Kara

 

Kara slipped the key into the lock of her front door, a sly smile forming on her lips as she opened it with a click. The door slid open silently and, carefully, she stepped into the living room of the small home she shared with Leon, her fiancé. Once inside, she gently pulled the door shut and listened carefully.

 

It was dead quiet—just what she was hoping for.

 

A full-length mirror hung near the front door and Kara stepped in front of it. She took a quick glance, noting with satisfaction how wonderful of a job the stylist had done. Her chocolate-brown hair was done up in lovely curls, and the makeup highlighted perfectly her big green eyes and stunning, doll-like features. Her outfit was nothing more than a pair of cherry-red high heels and a beige overcoat, her legs bare beneath its hem.

 

With a naughty smile on her face, she pulled the waistband of the trench coat open, revealing a slender but shapely body beneath, clad in nothing but dark black lacy lingerie. A slight blush formed on her features; she’d never done anything like this before and had been looking forward all day to coming home to Leon with the little surprise she had in mind.

 

Before she stepped away from the mirror, she took one last glance at the shimmering diamond ring she wore, her heart filling with love as she thought about the wedding ahead. Kara had wanted to be married for as long as she could remember, and being able to make a man like Leon her husband was just about the best life she could hope for.

 

Okay, she thought, let’s do this.

 

Stepping quietly, she ascended the stairs to the second floor, already picturing the expression on Leon’s handsome face when she slunk in through the office door and opened her coat.

 

As soon as she reached the second floor, however, she heard something. It sounded at first like talking, a low murmuring through one of the nearby walls.

 

Is he on a voice call? thought Kara.

 

Leon was a day-trader and often had to take conference calls with other investors. But the more she listened, the more it didn’t sound like a regular conversation. His tone sounded strange, almost playful.

 

Then she heard another voice. A woman’s voice.

 

It was high and lilting, speaking excitedly. A chiming laugh sounded, and Kara knew at that moment that Leon wasn’t alone. Her heart now thudding in her chest, she stepped closer and closer towards the office, the voices growing louder as she did. After a time, she could hear the voices more clearly and was able to make out individual words.

 

“Right there,” said the woman. “Yeah … just like that.”

 

Kara’s eyes went wide.

 

“You like that right there?” asked Leon.

 

“Mmm, so fucking much.”

 

Kara’s blood turned ice-cold in her veins. She continued to walk towards the office, almost as if not under her own control. Part of her wanted to turn and run out of the house right then and there, to leave and try to pretend that she’d never heard what she was now hearing.

 

“Fuck,” moaned the woman. “Goddamn, you’re so fucking good.”

 

Kara was now on the other side of the door. Through it, she could hear moans and sharp gasps of air along with soft grunts.

 

Then, she opened the door.

 

“What the hell!”

 

Kara’s eyes locked onto the sight in front of her. It was Leon, all right, and just as she’d thought, he wasn’t alone. He was naked on his desk, and on top of him was a curvy blonde, her golden hair draped over her shoulders.

 

“Kara!” shouted Leon, his face turning a deep red.

 

“Oh my God!” shouted the blonde as she jumped off of Leon, her hands shooting over her large, bare breasts.

 

“What are you doing home?” he asked.

 

Kara felt lightheaded and unsteady on her feet.

 

“I … wanted to … surprise you …”

 

They were the only words she managed to utter before darkness swam into her vision from the corners of her eyes and she dropped to the floor in a heap.

 

***

 

Kara’s eyes lingered on the calendar. She focused on the 22, the day circled with a large red heart, the words “the big day” written in her girlish, swooping handwriting. Tears formed in her eyes as she held the small calendar in her now-trembling hand, her thoughts focused on the day that her life had come crashing down around her.

 

That image of her fiancé being ridden by that nameless blonde was burned into Kara’s memory like a brand and she knew that she’d never be able to shake it, no matter how long she lived.

 

Kara had come to in the hospital a little later, luckily suffering nothing worse than a slightly sprained ankle from toppling over in her heels. She remembered how Leon had pleaded with her, begging her to forgive him, that it was just a stupid thing that didn’t mean anything, that he was just stressing about the wedding—all of the usual excuses.

 

But Kara, typically so forgiving, had found an iciness in her as she lay in the hospital bed, one that she didn’t know she had. Her face blank, her heart cool, she spoke in an even, clear voice once Leon had gone through his litany of reasons why she should forgive him.

 

“I don’t love you anymore. The wedding is canceled. Leave me alone.”

 

She remembered how he’d clammed up, apparently shocked by how businesslike Kara’s words were. He’d gotten the message loud and clear, turning on his heel and marching out of the hospital room as though he was a soldier responding to an order.

 

And that was the last she’d seen of Leon.

 

Kara didn’t know much that would make her feel better now, so close to the day of the now-canceled wedding. But she knew that she didn’t want to be alone. Spotting her phone on the counter, she picked it up and dialed her mother. After a few rings, she answered.

 

“Hey, honey,” said her mother, Susan, in a warm, sympathetic voice.

 

Kara found herself mildly resentful at how everyone was treating her like some little kid, all of them speaking to her in the same soft tone of voice, like she’d had a brain injury or something and didn’t have all of her faculties.

 

“Hey, Mom. How’re you and Dad?”

 

“Good, good. Same as ever. How … how are you?”

 

Kara wanted to get right to it.

 

“Just, um, the day of the wedding’s coming up. And … I just don’t want to be in my apartment all by myself, you know?”

 

“Oh, of course,” said her mother.

 

“You mind if I come stay with you and Dad for the weekend?”

 

“You know that you’re always welcome here,” said Susan. “But … have you checked the news recently?”

 

“What do you mean?” asked Kara, picking up her iPad from where it lay nearby and turning it on.

 

“Oh, they’re talking about how there’s supposed to be an awful blizzard coming in, the worst in years.”

 

Kara pulled up a news site and, sure enough, the headlines were all about a terrible snowstorm due to hit in the next 12 hours.

 

“You didn’t hear about it? It’s all the news has been talking about.”

 

“I, um, just haven’t really been paying attention to any of that. Been kind of distracted, I guess.”

 

“Of course, of course,” said Susan, her tone making it clear that she felt bad for saying anything. “A lot going on.”

 

“It’s fine,” said Kara, setting down her iPad and walking over to the window. “I’ll just pack something quick and get on the road; it’s only a few hours’ drive to you guys.”

 

“Are you sure, Kitty? I don’t want you to get stuck out on the road … especially in your, um, state.”

 

“I’ll be fine,” said Kara, her tone firm.

 

As much as she appreciated the sympathy, Kara wasn’t all that into being treated like a helpless child.

 

“Okay,” said Susan. “Then we’ll be waiting for you. Call us when you’re on the road. And drive safe, sweetie.”

 

“I will, Mom.”

 

“I love you. And your father does too, of course.”

 

“Love you, too. See you in a few hours.”

 

Kara hung up and took a glance out of the window. Looking up, she saw that the sky was slate gray and full of heavy, fat clouds roiling and shifting ominously. It sure looked like a winter storm was brewing, and Kara knew that she needed to get on the road sooner than later. She packed a small suitcase full of essentials, threw on some warm winter clothes, and headed out the door.

 

Stepping out into the early winter afternoon, a strong, chilly wind blasted her, the sound of the air roaring in her ears. Looking around, she saw that her block was mostly desolate.

 

Everyone must be hunkering down, she thought, pulling her coat tight and adjusting the strap of her weekend bag. Maybe that’s what I would be doing if I was smart.

 

As bad as driving in a blizzard might be, however, Kara preferred it to the alternative of spending the weekend snowed in and alone with nothing but her thoughts. Climbing into her car, she imagined walking into her parents’ house in a few hours, her father sitting in his high-backed easy chair, a cup of coffee next to him and one of his military history books on his lap, her mother throwing her arms around her in a tight hug before leading her to the kitchen for a glass of wine and a homecooked meal.

 

Kara started off towards the interstate, heading north, a feeling of dread building in her gut as she noticed just how empty both the streets and sidewalks were. She felt like the only person alive willing to risk her life making a drive like this, but she was dead-set on getting out of town. Chicago in the middle of a raging blizzard was about the last thing she wanted to be dealing with right now.

 

After reaching the interstate, Kara drove in silence for a half hour before flicking on the radio.

 

“ … worst blizzard in decades. The latest tracking information is showing that this storm is on the move faster than we’ve been anticipating and should be reaching the Chicago area in less than a few hours.”

 

Kara’s blood ran cold. If what the weatherman said was true, then there was a very good chance she’d still be on the road when the storm hit. Looking in her rearview mirror, she realized that she still had time to turn back.

 

But she pressed on.

 

“We repeat, stay indoors during the blizzard. This one’s looking like a monster, and if you don’t have any pressing reason to be on the road, we’re advising all listeners to buy what supplies they can and to brace for a snowy weekend.”

 

Kara flicked the radio to a new station, this one broadcasting some sunny pop music that was infinitely preferable to the doom-saying of the weatherman. Looking up at the sky, she watched as the clouds shifted and boiled like smoke from an out-of-control fire.

 

Just drive carefully, she thought. Don’t do anything stupid and stay on the road. It’s just a few hours, and you’ll be fine.

 

The first snowflakes began to fall about 10 minutes later. At first, Kara tried to ignore the first wet splotches on her windshield, but after a time the snow picked up and she could no longer pretend the blizzard wasn’t already starting. The snow picked up in intensity and over the next several minutes Kara could see less and less further into the distance. To her horror, she realized that she’d soon not be able to see anything beyond her headlights.

 

Shit, shit, she thought as she reduced her speed, feeling the wheels swerve slightly as she did. Looking around, she realized that the snow was coming down harder by the moment and that she wasn’t going to be able to drive for too much longer. The car traveling at a steady 15 miles per hour, Kara kept her eyes peeled for the next turnoff’s sign. To her horror, however, she realized that she couldn’t even see that far ahead. Now the snow whipped around the car, the wind a low howl.

 

Gotta stop, she thought. Just gotta let this pass.

 

Slowly, she pulled her car off to the side of the road. Taking out her phone, she let out a cry off frustration as she saw how poor her reception was. Kara checked the text that she’d received from her mother a few minutes ago.

 

Are you on the road? They said the storm’s going to be worse than they thought. Just stay home, please. I don’t want you stuck on the side of the road in the middle of this.

 

Kara tossed her phone onto the passenger’s seat and titled her head back in frustration. Nightmare images filled her head of the snow around her building and building until she was stuck under an avalanche-sized pile of it, doomed to freeze to death before anyone found her. She leaned forward and let her head rest on the steering wheel, wondering just what she would do if the heat turned off.

 

But when she finally opened her eyes slightly, she spotted something curious just up ahead on the side of the road. It was the bright light of some kind of vehicle. Instead of pointing straight ahead, however, it shone at a strange angle up into the sky, the orange beam catching the erratic fall of the wind-whipped snow. Curious, Kara drove slowly, inching the car forward to get a better look.

 

Sure enough, the light belonged to a vehicle—a massive cruiser of chrome with black trim. Kara could make out wild skid marks on the road that hadn’t yet been covered by the snow, and it was clear that the bike had gone out of control and tossed off whoever was driving it.

 

Her heart raced. Kara knew that this meant there had to be someone nearby, someone who could be hurt and on the verge of freezing to death. The blizzard was picking up and it looked dangerous to be outside, but Kara knew she had to at least take a look. Pulling her coat tight, she took a breath and pulled open the driver’s side door.

 

The wind was so intense that it nearly slammed the door right back shut. Kara had to hold it open as she stepped out of the car, keeping her head low against the wind. Making her way forward slowly and staying in the white lights of her car’s headlamps, she approached the bike and looked around. It was hard to make out anything through the snow, but after a moment she spotted what she was looking for.

 

Sure enough, there was a man. From what Kara could tell, he was dressed in jeans and a heavy leather jacket, his hair short. There wasn’t a helmet on his head, and he was face-down in the snow. And, he wasn’t moving. Kara realized that her instincts were right, and that if she didn’t do anything he’d surely die out here.

 

“Shit, shit,” she mumbled to herself as she hurried to the man’s side.

 

After looking him over, Kara realized that he appeared to be mostly unhurt aside from a red gash on his forehead. Flipping him over, she saw that the exposed skin of his face was already turning a deep red that she immediately recognized as the first stage of frostbite. Kara stood up and looked the man over, wondering just how she was going to get a big guy like him into her car.

 

Before she could give the matter too much thought, however, the man’s eyes shot open.

 

“Who the hell are you?” he asked, his voice booming over the roar of the frozen wind.