Heart of Ice

Chapter Fifteen

Song: One Step Forward, Three Steps Back- Olivia Rodrigo

"Kids, we're here!"

The first time we ever went to the safe house, I was five years old. I could still remember the first few dazed minutes after waking up when we pulled in, the way my baby doll rested in my arms. Hunter sat beside me, peering out the window to take a look at the place where we would spend our summer vacation every year from then on. He wasn't that amazed by the cottage itself, but rather by the tire swing that hung from the big oak tree. As soon as he caught sight of it, he jumped out of the car, running as fast as he could toward the tree. Mom unfastened me from my booster seat and placed me on my feet, and for a second I had stood there, rubbing my eyes as the tiredness from my nap slowly washed away from my body. Mom, dad, and the rest of the pack carried everything into the cabin, and I eventually made my way to Hunter, who was swinging back and forth on the tire, laughing as if he didn't have a care in the world.

And back then, we truly didn't. We were invincible.

"I want on too!" I pouted, crossing my arms as Hunter glanced down at me, smiling even wider. He brought the tire to a slow, his feet catching on the ground before he leaned closer to me.

"This is a big kid thing. It can be really dangerous."

"I am a big kid!" I stomped my foot. "Let me swing on it!"

"How about you swing with me?" He opened his arms, motioning me to sit on his lap. "That way you can swing on it too without getting hurt."

I glanced at his open arms before sighing. "Fine. But I'm a big girl, I can swing by myself."

"I know, angel. But it'll be much more fun this way, I promise."

I sat on his lap and he wrapped one arm tightly around me. Hunter pushed his feet off the ground, and as we swung backward, I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, the wind from the push blowing my hair in my face. With every push he gave, we went higher and higher, and when we went as high as we could go, I started giggling, watching the world around me swing as he moved us back and forth. Hunter laughed too, his eyes locked on my big, toothy grin.

I wasn't sure how long we had swung for, but soon, the sun began dipping behind the horizon, and mom was calling us to come in for supper. As Hunter came to a slow, his feet brushing back and forth against the ground, his grip on me loosened, and then he placed me on my feet. He stood from the tire and shook his head while smiling when he got sight of my wind swept hair. The whole way to the cottage, I giggled, feeling like I was on top of the world. Those days were much simpler. Life was better, I had Hunter, and no monsters were chasing me. It was just me, him, and the big blue sky above us, shaping the childhood that still held a safe place in the corner of my heart.

***

When I catch sight of the tire that still hangs from the oak tree, I instantly smile, running and plopping down on it. With a big push, I go flying forward, the wind pushing my hair backward as I close my eyes and enjoy the autumn air. Leaves fall around me as the limbs above me shake, and when I glance down at Hunter, he's rolling his eyes and walking toward me. "Why am I not surprised that this was the first thing you came to?"

"You always hogged it when we were kids," I swing away from him. "I think I deserve it first this time."

"Why not let me on there too?" He smirks, giving me a wink. "For old time's sake."

"You're real funny, you know that?"

"I'm being serious! I've told you before that it's dangerous."

"You're only saying that now so you can have it all to yourself."