumps too.

We just stood there, staring at the staircase. I wondered where Bob was … and Jim?

Damn. Wish we’d been able to get to him. Hope Jimbo is okay. And Ralick, too …

I could hear the Volksons downstairs still screaming in pain, and I knew the statue was

slicing them up, along with the snow devouring their flesh. So far, we had no safe place to go.

My brother once said to me, and I think he got this from a movie or something:

“Sometimes, the only way out is to go farther in.” This staircase looked like it was about to take

us into a place we really didn’t want to go. I’d heard stories of rich guys having dirty secrets

locked deep in their homes, so deep that their wives didn’t know about them. So what dirty

secret was Chris keeping? Whatever it might be, I hoped it was just a dirty place for us to get out.

But the way Akin was looking, I didn’t think that’s all it was.

“Well, what are we standing here looking pretty for? Let’s go,” Devon said.

“Give me a minute,” Akin said.

He took a deep breath and then seemed to be gasping for air—and gasping really hard at

that. We all looked at him.

“Akin, you okay?” Russell asked.

Akin blinked his eyes really fast. “Yeah, I guess I’ll have to be.”

I didn’t know what he meant by that, but I knew it couldn’t be good.

“Whatever you do, stay behind me,” Akin said.

In the spooky gleam of our flashlights, Russell, Devon, and I looked at each other.

“Okay,” I said.

Winter / Ran 159

We proceeded down the stairs, into the black abyss where something awaited us—

something that not even Akin wanted to face.

But something felt different as we descended. It was really, really hot.

Winter / Ran 160

The Winter

January 5-6, 2050

The temperature in the stairwell continued to rise. I could feel my heart once again

tightening up as we plunged farther down the stairs. Suddenly, we all heard and felt an explosion

from somewhere else in the house, upstairs from where we’d already descended to.

Bam. Boom. Ahhhhhhsuuuahsa.

“What the?” Devon said.

Those sounds reminded me all too much of the days in Africa when it was wholesale

death and destruction.

“Just keep moving,” I said.

We all knew what was going on up there. But I didn’t want to think about it. Too much

was on my plate to chew and swallow already. Devon and Russell both looked worried. I think

we were all worried that Akin was worried. He started to breathe heavier and heavier as we

continued down the stairs. And it got hotter and hotter. It felt so humid. I never thought I would

be sweating this bad in this time of desperation. We all were being taken to the most extreme

parts of our minds and bodies. I hurried to get closer to Akin.

“What’s the problem?” I asked him.

“What problem?” he replied.

“You’re sweating more than the rest of us. And I know that the sweat you sweating ain’t

the sweat the rest of us are sweating.”

Akin looked at me like I was reciting a poorly written line from a movie or something.

“I’m getting myself together for what’s about to happen,” he said.

Winter / Ran 161

“Uhh … What’s going to happen?” Russell asked.

Akin took a deep breath. “Have any of you ever read the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Hyde?”

“Yeah I mean, I heard of it but I never read it,” Devon said.

Russell and Devon both looked at me, but I just shrugged. I had no idea what Akin was

trying to tell us.

We finally reached the bottom of the stairs, only to face yet another door.

“What’s that noise?” Russell said.

We listened. It sounded like … Someone screaming?

“Whatever happens,” Akin said, “don’t look into its eyes. Just go to the door on the other

end of the room. Don’t stop moving, no matter what you see.”

“Uh, okay, but who was that screaming?” Devon asked.

Now we heard someone talking on the other side of the door. It sounded like two men

going back and forth. And when the screams started back up, they sounded like those of a

woman.

I didn’t even want to imagine what Chris had going on down here. But those stories of

super-rich guys with crazy underground secrets seemed to be true. We all readied our weapons.

“I think I’d much rather prefer to be upstairs than down here in this place,” Russell said.

Either way you look at it, it ain’t good at all.

The screams grew louder. Then we heard what sounded like someone smacking

something or someone. With each blow came a scream from the woman. My heart skipped a beat

each time I heard it. I’d never been this scared before, not even when I was in Africa.

Winter / Ran 162

I was surprised to see Akin put away his weapon and then crack his knuckles like he was

readying for a brawl. Akin turned the doorknob and we entered a room filled with red light, the

screams of horror now louder than ever. Then we saw it. We saw what Akin was so afraid of,

and let me tell you, it was crazier then walking into a nuthouse.

We saw a woman wearing a red gown. She had long brunette hair and red lipstick on.

Actually, I couldn’t tell if it was red lipstick or blood on her mouth. She had bruises all over her

exposed skin, like somebody had beaten her with a cast-iron pan. She looked dazed and out of

her mind. Someone had beaten this woman senseless. And as we came farther into the room, we

saw exactly who it was.

Chris?

And he was talking to someone … but I saw no one else in the room. And then it hit me.

He’s talking to himself?

“Okay, okay. You got what you wanted, now let her go,” Chris said, pacing around the

room.

“Let her go?” he responded to himself in a much deeper voice. “I told you, I have to go

all the way if you want us to succeed in saving Johnny.”

“You never said you would go this far. Please don’t kill her.”

“Why not? What has this whore done to deserve another chance to live again?

“It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t her fault.”

“Then whose fault was it? Not mine. I was the one who saved us, who kept us alive—was

the one who survived.”

Oh my God … I had heard about enough of this insanity.

“Hey.” I said.

Winter / Ran 163

The two-talking Chris snapped his head in our direction, glaring right at me with raging

bloodshot eyes. I’d never seen anything like those eyes before. He looked like a completely

different person, like some force of evil was living in him.

“Chris, what the hell are you doing?” Russell asked.

Chris started to walk toward us, and as he did so, he gave the woman in the red gown

another smack in the face—a smack so loud that it echoed throughout the entire room and

through me as well.

“Chris?” the deep voice said to Russell. “I’m not Chris, at least not at this moment …

Russell.”

What the…?

“Who … or what are you?” Devon asked.

Chris—or whoever this guy was—ignored Devon and turned his attention toward Akin.

“Why did you bring them down here, Akin?” Chris asked. “You know this place is off

limits.”

He turned and hit the woman again. She was bleeding from her nose and ears. I clenched

my fists and thought about what Bob did to Nancy, how he would beat her and hurt her. This

man, this creature that Chris revealed himself to be, was acting just like that, only worse. But

then I thought about how I’d hit Daphne so hard that she’d ran away from the house.

Another smack from Chris brought me back to reality. “Enough,” I said.

Chris ignored me. “Akin,” he roared. “Why did you bring them here?”

Akin didn’t move an inch, and he looked like he was terrified out of his mind.

“Answer me,” Chris said.

He hit the woman again, and this time, it looked like she was ready to pass out.

Winter / Ran 164

“I told you to stop,” I said.

I felt my face get hot and my heart thumping in my chest as I walked up to Chris. He

didn’t seem to notice my approach, though, and pulled back to hit the woman again. I reached

out to push him away from the woman.

“Zim, no, don’t touch him,” Akin said.

When I tried to shove Chris away, I ended up falling backward to the ground.

How in the world did that happen?

Chris hadn’t even touched me. As I started to get up, I felt burning sensations on the skin

of my hands, like I had touched something hot.

What the hell is going on here?

I looked up to see Chris turning his bloodshot eyes toward me. His gaze seemed to me as

if it could’ve easily eaten through my soul.

“You don’t know what you just got yourself into, bud,” he said.

Then he balled up a fist and threw a punch at me. But I felt Akin’s hands push me out of

the way. Chris grunted when his momentum carried him forward and he slammed into the

concrete floor.

“Oh my God,” Devon whispered.

I looked down at Chris. He had put a hole through the concrete with the fist he’d aimed at

me.

Holy …

I felt my eyes grow larger. My brain must have transmitted to me that my face had almost

been crushed by this lunatic. Chris snarled, then leapt up and charged at us.

“Move,” Akin said.

Winter / Ran 165

The four of us tried to dodge and block his attacks, but Chris seemed inhumanly stronger

and faster. And the blows he landed hurt like someone had smashed me with a brick—a really

hot brick, as his fists also burned my skin. The others, too, seemed to be getting hammered, and

Chris’s blows opened skin in several places and we were all bleeding in a matter of moments. I

couldn’t believe it. I’d never felt physical pain like that before—ever.

I dodged a blow and noticed that Chris’s skin had turned red. He pivoted and came at me

so fast, I couldn’t juke him. His fist slammed me so hard in the stomach that I threw up.

“Enough,” someone said.

Then I saw a booted foot strike Chris in the chest. He flew back and landed flat on the

ground. I blinked a few times and through the haze of the pain, I saw that Akin was standing

there in some kind of martial arts stance, ready to face Chris.

“Get out of here,” Akin said. “Take the exit over there that leads out from under the

house.”

He pointed to a door on our left. I didn’t hesitate, and neither did Devon and Russell. But

as we headed toward the door Akin had indicated, we stopped in front of the woman. Devon

reached up and tried to release her bonds.

“Leave her alone,” Chris said.

He leaped and tried to kick Devon, but Akin blocked his kick with a forearm.

“Akin, you made a bad decision bringing them down here,” Chris said.

“I didn’t want to, but it was the only way for us to escape,” Akin said.

“If you had just waited for me to come back, I would have taken care of everything.”

Chris jumped at Akin, but Akin dodged him and said, “Sorry, but I couldn’t chance that. I

couldn’t chance you leaving us or killing your wife just to bring it out even more.”

Winter / Ran 166

“Hurry up,” Devon hissed as I tried to cut the woman’s bonds with my pocketknife.

“Ex-wife, Akin,” Chris said. “And she has nothing to do with you. This is payment from

Chris. This is payment for what she did to him—and to me.”

Akin slammed a fist into Chris’s midsection and sent him reeling.

“Yeah, I know,” Akin replied. “You just can’t let go of the past. You can’t get it out of

your head. You can’t seem to forgive and forget. You keep it deep inside of you until you

become heated with uncontrollable rage. You think about all the bad that people have done to

you in your life. But you were too afraid to lose what you had over them, too afraid to lose your

money and wealth. So you created a persona that could separate you from your own madness.”

Akin was saying all this to Chris, but I think he was also trying to inform us as well as to

what we were dealing with. Akin even glanced in our direction once while Chris got himself up

from the floor.

“You never could just let it go, could you?” Akin said. “That’s why you hired me to

protect you. Not from other people, but from yourself. Because you have a very bad habit of

holding a grudge.’”

“Wait. No way,” Russell whispered. “He’s the Grudge?”

“Just hurry up, guys,” Devon said.

But I slowed down in my cutting at the last of the woman’s bonds. And then it hit me—

finally. Jim and Eric had mentioned “the Grudge” to Lateia’s kids back at the house.

Oh man …

It all started to come together. I recalled past stories, news bits, from years ago, all about

a ruthless killer who beat people to death. But the police had said they’d captured him, and then

the Grudge died from a heart attack, likely due to the constant strains of anger on his body. At

Winter / Ran 167

the time, pre-Snowman, the Grudge had been considered one of, if not the most violent man in

the country.

And then it hit me: Chris had mentioned the Grudge in the phone call I’d tapped into—

Wait. He was talking to himself that whole conversation? Oh God … Now we have to deal with

three psychos …

“You’re still here?” Akin asked.

I looked over at Akin. He had Chris in a headlock.

“Zim, go now,” Akin said.

I turned and saw that the woman was gone. I looked toward the door and found that

Devon, Russell, and the woman were heading out.

“C’mon, man,” Devon said. “We’ve been yelling for you.”

I shook my head. I’d apparently been in so much shock that I didn’t even realize what

had been going on around me. I wanted to help Akin, but at the same time, I wanted to leave so I

could live to get my hands on Bob and the Snowman. But I couldn’t just leave Akin. But what

choice did I have? Akin and the Grudge continued to fight, the two of them looking like

something out of a video game. Punches and kicks flew, and several bone-jarring blows landed.

Finally, I went through the door and started running down a dimly lit, cramped hallway with a

dirt floor. As I continued to sprint, I felt the air getting hotter and hotter. I could feel the sweat

pouring off of me under the bearskin and Nitro coat. I wondered if we were close to a boiler

room or something, since most homes this big had their essential utilities deep underground.

Stay focused. Find Devon and Russell and the girl.

But then I heard a loud pop farther down the hall, and then a loud scream. “Ahhhhh.”

The woman again?

Winter / Ran 168

I slowed down and lifted my shotgun, ready to fire at whoever might be coming at me. At

the same time, I noticed my heart started to beat really fast, just like it had when I was fighting

off the bear. Then, from around a curve in the hallway, I heard some loud footsteps and heavy

breaths, like someone was panting. I stopped and raised my shotgun.

But it was the woman.

She stumbled, stopped, and almost fell to the ground. “Oh God please,” she said. She

looked up at me with fear in her eyes. “God not another one, please.” She backpedaled away

from me.

“Calm down,” I said. “I’m on your side. I helped free you.”

She looked at my face and then at my outfit. Finally, I could see her shoulders relax a

little. Devon and Russell must have tried to clean her up along the way, because she didn’t look

as bloody as before. Even with all the bruises and marks on her face, it was hard not to notice

that she was a very beautiful woman.

“That’s right,” I said. “I’m here to help. Now calm down and tell me your name.”

She hesitated, looked at the ground, then whispered, “It’s … It’s … Vera. Vera

Monicaious.”

“Vera, nice to meet you. I’m Zimmery Mac, but you can call me Zim,” I wanted to get

moving again. “Okay, now, the two men that got you out, the two men who you escaped with,

where are they?”

“The … two men? Yeah … they … uh … they were heading down this way. Maybe to

the boiler room … I-I think.”

“Knew there had to be a boiler room down here.”

Winter / Ran 169

“But I-I-I think they got shot … by some man. Oh God.” She began sobbing. “Make it

stop. Please.”

“Shhhhh. Shhh. It’s okay. I’m here. This man, what did he look like?”

“He … ah … He looked like he … had tattoos … a lot of tattoos all over him.”

Bob.

“Get behind me,” I said.

She tiptoed her way behind me and grabbed my right arm. “You’re … You’re not going

that way, are you?”

I nodded. “It’s the way out. Plus, I gotta get the other guys—and the punk who shot

them.”

“No. God please no. I don’t want to go back there.”

I sighed. “Well, you can always head back to the red room with the psycho.”

She swallowed, shook her head, and then didn’t say anything else after that. When I

glanced back at her again and saw her up close, I recognized her from the pictures hanging on

the Christmas tree.

Chris’s wife … or ex-wife.

The hallway got even hotter as we crept forward. We were definitely getting closer to the

boiler room. Finally, to my left, I spotted a door marked Boiler Room. Then I looked ahead and

saw another door with an Exit sign on it.

I stopped and turned toward Vera. “Okay, look, you see that door up ahead? Go through

it and get out of here.”

“No,” she said, “oh my God. Are you crazy? I’m not going out there wearing this. God

please no.”

Winter / Ran 170

Zim, you dope. The snow will kill her in a heartbeat, I thought.

I took off my fur coat and gave it to her. “The snow shouldn’t bother you if you’re

wearing this. Just cover yourself as thoroughly as possible.”

She took the coat and looked at me. “What? No … no. It … How do you know this thing

will protect me?”

“Because that thing saved me. Now go.”

She put the coat on, then slowly headed toward the door.

Then Vera turned back toward me. “Come with me. Please.”

I shook my head. “Shh. I’ll walk you to the door, okay?”

We walked to the door, and I pushed it open. It was still night, and it was still snowing—

and the bio-dome apparently didn’t reach this far out on Chris’s property.

“Hide somewhere, or get as far away as possible,” I said.

“Come find me. Please. Please come find me.”

I nodded. “We’ll try. Now go.”

And with that, she was gone. I closed the door and backtracked to the boiler room

entrance. I opened it, thankful that it didn’t creak. Inside, I found a few staircases and walkways.

It looked like a really big boiler room. With the animal fur off me, at least I could breathe a little

easier. I made sure I covered all the angles in and around my line of fire. I stepped forward, and I

noticed Russell on the floor to my right, writhing in pain. Looked like he’d been shot in the arm.

He didn’t see me, though, and I didn’t call for him. I figured Bob might be using Russell as bait

so he could shoot me from a higher position.

I kept my sight on the staircases and walkways surrounding me, and began to creep

forward to Russell. Just then, Russell turned and noticed me. His eyes went wide.

Winter / Ran 171

“Zim,” he said.

I put my finger over my lips, but it was too late. I heard a shot, and soon a bullet came

whizzing past me. Definitely from high up on one of the walkways.

I grabbed Russell by the arm and dragged him out of the firing line. Then I headed to the

nearest stairs leading up to one of the walkways.

“Come on out, Bob,” I said, hoping to get an idea of where he was.

But I didn’t get a response. I continued up the stairs. I saw a body lying on the walkway

ahead of me. I crept forward and looked at the face.

“Wha … Bo… Bob ?”

I felt a sharp pain hit the side of my head. My knees buckled and I fell to the ground. The

room became a blur. I heard footsteps creep up behind me. I raised my aching head and saw a

dark image hover over me like some demonic ghost.

“Mr. Mac,” The voice said, with an African accent. “Nice to see you’re in good health.

Well, as healthy as someone in your condition can be.”

I tried to decipher the voice. It sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite make it out yet.

“Who … who is this?” I asked.

“I’m the one who killed your family, well Nancy and Jamie to be exact. I killed them, just

like you killed my children.”

My ears perked up. And my heart began to beat faster. “Your … your children?”

“You remember when you were in Africa right? You and your unit infiltrated a weapons

cabin in East Point.”

East Point? East Point? Oh God, East Point. I knew who it was when he said that.

Winter / Ran 172

“You killed all those kids in that cabin. Those children were my future, my soul, and you

ruined it for me.”

My head stopped spinning, and the image in front of me was becoming clearer. I started

to notice two bodies now in front of me, one standing behind the other. The one in front stepped

forward and brought his palm closer to my face. He was holding what appeared to be a set of

dark pebbles. “You see this … in my hand Zimmerth?” he asked. “It’s grown in Columbia and in

Sennsunngeta. It comes from a tree in my land, which produces Scopolamine. You know what

that is, don’t you?”

Scopolamine, of course I do, that stuff was used to make that horrible weapon, the

Devil’s Whisper.

This son of a— he, I know this guy. But how did he get way out here?

I tried to focus my eyes on his face, the one thing I couldn’t make out yet.

“This stuff is so good,” he said. “For one, it made Nancy see monsters. She saw a horde

of monsters bursting through her stomach, shot herself three times just to stop it.”

He waved the evil seeds in front of my face. I reeled my head back from its scent, making

sure I didn’t come under its control.

“How and why do you think Lane was able to get outside in the snow? After I left the

attic, I showed her the Whisper. You were still standing around upstairs, indulging yourself in

your guilt trip fantasies. Hours had passed and you didn’t even know it. I watched as you stared

into oblivion, allowing the effects of DRB to you hold in place, while everything around you

became non-existent.”

I began to see the face better, but it wasn’t an African man. He was white.

Winter / Ran 173

“She was under my control, they all were. I made them all just sit in that living room like

zombies. I made Lane watch as I killed Jamie. She came down looking for the two of us. I put

Jamie under the drug’s control and told her not to scream, as I broke her body and stuffed her in

the washier. Then I told Lane to go far out into the snow and play, and she did. She went out into

the snow and played, heh—only to be picked up by the Snowman. I mean what are the odds of

that, huh?”

Damn him. “When,”

“When?”

“When did you—”

“Oh, when? I gotcha. You remember when I insisted I come with you right? All I wanted

was to see the look on your face when you knew you would never see your little girl again. You

remember that, don’t you?”

His voice was recognizable now, and his face was as clear as day. It made my eyes hurt.

“Don’t you, Zim,” Jim said with Joseph Kion’s voice.

His English had gotten better too.

He put the seeds back in his pocket. “Don’t want to turn you into a zombie Zim. You

need to be here, when your death occurs.” To the left of him was Devon, on his knees, with a

gun pointed at his head. His eyes were red and watery. He looked like he was in a daze. Kion

must’ve given him some of the Whisper. I looked back at the face of my cousin, now with the

voice of my enemy.

“Jim, Ho … How,” I said.

Winter / Ran 174

“How? Oh, the face? Well, I’m sure Jimbo told you about that tumor he had removed

right? Well, not only did they take something out, they put something in too, my brain. He had

that surgery at a base camp in Somalia right? I mean come on, really? That’s too close to home.

“To get back at you, I made sure I put the best brain transplant surgeon in the country on

my payroll. Everyone in that operating room was in on it.”

A brain transplant? Of course, the experiments we uncovered in Somalia. Jim must’ve

got caught or something, and they, oh God.

“What did you do with his—”

“Oh that thing is in the trash can, heehahahh. I’ve been in this body for some time now. I

wanted to get to know you myself, instead of reading the reports given to me or watching the

secret videos we had of you and your family.”

“Videos?”

“Oh yeah, lots of research, heheha.”

“You, you bastard,” I said, clenching my free hand into a fist.

“I hope the Snowman takes his time with your Lane—and this ugly dark spot’s kid I got

right here.”

Kion grabbed the back of Devon’s neck with his free hand and squeezed it. Devon

grunted, his eyes leaped up and he stared straight at me. He used the little room Kion gave him to

shake his head, signaling to me that he was aware of where he was. The Whisper must’ve worn

off. I quickly looked back at Kion, hoping he didn’t notice that Devon was regaining his mental

faculties. He didn’t.

Winter / Ran 175

This prick hadn’t changed a bit. He still liked to boast and monologue. I figured I use that

bad habit of his to buy me some time, until I figured out my next move. But even more so, I

wanted the truth.

“So … upstairs, that’s when you drugged Nancy?” I asked.

He nodded.

“And then the others rushed up after hearing her scream. But Bob was up there already

wasn’t he? So it made sense to put the blame on him. Just like you knew I would.”

“Bob knew what I was and what I was doing,” Kion said. “After he took a dump, he

came into Nancy’s room and caught me red handed. He recognized the seeds in my hand, big

time. He was smart, but he knew better.

“That’s why I told him—outside the cave—I would pay him well if he helped me kill you,

when the time was right. Despite still believing I was your real cousin, he didn’t argue. He took a

picture of me with this face and sent it to his crew. At this point, they’re at my disposal. But then

Fred and Ted spotted us. And well … we just had to tie that knot.”

“So you both killed Fred and Ted, but how come we didn’t see you on the footage?”

“Pzzuhha, I have connections in very high places Zim, high enough to erase any footage

of me on any recording. Again, how you think I got this far? I wanted us all to head back to the

house, so I could make you watch as I killed your new friends and family right in front of you.

Just like I made Lane watch.

“But after you guys found that footage, Bob got cold feet. He called his crew before that

came to fruition. We headed down here to escape the fire and the impending snow attack.

Unlocking the big black door was easy, for me at least. But I didn’t care for the woman we

passed, hehehahaeea.”

Winter / Ran 176

That laugh, that freaking laugh made me sick to my stomach. He sounded like a hideous

hyena. The rage I had in my gut when I first met him returned. The memories of Jesse and

Walt’s death ran through my mind, along with the cold faces of Nancy and Jamie.

“After we made it to this boiler room,” Kion said. “I decided that Bob’s involvement was

no longer necessary. So I did the world a favor.”

And then right after, this psycho must’ve attacked both Russell and Devon. This freaking

monster.

“How long did you think I wasn’t going to find out who you really were?”

“It didn’t matter, because as soon as you did, you would’ve been dead.”

“Whatever, you sick …” I trailed off when I saw Devon’s hand reach for something on

his belt. “You sick piece of garbage. I will kill you right here and now.”

“Ha. I’ve heard that before, Zim. You couldn’t—”

I watched as Devon stabbed Kion in the arm with a short knife.

“Ahhhhhh,” Kion said.

Kion let go of Devon and shot a round at him as he tried to get to cover. The bullet must

have grazed Devon in the head, as I saw a bloody streak on his left temple. I rushed at Kion.

Devon fell down the stairs and dropped to the floor, unconscious.

I let my shotgun hang loose off my shoulder, because I didn’t want to use my gun on

Kion. At this angle I could’ve hit an important pipeline and blown us all to hell.

A fast strike with my right hand knocked the pistol from Kion’s grip, but he moved faster

than I thought and in one smooth motion pulled out a knife and swiped at me.

I grunted as the blade made a small cut on my left cheek, but I kept my focus because

Kion kept coming. This time, he cut the edge of my coat. On Kion’s next slice, though, I caught

Winter / Ran 177

his hand and stepped around him, twisting and dislocating his shoulder, forcing him to drop the

blade.

“Ah. Damn you,” he said.

Kion didn’t quit, though. He kicked me in the thigh, shoving me back toward the railing

of the walkway. I righted myself. Kion sprinted up the next set of steps and went toward the

boiler. I chased him up the stairs, watching as Kion slammed his shoulder against the boiler,

trying to pop it back into place. Before he could turn to face me, I grabbed his head.

“You’re using the wrong body part,” I said.

And then I rammed his head into the boiler. He recoiled off of it, then he head-butted me

with the back of his head. I saw stars and stumbled back a bit. Kion took advantage and used his

good arm to knock me sideways, off the edge of the walkway. I went over the edge, but I caught

the lip of the walkway with my right hand and hung on. I tried to scramble back up; I saw Kion

pop his shoulder back into place by slamming it against the boiler again. He screamed and then

took a few steps back to get himself together. Then he came toward me and stomped on my

fingers. As much as it hurt, I still hung on, and before he could stomp again, I grabbed his right

foot and yanked him off his feet. He fell down, but immediately kicked me in the face as I tried

to get up and over. This time, I couldn’t hang on. I fell to the lower walkway and landed on my

back, knocking all the wind out of me.

I struggled to roll over and get up. While still on my hands and knees, I saw Kion limping

down the stairs and heading toward me. I got up in time to block his punch. I held onto his arm

and threw a flurry of lefts into his stomach. Kion had training, though; I could tell by how he

handled himself. But he was still no match for the training I’d received from the Marines.

Winter / Ran 178

Kion began to weaken; I rammed the palm of my left hand into his nose. I heard a thick

crunch and then …

“Arrrrgh,” Kion said.

I let go of his arm, and he fell to the walkway floor and began to crawl away from me. I

grabbed his legs and yanked him toward me, then drove a knee into his back. I knelt on him,

grabbed his head, and bashed it against the walkway.

“Let’s see how you like it, prick, I said. “What’s your name?

I bashed his head against the walkway again. “What is your freaking name?

Blam.

A shot rang out and a split second later, I felt a bullet punch through my shoulder. I

groaned, then fell off Kion and scooted back to get some cover from the bullets still coming at

me. That’s when I noticed that two of the Volksons had made it down here. I grabbed my

shotgun in one hand and my pistol in the other, but I wasn’t in a good position to fire at them.

But Kion was now in a perfect position to finish me, I saw. He picked up the pistol he’d

dropped and pointed it at me. “He killed Bob you guys,” Kion said in Jim’s voice.

Crap, smart move.

Kion steadied the pistol by adding his left hand to his grip. He aimed at my face and

—“Ahhhhhhhhhhh,” Kion said.

An arrow had pierced him straight through the back and out the front of his chest. But he

still managed to pull the trigger on his pistol. The bullet aimed for my skull ricocheted off a

nearby wall and hit the boiler. I looked up in time to see the two Volksons falling off an upper

walkway, both shot dead by arrows. I glanced around—and saw Ralick. He stood across the

room on one of the highest staircases, with a crossbow in his hands.

Winter / Ran 179

In front of me, Kion fell down to his knees and flopped forward onto his face. I assumed

he was dead. For Nancy, Jamie, Walt, Jesse and everyone else you killed you Motherfuc—

“Survival of the fittest my friend,” Ralick said.

He was one level away now, heading down toward me. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Not really, but I’ll live,” I replied. “You were right about the ice sculpture.”

He stepped over Kion and knelt before me. “Of course I was. I know the snow. I know

how it works. I know people that know people that know how it works. That’s why he has my

son.”

I eyed him. “Huh? Your son? Who has your son?”

“The one who preys on the weak. The one who preyed on you, my friend.” His eyes

gazed at the flooring.

The Snowman.

And then I remembered the Snowman saying on the phone a name like “R Junior” or

something. Before I could say anything, a loud hiss drew my attention and Ralick’s too.

“The boiler,” I said.

The bullet had hit something vital.

“We have to get out of here,” I said, standing up with Ralick’s help. “Grab Russell—he’s

downstairs—and I’ll get Devon over there.”

“Okay.”

I headed for Devon; I could only imagine if the boiler blew, everybody would be going

up in flames. I wondered about Akin and Chris as well. But I figured they could handle

themselves, especially Akin. I saw Ralick grab Russell—and one of the Volksons’ rifles—as I

reached for Devon.

Winter / Ran 180

His eyelids fluttered open and he moaned. “Huh? Uh, what? Am … Am I dead?” Devon

asked.

“Not yet.”

With Ralick and Russell right behind us, I helped Devon out of the boiler room. Then I

opened the exit door and we walked out in the cold wonderland once more. It was early morning,

with just enough light to see. A few wisps of snow continued to swirl in the air around us. I

double-checked to make sure Russell and Devon had on their Nitro gear. They did, and so did I.

Ralick, of course, had on his animal fur coat, so he was set.

“Look,” Devon whispered.

From behind a large tree, Vera emerged, shivering in the bearskin coat.

“Still here?” I asked her.

“Where was I supposed to go?” she said.

“So the animal fur worked for you, huh? You can thank ol’ Ralick here.”

Vera looked at Ralick and just frowned. Ralick didn’t look too thrilled to see her, either.

“Great, we’re out of here. Now … Now what?” Russell said groaning.

Ralick picked up some snow with his fur gloves. Then he packed the snow into both

Russell’s and Devon’s injuries.

“What the…?” I said.

“Ahhhh. What are you doing?” Devon said.

“Ralick stop,” I said.

I pulled Ralick off of them, but he just shook his head.

“It’s okay,” Ralick said. “I’m good at this, my friend. See?”

I looked down and saw the snow eating away at the blood seeping out of their injuries.

Winter / Ran 181

“No way,” I whispered.

Ralick had slapped on just enough snow for it to consume the blood of their wounds.

Pure genius.

A second later, Ralick brushed off the snow and pulled out a wad of bandages along with

several strips of what looked like animal skin.

“Bleeding’s stopped, so let’s get you covered up,” Ralick said.

He dressed the wounds and then wrapped them in the animal skins.

“Wow,” I said. “Just genius, Ralick. You may dress crazy, but you know your stuff.”

He laughed and nodded.

I looked around the grounds and realized that we were at the southern end of the

mansion, right at the edge of a high hill that led down into the woods.

“How are we going to get down from here?” Vera asked.

She still sounded scared, but she seemed calm enough, thankfully. We didn’t need any of

her super-rich attitude out here.

“We can make it,” Ralick said. “The woman and I have our animal fur, and you three

have your fancy coats that protect you.”

I nodded, but pursed my lips. “No …” I shook my head. “No … I can’t leave Akin.”

“No,” Vera said. “Chris … the Grudge … He’ll kill you.”

I shrugged. “Maybe. But maybe Akin got him back under control. I need to try. Can’t

leave a man behind.”

“I don’t want to wait,” Vera said. “I want out of here.”

Winter / Ran 182

“Fine,” I said. “Ralick, get her down the hill to safety somewhere, okay? And then come

back if you can. I’ll hurry inside and get Akin, then we’ll get these two out of here … if that’s all

right with you two?”

I asked, looking from Russell to Devon.

“Yeah, man,” Devon said. “Do it. Akin’s worth saving.”

“Go for it,” Russell said. “We’ll rest here.”

“Okay, let’s move,” I said.

And with that, Ralick took Vera down the hill and I headed back into the underbelly of

the house. I sprinted down the long, hot hallway, passing the boiler room that was ready to

explode and blow the mansion sky high. The adrenaline in my body felt like it was at an all-time

high. I got closer to the red room. I saw some Volksons come around the curve in the hallway. I

fired off a few rounds from my pistol. Three of them fell to the ground. Two shot back, and the

other three turned and ran back the way they’d come. I fired a couple more times and the other

two retreated as well.

I continued onward, watching for Volksons, but soon I saw the door to the red room

where I hoped to find Akin and maybe a subdued Chris. The Volksons must have gone through

the door and into the room, I figured. I crept up to the door and listened. I heard what sounded

like bones breaking—and men screaming like little girls. I yanked open the door, with my pistol

in one hand and the shotgun in the other.

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

The Grudge was having his way with the Volksons who had retreated from me. Arms,

legs, necks, backs … He was breaking everything he could get his hands on, growling like a

Winter / Ran 183

rabid animal. And then I saw Akin. He was on one knee, panting and looking pretty worn down.

I noticed a line of blood trickling down the side of his head.

“Damn punks,” the Grudge said.

He tossed the last broken body aside and turned to face Akin. In his bloodlust, Grudge

hadn’t noticed me standing there, though. As bad as Akin looked, he got up and stood his ground

again, ready to fight. The Grudge, though, didn’t look tired at all from what I could tell.

I raised my pistol and shot Grudge in the upper arm. He stopped and looked at his wound,

then at me.

Akin also turned toward me. “Zim. What the—What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to save you so you can save us,” I said. “The boiler room is ready to blow,

Akin. We have to get out of here.”

“Oh, really?” the Grudge said. “So you wanna lay here like broken glass too, huh,

Zimmery Mac?”

I didn’t really know what to say to him. Practically anything I said would probably set

him off. But he was still Chris inside there somewhere, I thought. And Chris had helped me get

this far, so I wanted to communicate with that man.

“Chris, listen to me. I know you’re in there. You have to help us get out of here.”

The Grudge, though, was obviously still in full control. He laughed, then began to walk

toward me.

“Chris, c’mon. Think about your Johnny. If you stay here, you’re not going to be able to

see him. The Snowman will win if you don’t help us.”

Winter / Ran 184

The Grudge kept advancing at me. I felt my stomach twist, and I swallowed hard.

Suddenly, I saw Akin run out of the other doorway toward the stairs that led to the main floors. I

hoped he had a plan to get us out of here and not just leave me here with this beast.

I backed up to the wall. I checked my shotgun to see if I had any rounds left. I didn’t.

“Crap.” I remembered that I had a mini-grenade in my back coat pocket. I tossed my shogun then

slid my free hand behind me slowly and grasped the grenade in my hand. I thought that maybe I

could stick it in the Grudge’s mouth when he got close enough, then kick him away from me.

But I really didn’t want to kill Chris in the process, so I lowered my pistol and kept the grenade

hidden.

I decided to try a different approach, talking to the persona of the Grudge himself.

“Hey man. Listen, this is stupid. I mean, what are you going to accomplish by killing

me?”

“I’m charging up.”

“Charging up? What does that mean?”

“It means I’m going to kill you for the fuel I’ll need to put an end to the monster that

kidnapped Chris’s boy. Someone like him that rapes, tortures, and then disposes of children like

they’re junk food bags deserves the ultimate punishment. That’s why Chris comes to me. That’s

why he’s not answering you—because he knows that this has to be done.”

The Grudge reached out and grasped my neck; I held up the mini-grenade right in front of

his face.

“I’mma blow us both up if you don’t let me go.”

The Grudge just stood there and looked at the grenade with those sharp red eyes. Then he

looked at me. His face got red and his teeth started to grind together.

Winter / Ran 185

“Fine,” he said. “Go ahead, pull the clip.”

“I’ll do it, man. I swear I will. Let me go.”

He just stared at me, still seething. And then, in a blur of motion, he snatched the grenade

from my hand. I tried to pull my pistol up to shoot him in the stomach. But he kneed me and I

dropped the gun.

“I knew you didn’t have it in you,” he said. “But you know what? I’ll put it in for you.”

He pulled the clip on the grenade—and then stuffed it into my mouth, forcing it partway

down my throat. I struggled against him, but he had me pinned to the wall.

Oh Lord no. I can’t die like this.

The Grudge smiled and backed away. “You said the boiler room was ready to blow.

Guess I better put on the gas.” He smirked and then walked out.

I wanted to swallow so bad, but I couldn’t. I could barely breathe. The pain in my throat

felt like it would kill me. I thought about Lane, Daphne, my two sons, and the family still at my

house.

My eyes started to water up, and my vision blurred. The grenade should have gone off by

now—unless the igniter clip was jammed against my throat.

I struggled for another breath. Everything felt so hot. I closed my eyes and I could barely

open them again.

But then a burst of light appeared in front of me. I wondered if it was an angel coming for

me. Soon I saw a silhouette of someone coming toward me. It reminded me of how my brother

Carl would come toward me after I would go into the deep end of the pool and get stuck there, or

when my father would beat me unconscious and Carl would rescue me.

Winter / Ran 186

Through my hazy vision, I saw a booted foot come straight at me from the silhouette. The

boot struck me dead in my stomach. I threw up the grenade. It felt so fast but so slow at the same

time.

“Just sit down,” the silhouette said to me in a male voice.

I couldn’t make it out, although it sounded familiar. I dropped to my rear and coughed. I

finally threw up again and felt like I was going to faint. The silhouette, meanwhile, reached

down and attached something to the soles of my boots. Then the mystery man picked me up and

threw me over his shoulder. He ran out the back doorway of the red room and headed down the

hall. Hanging off his back, I looked up and saw some Volksons running toward us. It looked like

they were chasing us. But then I saw that they looked terrified, like something was chasing them.

And then, behind them, I saw a wave of roaring snow rushing toward them. It enveloped the

Volksons—but kept coming, right at us.

The snow formed a giant hole that looked like a portal or a funnel, trying to suck us in.

“Ahhhh,” I said.

Then, Bammmm. An explosion came from the other side of the snow.

The grenade …

The “snack” that almost had me for lunch had finally gone off in the red room. The

concussion wave blew through the hallway, its flames engulfing the snow like a snake eating a

rat. But the explosion wasn’t large enough to completely consume all of the snow rushing toward

us. The remaining snow reformed itself and began to chase us again. We passed the boiler room

and I could hear a loud hissing.

A second later, the man carrying me stopped in front of the exit door and lowered me to

my feet. It was then that I recognized the angel who saved me was Akin.

Winter / Ran 187

“Move,” he said.

And with that, he threw open the door and yanked me outside. The white of the snow all

around us his me like a flash of nuclear light. Akin slammed the door shut and put in a keycode

like he was working at super speed. The door locked, and I heard the snow crash into the door.

The snow’s impact against the locked door was so strong that it knocked Akin back and almost

down the hill, past where Devon and Russell lay, either unconscious or asleep.

I reached for Akin, but he was already clambering back to his feet.

“Yo, take it easy,” he said.

“Thanks but no thanks,” I said. “This place is going to blow.”

“I know. Let’s get these two up and moving.”

He went to Devon and Russell and attached some device to their boots, just as he’d done

to mine. I went to look down at my boots to see what they were, but then I heard someone cough.

“What took you guys so long, man?” Russell asked.

“Sorry,” Akin said, “I got side tracked by the Playboy magazines I found up in your

room.”

I wanted to laugh but we were all a few inches away from a boiler room explosion. We

had no time for jokes.

“What are these things?” Devon asked.

“Click your heels together and see,” Akin said.

So we did, just like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. And lo and behold, telescopic skis

popped out to the front and back.

“Whoa. This is like something out of a spy movie,” Russell said.

Winter / Ran 188

We got Devon and Russell up, even though they were dazed and woozy—me, too,

actually. But our lives depended on this. Akin handed us each a pair of what looked like batons

with looped straps, but when we grasped them, they extended into ski poles.

“Crazy,” Devon said.

We headed toward the crest of the hill; we stopped when Akin raised a fist.

Then we saw a bunch of Volksons on skis and motor-sleds going down the hill from

around the front of the house. A few of Chris’s guards followed on skis, shooting at the

Volksons. I looked closely and saw that one of the men riding on a motor-sled was none other

than Kion, in Jim’s body. That monstrous bastard somehow must have escaped when we all left

the boiler room.

My energy and adrenaline kicked back in. This time Kion wasn’t getting away. I gripped

the ski poles and skied off down the hill. The others followed me. And as soon as we jumped the

top lip of the hill and started to go down, the mansion exploded behind us. I barely felt the blast

because we were going down the hill so fast. But the blast rocked the ground, and then a wave of

heat washed over us from behind. Giant pieces of brick and burning debris rained down all

around us, striking a few of the Volksons and Chris’s guards.

In the midst of all this chaos, the snow roused itself—and it didn’t help that the blast

caused a slight avalanche to erupt at the top of the hill and come down toward us. Not too big,

but still dangerous enough when the avalanche itself was alive and ready to feed.

With a weapon in one hand and ski pole in the other, Devon and Russell were shooting at

the Volksons skiing down the slope ahead of us. Akin had also pulled out his two semis and was

firing on the way down, leaving both his ski poles dangling by their straps on his wrists. It

looked like a shooting gallery on skis. I must have lost most of my gear in the melee after Akin

Winter / Ran 189

had rescued me, so I maneuvered toward one of the fallen guards and snatched up his assault

rifle. I looked closer at it and almost smiled. The weapon I’d grabbed was an automatic equipped

with a napalm launcher. Could I get any more fortunate? I guess I could if I actually survived all

of this. But that was still in question. The avalanche was coming down hard behind us, engulfing

some of the men we’d already flew past.

“Guys, we gotta move faster,” I said.

But then I heard a loud roar. It honestly sounded like a lion mixed with an elephant. I

turned my head.

“Oh hell no …”

Shiva …

The statue had survived the blast, and now the snow-covered god of death was coming

straight at us, charging through the flames of the house like some invincible juggernaut.

I looked ahead to dodge a tree, then glanced back at Shiva. The flames were still burning

on its icy arms. But it didn’t melt it. In fact, it wielded its two swords made of dry ice and started

to slice and dice every Volkson or guard in reach. Then it hurled its two lances, impaling two of

the Volksons. The snow rose up and devoured them. Shiva caught up to the avalanche and rode

its crest, snatching up its lance along the way. The statue speared several men with one of its

lances. It looked like a stick of human shish kebabs. I kept looking ahead to make sure I wasn’t

going to slam into anything, but I glanced back as much as I could. I did not want to get

skewered by that snow-controlled statue as it flipped from side to side, dodging explosions and

striking us with its icy blades.

Following Akin, Devon, and Russell, I veered to the right to get out of the path of the

avalanche, and then I spotted Kion, still riding as the rear passenger on a motor-sled driven by a

Winter / Ran 190

Volkson. I tried to speed up to catch the motor-sled. But he spotted me and had his driver gun it

to put more distance between us. Bullets flew past us, and then I had to jump over some of the

fallen guards and Volksons to keep myself from crashing. Glancing back over my shoulder, I

saw some Volksons coming up behind me. Akin and Devon gunned them down, but then another

group appeared. I spun around and skied down the hill backwards, firing on the Volksons

chasing me. At the same time, we were still dodging debris and Shiva as it hurled giant snow

spears at us. I spun back around because I knew we were about to enter a stand of woods. Things

were about to get tricky.

I leaned forward to gain some momentum and hopefully catch up to Kion. He saw me

coming again and shot at me from the motor-sled. I ducked and swerved to the left and then to

the right, thankful that I’d learned to ski in the Marines during arctic training simulations using

fake snow. We entered the trees, and I swerved between them, knowing that if I ran into a tree, it

would pretty much be over. If the impact didn’t kill me, the snow would. Thankfully, even

though I knew my body heat was likely off the charts, the snow beneath us couldn’t get us

because we were moving so fast that it didn’t have enough time to pick up on our heat

signatures.

We cut back and forth; I noticed that Shiva and the avalanche were almost right on top of

us. The snow engulfed the forest, and Shiva was actually cutting trees down as it went. To my

left, I saw some of the Volksons slam into trees and then get swallowed by the snow. Some of

Chris’s guards went down too. But what made things worse was that the snow on the trees would

move the branches at us. So even if we were able to dodge the whole tree, a branch might hit us

and cause us to stumble, allowing the snow or Shiva to kill us.

Winter / Ran 191

The snow began to poke up as sharp spikes, trying to trip us up. Russell hit one of the

spikes, but only one of his skis got damaged. I saw him trying to ski on one foot, and he was

doing pretty well. Devon came up next to me and nodded toward Kion. I nodded back, thankful

for his willingness to back me up. Kion, though, eyed us and then pulled out a shotgun and

aimed it at our feet.

I shouted at Devon. “Look out.”

We both got out of the way of Kion’s line of fire, and he ended up shooting one of the

Volksons. That Volkson’s foot was blown off, and he spun and rolled right into the snow,

screaming in pain. I cut back toward Kion’s sled. He was trying to line up another shot at me, but

Devon came in from the other side and shot his driver. The driver slumped forward.

“Damn,” Kion said.

He saw that the sled was heading out of control. I zoomed in on Kion as he shoved the

driver into the snow and took the controls. I jumped in the air, clicked my heels to retract the

skis, and landed on the rear of the sled. Kion twisted back toward me, and I unloaded with a right

cross. But he blocked it. He swerved the sled back and forth, and all I could do was hang on.

I lurched forward to grab at Kion, and that’s when I saw he had cut the wires on the sled.

“If I go, you go, Zim,” he said.

“You first.”

I grabbed him and threw him off the sled. He went tumbling down to the bottom of the

hill. I knew he would be dead after that. The snow would easily take him. I didn’t see it get him,

but I knew he had no way to escape its grip.

But now I had another problem. The sled’s controls were useless, and I was headed for a

massive maple tree. I leaped off the sled, and once more while I was in the air, I clicked my heels

Winter / Ran 192

again and the skis came out of my boots. The motor-sled slammed into the tree and exploded. I

landed and almost tumbled over, but caught my balance and skied all the way to the bottom of

the hill. Once there, I slowed down and looked back to see that the avalanche had lost its

momentum and had begun to spread out and join the snow already on the ground. I didn’t see

Shiva anywhere, so I hoped it had gotten buried under the snow. I didn’t really care; I just felt

glad I was safe.

/////

A few seconds later, Akin, Devon, and Russell all came to a stop at the bottom of the hill.

“Man,” Russell said, “that was insane.”

“Yeah,” Devon said, “and you somehow made it down here on one ski.”

Russell laughed.

“Let’s move,” Akin said. “Get a ski off that dead Volkson over there, and let’s keep

moving before the snow picks up our elevated body heat.”

Russell did as Akin commanded, and we slow-skied across a short meadow and then

down another hill, allowing our bodies to cool off. At the bottom of that hill, we all stopped and

caught our breath.

While resting, Ralick and Vera emerged from among a stand of evergreen trees. Vera

looked well enough, but I could see that she was still scared.

After we’d told them what had happened, Akin said, “The blizzard is picking up. We

need to head out.”

“How are we going to survive out here?” Devon asked. “I don’t even know where we

are.”

Winter / Ran 193

“Not to worry,” Akin said. He opened his backpack and pulled out several fur coats.

“Here, put these on. The four of us should be safe with our Nitro gear, but let’s all get as much

protection as possible. And, Vera, another layer will help you stay warmer. And I can go without

one if you want it, Ralick.”

But Ralick shook his head. “I’m good.”

I put the fur coat on. Akin must have figured out the animal skin angle, or maybe he’d

overheard Ralick and me talking about it. Once we had the coats on, we minimized our skis and

then continued to walk down the hill until we got to a snow-covered field. We walked across the

meadow; the snowflakes were coming down hard, just like before. But this time was different for

us. The snow was actually diverting away from us while in the air. If I was blind, I might not

have believed it. But I saw the snow go around us.

“It’s working and working well,” Akin said.

“Ralick, you were right, man,” Devon said.

“See? Being poor and not pampered has its advantages,” Ralick said. “Unlike the ones

coming at us.”

“What?” I said.

“Incoming!” Akin said.

I heard gunfire and Ralick fell down.

“Ralick,” I said.

I looked ahead and saw a gang of Volksons on motor-sleds coming at us with guns

blazing. I raised the assault rifle and used the napalm launcher to take out a few of them. But we

were completely vulnerable out here in the snow. This was how we were going to go out. Kion

was still going to win despite my efforts. The Volksons surrounded us, yammering in German.

Winter / Ran 194

We couldn’t do anything, so we just stood there as they circled around us, lining us up for killing

shots. But then gunfire erupted from our right. Several of the Volksons fell into the snow. I saw

someone charge at the remaining Volksons, shooting some and punching others in the jaw,

knocking them out cold with loud bone-cracking sounds.

And then I saw who it was. “Oh man,” I said.

It was Chris … or should I say the Grudge. He took out nearly every Volkson, but then

the snow must have sensed his extreme heat, so it tried to swallow him. But his strength was so

great that he slapped the wave of snow back.

“You know,” he said to one of the Volksons, “I’m sort of glad you all came. This is really

good practice.”

He grabbed one of the Volksons and snapped his neck. The man fell to the ground and

the snow swallowed him up. The snow again tried to rise up and kill the Grudge. This time, it

formed itself into tentacles, but once more, he resisted.

“Get, off, of, me,” the Grudge said.

The snow then made more tentacles, this time with spikes on the ends. The tentacles

circled the Grudge and took turns stabbing at him. He blocked some of the strikes, but he did get

stabbed a few times. The holes in his Nitro suit grew bigger and the blood was showing through

it. The snow rose up over the Grudge, consuming his legs. I stood there, shocked. The Grudge

was tough, but he wasn’t that tough.

“Kill him. Kill him,” Vera said.

She’d soon have her wish. It would only be a matter of time. The Grudge was fighting for

his life and losing. But then Akin pulled off his fur coat and covered the Grudge with it. I

Winter / Ran 195

wondered why he was trying to save him. Maybe it was for the money, or maybe it was for some

other reason. I didn’t get it.

“Zim, move,” Devon said.

I thought he wanted me to get out of his line of fire. But it wasn’t that. I heard a motor

behind me, then something struck me in the back of the legs.

“Ahh,” I said.

I saw myself dropping my napalm gun. Then my boots were up in the air. I was flying

through the sky, then my face hit the snow on the ground. I quickly rolled over to keep the snow

from eating my face off. I got into a standing position, but I felt a sharp pain in my back. I

groaned, fell to the ground, and looked over my shoulder. I saw the motor-sled that ran over me

pull up next to me. It was Kion, and he’d just planted an ice pick in the back of my coat. I tried to

reach for it before he got too close to me. But it was too late. He pointed an automatic rifle at my

head. I noticed that a few other Volksons had come with him, and they were keeping Akin and

the others occupied, even as the Grudge continued to fight off the snow.

“I guess this is where it finally ends for us, huh, Zim?” Kion said. “You lying in the

snow, beaten and broken after I put a bullet through your head.”

I shook my head. “You’re going to burn in hell for this Kion. I swear on my daughter’s

life you’re going to burn for what you did to my family.”

He lowed away and chuckled. I reached for the ice pick and felt my fingertips touch the

handle.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night, old-timer … and you’ll be sleeping for a long time

after I’m done with you.”

Winter / Ran 196

I grimaced, knowing I had no way out of this, unless Akin or one of the others managed

to get an opening to save me. Suddenly, I heard a loud growl. I thought it was another bear. But

the growl wasn’t loud enough to be a bear. Kion turned his attention toward the sound, as I did.

A massive white blur flew through the air at Kion.

“Agrrrggghhhh,” Kion said.

It was a dog … and not just any dog.

“Ranger,” I said.

Kion began to shoot over his shoulder at Ranger. I finally reached the ice pick and

plunged it into Kion’s left thigh. Blood squirted out from the puncture wound. I never heard a

man or a woman scream as loudly as Kion did then. The snow tasted the blood on his leg, and it

opened up beneath him and he fell downward.

“Oh God, are we on a frozen lake?” Russell said. “The ice beneath is cracking.”

“No, it’s just the snow coming alive,” Akin said. “Everybody, run!”

I ignored the sharp ache in my back, got up, and ran. All around us, the snow caved in,

trying to suck us down. I was able to make it to sloping higher ground where the snow wasn’t

very deep. I looked around to see who else had made it. I saw Russell, Devon, and Akin. We all

kept moving, all the way to the edge of what looked like a cliff.

Then I heard a growl again and turned to the right to see Ranger. The dog barked and ran

to me as if he was just as happy to see me as I was to see him.

“Good boy, good boy,” I said to Ranger.

But Ranger looked past me and barked again.

“What is it, boy?” I said, turning.

From down the slope, I saw Vera running straight for us, screaming.

Winter / Ran 197

“Ahh, Zim. Somebody. Help me.”

I thought she was running from the snow, but then I saw someone behind her. She was

running from the Grudge. I couldn’t believe that lunatic survived the snow attack. But I could tell

he was hurting as he struggled up the hill. His clothes were torn and ripped up, and he had dried

blood all over him. The snow still tried to grab him and subdue him, but he just slapped it away

or plowed through it.

Vera ran up and got behind me and Ranger. “Oh my God, help me please,” she said.

“Come back here, you whore,” the Grudge said. “Today, you will learn why you should

never have ticked me off.”

Ranger took a step forward and growled.

“What’s this? You got a mutt fighting your battles for you now, Mr. Mac?” the Grudge

said.

The Grudge charged at us. But Ranger met him full force. They slammed into each other

and Ranger twisted to bite the Grudge in the shoulder—but then the Grudge bit Ranger in the

face. Twisting again, Ranger bit the Grudge in the arm and locked his teeth there. The Grudge

snarled, then roared like a wild animal. He raised Ranger up and slammed the dog into the

ground, over and over and over again. I thought he was going to kill him, so I got up to

intervene, but then four snow pillars emerged from the ground. They knocked the Grudge off

balance, and he let go of Ranger. The dog jumped back up just as the Grudge tried to shoot at

him, but the snow blocked the bullets and kept Ranger safe. The snow swirled around Ranger

like it was ready to fight alongside him against the Grudge.

Ranger charged at the Grudge again, this time with the snow providing assistance with its

four spiky arms. It was an amazing thing to watch, but then a voice caught my attention.

Winter / Ran 198

“Zimmery.”

I turned and saw Ralick heading up the slope toward us. He was holding a hand over the

gunshot wound on his arm, but he looked like he was okay. I ran around Ranger and the Grudge

to get to him.

“Are you okay, Ralick?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’ll live for a few more hours, I guess,” Ralick said.

Devon, Russell, Vera, and Akin maneuvered their way around the fight to join us.

“The Grudge just keeps coming back for more,” Akin said. “Look, he won’t stop.”

“Well, how do we stop him? I can’t believe we have to help the dog with the fight we

should be fighting,” Devon said.

“Use this,” Ralick said. He handed me the gun with the napalm launcher on it. “Shoot a

hole into the side of the cliff and make him fall over it.”

I looked at Akin, and he nodded. “Gotcha,” I said.

I ran past the fight and went to the edge of the cliff.

“Here, Ranger,” I said. “This way, boy.”

Ranger kept charging at the Grudge, but he began angling him toward me. The four snow

arms also attacked the Grudge at the same time, but he grabbed at the arms and knocked them

away.

“C’mon, boy, this way,” I said.

Ranger continued to charge at him, and I quick-stepped to my right, away from the fight.

The Grudge’s back was now to the cliff a few yards away.

Close enough …

Winter / Ran 199

I loaded up the napalm launcher and shot it at the edge of the cliff. Before it exploded,

Ranger howled loudly and the snow pushed the Grudge all the way to the edge.

The Grudge fell back and the cliff blew up, carrying the Grudge right over the edge.

“Yes,” Devon said.

“Good boy, Ranger,” I said.

We celebrated, but a loud roar erupted from the bottom of the cliff, shaking the ground

beneath us.

“That can’t be Chris again,” Devon said.

But there he was. We watched as the Grudge ascended like some reborn monster from the

sea of snow. But as he got closer, I saw that he was laid out and looked unconscious as he rose

on something beneath the snow. I squinted through the swirling snowflakes and saw what looked

like a crown with spikes on top. Then I saw eyes … and four arms.

“Shiva,” I said.

“Oh damn,” Russell said.

“Back away from the cliff and get ready,” Akin said.

We retreated and regrouped near a stand of trees. We prepped our weapons one last time.

We saw Shiva rise up over the edge of the cliff. The statue chucked the Grudge aside and faced

us.

I took a deep breath. A fight against a twenty-foot, one-ton block of dry ice that looked

like a god of death … with two swords and two spears. I figured it wouldn’t be a real-life boss

battle if it wasn’t insanely impossible to beat. But, hey, miracles happened in the past, and we’d

made it this far. I was just hoping a miracle would come with this fight. After all, as I said

Winter / Ran 200

earlier, I didn’t like boss battles. I was never that good at them in my younger days. But today, I

had to be.

Winter / Ran 201

The Winter

January 6, 2050

Boss Battle

Shiva

The snow under our feet shifted back and forth. The high slope we all stood on began to

sink before us as Shiva rose. It was a terrifying sensation. But it was expected. Shiva armed itself

to attack us. Ranger and I took the left flank, ready to fight, while the others spread out to our

right, except for Vera, whom we’d tucked behind a large tree. I thought I could blow Shiva’s

head off with the napalm launcher, but it had to stay still long enough for me to shoot it.

The statue raised a sword into the air.

“Get ready,” Akin said.

Shiva rammed the sword into the ground, causing a massive shockwave that threw us all

down into the snow. It wanted the snow to devour us. But it wasn’t going to be that easy. We all

had on our animal fur and/or Nitro gear. If Shiva wanted to kill us, it was going to have to do it

all by itself.

Suddenly, a spray of gunfire from down the hill struck the snow all around Shiva’s legs.

“What the hell?’ Devon said.

“Look,” I said. “Volksons … and a few of Chris’s guards.”

The guards and Volksons kept firing at Shiva. The statue turned its attention toward them

and started to spin around like a tornado, hurling itself down the hill and slaying several of the

men in its path with its two slicing swords.

Winter / Ran 202

Shiva refocused on us, I tried to shoot at its head, but it dodged every shot. Something

that tall and huge seemed way too agile. Then it created a rock-hard chain out of the snow and

swung it at us—well, it was the snow itself creating the chain, as the statue was only animated

because of the snow that controlled it.

“Watch out,” Russell said.

The chain glanced off of Devon and Ralick on the right flank, but it missed the rest of us.

I saw Shiva jump high into the air, propelled by the snow that launched it like a rocket, but not in

our direction. It came down hard, smashing the last few Volksons that I hadn’t seen.

Shiva’s landing literally shook the ground under us, and we felt the earth cracking

beneath us.

“Ahhh. We’re going to die,” Vera said.

“Quiet,” Akin said. “Stay back there and be calm.”

The snow-driven Shiva must have sensed Vera’s rising body heat levels, as it turned back

toward us and went after her—as did some of the snow on the ground around us. Shiva flipped

forward and charged at us. It swung the chain again. We all ducked and dodged it, but the wind

behind the swing knocked all of us down.

This isn’t working. We can’t beat this thing.

The snow had control over the statue, and the snow all around us was a danger in and of

itself.

But all I needed was one good hit.

I regained my footing, then Ralick came up next to me.

“Hey, bud, pretty exciting, don’t ya think?” Ralick said.

I shook my head, watching as Shiva angled to the right, heading for Vera.

Winter / Ran 203

“This is not one of those times to like what you’re seeing,” I said. “How are we going to

beat this thing? I know if I could just shoot it with my launcher, we could have a chance.”

I aimed again and fired, but Shiva dodged away. Akin and Devon fired their weapons at it

too, but the bullets seemed a waste of time, as the snow just absorbed them before they could

actually strike and chip at the ice.

“It is just an image controlled by snow, but it’s like an animal. You have to lure it into a

trap to kill it my friend,” Ralick said. “The sculpture of Shiva is just an extension of the snow

that attacks us. You just have to know when to strike.”

His response actually made sense. But then again, it was easier said than done.

“Can you get the dog for me, my friend?” Ralick said. “I’m going to set up Shiva for you

to shoot it with your launcher.”

I trusted him. He had been right so far, and we needed his expertise on how to survive

out here. I whistled to get Ranger’s attention.

“Stick with Ralick, boy,” I said.

“Here, boy. Come with me,” Ralick said, then clicked his tongue.

Ranger barked and ran after Ralick, who proceeded to shoot at Shiva’s head as Akin,

Devon, and Russell kept firing too—but then I saw them running down the hill a bit. I didn’t

know what they were doing, but Ralick kept firing, but he wasn’t hitting its eyes or face. It

looked like he was trying to hit the crown on its head. The only conclusion I came to was that he

was a bad shot. Shiva threw a spear at Ralick and Ranger, striking a tree so hard that it cracked

and fell to the ground. I jumped up on the fallen tree to get out of the snow, and soon Akin,

Devon, and Russell found their way up next to me.

“Hey, Zim, look what we found,” Devon said.

Winter / Ran 204

The three of them had found some charges and grenades on the dead guards and

Volksons.

I threw a glance at Shiva, who was still pursuing Ralick and Ranger. “Perfect,” I said.

“Now we have more firepower to take Shiva out.”

Ranger and Ralick ran back toward us and jumped up on the fallen tree. As Shiva

followed, I readied my rifle. But then we started to receive gunfire from the left. More Volksons.

“Dammit,” I said. “These guys won’t let up.”

“We got them,” Akin said.

Akin, Devon, and Russell gave me cover while I focused my aim on Shiva. The statue

raised both of its swords at Ralick and Ranger. But then the snow protected Ranger from the

attack. It blocked Shiva’s sword stab.

Incredible, the snow was protecting the dog from itself.

Shiva bore down on them; Ralick took his ice pick and hacked at Shiva’s ankle. It didn’t

do much damage, though. Shiva stepped back and proceeded to fight Ranger and his snow

defense.

“The stupid thing is really fighting itself,” I said.

“No, it’s not fighting itself,” Akin said. “The snow doesn’t attack animals and Shiva is

just an extension of it.”

Ralick had on animal fur, but I guessed that Ralick’s body heat had to be through the roof

right now, because the snow controlling Shiva could still detect him. Ralick began to climb up to

Shiva’s body using the ice pick. He paused to shoot at the crown again. Shiva shook him off and

turned its attention to the rest of us.

Winter / Ran 205

It stopped all movement, and then started to pose. It rose both of its sword-wielding arms

up, and moved the two other arms with the spears behind its back. Then it stood on one leg.

“Oh my God. What’s it doing?” Vera asked.

“I don’t know,” Akin said. “Just stay back.”

Ralick and Ranger rejoined us just as Shiva stuck the two giant spears in the ground and

then folded the two free hands together, like it was praying.

“What the…? What in the world is it doing?” Devon asked.

The statue stood there with two hands folded and two hands holding swords in the sky,

then it turned its face toward the dark sky. It was not moving at all, meaning I had my perfect

shot. But then I heard thunder, and then giant chunks of ice began to fall from the clouds.

“Get under those trees by Vera,” Akin said. “Move!”

We ran for the woods. Lightning began to strike overhead—and then it struck the fallen

tree we’d been standing on.

“Damn,” Russell said.

We huddled beneath the lower branches of some large evergreen trees. The ice, though,

still found its way to us. I didn’t know the snow could mimic this kind of power at this level of

intensity. Some icy needles pierced my coat and pants.

“Ahh,” Vera said. “Make it stop.”

“We’re never going to make it,” Devon said.

Then a large chunk of ice hit Devon in the back.

“Argh,” he said.

“Devon,” I said. I tried to move over to help him, but then I heard Russell.

“Zim, watch out.”

Winter / Ran 206

But it was too late. A large piece of hail hit me in the head, and I fell down on the ground.

Everything was spinning sideways and upward. I felt so dazed and confused; I forgot where I

was.

Why am I here? What are we fighting for?

I sunk slowly into the snow; I could feel my flesh being torn wherever it was exposed.

My vision went blurry; I imagined seeing my dad again. I remembered how he’d strike me down

over and over again because I wasn’t holding the bat right, or because I hadn’t put the dishes

away a certain way. I saw my mother just standing there watching, not doing anything. My

looks, my cries for help, were not reaching her.

I groaned with pain at what the snow was doing, I felt hands reaching for me and trying

to help me, and then I heard voices. But I was somewhere else.

And I felt so … hopeless. I felt like I failed my mom and my whole family back then

because I couldn’t stand up to my dad. My thoughts raced forward to the present and Daphne,

and I felt like I failed her in our marriage. I had driven her off with a strike of my fist, with my

blind rage—just like the Grudge himself.

I heard shouting, and the hands let go of me suddenly. My body began to feel like it was

being crushed by the snow pressing down on my chest, trying to rip through the fur coat and my

Nitro gear.

My mind drifted through the pain. I thought about the first time I saw Daphne. I’d seen

her on the steps of my high school gym. I was going to Keystone Oaks High in Pittsburgh at the

time. Class of ’27, it was a little over twenty years ago. She was whistling a song from some

indie band group called “The Classics.” The song was called “Where are you now?” It was some

crazy love song. I was more of a rock man, though. Everybody else was into dubstep in that era,

Winter / Ran 207

but not me and surely not her. I didn’t speak to her the first time I saw her. But I knew I had to

make a good first impression when I did meet her. So I decided to memorize the song she was

singing on the steps that day. I went to YouTube and found the song using the sound recognizer.

I played the song on my computer and had my smartphone pick it up. It told me the song and the

lyrics. I recited those lyrics for days, until I mastered the song.

It all felt like a hard thing to do, as I was not the best-looking guy in high school or much

of a ladies’ man at all. I had bad skin, low self-esteem, and not the most charming personality. I

was shy, but when I was myself, I was a pretty funny guy. Unfortunately, the girls never really

thought I was funny, mainly because a lot of them didn’t think I was cute. I saw guys I knew just

have a great time with them. It would be four or five girls talking to them and taking pictures

with them. My brother Carl—aka Carl Mac, aka Call Carl—was the pretty boy of my family. I

was the middle kid, between Carl and our sister Razine—weird name, but my mother wanted it

to be unique with her name, which it was, and Razine was pretty too. All of the boys liked her.

So it was a huge challenge for me to muster up the courage to talk to Daphne at the time.

Boy, she was fine: nice legs, and muscular too. Bright skin, long silky hair … No way was I

going to get with her. But I had to try. What did I have to lose?

“Miracles do happen,” I reminded myself every night before I went to bed. But that

didn’t mean I neglected preparation. I worked out a lot. I watched what I ate. I took care of my

oily skin. I did whatever I could to make this work.

Then, on the day before our graduation, I saw her again. I saw her singing that same

beautiful song. I saw her with that beautiful hair. As she sang the song, I began to sing along

with her from a distance. Little by little, I got closer and closer to her. Finally, she heard my

raspy voice and looked over at me and realized that I was singing to her. She scrunched up her

Winter / Ran 208

eyebrows, no doubt having no idea what to think about me. I assumed she thought I was a creep

or something. But then I sneezed on one of the verses in the lyrics. I was so embarrassed, with

snot hanging from my nose. I knew she wasn’t going to like me now. But then something

unexpected happened. She started to laugh a little.

“You’re off one key,” she said. “Try again.”

I felt more at ease when she said that. So I went up to her, wiped my nose and she started

to sing again. I soon found myself following her melody. I didn’t want to because it was such a

lame song, but she liked it. So I did what I had to do to get her attention. Plus, my goal was to get

her to notice me and she had. After that day, we started to talk and we got to know each other.

Her family was like mine, wealthy, but practically everybody in school during that time was. The

wealthy were the only ones that could afford to go to school. It was on the day of graduation that

I asked her out. She said “Yes,” and I took her out on a date the very next day.

I guess the pressure of being seen together lessened, since the ones we went to school

with were no longer going to be in our lives anymore. And that was good enough for me.

Those were the memories going through my head as I prepared for death. But those same

memories suddenly made me want to live again. It made my body warm. It made my eyes open.

It made me fight, because I wanted to see Daphne again. I wanted to rekindle that moment we

met. I wanted to save our marriage and I wanted for us all to be a family again: Daphne, Micky,

Zach, and … Lane.

“NO!”

I was not going to let it end like this. I was not going to give up on her. On them.

Not now, not here, and not ever.

Winter / Ran 209

I grabbed for my gun and found my ice pick. I started shooting and hacking at the snow

accumulating on and around me. I jumped up and saw that the storm was still hitting us hard. But

I didn’t care. I was going to survive this. I was going to kill this thing.

As I got my wits about me, I noticed that Ralick was running back toward the cliff, past

Shiva.

“Where … Where’s Ralick going?” I asked.

Akin and the others looked up at me from where they were crouched down underneath

the tree.

“Zim,” Devon said. “You’re back.”

I nodded, still feeling woozy.

“Don’t know what Ralick’s doing,” Akin said. “Said something about turning the tables

in our favor.”

I nodded again, and we all watched Ralick through the snow and ice. And then I saw

what he was doing.

“He’s going for the Grudge,” I whispered.

I watched as Ralick picked up the Grudge. It was hard to see, but it looked like he was

smacking him around. Then I saw movement. The Grudge woke up. Ralick then ran off and

climbed back up onto the unmoving Shiva. He climbed all the way to the crown. Ralick used his

ice pick and struck it on the top of Shiva’s head. He screamed and yelled as he dug into the ice

that made up the crown. Shiva swung its head around and tried to knock Ralick off.

Then I realized what Ralick was doing. Shiva was still standing in one place, but Ralick

had caused the snow to lose focus on controlling the storm, so not much ice was falling now. I

aimed for Shiva’s legs with my napalm launcher. That’s when I realized the snow was still trying

Winter / Ran 210

to strike at me, but Devon, Russell, and Akin all aimed at the snow and took down what they

could without hurting me. The snow was hitting my face and goggles. I felt the snow worms

digging their way toward my eyes. It made it harder to see, but I felt locked in and focused. I was

ready to end this.

I shot several rounds of napalm at Shiva. The napalm exploded, and the blast shattered

the statue’s legs. Shiva began to crumble downward. It dropped its guard and its weapons, and

fell all the way down to the ground, smashing into the ground so hard that it formed a massive

crater.

I watched as Ralick jumped off its head and hit the ground hard. The snowy Shiva roared

all the way down to its “death,” and I thought I saw the Grudge go down with it. After Shiva fell,

the snow reshaped itself back into one large field of snow, covering over the crater completely.

The ice storm also began to calm down.

“No way,” Russell whispered.

I smiled.

We had won.

We beat Shiva.

Winter / Ran 211

/////

I’d won my first boss battle—and a real-life one to boot.

Ranger came up to me and the snow attacking me halted its strike. Devon, Russell, and

Akin came to see if I was okay.

“I’m fine,” I said, right before I fell to my knees.

By the looks on their faces, they must have thought something was still wrong with me.

I gasped and then shook my head. “It’s fine. Just tired. Very tired. Need to take a break

and rest up.”

But even as I said that, I realized that it was more than fatigue. My heart was beating fast,

maybe too fast.

“Well, I guess miracles do come true, huh?” Devon said.

“I guess so,” I said. “I can’t believe we survived this crazy day.”

We looked around and saw that there were no Volksons anywhere around, nor were there

any guards left. It looked like we were the only ones still alive.

“Oh Lord. It’s dead … and I’m alive,” Vera said.

She ran up to us and then looked at us funny, especially at Devon.

Devon looked back at her. “Yeah?” he said to her.

“You’re … Are you wearing my mink coat?” she asked.

Devon looked down at the coat. “I don’t know what this is, woman. All I know is that it

saved me from turning into chocolate rain.”

We all laughed—except for Vera.

Winter / Ran 212

“I want that coat back when we go back to the mansion,” she said.

Russell laughed.

“We just fought a giant—uhhh. Look, your mansion is in pieces, my dear,” Devon said.

“Didn’t you hear that big explosion?”

Vera’s eyes went wide. “Oh Lord. All my jewelry and coats and shoes.”

Then she started to pout and cry like a spoiled brat. I think I understood why Chris was

smacking her around. I mean, it was still wrong, but it sounded like she could be a major

headache.

I took off my goggles to wipe the snow worms out of them. They turned into liquid after I

wiped off my goggles.

“Hey, where are Ralick and Chris?” Russell asked.

I looked to where they had fallen, but I didn’t see either of them.

“Let’s fan out and search,” Akin said. “Just stay calm. And, Vera, you come with me.”

We all searched to see if they were around. But we didn’t see them. Could they have

fallen into the giant pit that had formed when Shiva had fallen? That pit was sealed off now that

the snow had calmed down.

“Let’s regroup and start a wider search,” Akin said.

We all walked across the field. Ranger sniffed around, and I hoped he might pick up a

scent.

“Maybe we don’t want to find Chris,” Devon said.

“I’ll say. We shouldn’t be looking for him,” Vera said.

“What was you and Chris’s problem in the first place?” I asked.

“That’s none of your business.”

Winter / Ran 213

“Okay, gosh.”

Vera began to cry again. Oh boy, here we go again.

“Oh God. How I’m I going to get my divorce with Chris after all of this? What’s Johnny

gonna say? What’s my lawyer going to say?”

“So you are indeed the woman in the picture on the Christmas tree?”

“I just wanted to go back to the house and get my things. Then he locked me up in that

dark room, feeding me crap every twelve hours. He tortured me. Beat me. Then left me there

until he did it again.”

We were all still walking like we weren’t that concerned about her, but we were all

listening carefully. She sobbed, then said, “Oh, he got so mad a few weeks ago.”

I figured that’s when Chris found out that the Snowman had taken Johnny. But I

wondered if she even knew where he was.

Leaving Vera to walk slowly alongside Russell, I went up to Akin.

“Did you know all of this was going on with Vera?” I whispered to him.

He said nothing, so I looked back and saw Russell trying to help Vera along the way as

she continued to cry. I looked at Akin again. But he still didn’t say anything. I felt myself getting

hot again. I got in front of him, forcing him to stop.

“Answer me,” I whispered. “Did you know Chris was doing this to her?”

“Yes. I was the one feeding her every twelve hours,” he said.

I almost hauled off on him right there. “I can’t believe you. Why would you do

something like that?”

“I don’t get paid to ask questions or feel remorse. I get paid to assist Chris in finding his

son and protecting him—even if it means protecting him from himself.”

Winter / Ran 214

Devon walked up to us and asked, “Do you know you were protecting a madman and an

extremely violent killer?”

“Yes, I knew that,” Akin said. “That’s why Chris hired me: to keep him in check. No one

knows it’s him because of the presumed death of the Grudge.”

I just shook my head.

“I can’t believe this whole time I was working for a mass-murderer,” Devon said. “And

this same man was helping me with the search of my daughter? Crazy.”

I looked back toward Russell and Vera again, not wanting her to hear our conversation

and get more upset. They had stopped and she was crying on his shoulder.

“So why keep Vera around, then?” I asked Akin.

“Vera was going to ruin everything for Chris,” Akin replied. “If she won the custody

battle with Johnny, then Chris’s company was going with Johnny and Vera. She would have

destroyed the company and you along with it, Devon. You would have been out of a job.”

“Whatever,” Devon said. “I was going to quit anyway. I didn’t want anything to do with

that corporation anymore.”

“Okay,” I said, “that all makes a little bit of sense, but what did Chris—I mean, the

Grudge … what did he mean when he said he was charging up? The Grudge said he was

charging up to kill the Snowman.”

“It means exactly what he said,” Akin said. “The Grudge needs to bring out all of his rage

—so when he fights someone he really wants to kill, he’ll be able to go all out. But he needs a

source of hate to bring it all out. And what could be a greater source than your soon to be ex-wife

who has made your life miserable to the highest point? Not to mention that same woman is

Winter / Ran 215

trying to take your son and your life’s work away from you. Chris couldn’t take it anymore and

he really lost it when he found out the Snowman had taken his son.”

I sighed. “Yeah, okay, but you still knew better. I don’t know if I can trust you anymore,

man. To me, this is like helping out another psycho child kidnapper.”

He slit his eyes at me. “This is nothing like that. But as long as Chris is in control and I’m

here, it won’t get out of hand.”

“Get out of hand? It all ready did,” Devon said. “Look at what just happened.”

“Hey, that wasn’t us,” Akin said. “You can blame the destruction of the house and that

giant thing coming after us on Mr. Mac here.”

“How is that?” I asked.

“What do you mean ‘How is that?’ You brought a hater Nazi murderer to our door, a man

that had a ‘grudge’ against you. He hated you so bad he brought an army with him that destroyed

the house. If that never happened, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Whoa. Wait a minute. You talk about me being in the wrong, but look at you. You had a

murderer helping you.”

“But at least my murderer isn’t some racist gangster bringing an army to kill us all.”

“No, you just help a mass-murderer that doesn’t care who he beats, friend or foe, and the

difference is you knew what Chris was. I didn’t know what Bob was, not to that degree.”

“And you didn’t know who your cousin was either.”

“You son of a—”

Devon stepped in between us. “It doesn’t matter anymore, it’s over man. We still need to

find them.”

“Ralick, yes,” I said. “But why Chris?”

Winter / Ran 216

“I mean, Chris has connections,” Devon said. “He can get us out of here. That is if he

isn’t still the Grudge. He can help. Right, Akin?”

Akin looked at me with a mix of shame and anger in his eyes.

“Hey, guys. Look,” Russell said.

Just then, Ranger barked and ran to a spot in the snow. We headed over to him. As we got

closer, I saw a man lying in the snow. It was Chris, and a lot of his skin was exposed. The snow

was eating away at him. Akin brushed the snow away and checked his pulse.

“Is he dead?” Russell asked.

“I hope so,” Vera said.

“No, he’s alive,” Akin said. “He’s just badly injured.”

Akin proceeded to take out a long scarf and tie it around Chris’s head, covering his eyes.

“What are you doing that for?” Vera asked.

“I’m protecting you—and us,” Akin said. “If Chris sees you, then he might flip out again

and I have no energy to hold him back now.”

Like you were doing that good of a job in the first place.

I watched as Akin took Chris’s comlink phone out of his pocket, along with another

device. It looked like a pager to me, but it had temperature numbers on it and had 12% written on

it.

What in the world?

“You … you don’t have one of those comlink phones?” Russell asked Akin.

“I did, but it got thrashed in the mansion,” Akin said.

Akin put the device in his pocket and took out a wound-up length of steel wire. “Help me

tie him up.”

Winter / Ran 217

“Man, I ain’t touching him,” Devon said.

“Don’t worry, he’s out cold. Come on, help me.”

So Devon, Russell, and I pitched in tying Chris up, hand and foot.

Chris’s eyes popped open and he grunted, then, “Ahhhhhh, Die, Snowman.”

We all jumped back.

“He’s still the Grudge, man,” Devon said.

Devon, Russell, and I pointed our guns at Chris’s head.

“Calm down and back off,” Akin said. “He’s still unconscious. I think he was just

dreaming.”

I looked at Chris and saw a tear roll down from under the scarf. The tear froze as soon as

the air hit it, and a few snowflakes landed on his cheek just then. The frozen tear and snow

mixed together and started to gnaw at Chris’s cheek. Akin brushed it off Chris’s face and wiped

the blood.

Maybe Chris was dreaming about the same thing I’d been thinking about. My child, and

what that sick creature might be doing to her, wondering if she was still even alive. I didn’t

condone what Chris had done to all those people he killed or hurt back then. And I didn’t

approve of him almost killing his wife, though I understood that a little better. But, in that

moment, I did understand fully that any of us fathers would do whatever it took to save the ones

we loved.

And perhaps that’s what Chris was thinking about when the Grudge resurfaced after all

this time. At least, that’s what I hoped. Judging by the phone calls he was having with himself,

though, it didn’t really sound that way. It sounded like he was more concerned about his

company than his son. But I could have been wrong. I hope.

Winter / Ran 218

Akin covered Chris with a black bag he had stuffed in his back pocket. He zipped up the

bag around Chris, but left his head and shoulders showing, so he could breathe easier. Then he

pulled on the cords on the side of the bag and started dragging Chris through the snow.

“Let’s go,” Akin said.

“Hey, Akin,” I said.

“What?”

“Thanks,” I said.

He stopped.

“I know what I said was messed up, and to an extent, you were right,” I said. “Me

bringing Bob out here on this search was my fault. I wish I never did it. But I did it for a good

reason. I strongly suspected him of murdering two people in my home. I didn’t want him there.

In the boiler room, I found out that it was Kion—with his brain in Jim’s body—that did it.”

“A brain transplant,” Akin said. “I saw him on our way down the slope. Was this

retaliation for what you did in Africa?”

“Uh, yeah, you see—”

Then Ranger barked again.

We looked to see what it was. Akin dragged Chris across the snow toward the sound of

the barking. We spotted Ranger sniffing at something else. As we got closer, I could see that it

was another person. I only hoped it wasn’t another Volkson.

“It’s Ralick,” Devon said.

I smiled. Ralick had survived as well. But judging by how he was lying on the ground

holding himself, I didn’t think he was going to last much longer. His gunshot wound looked to

Winter / Ran 219

be infected, and some of the snow had definitely gotten into his body and was now eating away

at him.

Ralick opened his eyes and looked up at me. “Hello there. What’s your name?” he asked.

At first, I didn’t know why he was asking me my name, but then I remembered that he

was off in the head a little. I looked at the others, and Devon just shrugged. So I just went along

with Ralick, seeing as how this might be the last time he and I would talk to each other.

“My name is Zimmery, Zimmery Mac, but you can call me Zim,” I said.

Ralick was now breathing really hard, gasping for every speck of air he could grab onto.

He raised his hand for me to grab it. I took his hand and he shook it.

“Zim, it’s nice to meet you,” he said.

It looked like he genuinely had forgotten who I was. And then I remembered the fall from

Shiva’s head. Maybe he had a concussion, too.

“My name is Ralick. Ralick … Uh … Oh, I forgot I don’t have a last name,” Ralick said.

He cried and laughed at the same time. “Hee-hee-ha, I don’t have a last name. My parents never

gave me one. In fact, I think my parents gave me away.” Ralick continued to cry and laugh.

“Hee-hee, nobody never gave me anything. Nobody cared. Ha-ha-haaa-heee.” Ralick sobbed and

giggled and couldn’t seem to stop. “I had to fight my entire life for every little thing because

nobody cared. Hee-ha-ha-eee.”

I figured this was the part that people get to right before they die. I knew because I’d

been there. I’d been there with the bear attack, with the Volkson attack, with the battles against

the Grudge and Shiva. You start to think about all that had happened in your life, trying to find

something to be proud of, trying to find something that you can cherish and hold onto. Hoping

maybe whatever that is will keep you alive. That’s what got me through and it probably got the

Winter / Ran 220

rest of us through this too. But for Ralick, it was different. I felt sorry for him. Maybe he really

did just have a bad start in his life. But he made it this far and he’d saved us all, really.

“That’s not true,” I said, “because I care about you, Ralick.”

He looked at me and smiled. “You do?”

“Yeah, bud, I do.”

The rest of the group just watched as we had our moment, with the sounds of the cold

wind whisking by us.

Ralick pulled a picture of someone out of his fur coat. “Have you met my son?” he asked

me.

I looked down at a picture of a little boy. I smiled. The boy looked just like Ralick, but a

smaller version of him.

“No, I haven’t,” I said.

He looked at me strangely. “How could you care about me, but not my boy?”

“Oh no, I do care. I just never had a chance to meet him. You never told me about him or

introduced him to me.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. You would’ve liked him. After all … he likes him a whole lot.”

I looked at Ralick as he gazed at the snowy ground. “Ralick, who likes your son a lot?

Tell me, bud.”

He just continued to look at the snow. Then he took his bare hand and drew a picture in

the snow. We all looked down at his scribbling. His finger began to bleed as it glided through the

white death. I tried to grab Ralick’s hand to make him stop. But he didn’t. He forcibly continued

to draw the picture.

Winter / Ran 221

Finally, he stopped. My eyes went wide when I saw what he’d drawn. It was a picture of

a snowman. My worst fears returned. Ralick took his bloody finger out of the snow and pointed

at me.

“Zim, please, if you care about me, then find my boy and let him have a life better than

mine. Please, Zim, don’t let him take away R Junior. Don’t let him take away the only thing that

I did right,” Ralick said, now crying.

He grabbed the bottom of my coat and held on. I grabbed the hand that held the picture of

his boy.

“I won’t, Ralick. I promise you, I won’t,” I said.

After that, he smiled. “Thank you … friend.”

Then Ralick closed his eyes and began to sing those old 1950s ice cream tunes again.

“Ohuuuoooouuuu, bring me a dream, bring me a dream …”

A few seconds later, the singing faded, his eyes closed, and he stopped breathing.

I just stood there, feeling like I had lost yet another family member, even though I had

only known the man for a few days. But it was strange: out of all the guys, he was the only one

that truly saved me. I dug Ralick’s crossbow out from under his fur coat and slung it over my

shoulder. I then pushed some of snow over the top of him to try to at least bury him properly.

The others pitched in, except for Vera, who just stood there. For some reason, the snow didn’t

bother us, even though I know my emotions were running high.

The snow just let us do what had to be done. I didn’t know if it was our fur coats or just

the scary theory that this entity did have a conscience. In any case, we took advantage of the

situation and used the snow to bury Ralick. After we did, his body sunk farther down, as if the

Winter / Ran 222

snow respected our wishes and finished the job for us without aggression. I think that confirmed

my scary theory.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. It felt good knowing there was a degree of

closure. Jamie, Nancy, Ron and Jimbo’s deaths were avenged. None of this ever would have

happen if that ruthless monster didn’t show up. He came all this way to torment me and look

where it got him. Joseph Kion was dead, and the world was a much safer place without him. Our

boys overseas would deal with his brother, I’m sure of it. And on the brighter side, at least my

wife and my two boys were safe. All that was left now was to get my Lane back, and then we all

could be together again.

“Oh, look,” Vera said, with a sigh. “Finally, the sun is coming out.

The snow had calmed down. There were no snowflakes. It was only a beautiful winter

scene. The sun was shining bright and the air was quiet and cool. It felt normal again. The sky

had a color of red and yellow mashed in with blue.

“I wish Lane and the others could see this,” I said.

“Yeah, I wish my Pam could see this,” Devon said.

“Same for Alex and Alexis,” Russell added.

“And hopefully R Junior—or should I say, Ralick Junior,” I said.

“Well, now that this is over and we survived, where do we go now?” Russell asked.

“I don’t know anyplace that is close by, not to mention we’re all very tired,” Akin said.

“You’re telling me,” Devon said. “I wanna just lay here and fall asleep. But if I do that, I

won’t be waking back up, will I? So where are we supposed to go?”

“Uh, well, we can go back to my place,” I said. “I know where it is from here. It’s not too

far from where we all first met.”

Winter / Ran 223

“Sounds good to me,” Russell said.

We prepared our feet for the long journey back to my house. A large part of me felt

better, but at the same time I didn’t know how I was going to tell everyone about Bob, Eric, Ron

and most of all Jimbo. But I suppose I would cross that bridge when I got there. Akin began to

drag Chris again. But then the phone he took from Chris rang. He looked down and pulled it out.

We all stopped and watched him check the phone’s caller ID. “That’s weird,” Akin said. “I don’t

recognize this number.”

“It is Chris’s phone,” Devon said.

“This phone is different. Only a handful have this number, and I know them all, except

this one.”

“Answer it,” I said.

Akin pressed the call button and held the phone up to his ear. “Hello?” We watched as his

eyes went from wonder to agony. They grew with every second that passed. “What?” I asked.

“Who is it?” He looked at me, with confusion in his face. He held the phone out in front of me.

“It’s … for you,” he said. All eyes turned on me.

“Me?”

I reached for the phone. “Hel … Hello?”

I heard someone breathing on the other end. At that moment, I knew who it was. My

heart began to jump out of my chest. I could feel my blood boiling just from anxiety alone.

“Heeellllloooo,” The voice said.

“You, wait—what?” I said.

“This is the Snowman.”

Winter / Ran 224

The Winter

January 7, 2050

Epilogue

“What do you want?” I asked.

“I just wanted to congratulate you.”

“Congratulate me?”

“Yassss.”

This was too weird. And it just took me by surprise. This didn’t sound like the Snowman

I talked to a few days ago. Maybe the signal back then wasn’t that good due to the blizzard or

something. But now his tone was different, it was joyful, happy. He sounded like a man that

wanted you to know that he played for the other team. (If you get my drift.) I decided to put the

conversation on speaker phone. After what I did back at the mansion, I wanted to show these

guys they could trust me. I lowered the phone down to a level where everyone could hear. But I

hoped we didn’t hear anything on the other end we didn’t want to.

“Are you on speaker phone Zimmy?” he asked.

We all looked at each other in disbelief. “Wha … how do you know we’re on speaker

phone?”

“Oh, I have my ways. For one, I know the five of you are standing in a circle, a few miles

outside of Chris’s old mansion, am I right?”

I couldn’t believe it. We each turned and looked to see if he was around. But he wasn’t.

We saw nothing but the snow itself, in every direction. “Ohaahahouooo, I’m not there,” he said.

“Wait, did you think I was coming there the last time we talked silly?”

“I … I don’t—”

Winter / Ran 225

“Oh God Zimmery, you should know better, ha.”

“Well, where are you?”

“Guess.”

“I … I don’t know.”

“You didn’t even try. Okay, I’ll give you a hint. It’s a big house, with an attic and a

basement, the truck isn’t in the garage, nor is the SUV you have.”

I almost lost my breath. No, no way.

“You’re—”

“Yassss?”

“You’re at my house?”

“There you go.”

I paused and closed my eyes, praying he didn’t do anything to anyone there. But that’ll be

asking God for too much. Vera put her hand up to her mouth; the rest of the gang just stared at

the phone in horror. I pulled myself together, with all of my might and resumed the conversation.

“Where is the rest of my family?”

“Oh them, they’re—couhhhao—oh sorry, hmmm.”

“What?”

“So sorry, ohhhu.”

He’s coughing, why is he coughing?

“Hooo, sorry Zimmy. I’m coming down with a cold. This weather, I tell ya.”

“My family.”

Winter / Ran 226

“What? Oh, they’re … ohhcuhhoo … oh, they’re okay. I got them … tied up in the attic. I

gave them quite a scare, so I had to make an adjustment to their … reaction. Hey, can you tell me

where you’re stashing the X-cold and flu pills? I could really use one.”

“I … I don’t—”

“That’s okay, I’ll check later.”

“Snowman,” Devon interrupted. “Where is my daughter?”

“Oh, is that Devon? Hi Dev. Pam is okay, they all are. In fact that’s why I called.”

“Why you called?”

“Yasss boo. See I’ve been watching you Zimmy, for a long time. I’ve taken a lot of kids,

made a lot of grown macho men cry because of it. But the sad part though, most of them never

went the extra mile, never put it all on the line to get their kids back. Some waited the snow out,

some just gave up, even those with connections to the authorities didn’t do all I knew they could.

I tried everyone, normal people, higher ups; a lot of them didn’t have the balls to go the extra

mile to save their kids. It’s sad, to be honest. And the ones that did try to go out in this weather

and do something, well they didn’t last.

“But you guys, you Zimmy, you rocked it hard sweetie. You did what a father should do,

and you survived. I mean to be truthful; I was waiting for you to call Lane’s number. I wanted to

get a read on you and gave the usual threats, blah, blah, blah, but what impressed me was that

you proved yourself, you all did. A bear attack, neo-Nazis, one of the Kion’s playing body

snatcher, beating the Grudge and that freaking Shiva sculpture. I thought you were dead meat

after that, but you still made it out alive. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Insane, I just couldn’t comprehend how he knew all of this?

Winter / Ran 227

“You guys need to understand. I like what I do because it’s fun,” he said. “But I think

I’m teaching humanity a lesson also. How far will we go to save and protect the ones we love,

hmmm? I think I’m helping mankind out by doing what I do … I think. I was losing hope, until I

saw you all. I told myself, this year for my New Year’s Resolution, I’m going to reward a parent

or a guardian—whatever you want to call it— a chance to get their kids back from me. If they

went the extra mile, and you sure as hell did that Zimmy, Devon, and that cutie pie Russell over

there … with that tramp.”

Russell leaned back in shock and glanced over at Vera, just as shocked, but with a dab of

resentment in her eyes.

“I want you to come back home Zimmy, and bring the rest of the gang. And as a reward

for your bravery, you can have the children back, Pam, Johnny, Alex, Alexis and my favorite,

Lane.

My brain almost exploded when I heard that. I saw the daunting expressions on the others

faces. Russell had a slight look of relief on his face. But Devon, his jaw was ready to hit the

snow. Akin held on to his chin, looking cautious but also somewhat relieved. Vera looked around

at everyone, not knowing how to react. It was a complete mind screw. Was this man serious?

Was he?

“You didn’t hurt them did you?”

“Meh, I didn’t do my usual punishment if that’s what you’re asking. I wanted to at times,

but your daughter is so, well how can I put it?”

I bit my lip. Incensed with anger, I squeezed the phone.

“Lovely,” he said.

“Lovely?”

Winter / Ran 228

“For a six-year-old, she has such a remarkable personality. She has been so calm since

she’s been with me, not like the other children—or any for that matter—another testament to your

parenthood Zimmy. She made sure my head was in the right place. I’m going to miss her for

that.”

My grip lessened. Knowing that Lane was still alive was the best news I had heard so far.

But I was still suspicious. And what about R Junior?

“Snowman.”

“Yaahh?”

“What about R Junior?”

“What about him?”

“He belonged … he belongs to Ralick.”

“Oh yeah, I saw that. He must have been very special for the snow to bury him like that,

so sad. Well, we can talk about that when you get here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I will be here with the kids waiting for you.”

I paused again, not registering this man’s boldness. What is he thinking? What is he

planning?”

“You’re really just going to wait for us to show up?”

“Uh, yeah. Zimmy you think I’m afraid to get caught? Oh no, I’ll never have to worry

about that. I’m unlike anyone you’ve ever encountered. One of the many reasons why I can’t

wait to see you.”

“How do I know I can trust you? How do I know our kids are alive?”

“You think I’m lying?”

Winter / Ran 229

His voice got deep.

“You think I’m one of the many gutless liars that have to use such degrading means to

get ahead in life? No, no I hate liars. And I hate it when people put me in that freaking category.”

This guy was off. I didn’t want him to take out his angry on anyone there, if he hadn’t

already.

“Okay, okay I’m sorry,” I said.

“I’m sorry too, I didn’t mean to scream,” he said. “It’s just; I get so wrapped up in my

work. I—I forget you all our just … kids yourselves. Okay, okay, gave me a moment. And take it

off speaker phone would you sweetie? This is for your ears only.”

I looked at the others and they each nodded. I took it off speaker phone as he requested

and held it back up to my ear. I could hear someone on the other end grabbing the phone.

“Hello?” A little six-year-old girl said.

I stopped and held my breath. Time had halted. I couldn’t believe it. Was this real? I

walked away from the rest of the group. I needed this, for myself.

“Hello,” The little girl said again.

“La … Lane?”

“Daddy!”

I smiled from ear to ear and tears began to pour from my eyes. “Oh baby, oh baby. Oh

Lane, how are you precious?”

“Good. Daddy, where are you?”

“I’m … I’m.”

“Daddy? You okay?”

“I’m, yessaah … ughah, I’m okay. I’m just so happy to hear from you baby. I love you.”

Winter / Ran 230

“I love you too Daddy, hee hee. So where are you?”

“I’m out here, out here looking for you?”

“Oh, I was just outside playing in the snow.”

“Do, do you remember how you got out there?”

“Uhmm, no.”

Good, I assumed that if she didn’t remember how she got out into the snow, then she

might not have remembered what Kion did to Jamie either.

“Are … are … are you mad at me Daddy?”

“Oh baby no, no, no, no Lane, never, I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Mr. Snowman found me and took me back home after he got us some ice cream.”

“Oh …. grrragghha, okay. He, did he … did he touch you? You know, you remember

what Mommy and Daddy talked to you about, about the parts of the body people aren’t supposed

to touch you at?”

“Nooo?”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

I raised my head up to the sky, thanking the Lord for such a reply. “Oh okay. So, ugh, uh

how are the other kids doing?”

“Okay, they’re sleeping right now.”

“Sleeping? Like how, are they breathing?”

“Yeah, they’re breathing Daddy. Why you asking so many funny questions?”

“Well, I just want to make sure you and the others are okay. They’re daddies are looking

for them too.”

Winter / Ran 231

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Are they coming over too?”

“Yes, baby, yes they are.”

“Cool, I get to meet Pam’s dad.”

“Pam?”

“She’s my friend. Well, they all are, but Pam is my best friend. She likes Red Bear too.”

“Oh, oha that’s good.”

“Are you and Pam’s dad best friends?”

I stopped and glanced over at Devon. He stared at me, waiting for a reaction. The others

waited right along with him. “Yes sweetie, we are.”

“So cool, Pam said we can come over her house when the winter is over.”

“Oh, okay, we’ll have to do that.”

“Oh, hold on Daddy?”

“Lane? Wait, honey?”

I heard some chatter in the back. After a few seconds, someone got back on the phone.

“Daddy?” Lane said.

“Yes boo.”

“Mr. Snowman is cooking us some pancakes, he asked if you and the other daddies

wanted some.”

“Uh, huh?”

“You said yes?”

“Uh … yeah … sure.”

Winter / Ran 232

God, why did I say that?

“Okay, I’ll tell him.”

She got back off the phone.

Why did I say yes? I should have told her not to eat the pancakes.

A few more seconds later, I heard her get back on the phone.

“He said okay. They’re good too.”

“Oh, you’ve had some?”

No, no, no, please say no.

“Yep.”

Crap, okay, maybe it’s not too bad.

“You didn’t feel funny afterwards right?”

“Nope.”

Okay, that’s good news I guess.

“How is everyone else?” I asked. “Lateia, Pete, Dupree …”

“Good, they’re upstairs sleeping too.”

“Breathing?”

“I think so.”

Good enough.

“Daddy?”

“Yes baby?”

“Micky and Zach still at the store?”

“Yeah, they’re okay. They’ll be back when the snow dies down.”

“I didn’t see Uncle Jim, or Uncle Eric or Ron or Auntie Nancy and Jamie, either?”

Winter / Ran 233

So she doesn’t remember what Kion did to Jamie. Unless he was messing with me, but

for a guy like him, I doubted it. But I couldn’t tell her what happened to the rest of them. Not

now.

“Uh, they’re with me, looking for you baby.”

“Oh okay, and mommy too?”

Oh lord, how can I break this to her? “And mommy too.”

“Is she still mad at you daddy, like the snow is mad at everybody?”

“Yes, baby she is.”

“You gonna fix it?”

I know she’s saying these things because of what happened back at the house. Something

I never wanted her to see. “I will,” I said.

“I don’t want her mad at you anymore,” she said.

“She won’t be.”

“I don’t want the snow to be mad at anyone anymore either.”

“Well, I can’t do anything about the snow honey.”

“The snow likes Mr. Snowman.”

“Really?”

How is that possible?

“Yeah, he fixed it, like you will with mommy, right Daddy?”

“Uh, yeah … I will.”

“Hee hee.”

“Heahah, uh I got Red Bear back baby. You dropped it outside. I’m going to bring it

home okay.”

Winter / Ran 234

“Ooooo, okay. When you gonna be here?”

“Soon baby, very soon.”

“Okay.”

“I love you baby.”

“Oou, you wanna sing the song daddy?”

“Uh, the song, the ‘I Love You Song?’ uh, sure honey.”

“Let’s go, ready?”

“Re … ready.”

“I love you, you love me too. Lane loves Daddy, very, very much—very, very much. I

love you, you know it’s true. Daddy loves Laaaane, very, very much—very, very much.”

“I love you, you love me too. Lane loves Daddy, very, very much—very, very much.”

“I love you, you know it’s true.”

“Daddy loves Laaaane.”

“Very, very much.”

“Very, very much.”

Lane hoped off the phone again. I waited, and cried my heart out, with my back turned

away from the group. “Oh Daddy, “she said. “Mr. Snowman said it’s time to eat, he said he’ll

save some for you.”

“What, wait, wait … Lane I love you. Tell—”

“Love you too Daddy.”

“Tell Mr. Snowman I—”

Click—beeeep

“Lane, Lane, baby? Lane!”

Winter / Ran 235

I stood there waiting for her to get back on. She didn’t.

“Zim, Zim?” Russell said.

I turned around, revealing my tears to them. They stood there waiting for the news, good,

bad, or both. I paused and wiped my eyes.

“Let’s go get our kids back.”

Winter / Ran 236

—To Be Continued—

Winter / Ran 237

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Winter / Ran 238

An Original Short Story by Reece Ran …

“Romacovina”

As Told by

Kurtiznki Starek

It was the year 2016. The Russian Federation had been struggling against a rising threat

for more than four years. The danger of domestic terrorist attacks in the North Caucasus region

had been a threat since the 1990s. But now one of the leaders in this rebel faction, Kermen Zolin,

had become an outspoken seditionist. He was a tyrant among the people of Romacovina Island,

off the coast of both Russia and North Korea in the Sea of Japan. He had set up his new

headquarters. Zolin was guilty of murdering government officials in several embassies and

organizing bombings in several large churches around the world.

Now, though, Kermen Zolin and his followers—the Zolinites, as they had been dubbed in

the international press—were aiming for a much bigger target to get their point across. That was

why Interpol, the US CIA, British SIS (Secret Intelligence Service), Russian SVR (Russia’s

Foreign Intelligence Service: Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki in its native tongue), and other

agencies got involved. They deduced from an inside source that Kermen Zolin planned to launch

an attack on at least one of the kremlins—citadels—located in various cities throughout Russia.

Kermen had been preaching that Russia was only a shadow of its former self, before the Soviet

Union had dissolved, and therefore was unable to provide stability for its people. Thus, it had to

be replaced by a new order … or wiped out completely.

Winter / Ran 239

The Russian people were nearly divided perfectly in half in their opinion of Kermen, with

opposition and supporters being almost the same in number. Zolin knew this, which was why he

posted a video online about his planned attacks on a kremlin—as he knew that information had

already been leaked from someone inside his faction. The video went viral in less than twelve

hours. It ended up getting more than eight million views on the first weekend alone, plus the

thousands of posts on social media sites that happened at the same time. British SIS tried to trace

the IP address, but it proved unsuccessful.

/////

The head of SIS at the time, Danielle Carter, then began direct coordination with the SVR

and CIA. Danielle was a strong-hearted woman, but still had the feminine qualities to handle

such a delicate situation. A video conference call between the SIS and the CIA got the ball

rolling shortly after the Zolin video went online.

“This is a US problem too,” Carter said. “In fact, the US is directly involved with the rise

of Kermen Zolin.”

“How is that?” asked one of the CIA representatives.

“Thanks to the influence of your American-made social media websites, Zolin’s message

has sparked a rebellion against the Russian Federation that stretches all the way into China and

Britain.”

“As if that makes us responsible for Zolin’s actions and the results that followed. Look,

we have enough problems of our own, so if you really need us, let us know. Otherwise, good

luck.”

And with that, the CIA ended its side of the call. Carter looked at her second in

command, Charlie Bond.

Winter / Ran 240

“I want to set up a meeting—in person—with some SVR reps to figure out how to best

stop Zolin,” Danielle said.

“Consider it done,” Bond said as he tapped away on his tablet. “But, bottom line, I think

we need to suggest a joint mission between SIS and the SVR—to send a couple of agents to

infiltrate the Zolinites and take down Kermen Zolin from the inside.”

Carter said nothing for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, I can go with that.”

“These agents should have experience in undercover espionage and high mission-

completion rank,” Bond said.

“Whom did you have in mind?”

/////

Meanwhile, in Ryazan, Russia, a couple slept in bed after a night of intimacy. A cell

phone rang on the nightstand, and the man sat up and looked at caller the ID: Home, it read.

Not already … he thought, then answered the call. “What time is it?”

“Time to save the world,” said the person on the other end.

“Again?” The man groaned. “I believe you mean it’s more like stopping history from

being made here.”

He ended the call and got out of the bed, leaving behind the woman he’d met last

evening. As he dressed, though, she awoke.

“Where … Where are you going?” the woman asked from the bed, stifling a yawn. She

leaned forward, slid a hand out from beneath the covers, and ran her fingers down his back.

“To keep you alive so you can get old,” the man replied.

“What?” she said, lying back down with her head on the pillow. “I don’t … I don’t …”

She yawned. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Winter / Ran 241

He said nothing, but finished dressing, then grabbed his pistol from where he’d hidden it

in the bathroom when he got to her apartment last night. He looked back at the woman, who was

almost asleep again.

“But you won’t be getting old with me,” the man said and then walked out.

/////

In Tokyo, a Japanese man meditated with incense burning at his side at the break of

dawn. Then the warble of his cell phone interrupted his silence. He grimaced as he looked at the

caller ID.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Wheels up in thirty minutes,” came the reply.

“If you say so.”

The Japanese man got up, changed his clothes, and picked up his travel bag before

leaving his apartment.

/////

Both of the men arrived at SIS in London at the appointed time.

“Gentlemen,” Danielle greeted them as they entered.

The two men took seats at the table where Danielle Carter, Charlie Bond, and several

other SIS agents already sat.

“Everybody,” Carter said, “this is Agent Vladimir Pike of the SVR … and our own Agent

Shituzaki Akin.”

Pike smirked at Akin’s name but said nothing. Akin didn’t acknowledge the insult.

“And this is Agent Charlie Bond, my second and the lead on this mission,” Carter said.

“Charlie, give us a rundown and then we’ll get to it.”

Winter / Ran 242

“Yes, ma’am,” Bond said. “Kermen Zolin—a citizen of the island nation of Romacovina

since defecting from Russia in recent years.” A photo of Zolin appeared on the large screen

behind Carter. “As we all know, Zolin has been organizing terrorist attacks around the world for

years. When he lived in the North Caucasus, he joined in their guerrilla war efforts. Now, as

everyone in the world knows, thanks to his online video, Zolin has threatened to blow up a

kremlin … but which one, we do not know. Several kremlins still exist across Russia. Moscow,

Kazan, and Novgorod are the three we believe to be the best targets for Zolin.”

“You expect us to cover all of those areas?” Pike asked.

“No,” Carter said, “but if you two can get inside the Zolinite forces, you can find out

which one they will bomb first.”

“Fine,” Akin said. “But, in order to do that, we’ll have to go to the source of Zolin’s

forces … straight to the origin of it all.”

“No shit, Mr. Shit,” Pike responded.

Akin just glared at Pike. “We’re going to have to work together, so let’s cut the cute stuff,

huh?”

“Agreed. Let’s stay focused,” Carter said. “Although, Mr. Pike, I give you credit for

recognizing that ‘Akin’ is his first name, even though it comes last.”

Pike nodded and Bond shook his head.

“So, yes, you both have to go to Zolin’s new homeland of Romacovina,” Bond said.

“So be it, but how is it even possible?” Pike asked. “That little island has no diplomatic

relations with any country … not to mention it’s now run by Kordie Cus, son of the late Cashis

Cus—a man on par with Stalin himself in terms of brutality, as we all know.”

Winter / Ran 243

“Here’s a video clip from a news feature awhile back, not long after Cashis died,” Carter

said, then nodded at Bond. “Play it, Bond.”

Everyone except Akin turned to face the screen as the video began.

“Cashis Cus was responsible of the death of nearly one million of his own people in

Romacovina—an independent island nation filled with North Koreans, Somalis, and Russian

immigrants.”

The video showed many of these immigrants chant his name across the lone island.

Cashis Cus stepped up on top of a podium and raised both his arms. The crowd went wild.

“These people thought that Cashis Cus would protect them and alleviate the suffering

they experienced under their former oppressive rulers, “Carter continued, “but they were wrong.”

The video later showed the people of Romacovina protest against Cus. He stood on his

podium with a face of red rage.

“When the people asked for a democracy—as the United States had been urging the rest

of the world to do—Cus went crazy. In fact, his exact words were, ‘We are NOT Americans! We

are better than them! We are better than the world over!’ That’s when he ordered the genocide of

over one million people who dared oppose him.”

The video clip ended with an image of thousands of dead corpses lying in the dirt.

The video screen went black and everyone faced the table again. A few in attendance

looked as if they were going to vomit. Akin didn’t even look at the clip.

“Since the killings,” Carter said, “many attacks from South Korea and other opposing

countries have tried to liberate Romacovina—but all failed.”

“What?” Pike said, with a surprised look on his face.

“Yes, and we’ve all wondered the same thing—why?”

Winter / Ran 244

“They don’t have any nuclear power or some newfangled high-tech weapons, right?”

“Not to our knowledge, but there is something biologically unnatural there that makes

them unstoppable. Does everyone here know about Messiah X?”

“Naturally,” Akin said. “Who hasn’t heard of him, what with all the magazine features,

TV documentaries, journal articles, and viral videos out there about him—or her.”

“A good point,” Carter said. “It hasn’t been confirmed whether X is a man or a woman.

But what we do know is that Messiah X has thousands of followers around the world—maybe

hundreds of thousands. In fact, there’s so many that some experts say they should be their own

religion.”

“Yeah,” Pike said, “another case of a bunch of crazies believing in a man who thinks he

is a god—or goddess, I guess. If it’s a woman.

“Bond, run that next clip,” Carter said.

The video showed a figure clothed in an off-white cloak and hood, which was so large

that it completely shadowed and obscured the face. The voice came through as mechanical and

genderless, no doubt thanks to some sort of masking device being used.

“Notice the numbers under the video,” Carter said. “Over ninety million subscribers to

the channel—and over two billion views for the video. Pay attention to this next part.”

“Not by any physical man-made weapon,” Messiah X said on the video. “But nature itself

will protect us. If you are not a citizen, a follower of the ‘New Motherland’ of Romacovina, then

as soon as you enter our territory by any mode of transportation, you will be destroyed—as if

from a lightning bolt by the hand of a god. Notice I didn’t say God himself, but a god. Let that be

a lesson to all that oppose our peaceful way of life here.”

The video clip paused.

Winter / Ran 245

“Like I said, another religious nut preaching destruction to everybody. Give me a break,”

Pike said. “All old news.”

“Maybe,” Bond said, “but the scary part about this video is, he was right. Anyone or

anything that has entered Romacovina’s airspace was either brought down or destroyed by some

mysterious force. Some people that tried to sneak into Romacovina by boat got sick as soon as

they stepped onto land. They brought back an unknown bacterium that plagued hundreds—with

the carrier. All those affected died within forty-eight hours.”

“Huh,” Pike said, shaking his head. “Hadn’t heard that part.”

“We haven’t let everything leak to the press,” Carter said. “Whatever they have, it is

powerful, and we believe Zolin might use it on one of the kremlins.” Carter turned toward Pike

and Akin. “Gentlemen, your mission is to become followers of X and then citizens of

Romacovina—to find out how to stop Zolin’s efforts before it’s too late.”

“So, I have to dance around like a chimpanzee, screaming, ‘Praise GAWD!’ to get in?”

Pike asked.

“Not quite,” Carter said with a little smirk.

/////

Pike and Akin both dressed in business suits and went to one of the private temples of the

Romacovinian faith located in Japan. There, they studied the teachings and doctrines of Messiah

X. There was even a volume called The Book of X that taught followers what it would take if

they wanted to be citizens of the so-called New Motherland.

“I can’t believe we have to do all this,” Pike said.

“Well, it’s part of the job, so let’s just do it and get it done,” Akin responded.

One verse in The Book of X that caught the agents’ interest mentioned “baptism by ice.”

Winter / Ran 246

“What does that mean?” Pike asked.

“I don’t know,” Akin said. “It’s one of the few passages that seems to be ripped

somewhat from the Bible. But the connection to it…? I don’t know.”

“I guess we better ask some questions and actually listen to the sermons at these crazy

gatherings,” Pike said.

The men studied daily for eight to ten hours at the temple for two weeks, at which time

they were marked by the pastor with a seal of “X” on both of their forearms.

“Now, my brothers,” the pastor said, “go to the island of Romacovina, and if you are

chosen, then you will be able to enter and become citizens. If you are not chosen, you may

continue in the way of Messiah X wherever you live.”

After leaving the temple, Akin and Pike contacted Carter.

“Okay, we are on our way to Romacovina,” Pike told her.

“Excellent,” Carter said, and then ended the transmission.

/////

“Agent Carter,” Bond said. “You have a video call from the US president.”

“Click her in,” Carter said, then swallowed, wondering why the president would be

contacting her.

Seconds later, US President Elisabeth Marcus was on screen. “Agent Carter,” the

president said.

“Hello, Ms. President. It’s an honor to talk to you,” Carter said.

“The CIA informed me of your plan to infiltrate Romacovina. Would you personally

keep me informed of the mission status every day or two?”

Winter / Ran 247

Carter raised an eyebrow. “With all due respect, Ms. President, shouldn’t the prime

minister be informed of this request and then have it channeled to me if it’s approved?”

“He already knows, which is why I’m talking with you now,” President Marcus said.

“Besides, this is a matter of national security for us. The CIA has been trying to get into

Romacovina for some time, believing they have weapons of mass destruction that could change

the way we fight war. At first, we didn’t know that this was tied to Zolin.”

Carter nodded, but still felt surprised that the president would want to be directly

involved. “I understand, Ms. President,” Carter said.

/////

Meanwhile, in Europe, Zolin was sitting in one of the front pews of a large Catholic

cathedral when one of his men walked up to him.

“What are you looking at?” the man asked.

Zolin pointed a finger upward at the Crucifix above the altar.

Zolin’s accomplice looked up. “Oh, that,” the man said.

“I’ve never seen something so beautiful and yet so true to our cause—like a man

embracing his destiny. So, the world will know what must happen here,” Zolin said. “Is

everything on schedule?”

“Yes, all is in order,” the man said.

“Good. Now we wait,” Zolin set the timer on his watch. “Kordie Cus will have no choice

but to follow in his father’s footsteps after this.”

/////

Akin and Pike boarded a boat at a private dock in Wajima, Japan, and headed toward the

island of Romacovina. From a distance, they could see that it was a large island, as they’d

Winter / Ran 248

already gathered from satellite photos. But now, it appeared more real with a sky of amber rose-

red over it and thin clouds surrounding it. As they drew closer, they could see that snow wisped

its way down from the cloud cover. It struck the ground and melted.

“Just like on the sat photos,” Pike said. “It’s snowing and it’s not even winter yet.”

The boat continued to draw closer to the island; Akin and Pike saw hundreds of other sea

vessels in port. From the markings on the various craft, it appeared they hailed from different

parts of the world: Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. They all had one marking in common,

though, each had a large X on the hull, just like the one they’d noticed on their own boat.

“Must be the other potentials coming to be citizens,” Akin said.

Then, on the docks, they saw that men in white hoods were speaking with each person

who debarked from the boats.

“Judging by what we studied, those must be the priests of the land—the ones that decide

who can enter. And if they don’t bless us, then we can’t go in.”

“And then we’ll have a problem,” Pike said as he slipped a hand inside his boat pocket to

palm the grip of his pistol.

“You really think that’s going to make a bit of difference?” Akin asked.

“I don’t care what they preach. It’s been confirmed that they don’t have any weapons. If

we are turned away, then we can sneak in somehow.”

“You’re not thinking. First off, good luck sneaking in and living to tell about it. Second,

we are here to find out which kremlin Zolin will destroy.”

“Then I’ll go with Plan B: grab one of the priests and take him back with us. Remember

what it said in The Book of X: these people treat their priests like fathers. They value them so

Winter / Ran 249

much they will stop and do whatever it takes to assure their safety. If Zolin is for real, then he

won’t do anything until the priests are safe. In fact, we should just do that and be done with it.”

“You forget we shouldn’t underestimate the mystery weapon these people have. They’ve

taken out whole armies of people that tried to harm them.”

“Yeah, plus their last leader killed off more than a third of their already small

population.”

Pike sighed. “Fine, so we’ll stick with the plan unless things go south.”

After the boat docked, Akin and Pike got out with the others on board. They were met by

one of the priests. Akin noticed that the hoods of the priests covered their faces almost

completely, making it impossible to see any of their facial features.

“Greetings, my brothers,” the priest said. “May I see the mark of the son on your arms?”

Both of the agents showed them the X on their forearms.

“Very well, you may enter,” the priest said.

But then the two agents had to go through a pat-down by the guards waiting at the end of

the dock.

“We’re screwed,” Pike said. “No way will they miss the side arms we snuck on in our

coats.”

“Agreed,” Akin said. “So be ready to go with the alternate plan.”

“Why wait?” Pike said.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his pistol even as he leaped toward the

hooded priest that had just granted them entry.

“Halt!” one of the guards shouted.

At that, all of the guards on the dock produced small assault rifles—made of silver.

Winter / Ran 250

“So much for that information about the people of Romacovina not having any weapons,”

Pike said.

He slipped an arm around the priest’s neck. The crowds coming off the boat all started to

scream and shout. The remaining guards then approached Akin and Pike.

“PUNTA PUNTA ENUICH YETTA!” one of the guards bellowed.

“Sorry,” Pike said, “we know a lot of languages between the two of us, but not

Romacovinian, buddy.”

Pike then fired a shot in the air to let the guards know he wasn’t bluffing. “If you

approach me any farther, I will blow this man away.”

The guards’ eyes went wide and they looked at each other, all of them freezing in place.

Pike knew that they didn’t want to lose one of their spiritual guides. Akin then stepped up, his

hands raised.

“Come on!” Pike said. “Get back in the boat.”

The guards turned their attention to Akin, who took out his gun and put it on the dock.

“What are you doing, man?” Pike asked.

“I’m going to end this peacefully,” Akin replied, then looked at the guards. “Take me as a

hostage if that man takes your priest.”

The guards closed their eyes like they were praying, and then proceeded to take Akin into

custody. They kept their rifles trained on him, but didn’t use handcuffs or restraints of any kind.

“Fine, man,” Pike said. “Your loss.”

Pike dragged the priest backward and got back on the boat while the guards took Akin

away. Once safely back on mainland Japan, Pike contacted Carter via his SIS-issued cell phone.

“Ma’am, I have one of the priests,” Pike told her.

Winter / Ran 251

“Okay, but that was Plan B,” Carter said.

“I know, but it was the only way. Besides, Plan B is faster.”

“What about Akin?”

“Captured—and the bad part was he purposely gave himself up.”

“Why would he do that if there was no other way?

Neither said a word afterwards.

“Odd,” Carter said. “Well, we’ll keep our ears open in case we hear anything else about

him. Get back here as soon as possible with the priest, Agent Pike.”

“You got it.”

Pike ended the transmission, then pulled out another cell phone and made a call.

“Bear Six, code in,” the person on the phone said.

“Amur River,” Pike answered.

“Affirmed. Report.”

“Yeah, it’s me. I have the target.”

“Good. Bring the target to us before you take him to SIS.”

“Copy that.”

“Good work, Bear Six.”

The phone call ended and Pike put away his cell. The priest smiled and shook his head.

“When a man has two faces and one body, only one face can fulfill its destiny.”

Pike glanced at the priest. “Shut up.”

/////

Meanwhile, Romacovinian guards escorted Akin from the coast and took him inland. As

they passed through towns and the countryside in a large truck, Akin considered that

Winter / Ran 252

Romacovina looked like a peaceful place—not at all like what the media made it out to be. He

saw forests, orchards, livestock farms, and people talking and working. And the people looked

happy. He studied the locals they passed; Akin realized that nobody appeared to be very old. He

figured he hadn’t seen an adult that looked more than about forty since they’d left the coast.

Out in the country, the roads looked clean, and in the towns, Akin saw no sign of crime

or harmful activity—and no run-down areas or slums, or beggars on the corner. Not only that,

but every house looked like a mansion, and in many places, the homes were connected to

neighboring homes. Akin also took note of several large building that appeared to be places of

worship, each with a large X on the top of a high-reaching spire.

Akin shook his head, wondering if the media had cooked up yet another fantasy to feed

the people.

Farther inland, it began to snow again. The snowflakes looked crystal clear. As soon as

the snow hit the ground, it melted.

What is this place? Akin thought.

The guards drove the truck up to the front of a large palace. Akin noticed that many

groundskeepers were out and about, caring for the yard, which looked beautiful and clean. The

guards got him out of the truck and took Akin up the large stone stairway that led to the palace

doors.

“Where are you taking me?” Akin asked. “This doesn’t look like a prison.”

“Romacovina has no prisons, because we don’t need them,” one of the guards said.

They took Akin into the large palace. Once inside, Akin could see that a large party was

taking place in the house, as well as in the giant backyard. People were dancing and having fun.

Winter / Ran 253

Akin couldn’t believe his eyes. He thought of everything he had seen so far in his journey

through Romacovina, and now this party in a palatial palace.

“This just doesn’t look like a dictatorship to me,” Akin said.

“That’s because it’s not,” a man said as he emerged from Akin’s left, holding a glass of

wine. “Nor is it a democracy. It is a theocracy.”

Akin turned and looked at the man.

“Welcome,” the man said. “My name is Kordie Cus.”

“No way,” Akin said. “Kordie Cus is the leader of this place—and a tyrannical dictator.”

The man claiming to be Cus laughed. “Yes, that is what they say, isn’t it? But have you

never read in The Book of X not to take every account as truth until tested?”

Akin looked over the man and thought, How could this guy be the great Kordie Cus? He

wasn’t wearing any fancy clothes of prominence or a military outfit. He was an ordinary-looking

man sporting a polo shirt, gym shoes, and basketball shorts. How could this be the leader of this

so-called antisocial country?

Kordie Cus walked Akin through the people partying inside, and the two men exited

through sliding glass doors onto the back patio, which overlooked a large lawn where many more

men, women, and children partied. The two guards shadowed them as they went outside, but

Akin ignored them. Instead, he looked around and saw balloons tied here and there, and

fireworks going off. Plus, he saw tables of food everywhere, and plenty of music echoing

throughout the grounds. Once again, Akin noted that not a single person looked over the age of

forty. Cus himself looked like he was in his twenties—but he had a mature look to him. Akin

tried not to show his amazement at everything he saw.

Winter / Ran 254

“Everybody!” Cus shouted while clapping his hands and smiling. “This is Shituzaki

Akin. He’s from the outside world and a welcomed guest now. Let’s give him a warm welcome.”

Akin snapped his head and looked at Cus. “How did you know who I am?”

But everybody began clapping and shouting for Akin. A large group of people, both

adults and children, came up to him with open arms, with many of them saying, “Welcome to the

Motherland.” Even the guards lowered their weapons and welcomed Akin to the land. However,

one woman standing at a distance just stared at him, piercing him with her eyes, and Akin stared

back at her until Cus said, “See, does this look like a war-torn, iron-ruled country to you?”

Akin said nothing. Cus invited him to grab a plate of food and relax.

“And, yes, I know who you are … both you and Mr. Pike,” Cus said. “We know many

things so that we may keep our people safe and secure. So please, eat … and rest. You’ve had a

long day already.”

On the buffet sat platters of all kinds of food: African, Italian, German, Greek, Indian,

and Asian. Akin picked up a plate and went for the Asian food, but as he loaded the plate, he felt

suspicious about all of it. He remembered the reports that told of all outsiders dying upon their

return from Romacovina. Maybe this was a trap to kill him.

Cus then put his arm around Akin and leaned in close to him. “If I wanted to kill you, Mr.

Shituzaki, my guards would have done it before you even got here.”

Akin realized the truth of Cus’s words and nodded—but he still refused to eat.

“Very well, suit yourself,” Cus said. He reached for the plate in Akin’s hand. “More for

me, so I’ll take this. I don’t want to tempt you.”

Cus and Akin walked out onto the lawn.

“So, Akin, what brings you to the island?” Cus asked.

Winter / Ran 255

“You don’t already know that, too?” Akin asked.

Cus smiled. “Very good. Touché. And, yes, I do know you are here to learn what you can

about Zolin and his plans.”

Akin stopped walking and pursed his lips. “I need to know what Zolin’s target is—which

kremlin he’s going after. In the interest of peace—something that it seems you and your people

enjoy here.”

“Indeed. But we here at Romacovina have nothing to do with what happens in the outside

world anymore. The last time we allowed ourselves to become entangled in global affairs, nearly

a million of our people were killed and the country descended into chaos.”

“Don’t blame that on anyone but yourselves. That was your father’s madness, not ours.

And this place is fortunate there hasn’t been any political interference from other nations.”

“And you think that’s supposed to mean something?”

Akin clenched his fists and blew out a sharp breath. “Yes … YES, IT DOES mean

something! After what your family did to those people and what happened afterward … YES, IT

DOES! You tricked those people into thinking that they were getting something better—and then

what? I don’t know what game you got going on here, Cus—using some magic trick to convince

me that everything is alright and better than ever? But I’m not stupid like she was. You will pay

unless you tell me what Zolin’s plan is now!”

“I’m sorry, but could you please lower your voice? Children are present.”

Akin grunted. Then, too fast for anyone to react, he elbowed one of the guards in the face

and took his silver rifle, then pointed it at Cus.

Winter / Ran 256

“You know no one has ever gotten this far … this close to you,” Akin said. “I could end

you right here for all that you’ve done. Maybe Pike was right. Maybe I should’ve gotten on that

boat.”

Cus looked at Akin and smiled. “Okay, so you’re going to kill me and punish me for

crimes I didn’t commit, because I’m the son of a heartless man? You want answers to ensure

peace, but you come here with violence? And then what? You think you will die here a martyr of

some sort and receive a hero’s burial … or maybe escape after you’ve done away with me, then

return home for a big welcome?”

All of the sudden, everybody at the party pulled out silver firearms, including the

children. The guards nearby put the muzzles of their silver rifles to Akin’s head, and the guard

that Akin had taken the rifle from now pulled out a silver pistol. Akin let out a sigh, knowing he

had no way out.

“What you have to understand, soldier,” Cus said, “is that this ain’t the place to become a

hero. So if that’s what you want, then you won’t get it here. But, if you want answers, then I can

give them to you. But only if you allow me to show you.”

Akin just stared at Cus, but kept the rifle pointed at him.

“Remember, Mr. Shituzaki, I knew who you were before you got here. I allowed you to

come this far for a reason.”

“Okay … why?” Akin asked.

“You could have gone back with your friend, but you chose to stay and do it the right

way. I don’t think you want to be here. But I do know you want to leave here and take something

good back with you.”

Winter / Ran 257

Akin thought about it for a second. He looked around and saw that everybody was still

pointing weapons at him. A few feet away, a small girl had a small silver revolver aimed at him.

“Fine,” Akin said, then handed the rifle to the closest guard.

“Now isn’t that better than all the tension and conflict?” Cus asked Akin.

Everybody put their guns away and resumed the party.

“Eat and enjoy yourself,” Cus said.

Akin realized this indeed wasn’t a place to be a hero—and no place for a little man,

either. He looked up and noticed it was becoming twilight. The snow still fell slowly and

peacefully, but it hit him that the air didn’t feel cold at all.

/////

Meanwhile, in the White House, President Elisabeth Marcus met with her secretary of

defense and the chief administrator of the CIA.

“So, our man brought back a priest,” the CIA chief said.

“The double agent—Pike?” Marcus asked.

The chief nodded.

“Good. With this advantage, we can negotiate for the release and disarmament of the

secret weapons that Romacovina has.”

“Do you think they value their spiritual leaders that much as to give up such a large

advantage?” the secretary asked.

“I think they will,” the CIA chief said. “We can begin the negotiation process at the UN

summit in New York.”

“This will be the perfect time to promote peace and perhaps bring Romacovina into the

union,” the secretary said. “Not to mention, the Summer Olympics will be starting in a few

Winter / Ran 258

months in Berlin. All of this will create a media buzz that could shoot you to the top during your

reelection campaign, Ms. President.”

“Well, we will cross that bridge when we get there,” Marcus said.

“We’ll be meeting with the priest and Agent Pike in a few hours,” the chief said.

Marcus nodded and the chief walked toward the door. The secretary hesitated to follow.

“Ma’am, uh … do you need anything … anything at all?” the secretary asked.

“No,” Marcus said, raising an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, it’s just … this is the anniversary of your husband’s passing. I thought you … I

don’t know, maybe that you could use some, you know, time to yourself or maybe …

something.”

“No, but thank you for your concern, Mr. Secretary.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the secretary said.

He and the CIA chief left the room. The president made her way to her bedroom, where

she took a picture from her lockbox. It was a photo of her when she was back in college—with a

young man next to her.

/////

Pike and the priest arrived in London, and Pike pulled out his private cell phone.

“Bear Six, code in,” came the reply.

“Big Ben,” Pike said.

“Confirmed. Go ahead.”

“En route with target.”

“Roger that. Out.”

Pike put away the phone and got out his SIS cell phone, then called in to Carter.

Winter / Ran 259

“Arrived in London,” Pike said.

“Then you should be here soon,” Carter said.

“Priest needs to make a pit stop and to say some prayers,” Pike said.

“That can wait,” Carter said.

“Nah, it’s good. We’ll be there ASAP. Pike out.”

Pike hung up and took the priest to a restroom located on the first floor of a nondescript

office building. However, at the rear of the restroom, through a hidden door, sat an interrogation

room, and Pike escorted the priest here. Around a large table sat several men, one of whom

nodded to Pike.

“Okay, Father Holy-Holy,” Pike said, “we’re going to hook you up to a private video

signal that should link to Romacovina’s media broadcast. You will tell Kordie Cus to give up the

nomad act and to meet with us at the upcoming UN summit in New York City—to negotiate the

disarmament of all your country’s bio weapons, and to help us stop Zolin from blowing a

kremlin back to the Soviet days. If you do this, you will be set free and allowed to go home. Is

that clear to you, bud?”

The priest raised his head toward him and then pulled back his hood. His face featured

two large scars that formed the shape of an X. His hair was colored a dark red. Pike and the

others looked at each other.

“An X? But why would…? No way! I can’t believe it,” Pike said.

“Yes, my fellow man, believe what you can finally see,” the priest said.

“Hey,” Pike said to one of his men, “contact the chief. I think we just hit the jackpot,

baby.”

Winter / Ran 260

/////

Back in Romacovina, Cus showed Akin around his property, pointing out how peaceful

Romacovina was.

“You see,” Cus said, “we have no military because the people are the military; we have

no army, no soldiers, and no police to protect us because the people are their own protection.

Everyone here, including the children, is fully capable of defending themselves from any threat,

no matter who it is.”

“How did you manage to pull that off?” Akin asked.

“Well, it wasn’t that difficult. After my father snapped and committed the genocide of

nearly a million of our people, the whole country descended into anarchy and chaos. It got so bad

here that everybody was using guns to protect themselves. Muggings, riots, thievery, kidnapping

of children to be trained as suicide bombers and soldiers … These were common around this

land. Women succumbed to rape and abuse practically every hour of the day and night.”

Akin nodded. “Yeah, that’s more in line with what I’ve heard from reports of this place.

Things got so bad that some people considered it the most dangerous place in the world, even

worse than a lot of nations in the Middle East.”

“And it was true—then. Romacovina became the base of operations and breeding ground

for the most heinous criminals and terrorist organizations in the world. Before my father’s act of

genocide, there was a sense of order—an order that quickly turned to chaos with the mass

murder and then after my father’s death. That order had to be reestablished upon my return from

the West.”

“The West? What do you mean?”

Winter / Ran 261

“You will be the first person outside my inner circle to know this. My father secretly sent

me to America to study their culture, under an alias, of course—Kory Custer. I went to Stanford

and graduated with a dual degree in political affairs and biochemical studies. I planned to use my

knowledge at some point in the future to overthrow the most powerful nation in the world. But

all that changed.”

“How?” Akin asked.

“I met a man. Actually, he was only a youth at the time—fourteen years old when I

meant him at Stanford. But he studied philosophy and sociology. So, I knew he had to be a

genius—a child prodigy, if you will. But he was much more than that. He wrote a book that

synthesized all of his studies into one new philosophy. Before graduation, he presented the book

to his advisor—a professor that he greatly respected. But the book was so good that the teacher

got angry because it proved that everything the instructor had told us was wrong. Everybody else

in the school thought this young man was crazy. Yet, I knew there was something different about

him.

“One day, I saw him holding a seedling, which after a few months to a year, if taken care

of, would have become a large, beautiful flower. That’s when I saw something I would never

forget. He looked at the seedling and cried—and then the seedling instantly became a large

flower, right in his hand. I know it sounds crazy; I thought I was going crazy myself. But then he

did it again in his dorm room. That’s when I realized this boy was someone amazing, someone I

had to learn from. That someone’s name was Xavier Monteillo—aka Messiah X.”

“So, that’s where the connection began.”

Cus nodded. “Xavier taught me how to be peaceful. That love, fear, and respect, when

fused together, would make not only a powerful leader, but a powerful nation—stronger than

Winter / Ran 262

America and all of its accomplishments. He told me that the military is not what makes the

nation strong; rather, it is the people. An army can be defeated, but if your subjects become your

army, you will never lose. They would have to destroy you all. That’s where your enemy will

defeat itself. In this day and age, no one wants to do that and have that much blood on their

hands. If they did, the world would fall and devour itself in its own shame and hate. And he was

right.”

Cus and Akin continued to walk across the lush fields of the island.

“Xavier was right. My father had the love when he promised the oppressed of every

nation that he would protect them, that he would give them all that they desired. Millions from

different nations left their homeland to come to Romacovina. That’s how good of a speaker he

was. He had the fear, too, when no force could stop him, because he was that smart. He did have

the respect as well when the UN said they wouldn’t interfere with him. But after I heard of him

killing nearly a million people because they wanted a ‘change,’ that’s when I knew he’d lost the

people’s love and respect. All he had left was fear, and when that happens, eventually somebody

will stand up to you. The other nations didn’t touch my dad at the time because they respected

him and many loved him. But then he lost that with his crazed genocide. I didn’t want to be like

him. I wanted to be better. When he died, I vowed to return with the answers to the chaos.

“I see,” Akin said. “What about X?”

“Xavier came with me—my best friend. Together, we took others who followed us and

went to Romacovina and took over the land and ousted anyone who didn’t want to accept the

new faith we had. Afterward, we started a massive social media campaign to reach as many as

possible to return to Romacovina. I never made myself much of a public figure because of my

Winter / Ran 263

father’s legacy. But people knew X. They could spread the word on how he changed

Romacovina.”

“And they did just that. It’s crazy how many people actually believed you.”

“People want something better than their governments. Romacovina was prosperous most

of the time my father was ruler. It is again now—even more like it should be.”

Cus led Akin to a garage on the property. Inside, Akin was surprised to see a host of

clean-energy electric vehicles.

“Care for a driving tour, Agent Shituzaki?” Cus asked.

Akin looked around—still no guards … so Cus could perhaps be trusted to some degree,

unless he had something up his sleeve.

“Okay,” Akin said with a nod.

They stopped first at a training center where Romacovinians of all ages learned how to

fight with the guns. Next came a drive through a section of forest and jungle. Akin had to look

twice, as many of the animals were either naturally mutated or were actually extinct species:

saber-toothed big cats, birds with four wings and six eyes, gray woolly mammoths, different

types of insects and reptiles never before seen. To Akin, the craziest part was that the wild and

domestic animals dwelled together—with the humans. He saw no sign of fear in their hearts.

“How is this possible?” Akin asked.

“It’s all thanks to Xavier,” Cus replied. “I don’t know how he does it, but he does. He has

the power to change hearts, even down to the smallest creature.”

From there, Cus showed Akin the industrial sites of the country. Akin saw no dangerous

chemicals being used and no toxic fumes; the only byproduct appeared to be pure, clean air. But

they did manufacture a type of metal that looked like sapphire.

Winter / Ran 264

“It can kill anything, no matter where it hits the body,” Cus said. “It doesn’t even have to

hit a vital organ. It can be as small as a flesh wound. It will kill whatever it hits. We call it the

‘OSOK bullet,’ which means ‘one shot, one kill.’ They can only be used in the chrome-silver

weapons that you saw earlier, as this is the only metal that can withstand the power of these

bullets. However, to the citizens of Romacovina, the weapons are like regular guns: they can

only kill them if a vital organ is hit. But to outsiders …”

“One shot, one kill,” Akin said.

Cus nodded.

Cus drove Akin pass a large coliseum. “You guys have gladiator games here or

something?”

“Hmm, minus the bloodshed, we use the coliseum for large-scale games, large enough to

rival the Olympics. We can have fun on a pretty massive scale too my friend.”

To end their tour, Cus showed Akin some unique-looking jetpacks. The propellant for the

pack had a propane charge, but it was purely air-lifted. Cus turned on one of the jetpacks and put

his hand in the exhaust. But it wasn’t a flame. It was ionized air.

“Try it out,” Cus said.

Akin shrugged his shoulders and said, “Why not.”

Soon, after bundling Akin in warm clothes, a couple of workers had rigged up the jetpack

on Akin’s back. Last came the flight mask, which looked like a metallic alien face with two big

eyes and a partial cage over the wearer’s mouth for protection. Once Akin was ready and Cus

had also gotten outfitted with his own jetpack, Cus took him to the top of a high hill.

“Turn your head to the left hard or hard right to change diagonal and vertical directions,”

Cus said. “Or move your torso up and down to move in horizontal directions.”

Winter / Ran 265

Akin turned on his jetpack, and then both he and Cus launched into the air. After Cus

made sure Akin had a good handle on how to control the jetpack, they started to fly over the

island. At times, Akin would shout partly in fear, but mostly in excitement. They spent two hours

in the skies over Romacovina. Akin took in amazing vistas amidst the light snowfall.

Dusk soon came; they landed.

“That was amazing!” Akin said.

“Yes. Now you know about our island and our people—and you are ready,” Cus said.

“Ready for what?”

“Ready to return to Great Britain and report all that you saw to your superiors so they in

turn can tell the world. You will tell the others what Romacovina really is.”

“Wait. What about Zolin?” Akin asked.

“Zolin is not our problem—especially since your man Pike took Messiah X from us.”

“What? What do you mean? That was just a priest he grabbed.”

Cus nodded. “Yes, it was, and all of us are equal and not above one another. That priest

was just like everybody else. But he was also someone special. That priest was none other than X

himself.”

“No … Wait … That’s not fair. We didn’t know and—we didn’t plan to do a snatch-and-

grab.”

“Life isn’t fair, either; it’s what you make it. Report what you’ve learned here. The

world will know we have accomplished what the UN and every other leader have promised and

failed to achieve: peace.”

Nighttime came and Cus took Akin to his quarters for the night. Akin was scheduled to

return to the UK in the morning. He sat on the bed in his second-floor room; he reached into his

Winter / Ran 266

pocket and took out a locket with a picture in it. The picture was of his mother. Unable to sleep,

he lay in bed with the light on, thinking about his mother into the wee hours of the night. At

around 4:00 a.m., Akin got up and walked out onto the small balcony that overlooked the

gardens that led to the palace, which he could see in the distance. Below his living quarters, in

the glow of the landscape lighting, he saw a woman jogging—the same woman who had been

staring at him at the party. Not far from his balcony, the woman stopped to stretch. She looked

up and saw Akin watching her. She smiled. Akin nodded at her. She looked American. He

climbed over the balcony railing, and then carefully lowered himself until he jumped down and

touched ground.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hey,” she said.

“I’m Akin.”

She nodded. “Yes, I remember. I’m La-sha.” She gave a short bow.

He smiled and bowed back in the traditional Japanese style.

“You, uh, mind if I run with you?” Akin said. “Couldn’t sleep at all.”

“Sure, c’mon.”

They took off at a slow pace.

“So, where did you come from?” Akin asked.

“From California … in America.”

“Really? So … what made you come to Romacovina?”

“Well, I wanted to be a professional runner. My parents put me in a training camp to

hone my skills, and one day I decided that I wanted to compete in the Olympics.” La-sha paused

and released a deep sigh.

Winter / Ran 267

Akin looked at her. “And …?”

“But … I lost the use of my legs to a degenerative illness years ago. I gave up hope of

even walking again and fell into some bad depression.”

Akin nodded and looked ahead.

“But that changed when I saw Messiah X’s sermons on the Internet.” La-sha said.

Akin looked at her again.

“I came here and took a chance, hoping he could help me find hope again.”

“That was a huge leap of faith.”

She nodded. “Yeah, it was—so much that my family disowned me and dubbed me a

traitor.”

Akin frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay. It hurt a lot—still does—but I found a new family here, and it was here that X

gave me hope again. He gave me a reason to live again … and then he healed my legs.” La-sha

let out a long sight of relief. “That was thirty years ago.”

“Thirty years? But you look like you’re in your late teens, early twenties.”

“That’s sweet.”

“But it’s true. I mean, I’ve noticed that a lot around here.”

“One of the many benefits of being a part of this great land, a citizen of Romacovina

doesn’t have to worry about old age. You could live here for forty plus years and still look as

young as you were in your high school yearbook.”

Akin laughed. “Well, that’s too good to be true.”

“But it is.” She said with a small giggle. “I found all the happiness possible here.” La-sha

looked over at him. “You know, you can be happy here too.”

Winter / Ran 268

Wanting to believe her, Akin just shrugged. “Maybe. We’ll see.”

They talked and jogged until sunup, when they returned to the building where Akin’s

quarters were. Akin didn’t end up leaving that day—or the next day. After talking with Cus and

telling him he’d like to stay on the island and learn more, Cus agreed to allow him to remain

indefinitely. Akin took full advantage by spending as much time as possible with La-sha.

/////

Cus didn’t interfere with the growing romance between Akin and La-sha. One morning,

he watched the two of them from a distance via his bedroom balcony in the palace. He sighed,

then turned and went inside. From a desk drawer, he took out a framed photograph from when he

was in college. In the picture, he stood next to a young woman. In the bottom right corner of the

photo were the handwritten words “Luv you, Kory!” along with a little heart.

Cus swallowed hard. Then he looked back out the window and saw Akin and La-sha

talking and laughing. Cus glanced back down at the picture. He clenched his jaw and grasped the

photo frame so tight that his knuckles grew white. Then he snarled and hurled the photo against

the nearest wall.

/////

In a secret facility, located underground in Rome, Zolin and his men discussed the

upcoming attack, which would strike several areas at once.

“I trust that this information and these access routes are correct,” Zolin said.

“Yes, our source at the UN confirms,” one of the men said.

“Okay, then let’s do this. Let’s make history,” Zolin said.

Winter / Ran 269

/////

In London, recently arrived US President Elisabeth Marcus met with Danielle Carter

while waiting for another transmission from Pike. Finally, the call came in, and Carter put it on

speaker so Marcus could also hear the conversation.

“Pike, what is going on? Why haven’t you arrived here with the priest yet?” Carter asked.

“Because the priest we captured is Messiah X, ma’am. It’s him,” Pike said. “I’ve already

had two agents confirm his identity.”

Carter and Marcus just looked at each other for a moment.

“What’s your location?” Carter asked.

“Echo Site, Blue Room,” Pike said.

“We’re on our way.”

Less than twenty minutes later, Carter, Marcus, and a few of their key staff members

arrived at the office building where Pike had Messiah X.

“Hello,” X said as the two women approached him.

Marcus stopped in her tracks when she saw X. X smiled at her, then gave a little nod.

“I can help you with your problem,” X said.

“What problem is that?” Carter said.

“Everything.”

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back.

“What are you doing?” Carter asked.

X said nothing and did not move—for the next fifteen minutes, no matter how much they

talked to him. Then, Pike and the other agents began getting reports of paraplegics getting up and

walking, blind people being able to see, deaf people being able to hear, and the list went on and

Winter / Ran 270

on. Even stranger, several senior citizen homes in London no longer had old residents. They had

all returned to their youth. Even some of the staff at the secret SIS location found their ailments

healed. Some started to cry. Others started to laugh. Some even fainted.

“How are you doing this?” President Marcus asked.

Finally, X opened his eyes. “Well,” he said, “if you had come with us when we left,

Lizzy, then you would know.”

The president’s eyes went wide. “Don’t you dare call me by that name.”

Agent Carter looked at the president and then at X.

“Don’t blame me. I wanted you to be happy—we all did,” X said.

Marcus shook her head. “Leave it alone … Xavier.”

“Wait,” Carter said to Marcus. “You know who Messiah X is?”

“Unfortunately, yes … although I didn’t know until we walked in and I saw him,”

Marcus said. “But that doesn’t matter.” She looked at X. “I’m sure Pike told you what we want.”

Carter looked at Pike and frowned. “Working both sides of the pond?”

Pike shrugged his shoulders.

“Yes,” X said, “Agent Pike did tell me of your desire to acquire our weapon. And I can

tell you this: you don’t want the weapon. It’s beyond your control and your comprehension. You

see, it happens every year, but you don’t want it.”

“Enough with the games, Xavier. Tell us what it is and we will set you free,” Marcus

said.

“No, I will not tell you. I want to save you and your people. Then we can all be one with

each other.”

Winter / Ran 271

“You want to save people?” Carter said. “Then tell us about Zolin. If you agree to go on

camera in public, you could make him stop whatever he is planning.”

“That won’t stop him, but it will bring millions to me. Do you want that? Are you ready

for that?”

One of Marcus’s female aides called the president over from where the aide sat in a

wheelchair that she’d been confined to since childhood. President Marcus looked at her.

“Yes, Ginny?” Marcus said.

“Please, Ms. President, maybe we should listen to him,” Ginny said.

“Why?” Marcus asked.

Ginny looked over at X, and he nodded at her, then smiled. Ginny got up out of the

wheelchair and started to walk and cry. President Marcus cried too.

“Agent Carter,” President Marcus said. “Please ask the prime minister if we can

broadcast X on your media outlets. I’ll call for a public address in the US.”

“Uh … Ms. President?” Carter said.

“Please.”

Agent Carter hesitated at first, but after seeing Ginny’s happy expressions, she gave in.

She pulled out her phone. “Bond, get me the prime minister. We have some important news to

tell him.” She glanced at X. “And the world.”

The next day, X was allowed to go public and broadcast the message across Great Britain

and the United States. President Marcus and the prime minister watched X together from across

the room. The prime minister leaned over and whispered in Marcus’s ear.

Winter / Ran 272

“I hope this works Madam President,” the prime minister said. “I heard about some of

those weird miracle healings across London, but still, we’re putting this out on long shot.

Millions is a big number compared to a few hundred.”

“I’m aware of that, Mr. Prime Minister, and, yes, we are putting this on a long shot. But

after what I saw yesterday, I realized peace with Romacovina could be possible.”

“You mean when you saw Ginny’s recovery or when you saw an old acquaintance?”

Marcus looked at the prime minister. He stared back, looking at her with cautious

optimism. Marcus looked back at X as he preached to the world. With the cameras and

microphones assembled around X, the reporters wanted to hear and record every word. X stood

confident, revealing himself to the world.

“This is to all who know of me, to all who love me, and to all that hate me,” X said. “My

people have been labeled traitors, terrorists, and rebels. But I’m here as their spiritual leader,

their shepherd, to show you otherwise. I sense that many of you have ailments, or are lame or

old. No matter our race, our religion, our culture, and our nationality, you all suffer from these

things. But not my people, not in Romacovina. We are free from such things: war, pain, suffering

… death.”

Xavier looked down and took a deep breath, knowing the next part would be a lie. “But

today, I’ve decided to come here at my own free will, for the sake of peace.” He looked back up

and turned to Marcus.

Marcus’s eyes widened and she folded her arms to hide her anxiousness.

“Today, I’m going to spread the gifts of Romacovina to the entire world for … the sake

of peace.” X turned back to the audience. “In the next forty-eight hours, millions of you will be

Winter / Ran 273

cured of your imperfections; you will have fewer crimes being committed across your dwelling

places. When that happens, I know many of you will think differently of us.”

Many watching, though, felt skeptical at X’s claims.

“Who does this guy think he is, Jesus?” more than one viewer said.

“I heard on the news that people across the country were miraculously healed,” another

said.

“Lies, all lies. It’s just a stunt, no way. That just doesn’t happen.”

“A lot of people love him.”

“And a lot hate him too.”

“Yeah, but that whole healing story, having this guy on the news, making it a public

address. I mean, the leaders of the two most powerful nations in the world wouldn’t do

something like this just to jerk us around, right?”

At the press conference, X closed his eyes. Veins began to appear across his head.

“Mr. X?” one of the reporters said. “Mr. X, are you okay?”

Marcus, Carter, and the prime minister stepped forward, holding their breath, waiting for

X to open his eyes. Marcus’s eyes grew wider; her mouth hung open. She knew what X was

doing.

X stayed that way for several minutes. Sweat poured from his face like a fountain.

Finally, he fell on the ground. The crowd gasped.

“Get this man a doctor.” one of the attendees said.

The security guards escorted the president and the prime minister out of the room. They

also grabbed X and took him off the platform. X was placed on a gurney, and they rolled him out

of the building and into an ambulance.

Winter / Ran 274

/////

A couple of hours later, after the president and the prime minister had exited the building,

hundreds of people were escorted outside of the premise. The prime minister left the building

with Agent Carter and Bond.

“Well, that was quite a show,” the prime minister said. “Now the people of Romacovina

are going to think we poisoned him or something.”

Just then, Bond took a call from HQ. “Are you serious?”

“What is it?” the prime minister asked.

“Sir, reports of healing are streaming across the web. They’re coming in so fast. I …”

The prime minister looked ahead, remembering what Marcus said. “My God.”

/////

In the ambulance, the EMTs checked for any irregularities in X’s vitals. But the monitor

wouldn’t process the vitals.

“What the…?” one of the paramedics said. “I can’t understand these readings.”

X woke up and rose from the gurney. The EMTs lunged back. X took off the respirator

and breathed. He looked at the nearest EMT.

“It’s okay. I’m fine … and soon, you will be too.”

In the next forty-eight hours. X’s prophecy came true. The gifts of Romacovina spread

across the US and UK, and then within a week the whole world. Millions everywhere were

healed; they became young and healthy again. This had such an impact on the world that many

abandoned their former beliefs when they saw and experienced what X did on a grand scale. It

was unprecedented. Sickness, pain, crime, violence, and old age were disappearing.

Winter / Ran 275

International scientists took great interest in X, because they wanted to study X’s body to

see how he had obtained these miraculous abilities. X agreed to undergo testing. Scientists

recorded that his DNA had ten times more base pairs of DNA arranged in his calculated one

hundred and forty-four chromosomes. The basic human only has forty-six chromosomes in its

DNA. Other scientists also discovered that X’s DNA carried large concentrations of Higgs

particles—aka “god” particles. How this was possible, though, nobody knew. X’s physiology

would forever change the way scientists looked at biochemistry—and the universe, for that

matter.

Many, of course, opposed X. They said he promoted sedition and conquest. That he was

going to help Romacovina subjugate the world under Kordie Cus’s tyrannical rule. Many of the

religious leaders around the world hated X and wanted to kill him for taking their members, their

money, and, most of all, their power.

To convince the world powers about X’s true intentions, Agent Carter wanted X to ask

Kordie Cus to attend the upcoming UN summit, to disarm the secret weapon, and to help them

stop Zolin.

X thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “I warn you, though, if this is a trap to

destroy Romacovina and its people over nationalistic propaganda or to seek revenge against the

Cus family, I will unleash an unspeakable curse on the whole world that nobody will ever be able

to lift.”

Such a threat may have seemed outlandish just a week or so ago, but with what they had

seen Messiah X accomplish, they believed he could do what he promised, even if they didn’t

know how. So President Marcus and Agent Carter assured him that they had no ulterior motives

behind their requests.

Winter / Ran 276

/////

Meanwhile, back in Romacovina, Cus stood on his balcony and watched Akin and La-sha

jogging through the palace grounds. Cus frowned as he noticed the obvious joy and happiness

that the pair of them exuded. Just then, one of Cus’s advisors approached him.

“Sir, the Order of the Six Sages wishes to speak with you,” the advisor said.

Cus nodded and left the palace, hoping the Sages had some word about Messiah X since

they had all heard about and then watched the press conference that X had held at the behest of

the US and UK. Even Cus hadn’t known at first that Pike had grabbed X and not just some

random priest. If anyone would have news of X, it would be the Sages, the reigning spiritual

order of the land. Cus soon entered the temple where the Six Sages held court. All six of them sat

in their main chambers, facing each other in a circle while wearing casual attire.

One of the Sages handed Cus a phone. “Watch the video, please,” the Sage said.

Cus looked down and saw a video of Messiah X ready to play. He started the video and

watched and listened to his old friend: “My brothers in Romacovina, would you consider coming

to New York for the UN summit?” X asked. “I believe this is the best and most logical step

toward peace between our people and the outside world.”

After the video ended, one of the Sages took the phone from Cus and asked. “Why would

X do this? Since we watched his video just minutes before you came, some of us have felt

shaken to our very spirits about this. We just do not understand why he wants to open lines of

communication with the outside world.”

“He had to have had a good reason,” Cus said.

“Indeed,” another sage said. “Kordie, I believe you will have to face our enemies one last

time before we can achieve absolute peace with the outside lands.”

Winter / Ran 277

“Yes, it would appear I have no choice but to finish what my father started,” Cus said.

With that, Cus departed the temple and headed to Akin’s quarters, where he found the

agent just leaving the building while holding hands with La-sha.

“Agent Shituzaki, do you want to stay here with us?” Cus asked.

“Huh?” Akin said, taken by surprise at such a blunt question.

“I can make you a citizen. All of the benefits, both physical and spiritual will be given to

you.”

Akin looked at La-sha and then back at Cus. “Yes, I do. I think I would like to stay.”

“Alright then,” Cus said. “But I need some privacy with you.” He looked at La-sha.

She smiled and said, “By all means.” She squeezed Akin’s hand and walked off.

“Okay, here I am,” Akin said. “What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you who Zolin really is.”

“What.” Akin said.

Cus nodded. “But not here. Let’s go to the palace where I know everything is secure.”

Once at the palace, Cus led Akin to a small office on the first floor.

“Please, Agent Shituzaki, have a seat,” Cus said. “A little wine, perhaps?”

Akin nodded. “Sure.”

Cus poured them both a glass of red wine, then sat down behind his desk, across from

Akin.

“When my father was in power,” Cus began, “Zolin was the general of his so-called

Silver Army. The OSOK bullets were the reason why father always won any battles that Zolin

fought for him. But my father had no knowledge about how to transform that same power into a

weapon of mass destruction that would rival the nuclear bomb. That was the only thing that kept

Winter / Ran 278

him from the complete conquest here that he so desired. He wanted to gather as many scientists

as he could, hoping someone would provide him with the knowledge to build such a weapon. But

it never happened, and then he went … mad, really.”

“And that’s when the genocide happened,” Akin said.

Cus nodded. “Not long after that, my father died from an unknown virus he got from one

of his mistresses. General Zolin took over the army and tried to gain control of Romacovina,

hoping to eventually return to his homeland of Russia and usurp power there. Thus, factions

grew in our land and chaos ensued. But when I arrived back here with X, Zolin failed to advance

any further—even though he had more with him than we had with us.”

“How did you stop him?” Akin asked.

“Xavier has the power to manipulate life. However, he can’t use his power to kill. Nor

can Xavier manipulate the dead. He can’t bring you back to life. However, he can release and

reawaken dormant forms of life that have been in the state of slumber for centuries.” Cus paused

and then said, “We concluded that Xavier somehow activates dormant genes in people that allow

them to achieve superhuman qualities, both mental and physical. Xavier did the same with this.”

Cus rose and walked out onto the balcony. Akin followed. Cus put out his hand and

caught some of the ever-falling snowflakes. They melted in his hand.

Akin shook his head. “I don’t get it.”

“When Zolin lost, he took all of my father’s old army with him. And ever since then, they

have called themselves the Zolinites. Whatever Zolin is planning, it won’t be something your

government will be expecting. But Zolin isn’t the one I’m worried about. I’m worried about what

Xavier will do if this situation threatens Romacovina. Xavier loves this place like his own body.

In fact, he played a key role in making it. If all of this is destroyed by nuclear weapons—

Winter / Ran 279

something my people don’t have and never will while I’m in power—it could spell the same

doom for the outside world that it did when we banished Zolin. But it’s going to be much

worse.”

Cus walked inside. With his back turned, he said, “My father told me this when I was

little. Right before I went to America: ‘Remember this, son. People can either be ruled by men

wearing costumed military attire or they can be ruled by men wearing business suits. That

decision will define you to the rest of the world.’ People won’t take me seriously at that summit

wearing basketball shorts.”

“Wait …” Akin said. “You’re going to the summit?”

Cus frowned, then nodded. “I received a video message from X, asking me to attend. He

would not be coerced into asking for this, so I must assume he has spoken with your leaders in

the SIS and come to some sort of an accord with them.”

“Okay, so now what?”

“We go to New York City for the summit.”

Akin’s eyes grew wide. “We?”

“Of course, Agent. I will need you there.”

Turning away from Akin, Cus opened a closet, and there hung his father’s old military

uniform. Before pulling out the uniform, he put on a Kevlar bodysuit to protect his body. Next,

he donned the uniform, complete with all of his father’s medals and patches.

Cus turned to Akin and said, “Now, we go back to the hangar with the jetpacks.”

“We’re flying to New York using jetpacks?”

Cus nodded.

“Seriously?”

Winter / Ran 280

“Of course. You yourself have already seen that they require no fuel—only air.”

Akin shrugged. “Okay.”

Once at the hangar, Cus put the jetpack on, and after, his metal mask. At the same time,

Akin watched as a large group of men, women, and children put on their own jetpacks, along

with the metal masks, and then took up their silver guns. Finally, Akin himself put on the same

gear.

As Akin was getting prepped, Cus asked him, “Remember when we first met at the

party? You said that you weren’t ‘stupid like she was.’ Who was the she?”

Akin looked down and pulled a necklace out from under his shirt. He held it up for Cus

to see the picture on the pendant.

“This was my mom,” Akin said. “She was from North Korea. When Cashis Cus preached

about Romacovina, she believed in him and escaped to come here. My dad and I, though,

escaped to Japan, where he was originally from. However, when the people wanted Cashis to

turn the land into a democratic government, she was killed along with the millions that died. I

vowed that would never happen to me. I would never put my faith in a person like she did.” Akin

paused and looked down at the ground. Then he looked in Cus’s eyes. “Not until today.”

Cus put a hand on Akin’s shoulder.

“I wished my mother lived to see this,” Akin said. “And that she lived in Romacovina

now as I soon will after this is over.”

“Then, come, let us go and make peace,” Cus said. “And you will be my ambassador, to

let the world know about our peaceful regime.”

Akin just stared at him. “Seriously? Just like that?”

Winter / Ran 281

“Certainly. You know I had you checked out before you even stepped foot on this

island,” Cus said. “And I now know you personally, so the ambassadorship is yours, if you’ll

have it.”

“I’d … I’d be honored,” Akin said.

“And so will we,” a female voice said from behind.

Akin turned and saw La-sha.

She smiled at him. “I will be waiting for you when you return.”

Akin kissed her, and then he, Cus, and the rest of the group turned on their jetpacks and

flew to New York for the summit.

/////

In a private room in his secret bunker, Zolin lit a candle. On the table before him stood a

picture of Cashis Cus. Zolin thought back on the last day he talked to Cashis, several years ago.

The sun rose in the city of Kiev. Zolin and Cus took a walk across the bridge, looking at

the horizon.

“You managed to do the impossible, sir,” Zolin said. “Romacovina will definitely be the

capital of our new world when this is over.”

Cashis stopped and laughed at the young Zolin’s comment. Zolin stopped and looked at

Cashis with unease. “Sir?”

“Nothing, my friend,” Cashis said. “It’s funny, after all these years, you still talk like a

foot soldier.”

“Well, sir, I’m just—”

“Please, don’t call me ‘sir,’ Kermen. At this point, we’re too close for such formalities.

Just call me ‘Cashis.’”

Winter / Ran 282

“Uh, okay, Cashis.”

Cashis smiled and gently hit Zolin in the jaw. “See, that wasn’t so bad?”

“Uh … I guess not.”

“Heh.” Cashis turned back around and looked at the horizon. “Listen, Kermen, my days

are numbered.”

“What?” Zolin said. “You’re just getting started, sir—uh, Cashis.”

“Every man in my position has numbered days. Such days are important to establish a

system where your goals are going to be carried out by another.”

“Like Kordie?”

Zolin saw Cashis frowning. He gripped the railing of the bridge and rocked his body back

and forth. “I’m … I’m sure when he returns from America, he will be ready.” Cashis shook his

head and squeezed the railing. “Kermen, if … if … Kordie doesn’t accomplish our goal, I’m

entrusting our uprising to you.”

Zolin looked around the street, feeling confused and unsure about Cashis’s remark.

“He’s sculpting his own legacy in America,” Cashis said.

“Uh … sir, Kordie—well, you trained him. I’m … sure … I know he won’t fail us. He

won’t.”

Cashis released the railing and walked away, leaving Zolin behind. Zolin just didn’t

know back then. Maybe he was too young and too stupid to see the truth about Kordie through

his father’s eyes.

Zolin came back to reality and slammed his hand on the table. “After all these years, I

finally understand, sir. I’m still just a foot soldier, but … I’m your foot soldier.”

He took out a lighter and set the picture on fire. He held it high above him.

Winter / Ran 283

“Your son has deserted you, my friend,” Zolin said. “But that’s okay. I’ll make him pay

with his own legacy. ROMACOVINA KOVIA!”

/////

Now in Washington DC, President Marcus, Agent Carter, Messiah X, and Agent Pike

boarded Air Force One for their flight to New York and the summit. Unknown to them and the

rest of the UN leaders, a group of Zolinites had planted bombs throughout the underground

sewer systems all over New York City. That same afternoon, Marcus and her group landed in

New York, and soon enough, they arrived at the UN Headquarters along with hundreds of other

international leaders and representatives. They saw reporters and protesters everywhere.

Marcus and some of the other leaders walked in together, many of the security personnel

began running toward them and pointing into the sky. Marcus looked up and saw several streams

of light coming toward them from out of the blue sky—appearing to be some strange aircraft.

Soon enough, though, the security personnel received a radio update that the incoming craft were

actually representatives of Romacovina and that they had been given permission to land and

attend the summit.

Kordie Cus and the rest of his squad landed in spectacular fashion, wowing the crowds.

Within seconds, people began uploading photos and videos to every social media site on the

Internet, and soon the entire world knew that Romacovina was attending the summit.

After security guards cleared Cus and his entourage, he approached Elisabeth Marcus

with all of his gear still on—looking like some military superhero … or super-villain, depending

on the observer’s point of view. When he came to a stop in front of her, he removed the mask

and put on his military hat.

“Ms. President, it’s been awhile,” Cus said with a bow.

Winter / Ran 284

“Mr. Cus … Yes, it has been awhile,” the president said.

Standing to Cus’s left, Akin eyed Agent Pike, who was staring at him.

“Fricking traitor,” Pike muttered. “I can’t believe that flake.”

Next to Pike, Agent Carter shook her head. “Look who’s talking, Pike,” she replied.

After allowing Cus to greet X, everyone entered the UN building, with hundreds of

camera flashes going off all around them. Once inside the General Assembly building, each

leader took his or her place, and UN staff rushed around to set up a seat for Kordie Cus and

Messiah X. With the unexpected arrival of Kordie, everyone agreed to rearrange the prior

discussion on foreign policy and focus on how Romacovina could be invited into the UN by

disarming the weapons the country possessed.

“We can’t disarm … because the weapon is a natural defense,” Cus said.

President Marcus caught Xavier’s eye to hopefully convince him otherwise, but X only

said, “Mr. Cus isn’t lying … but we can help you stop Zolin.”

Most of the delegates argued loudly against having anything to do with Romacovina,

given the genocide that had taken place, plus its long-time status as a hermit nation.

Agent—and now Ambassador—Akin soon rose and took the floor. “I vouch for this land

and its leaders,” Akin said. “They can help you.”

“Ha! We aren’t inclined to listen to a traitor,” said one of the UN members.

President Marcus now looked at Cus. But Cus was deep in thought, trying to figure out a

way to come to an agreement. And then it hit him.

“I realize that the upcoming Summer Olympics will be in Berlin,” Cus said. “If you were

to change the location of the Olympics, then we would give you the ability to disarm the weapon

and help you stop Zolin.”

Winter / Ran 285

The delegates from Germany rose and shouted their disagreement. X looked at Cus.

“What are you doing, friend?” X asked.

“Xavier, it’s time for us, for once, to make the first move for peace,” Cus said.

“We will not give up our opportunity to host these Olympics.” the German leader said.

“And how would it even be possible? It would take years of preparation to have them in your

land.”

“No, it won’t,” Cus said. “We have a stadium; we use it for our own games. Your

delegates can use it. All of our citizens will be happy to accommodate your athletes. We have

plenty of room. We want the Olympics to take place in Romacovina.”

The uproar in the room continued.

“If you allow us to host the Olympics, we will submit.”

“No, that’s unacceptable,” said one of the UN members. “Hosting the Olympics in hostile

territory? No, we won’t agree to that.”

Cus finally pulled out a thick file folder.

“Maybe it will change your mind if I show this file to the media frenzy outside—about

how the UN sabotaged the election for several presidential candidates during recent elections in

major democratic countries.”

“Impossible, you don’t have any proof of that,” said one of the members next to Cus.

“Here,” Cus said, offering the file to the man. “See for yourself. And don’t worry; I have

many more copies of that.”

The UN Security Council representatives glanced at the file. After flipping through a few

pages, they realized Cus held the high cards. They called for a silent vote, and soon enough, the

Security Council president stood before the assembly.

Winter / Ran 286

“By a unanimous vote,” the Security Council president said, “we have approved

Romacovina hosting the Summer Olympics in 2016.”

/////

Zolin almost immediately heard of the decision made at the summit. “Hmmm, it seems

Cus knows my plan … to a degree, at least. But we will still launch the attack when the time

comes.”

Zolin then made a call. “We have to make a change in location.”

/////

In his hotel room, Cus looked out across the Manhattan skyline. He thought back on his

days in America. Then, someone knocked on his door. After checking the identity of the visitors

on the closed-circuit monitor, he opened the door to let in a group of secret service agents,

accompanied by President Marcus.

“Well, I guess your persuasive attitude has prevailed again, huh, Mr. Cus?” Marcus said.

“At least you’re trying to redeem Romacovina’s image.”

She nodded at her bodyguards and they backed off to give her space to speak with Cus.

He smiled at her. “It wasn’t for just that,” Cus said, then looked out at the glowing

skyline of Manhattan.

“Oh, yes, of course. It was for your best friend, X,” Marcus replied.

“It was for someone else too,” Cus said, then turned and looked into Marcus’s eyes.

Marcus opened her mouth to say something, then closed it and looked down at the floor

—but not before Cus noticed her cheeks had begun to blush.

Winter / Ran 287

A few moments later, she looked back up at him. “I’m, uh, I’m not happy about that

exposed file, Mr. Cus. You could have started a bigger problem for yourself and most of all your

people.”

“It was necessary, Ms. President,” Cus said.

“It was necessary so that you could get what you want, just like you did with your

previous goals.”

Cus laughed and shook his head. “Well, not all of my previous endeavors succeeded with

that technique, Ms. President. You of all people should know that.”

She took a step forward. “Seriously, Kordie … if you only knew how hard I worked to

get where I am now. I put my own money and reputation on the line in my campaign during that

election.”

Cus nodded. “Yes, I do know. I saw you and you were amazing—and I am sorry that I

cast any shadow of deceit on you by sharing that file. It was not my intent. And if anyone would

doubt you, they only have to do some searching to know that you are clean.”

He watched as Marcus’s face revealed the emotional battle within—past affection

struggling against present bitterness.

“Next time,” she finally said, “you won’t be able to scare us into giving you what you

want—like your father used to.”

“After today, Ms. President, I won’t have to.”

Now she looked at him with obvious disdain in her eyes. But then came a flash of …

hope—yes, hope and … sweetness. Cus saw it clearly.

He smiled at her. “Wow,” he whispered. “I remember that look.”

“What? What look?”

Winter / Ran 288

“That look, with that cute dimple showing on the side of your cheek,” Cus said to her

softly.

She looked at him, gazing into his eyes. “You … do?” she whispered.

“Yes, I remember it … like it was yesterday,” Cus said.

Marcus took a small step toward Cus.

“I remember that look well—from CNN, when you did your inauguration speech,” Cus

said.

Marcus stepped back, and Cus saw her cheeks turn red.

“Oh … Yes, that’s right … Yes, that,” she replied.

“I’m still sorry about your husband,” Cus said.

“It wasn’t your fault … so far as I know.”

Cus laughed. “Good night, Madam President.”

Marcus nodded, then left with her guards, and Cus went back to staring out at the skyline.

/////

At the same time in a secure location, Carter met with both Akin and Pike. “I’m not

surprised you’re a double agent, Pike,” Carter said. “But I am aggravated by it.”

Pike snorted a laugh. “I did what I had to do. Don’t blame me for you all not getting the

facts straight. Besides, I’m still serving the greater good—and at least I ain’t no traitor like Mr.

Shit over here.” Pike jerked a thumb in the direction of Akin. “So, I’ll let you shoot the breeze

with him and we’ll catch up again, okay?”

Pike turned and walked out of the office. Carter looked at Akin and shook her head.

Winter / Ran 289

Akin, though, raised a hand before she could speak. “If you saw what I saw, you

wouldn’t be looking at me like that. This is a chance to make things right for once between these

people and the rest of the world. Isn’t that a part of the job?”

Carter sighed. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re okay.”

Akin smiled and walked out of the room.

/////

Later that same night, Xavier met with Cus to talk about his real intentions in regard to

returning to America.

“Like every ruler, you still think about yourself first. But that’s what should be different

about you,” X said.

“Xavier, I’m tired of being separated from everyone,” Cus said. “Even with peace in our

land, I still feel alone.”

“But she didn’t come with you when she had the chance, so she is not worthy.”

“No, for the first time since I’ve met you. I have to disagree.”

Cus walked away from X.

/////

Within hours of the UN announcement of the change in venue for the Olympics, every

media outlet around the world was buzzing with the news. A great deal of controversy

surrounded the reports, of course, with many believing this to be nothing more than a setup for

some secret terrorist attack on Romacovina soil.

La-sha saw the reports online. An athlete all her life, La-sha figured she had given up any

chance at the Olympics when she chose to become a citizen of Romacovina—but now the door

Winter / Ran 290

had been opened. After hearing the announcement, La-sha phoned Akin while he was still in

New York.

“I can’t believe it.” she said, “Now that the Olympics will be in Romacovina, I can

finally compete—all thanks to Kordie Cus and Messiah X.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Akin said. “Now go win the gold for us, baby.”

“No, I’m gonna win it for you.”

/////

Across the globe in London, Harper Carter—Agent Danielle Carter’s husband—

discussed the change in venue with his wife.

“I don’t know about this, Danny,” Harper said, drinking a bottle of water in the kitchen.

“This is all too weird.”

“But it’s for the best and you know it,” Danielle said from their bedroom while changing

into her pajamas.

“What if it’s a trap by Kordie?”

“He and his men have been corporative with us this far.”

“And that’s exactly what he wants.”

Harper walked into the bedroom. He grabbed Danielle, kissed her on the neck, and then

guided her to the bed.

“Look, hon, do it for me,” Danielle said. “World peace is just the icing on the cake.”

Harper sighed. “I guess … I’m just … I’m a bit scared this might all go wrong.”

Danielle nodded. “I worry about that all the time at my job. But it doesn’t stop me from

trying to make things better—just like falling at the track and breaking your ankle didn’t stop

you for the third time.”

Winter / Ran 291

“Fourth time.”

“Right. Fourth. Forgot that little trip at trials.”

“Naw, it wasn’t a trip. I got pushed.”

“No, you tripped.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Harper pulled Danielle down onto the bed, rolling on top of her. “I said no.”

“And I said yes.”

They both kissed and hugged each other, making love deep into the night.

When morning finally came, the newscasts didn’t waste any time. Harper Carter had

become the first athlete to agree to the change in venue. The reporters surrounded him at the

airport.

“I’m always looking for an opportunity to promote peace,” Harper said. “And I hope the

people of Romacovina and its leaders truly feel the same way.”

He boarded the plane and flew to the once forbidden land, and soon enough, the rest of

the athletes from around the world followed.

/////

Following the summit, Cus decided to stay in America for several weeks to continue

negotiations while the Six Sages oversaw Romacovina. Cus, though, made sure he returned

home for the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. The ceremonies began, though, a video

was posted online; it featured Zolin, stating once again that he planned to make an attack soon.

British SIS got a hold of the video moments after it was posted. The IT techs at the central hub

inform the proper authorities of it.

Winter / Ran 292

“Sir, he posted another one,” said one of the SIS techs.

“Trace it,” the team leader said.

“Aye, sir.”

British SIS tried to hack into the video. “The video encryption has been broken sir.”

The video footage started to scramble and binary codes appeared on the screen. “What is

this?” the team leader asked.

The video ended with an image of a black X with a red background. The computers in the

room all began to scramble.

“Sir, our databanks and communication links, they’re down,” one of the techs said.

“No, a virus,” the team leader said. “Shut everything down now.”

“Too late, sir. It’s too late.”

“Do it.”

The techs disconnected all the servers, but the attack had indeed already begun.

“Sir, it’s no use. Communications are down. We can’t contact anyone, not in enough

time.”

“I know that, technician,” the team leader said. He wiped his lips and balled up his fist.

“God help us. It’s already too late to do anything.”

The devastating virus found its way into the computer servers of Great Britain and then

all the major nations around the world. Both public and private IP addresses were compromised.

/////

The opening ceremonies were about to begin. The athletes took their positions.

“Welcome to the 2016 Summer Olympics,” the announcer said.

Winter / Ran 293

The massive crowd roared with excitement. At the top of the stadium, several Zolinite

assassins killed the private security guards stationed at every vantage point. A Zolinite sniper

stepped up and pulled out a long rifle from her duffle bag.

Harper Carter ran across the stadium, carrying the torch. The sniper adjusted her scope.

She touched her ear; her comlink activated.

On the other side of the world, Zolin answered his phone. “Yes?”

“Target acquired, sir,” the sniper said.

“Do it.”

Two seconds later, a bullet tore through Harper Carter skull. He fell to the ground and

dropped the torch.

“Harper!” Danielle screamed from the stands.

Panic erupted throughout the stadium. All in attendance fled like a wild mob. Danielle,

though, pushed through the crowd until she fell to her knees and cradled her dead husband.

The news broke in a matter of minutes: Horror at the Olympics.

Hours later, an emergency meeting of the UN leaders took place at the General Assembly

building in New York. All of the delegates took their seats.

“Gentlemen,” one of the members said. “As of right now, Zolin—”

BAM!

The building shook as multiple charges went off throughout the structure, killing almost

everyone present. Only the leaders of South Africa, Iran, the US, Britain, North Korea, Russia,

and Romacovina remained. The surviving delegates were evacuated from the area. After

reaching a safe distance from New York City, the Russian delegate sighed with relief. “He did it.

Zolin did it my brothers,” The Russian leader said. “Romacovina Kovia.”

Winter / Ran 294

At almost the same time, Zolinites blew up the empty Olympic stadium in Berlin, and

then bombed the Pentagon. Zolinite cells in nearly every nation launched terrorist attacks within

the countries they occupied, hacking defense systems and initiating unauthorized missile

launches.

Shock and chaos reigned throughout the world. A bomb blew up in Rome, laying waste

to the Vatican. Tanks and Zolinite soldiers stormed the area. Crowds around the mayhem ran in

fear. Zolin walked into the debris of the infamous Vatican. He climbed to the top; a solider

handed him a pole. Zolin stuck the pole into the debris. A giant flag with an X on it unfurled.

“Now,” Zolin said, looking up into the crimson sky. “Romacovina is the new, supreme

holy land of the world.”

His men shouted in victory, and shot their guns into the air.

“ROMACOVINA KOVIA!”

/////

Meeting in a secret location in New York City, the remaining world leaders—except for

Kordie Cus—argued about what to do.

“We want that blasted island blown off the face of the earth,” one of the leaders said.

“You want us to commit mass genocide?” another leader replied. “We would be no

different than the Nazis—or Cashis Cus himself.”

President Marcus nodded at that.

“True,” the Russian leader said. “Not everyone there is a threat. But, then again, they all

have those silver weapons. The citizens are the army—which means that they are, in fact, our

enemies … all of them. We have to do what we have to do. Remember, Japan, back in World

War II? This is necessary.”

Winter / Ran 295

“Oh, Lord, I never thought we would have to use a nuclear weapon again,” another leader

said. “Yet … if we must, then so be it. But we have to get our people out of Romacovina first—

all those Olympians and support staff and visiting dignitaries … everyone.”

“Agreed,” Marcus said. “Still, if we do this, you all realize that the blood on our hands

will be worse than what is on Kordie Cus’s right now.”

“When those people left to follow a terrorist, they condemned themselves from the

beginning,” the Russian leader replied.

Marcus frowned and turned her sight to the table.

“Madam President, we have to act now.”

Marcus clenched the paper on her desk and finally nodded her head. “So, do we all

agree?” Marcus asked, raising her head.

“We agree,” the rest said in unison.

“Then God help us all.”

/////

Hours after the meeting, Marcus went back to her hotel room to prepare for her return trip

to the White House. A group of secret service agents accompanied her to her room.

“Rem is the chopper ready?” she asked the team leader.

“Yes, Ms. President,” Rem said. “However …” Rem pulled out a silver pistol and pointed

it at her head.

She froze in place.

“We’re ready too,” Rem said.

“Rem?”

“Back to your room Ms. President.”

Winter / Ran 296

She took a deep breath and walked back inside. She saw a group of Zolinites along with

some of her personal staff sitting in her room. One of the Zolinites approached her.

“Ms. President,” the Zolinite said, “your new commander-in-chief wants to see you.”

Marcus slit her eyes.

After a few hours later, news reports showed images of the White House being guarded

by a group of Zolinites, all armed with the OSOK guns. Further reports revealed that the captive

President Marcus had been transported back to the White House and was now being held in the

Oval Office.

/////

The next day, Pike and his team loaded onto a military cutter and headed from Japan to

Romacovina with several UN officials aboard. Sitting within view of Romacovina, Pike and the

UN officials hailed Kordie Cus, eventually setting up an online video conference call.

“We should put you on trial for crimes against humanity Cus, and to be executed,” a UN

official said. “But not before using you to make Zolin’s forces return the president.”

“You fools,” Cus said. “Zolin doesn’t care about me. He is getting what he wants: chaos

and panic across the globe.”

While the UN officials argued with Cus, Pike and his men donned scuba gear and tried to

sneak ashore Romacovina. “Ready sir?” asked one of Pike’s men.

“Does it look like I’m ready, solider? I’m wet as one of the sluts I leave in the bed at

night. Let’s go.”

Pike and his men jumped into the waters. After several minutes, the group made it safely

to the island. They walked farther onto the beach.

Winter / Ran 297

“Freeze,” a voice in the darkness said.

A bright light shined on Pike and his men. Pike looked over his shoulder and saw a

familiar Asian, along with a group of men with silver guns.

“Mr. Shit, it’s you,” Pike said.

“Get out of here, Pike,” Akin said.

Pike laughed. “Like a traitor.”

Pike raised his gun and fired, killing three of the Romacovinians. Akin and his men

scrambled and fired back. Pike’s men ran and took cover behind large boulders on the beach.

After exchanging gunshots, many of the soldiers ran out of ammo. The two groups soon clashed

in hand-to-hand combat. Akin and Pike squared off.

Shit, I got a feeling taking Pike down won’t be a cake walk. Akin thought.

“Come on traitor,” Pike said. “Give me something to sweat over.”

“You asked for it,” Akin replied.

Pike smirked. Akin leapt into the air and sent Pike flying into a wall with a side-kick.

Pike bounced off a dilapidated wall, and Akin plowed into him with a one-two combination.

Akin finished with an uppercut that sent Pike to the ground unconscious. “Hmph … that was

easier than I thought it would be,” Akin said.

/////

Meanwhile, aboard the cutter, the argument continued.

“I’ve been set up by Zolin,” Cus said. “Yes, I wanted the Olympics to take place here,

especially if Zolin’s plan succeeded on a grand scale. Then, at least Romacovina would have

some positive news coverage and hope of survival. But now … I know what the UN will try to

do to us.”

Winter / Ran 298

Cus disconnected, closing the conference call.

/////

Later, Xavier was dragged out of his room by religious extremists representing different

denominations, but all united against Romacovina. The guards were left on the floor, dead.

“Let’s see you save yourself, you freak,” one of the kidnappers said.

X refused to respond. He had already prepared himself for days as dark as today. The

kidnappers took X to Vatican City to be executed.

/////

Hours later, Cus got a secure call from one of his spies. “Yes? … Oh Lord. … Okay.” He

ended the call and dialed another number. “Emergency secure code, VX771.”

“Cus?” someone answered.

“Sages, my brothers,” Cus said, “proceed with the evacuation plan. I believe they’re

planning to nuke our homeland when they save the Olympians. But don’t go down without a

fight.”

/////

Hours after the Zolinite attack, a battle between the armies of the outside world and

Romacovina ensued. Soldiers of the UN invaded Romacovina with tanks and choppers. The

people of Romacovina armed themselves with the silver guns. Because of this advantage, more

soldiers from the UN coalition died than those from Romacovina. A few UN troops encountered

a group of Romacovinian children, armed with their own silver guns. “Wait,” a UN troop said.

“Don’t fir-”

Winter / Ran 299

The children of the rogue nation opened fire, and killed the troops. After several more

hours and many more casualties, the Romacovinian troops retreated. “What is this?” the UN

coalition commander said. “Why are they falling back?”

“Sir, should we pursue?” a UN officer asked.

“No, our top priority is the evacuation of the delegates.”

“Understood.”

The rescue mission to save the Olympians somehow still went as planned. Several UN

units secured small sections of the island, with the help of called-in aerial strikes. The units

evacuated the delegates off the island.

Cus made his way back to Akin and his unit. Akin’s men finished off the last of Pike’s

men. Akin dropkicked one of Pike’s men. Cus landed with his jetpack and shot one of the

hostiles in the back with his silver gun.

“Akin,” Cus said, “you have to save Xavier before he unleashes the curse on the world.

I’ll go and save the president at the White House from Zolin.”

“How do you know he’ll be there?” Akin asked Cus.

“Because I know Zolin.”

Akin and Cus formed rescue teams, and readied their jetpacks.

“Okay, let’s go,” Cus said.

They all flew off to their respective assignments.

/////

The attack on Romacovina continued. The mysterious snow there began to pile up on the

ground instead of melting. It rose to two inches in depth, then four, and was soon deeper than a

foot and still rising.

Winter / Ran 300

From aboard a battleship off the shores of Romacovina, the UN coalition commander

asked his staff for a sitrep.

“The weather is crazy,” one of his officers reported. “It’s been snowing since we landed,

but now it’s accumulating—making it harder for us to see and fight.”

Then, on Romacovina, a few UN soldiers got yanked under the rising snow. For others,

the snow bit off the legs. Soldiers screamed and cried out for help. At that point, the UN

coalition realized that the snow was the weapon protecting Romacovina against foreign attacks.

“Bastards,” the UN coalition commander said. “That’s why they retreated. We were drawn in

and allowed to rescue the Olympic delegates. They fooled us into thinking it was safe to invade.”

/////

Akin and his team made it to Vatican City. As they descended from the sky, they saw a large

mass of people gathering around the center of the falling city. Akin saw that the mob had hung a

badly beaten Xavier on an X-shaped cross.

“NOOOO!” Akin shouted.

The mob held up picket signs and chanted for his death. The signs reflected the many

different religions present: Allah, Jesus, Buddha, and Shinto. A few members of the mob saw

Akin and his men landing. “It’s them,” one of the protestors shouted. Others from the mob

looked up and grew afraid. They scattered like roaches. Akin landed and ran up to a lifeless

Xaiver.

/////

The world continued to fall into chaos, and the international stock markets crashed,

sending economies into a tailspin worse than that of the Great Depression.

Winter / Ran 301

Cus and his team finally reached the White House to oppose Zolin. He found Zolin

standing atop a mostly demolished White House. “Destroyed their palace too,” Cus muttered. He

noticed that Zolin and his men had jetpacks also. Outside the building, Marcus stood. Several of

Zolin’s men guarded her. Cus watched as Zolin waved off his soldiers when they aimed their

weapons at Cus and his team.

Cus landed and faced Zolin. “Why have you done this, Zolin?” Cus asked.

“Is that really your question for me?” Zolin replied. He laughed. “I’m liberating

Romacovina—and making you into the man your father wanted you to be: a conqueror of the

world. Most of all, I’m helping our people.”

“This was not what I wanted. You have killed the Motherland. They plan on nuking

Romacovina and its people unless I get the president to stop them.”

Zolin shook his head. “You don’t want to save Romacovina. You want to save the world.

But the world is our enemy and they can’t be saved. You know, I’m kind of glad that X put me

in my place. Right there, I realized that through him, we can punish the world for its sins just like

he punished me.”

Cus’s eyes grew wide. He realized what Zolin’s plan really was. Before he could react,

Zolin pulled out a silver pistol and shot Marcus. She fell to the ground. “NO!” Cus shouted. He

pulled out his silver pistol and shot Zolin, dropping him to the ground. The other Zolinites tried

to return fire at Cus with their own silver weapons, but Cus’s jetpack gave him the speed to

avoid and counter their attacks. Cus’s men exchanged gunshots with Zolin’s. In the end, all of

Zolin’s men dropped dead to the ground. Only a few of Cus’s men were injured. Cus rushed over

to where Marcus lay.

Winter / Ran 302

“The world … The world is cursed now … forever … and we have won,” Zolin said as

he coughed up blood. “ROMA-COVINA K-OVIA!”

Zolin died. Moments later, Cus held up Marcus’s head. “Lizzy,” he whispered to her. Her

eyes blinked and gazed deep into his pupils. “Kor … Kory,” She said. A couple of Cus’s men

stood before the two lovers. Marcus’s shoulder bled, but the OSOK bullet didn’t kill her. “How

is this possible?” She asked, as she looked at the wound. “I thought those weapons were fatal to

outsiders.”

“You’re not an outsider,” Cus said.

“What?”

“I asked X to make you a citizen despite your refusal to come with us those many years

ago.”

Her eyes lit up.

“I couldn’t lose you. I should’ve told you,” Cus said.

“No, no it’s okay.”

Marcus rubbed Cus’s cheek. He leaned closer to her, and the two exchanged an intimate

kiss.

/////

Back on Romacovina, the Olympians had been rescued. They departed Romacovina even

as the snow began to attack them.

“All Olympic delegates have been evacuated,” the commander said.

Winter / Ran 303

Word soon reached the UN. “Sir,” one of the UN staff members said. “The plan worked.

Our boys are leaving the island.”

“Are all of the delegates safe?” one of the UN officials asked.

“By a miracle, yes.”

The official nodded his head. The rest of his companions looked at him. He paused and

sighed. “After the rescue ships reach safe distance, order defense command to launch a nuclear

warhead at the island.”

A stealth plane launched from an aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean. It headed straight

for Romacovina.

“I authenticate 28-Echo-Gamma-GDC,” the UN official said.

“Confirmed,” the pilot said.

In Washington, DC, Cus’s phone vibrated to indicate an incoming text. Cus’s men

patched up Marcus’s injury.

“A message from Agent Akin,” he said to Marcus.

Cus’s eyes began to tear up as he viewed the handful of pictures that Akin sent to him—

all showing Messiah X after he had been executed. Akin’s message simply said, “The bastards

killed him.”

Cus dropped to his knees and allowed the tears to flow. Marcus put a hand on his

shoulder. “Now what?” she asked.

Before he could answer, several US soldiers arrived on site with an officer. Their faces

looked distraught.

Over the Sea of Japan, the stealth plane fired the nuke.

“Package has been sent,” the pilot reported.

Winter / Ran 304

In DC, the president faced the soldiers who had arrived.

“What is it?” Marcus asked the officer.

A giant mushroom cloud erupted into the sky half a world away.

“Package has been delivered,” the pilot radioed in. “Returning to base.”

“Ms. President,” the officer said, his voice cracking. “A small nuke has been dropped on

Romacovina. The island has been destroyed.”

“Oh God no!” Marcus said. “What … What have I done? I thought … I thought we

would have time … time to stop this before …” She looked at Kordie.

Crying, Cus covered his face with his hands. “My people,” he whispered.

“No, I never meant for this to happen,” Elisabeth said.

Cus rose and embraced Marcus. “I know you didn’t,” Cus said.

After the nuclear detonation, much of the world shouted in joy over the final victory

against Romacovina. But many also said it was genocide, with the deaths of millions—and the

unnecessary death of Messiah X.

“He made us better. He cured us of all our ailments. He was the answer to mankind’s

problems,” many experts said of X.

Thus, because of X’s death and the destruction of Romacovina, the world became divided

and plunged even further into chaos.

“Now, the whole world is like Romacovina before I came and saved it,” Cus said to

Marcus.

The two of them sat at a conference table in a secure wing of what remained of the White

House. Both of them looked down at the table.

Winter / Ran 305

“I know you’re innocent of any wrongdoing in all that happened,” Marcus said. She

grabbed his hand. “But the US government demanded that you be held stateside under house

arrest. I was able to push for your confinement to take place in the White House.”

Cus said nothing, looking away at the debris in front of them.

“So, is this the curse Xavier was talking about?” Marcus asked.

“No, this is just the result of what has transpired,” Cus said. “The world will now mire

itself in a war unlike any other before it. It will devour itself in its own shame and hate, just as X

told me, and just as Romacovina did right after my father died.”

“What will it take to stop this, to get things right again?”

“It will take a leader like me and a savior like X, but someone greater, more powerful,

and more influential. Only Xavier had such an unknown but amazing gift, and he is dead now.”

“But you’re not, Kory—you’re not dead,” Marcus said.

Cus looked at Elisabeth. He leaned forward, took her face in his hands, and kissed her on

the lips. After several seconds, he pulled back and looked at her. Her guards didn’t even have a

chance to react.

“No, Lizzy,” he said. “I’m not. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be a savior-leader.

Not anymore.” He looked at the two military policeman standing guard at the door. “Now,

President Marcus, do I have your permission to leave this place or should I make my own way?”

She raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head. “I … You know I can’t let you … but

…” Marcus buried her face in her hands and cried. “I’m so sorry, Kory. I wish things would have

worked out … for you and your people … for us.”

He touched her arm and smiled at her when she looked at him.

“Yes,” she said. “Go. Find peace.”

Winter / Ran 306

Cus nodded, and then rose.

“Guards,” Marcus said. “Please stand down.”

Minutes later, Cus suited up. He gave Marcus another kiss, then donned his facemask.

“The curse will be the very weapon your allies wanted,” Cus said. “It will come to you,

just like it came to us when we defeated the factions that plagued Romacovina. But the

difference is it won’t protect you. It will hate you just as you hated us. And it will kill you just as

you tried to kill us. And you will fail to destroy it, just as you failed to destroy us.”

“What do you mean?” Marcus asked.

Cus said nothing; he flew off into the cloudy, gray skies.

“What do you mean?” Marcus shouted. “Kory!”

/////

Akin left Rome and flew to Wajima, Japan, where the rescued Olympians had been

taken. He looked everywhere, but could not find La-sha. He fell to his knees, looking out to sea

in the direction of Romacovina and stared at the wisps of smoke that still rose in the distance.

At the same time half a world away, Cus went into exile in Switzerland. He received a

phone call and saw that it was one of the members of the Six Sages.

Cus: “Yes.”

Sage: “It has been accomplished.”

Cus sighed, then: “Thank you.”

At the docks of Wajima, Japan, several more boats arrived, and large groups of people

emerged—all with smeared X’s on their arms.

Sage: “Excellent plan with the evacuations, the soldiers never knew.”

Cus: “But now the world will have to pay with their lives and freedom.”

Winter / Ran 307

Sage: “Yes, but it was their fault. Now X’s prophecy will undoubtedly come true.”

Religious fanatics and nationalists began fighting in the streets across the world, and

international leaders argued their subjective points in their respective halls of politics.

Cus: “Indeed … but we did our part.”

The world soon prepared to go to war with itself for the shame they felt for X’s death and

Romacovina’s destruction.

Sage: “Will there ever be a time where we will have peace?”

Cus: “Yes, there will be a savior that will rise once more from the ashes of Romacovina.

And he will be more powerful than X could have ever been. And he will save this world just as

we saved our people.”

Still on his knees, Akin looked up and saw the silhouette of a woman against the evening

sun. The woman was walking toward him.

“La-sha,” he whispered.

They kissed and hugged each other.

Sage: “Yes, but he will have to survive the coming days of mankind. Survive a curse that

will never be lifted.”

Cus: “He will, he will.”

Akin and La-sha walked away, hand in hand, eager to build a new life together.

Cus: “He came to us for a reason. He will come to us again.”

In her temporary quarters in the remains of the White House, Elisabeth Marcus stood at a

window and looked into the sky—and noticed snowflakes floating down.

Sage: “The blessing that X gave us will be a curse for the world. How did he say it?”

Winter / Ran 308

Cus: “He said, ‘They wanted it. They all will have it. And from it, an evil unlike any

other will use it to hunt them forever. But a savior will come. I know he will.’ But as for the

curse itself, it will happen every year.”

Akin and La-sha gazed upward.

Cus: “Every year.”

Both of them see snowflakes coming down.

Cus: “Every … WINTER.”

Winter / Ran 309

—The End—

Winter / Ran 310