A Not So Silent Night

1. Olivia

CHAPTER 1

Olivia

I should’ve flown from Seattle to get back to Jersey for the holidays.

Who in their right mind decides to take a scenic trip along the Canadian border at the end of December?

Bright fucking idea, Liv.

The wet snow is suddenly heavy, the wipers of the car on the highest setting are doing very little to keep the windshield clear for me. It’s falling so hard that the road before me is barely visible, with my headlights illuminating each and every fluffy flake.

A little time to clear my head before being bombarded with family. That’s really all I wanted. A few days to decompress in private from the stress of finals. A little time alone on the open road .

Only, this is a little too alone…

I haven’t seen another car on the road in a couple of hours. Snow blankets the road, and there isn’t a single tire track before me. Through the sheets of powder, I try to make out a sign up ahead, slowing down even more to try to read it as I pass: PINE GLEN - 5 miles.

Thank God!

Hopefully this place has a bar and a hotel of some sort.

BAM!

My screams fill the car as the back end of my Explorer slides uncontrollably across the road. Gently stepping on the brakes, I try to remember if you’re supposed to turn into or against the swerve, but it’s too late. The car spins across the road, and the passenger side slams against a snowbank, roughly jostling me in my seat.

Wonderful…

Putting the car in park and turning on the hazard lights, I open my door to check out the damage. The cold, snowy air whips through the crack in the door and immediately chills me to the bone. I tightly wrap my thick winter jacket around me as I fumble with the flashlight on my phone. Trying to pull my bare hands back into my coat sleeves, I shine the light along the car to see what happened. The rear tire has blown, which must’ve been what sent me into the fishtail .

They have roadside assistance in Minnesota, right?

The wind slams the door shut behind me as I slide back into the warmth of the car. Still shivering, I dig through my purse until I find the AAA card in my wallet. Flipping it over, I key the number into my phone.

Nothing…

Looking closer, I realize I have no bars. Actually, there’s no service whatsoever.

Fan-fucking-tastic!

The engine sputters, and I look down at the dash. The half tank of gas I had a few minutes ago quickly drops to the empty line. Within seconds, the gas light is on, and the car stalls.

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!

“C’mon!” I smack the steering wheel and accidentally blow the horn. I pause and blare it a few more times in hopes that there is a house nearby I can’t see through the storm. Lifting my phone, I wave it around and press it to the window in hopes that it will pick up even a little service.

Nothing.

It doesn’t take long for my car to start losing heat. Within an hour, I might as well be sitting outside. The hood of my jacket is fitted snuggly around my head, and my hands are balled into fists deep in my jacket sleeves as I attempt to hold in as much heat as possible. It’s not working, though. My toes feel like blocks of ice inside my shoes, and my whole body is shivering.

Explore America.

See its wonder.

Except, I’m going to fucking freeze to death on the side of the road.

Grabbing my phone from the cup holder in the center console, I try again to see if, by some Christmas miracle, I have service.

Nope.

Still nothing.

Thanks a lot, Santa…

A light in the rearview mirror grabs my attention, and I spin around to look out the window.

Headlights.

And flashing amber-colored lights.

Maybe I should be thanking Santa, after all.

Both are quickly approaching, and I blare the horn and repeatedly stomp my frozen foot on the brake. With the horn and flashing lights, I’m hoping desperately that they stop for me. They slow as they get closer. A shiny, bright red tow truck pulls along my driver’s side door and comes to a stop. The large lettering on the door draws my attention and I roll my eyes at the universe.

Kris Kringle Towing.