The Icicle Cave

Georgia Roberts climbed up onto a small ice mound and gazed out onto the sheets and sheets of ice that surrounded her. She couldn't remember any different than this vast land being her home. The last time she had ever been on dry land was when she was a toddler and her mother and father were still living. Oh, how she missed them. Georgia reached into her parka pocket and pulled out a single letter written on rose petal stationary. It was the only reminder that Georgia had left of her beloved parents. She read it for the hundreth time to herself. 1

Dear Daughter, this will be the last time we will be writing you before we take our boat trip to Europe, like we have always dreamed of. Feel free to reply and keep grandma company in the Arctic. Love you,2

Mommy and Daddy3

Gerogia let out a huge sigh and put the letter back in her pocket. She had only been three years old when that letter had been sent. She had been living with her grandmother since then, for her parent's boat trip was what caused their unlucky death. The seas had been too rough and too cold and her parents had fallen overboard. Georgia climbed down from the ice mound and stepped inside the small cottage that she shared with her grandmother.4

Her grandmother looked up from the stove. On it was crisp baked apples sprinkled in cinnamon. Their cottage was only one room, but very cozy. In one corner was a fireplace, where a pot was hanging in the center on an iron rung. In another corner were their beds, made up already. And in the other corner was their cooking supplies and dining table.5

Georgia sat on the bear-skin rug in front of the fireplace and warmed her hands. She thought of her parents a lot, but she never actually talked to her grandmother about it. She was way too saddened to even speak a word about her daughter, Georgia's mother.6

" How about some apples, love?" Georgia's grandmother asked suddenly.7

Georgia shook her head. " No thanks, nana, I am ok."8

" Something bothering you, love? You never say no to your cinnamon apples." 9

" I'm fine, nana, really. I was just thinking about mom and dad."10

After that, there was silence, a cold silence that made you shiver and think deeply.11

Georgia got up, without saying a word and stepped back outside into the cold weather and ice of the Arctic.12

She got back up on the ice mound, but what she saw this time scared her.13

Not three or four feet in front of her was a wolf. It was pale white, with hints of grey on its ears and tail. Georgia stayed still and stiff as a board. She held her breath as the wolf stared at her, its yellow eyes peircing through her like a knife.14

Then, without any noise, it darted away, and it was gone before Georgia could do anything. Georgia shivered and chattered her teeth. Something about that wolf shook her, but not in a bad way, it was like the wolf was trying to tell her something.15

Georgia went back inside the cottage, forgetting about the earlier occasion about her parents and the silence.16

" Nana, there was a wolf outside, just a few moments ago!" she exclaimed.17

" Yes, love, we get wolves around here all the time."18

" But Nana, I know it wants me for something, something important, it wants me to follow it."19

" Stop your nonsense, Georgia, no wolf wants you for anything."20

" Yes it does!" Georgia cried out.21

" NO it doesn't, now stop it!"22

All of a sudden, Georgia's grandmother slapped Georgia across the face hard.23

" Nana, how, how could you?" Georgia asked, tears slipping from her eyes.24

She ran to her bed, burying her head in her pillow, her hands clenching into fists. How could her grandmother not believe her?25

The following day, Georgia spent all morning on the ice mound, searching for the wolf, but it was nowhere to be found. Georgia gave up and went inside to eat lunch, fish her grandmother had caught. The whole meal was in silence, except for grace. 26

After lunch, Georgia went back outside and this time, the wolf was in the exact same spot she had seen it the day before. It looked at her in the same way. She decided to follow it. Georgia slipped on her special snow boots and wrapped her parka tighter around herself.27

The wolf traveled down winding slopes, and slippery ice patches. They even came across a place where there was a blizzard and Georgia thought they might get trapped. After about three hours of walking through treacherous weather conditions and bitter cold, the wolf reached its destination. A cave. 28

It was a good-sized cave with icicles hanging down from the entrance. Georgia stepped inside it and the wolf led her even further into it. What she saw, she couldn't believe her eyes. There was a basket on the floor of the cave and inside it was a baby, wrapped tightly in many blankets and fur coats. The baby was wide awake, surrounded by a pack of wolves.29

Somehow, Georgia knew they would not hurt her. She knelt down beside the baby. Inside the basket also was a note, on the same stationary that her parents had used in that letter.30

Georgia unfolded it and read it carefully.31

Dear Georgia sweet,32

We had a very kind friend who owned wolves. We never told you or your grandmother, but we had another child. We are not dead, we are very much alive. We travel every day in the snow and ice, searching for more places to stay and searching for you. We hope you recieve this letter and that Benny will direct you to this cave, he is the leader of the pack. Please take care of this baby, it is a girl and her name is Nadia. We love you and hope to see you again one day,33

Love,34

Mom and Dad35

Georgia felt tears dripping from her eyes, her parents were alive! Georgia held the baby in her arms and kissed her cheek. 36

" Hello, Nadia, you're my new baby sister."37

THE END