Winter of the Ice Wizard - Mary Pope Osborne [11]
HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.…
Jack crouched lower and held on tightly to Annie.
HUFFFF, HUFFFF, HUFFFFF.…
The giant’s breath howled like a hundred ghosts through the hollow. Jack thought of the blue Norn’s words: He is a blind force of nature that spares nothing in his path.…
But then the giant’s breathing seemed to grow a bit softer. What’s happening? Jack wondered.
The breathing grew softer and softer. “Maybe he’s going to sleep,” Annie whispered.
The breathing became calm and steady. The wind died to a light breeze.
“I think the Frost Giant is sleeping,” Annie whispered. “We should try to sneak out of here.”
“Okay, but keep your eyes down. Just look at the ground!” whispered Jack.
“Right,” whispered Annie.
Their heads bowed, Jack and Annie crept cautiously across the floor of the hollow and began climbing up toward the crack. Jack’s teeth chattered, but he couldn’t tell if it was from cold or fear.
Suddenly a deafening roar shook the night! The Frost Giant screamed with windy rage! He was awake!
Jack was blown to the ground. He tried to crawl across the snow, but he didn’t know which way to go, and he was afraid to look up.
“Jack! This way!” Annie’s voice called above the roar of the giant’s breath. She helped him up and they struggled together against the wind. Finally they came to the crack in the wall.
Jack and Annie scrambled through the crack. Outside, the wild wind knocked them over, and they tumbled down the side of the hill.
The wind swirled the snow across the plain. “Annie! Annie!” Jack called. Where was she? Where was the sleigh? He couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t stay on his feet.
The wind roared even louder. An avalanche of snow came crashing down the hillside. When it hit the ground, the snow exploded into great clouds of white powder.
“Jack! Jack!”
Jack heard Annie’s voice in the screaming wind. He tried to stand up. But snow kept falling on top of him, until he was completely covered.
As Jack lay buried under the snow, all his strength left his body. He knew he should dig his way out, but he was too cold and too tired. He was too tired to look for Annie. He was too tired to fight the Frost Giant. Instead, he closed his eyes and drifted into an icy sleep.
Jack dreamed that cold fur was brushing against his face. He dreamed that a wolf was digging around him, nudging him, pushing him, sniffing him … .
Jack opened his eyes. He felt dazed. At first he couldn’t see. But he could feel that he wasn’t buried in snow anymore. He wiped off his glasses. He saw a low moon and some stars in a clear sky.
The Frost Giant must have left, Jack thought. But then he heard a panting noise. He sat up and looked around. One of the white wolves was crouching right behind him!
Jack scrambled to his feet. “Go away!” he shouted.
The wolf stepped back and growled.
“Go! Go! Go!” shouted Jack. He picked up handfuls of snow and threw them at the wolf.
The wolf backed away a few more feet. Jack looked around wildly. Annie was lying very still on top of the snow. The other white wolf was sniffing and pawing at her.
Jack’s anger made him fearless. “Leave her alone!” he shouted. “Go away!” He scooped up more snow and threw it.
The wolf stepped back.
“GO! GO!” shouted Jack. “Get away! Leave us alone!” He glared angrily at the two white wolves.
The wolves stared back at Jack. Their yellow eyes gleamed.
“I’m not kidding—GO!” shouted Jack.
Jack stared fiercely at the wolves. Finally the wolves looked away. They glanced at each other and then slowly backed off. They looked at Jack and Annie one last time. Then they turned and trotted away over the snow.
Jack rushed to Annie. He knelt beside her and lifted her head. “Wake up! Wake up!” he said.
Annie opened her eyes.
“You okay?” Jack asked.
“Yes … I dreamed about white wolves,” Annie murmured.
“Me too!” said Jack. “And then when I woke up, they were here! They were about to eat us!”
“Really?” Annie sat up and looked around.
“Yeah, but