Aednat and the Wolf

Chapter 25 From the Frying Pan

They heard a loud crack and turning in the direction of the noise saw a large rat in its death throws in a large rat trap. "We've got to get out of here," Joanne wept as she turned away from the rat. Aednat embraced the weeping girl.

"We have a coal furnace at home," Stacy said. "There has to be coal door, that's how we get our coal delivered. "There it is, up there!" Stacy said pointing. "If you can get me up there I'll open it." Aednat stood on the coal pile shoulder to shoulder with Rosemary with their hands braced against the wall. The room was filthy with coal dust the ceiling thick with numerous spider webs. The other girls assisted Stacey to stand on Aednat and Rosemary's shoulders. She felt along the edge of the heavy iron door feeling for the release latch. "I got the latch but the door won't budge." The other girls braced her knees as she pushed and pushed. "I think there's too much snow blocking the door!"

The door suddenly swung open and Stacy saw Leman and Siofra peering into the coal shoot. Siofra put her finger to her lips as Leman seized Stacy's arm and pulled her up and out. Then laying on his belly in the snow and hanging into the coal room he pulled each of the girls out of their prison. "Can you get to the cars?" Siofra asked. "The blue one has its key in the ignition, so does the black car."

"I can halt time," Aednat said.

"I'll steal the black car's key," Rosemary whispered, "Then meet you at the van. You drive Aediy."

"Let's all hold hands, ready Rosie?" Rosemary nodded. With time frozen they raced to the cars. Rosemary took the keys from the Cadillac while the others jumped into the van. Siofra and Leman changed into wolfs and guarded the retreat. When the necklaces stopped glowing Aednat turned the ignition and the car began to sputter.

"Can you drive a stick?" Stacy asked nervously.

"I think so." Aednat turned the ignition for a second time. The men in the cabin heard the car trying to start and realizing their prisoners were escaping. They gave alarm and ran out of the house. The wolves began growling at them chasing them back into the house when on the third try the engine started. Aednat stepped onto the clutch and after several tries and gear grinding got the truck into gear and stepping heavily on the gas. She got the truck moving racing the engine loudly. She turned sharply in the driveway and clipped the Cadillac's quarter panel. She got the truck into second gear with less grinding and sped down the long driveway. Another dark car was coming toward them as she put the van in third gear. A man ran from the car with a pistol in hand attempted to get them to stop by standing in front of them blocking the road and pointing the pistol, but Aednat hit him with the van and the vehicle shook as it rolled over him.

"You ran that guy over!" Rosemary whispered.

"I'm not stopping for anyone!" Aednat turned onto the county road and turned on her headlights. "Let's go home."

"No one's following us!" Stacy said loudly.

They pulled into the long drive and saw their family all carrying guns and loading into three pickups parked in front of the lodge. Rosemary reached over and blasted the horn several times as the other girls began shouting. Aednat stopped the van and the girls ran to their parents. Aednat sat quietly still at the wheel. David pulled open her door and embraced her.

"Davey, I can't get out."

"Are you hurt?" David asked with panic in his voice.

"I'm not wearing pants!" David removed his coat and handed it to her. He shielded her as she put on his coat and slowly exited the van. Then he simple lifted her into his arms and carried her into the lodge. He could feel her body shaking as she lay her head on his shoulder and wept quietly.

Greta was hugged by Eric then Gert. Then she ran to Aednat and David for hugs. Eric slowly approached Rosemary. She smiled and moved very close and into his arms. "I'm glad you safe," he whispered.

"I'm starving!" Rosemary announced.

"We never got around to cooking," Ruth said, "not with you all missing."

"I know what we can do," Eric announced, "I'll treat everyone to pizza. We can ask for the room we used yesterday."

"I'll call and make the reservation," Ted announced.

"I need a bath and clean clothes," Aednat said softly.

"Not to mention panties and a skirt," Rosemary teased.

It took over an hour before everyone was ready. The mob of younger children had been served hot dogs earlier but were ecstatic to be going out for pizza. The six redheads walked into the lodge together. All of them dressed in boots, above the knee socks, skirt and sweater. All of them with their hair in a long pony tail. Then they all drove to the pizza shop in a large precession of cars. Eric had ordered six large pizzas and several pitchers of pop. Once in the private dining area Aednat and her group of friends shed their boots and fed quarters to the jukebox. They were peppered with questions about their capture and escape.

"Siofra and Leman pulled us out of the basement," Stacy volunteered.

"Your face looks really bruised Aediy," Ruth said. "I'm really happy all of you are safe."

"Aediy ran over a man when we escaped," Rosemary said.

"I don't think that will be a problem," Rosemary's grandfather said, "they had kidnapped you."

"Why did they grab you?" Ted asked.

"I think it's because of the medallion," Aednat whispered. Then she described her treatment while captive in the truck. The others completing the story and giving the details of their treatment. "Grandma, could you hold on to the necklaces for now. I feel that this is far from over." She and Rosemary unclasped the medallions and handed then to Gert.

"We won't let you out of our sight!" David's father said. David held tight to her hand and Aednat felt safe.