Elsa

Eighteen

My feet stumble over each other as I race towards the cry. I call out again, wait in silence for a response, and move forward. A few times I'm able to focus enough to fly over the snow, but it fights me and sometimes it's easier to just run.

The voices become easier to hear, and I don't recognize them. It's not Ariana, but it's someone. I break through the tree line, my eyes darting everywhere to find them.

"Over here!" they say.

I see a glimpse of blond hair and run towards them. I see that it's Kristoff- the mountain man guy. He's holding one of my roommates, Anna, in his arms. I jump forward and put my hand on her forehead.

"Is she okay?"

Kristoff grunts. "I think so. She got hit by the tree when it fell." He pats the wooden trunk only inches away. He shifts, groaning again. I follow his gaze to see that his leg is trapped under the branches. I gasp. "Don't worry," he assures me. "There's not too much weight on it. It's just trapped down there. I haven't been able to get it out, and Anna's not conscious."

"I'll get you help," I say. "I'll-" I consider using my own powers to lift the tree and free Kristoff, but I'm afraid. "I'll get you help," I repeat. I put my hand on his shoulder. "Have you seen Ariana?" I ask seriously. "She's my friend, she was partnered with-" I break off. I can't even remember who she was partnered with.

Kristoff shakes his head. "I haven't seen anyone since I got on the lift. Then the storm kicked up and our bench broke. We ran into the woods and hid here."

I nod. Then I stand up and run back out of the woods.

But I'm not five feet out of the trees before I stop. How can I leave Kristoff there when I have the ability to free him?

I'm afraid- I'm terrified. My powers have always scared me.

But I can't let fear control me anymore.

I run back. Kristoff startles and looks up when he hears me.

"What are you-"

"Don't freak out," I say, bracing my hands against the trunk near his leg. A huge blade of ice splits through the tree, shattering it to pieces. A good three foot long chunk explodes into splinters. Kristoff jumps when it happens.

He gapes at me, but before he can say anything I help him stand and push Anna into his arms. "Get back to the lodge- if there is any lodge left," I say. "The police will be there."

Then I run off, leaving him in shock.

No fear. No fear. I have to keep reminding myself. I swallow hard and thrust my hands behind me, spiraling into the air. I think I'm actually getting a hold of this flying thing. I try swooping low- a little too low, at first, then I get it right- and keep an eye out for survivors. I call out for Ariana, for anyone, pausing to listen, but for a long while I don't hear anything.

I reach the top of the mountain. I touch down and turn in a circle, looking for any signs of life.

"Ariana?" I yell. "Is anyone up here?"

There's silence.

Then I hear the crunch of footsteps, far away. I run towards them. Whoever it is is running towards me, too. They must have heard my call. "Ariana?" I shout again.

"Elsa!" comes the reply.

I run as fast as I can around a stand of trees, and Ariana comes into view.

"Ari!" I shout. We race towards each other and collide in an embrace. The tears slide down my cheeks. I can feel her shaking with sobs. "You're okay," I whisper. "You're okay."

She pulls back, still crying. "Are you okay?" she asks.

I nod. "Where's your partner?"

"We're here," she says, gesturing to a sturdy cement building a ways away. "Everyone's here. When we saw the storm start to blow down by the lodge, the instructors brought us all in to the shelter." She guides me to the building. "We've been waiting for the storm to pass."

"It's over now," I say. There are still snowflakes falling through the sky, but the storm is long gone.

We reach the building. It's dug into the ground a few feet. As I step down inside, it takes my eyes a second to adjust to the dimness after the blinding white.

Everyone is there. Except Kristoff and Anna, but everyone is huddled together, on benches and sitting on the floor. There's a few lanterns lit.

Ariana shakes the shoulder of an instructor who's fallen asleep. Everyone's looking at us. "The storm's over," she says. "Elsa came up here."

The instructor jumps up and steps outside. For a second everyone waits in silence. I look over and see Punzie, her eyes wide, staring at me.

"It's safe," the instructor says. "Come on, everyone. The lift won't be working, we'll have to walk down."

They all rise excitedly. Ariana grabs my arm and doesn't let go until everyone has left the shelter but us. She eyes me seriously.

"Elsa," she says in a low voice. My heart thumps a little. "How'd you get up here?"

I don't know how to answer. For a second I stutter, but she puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I know about the ice," she says.

My eyes widen. "Wha-" I'm too shocked to speak for a second, then I say, "What ice?"

She almost smiles. "I've been your roommate all semester. Don't think I didn't figure it out."

"Why... why didn't you say something?"

"You didn't seem to want to talk about it," she says softly. She hugs me tight. Then she steps back and looks a little concerned.

I read her expression for a second.

"It wasn't my storm," I argue before she can even speak.

She nods.

"So it was someone else's?"

I swallow. She's tight-lipped, but she nods. She doesn't ask for any more explanation. We step out of the shelter and start after the group.

I take a deep breath.

The storm is over.