THE ICE KING

Chapter 12

Journey's End

         "You will NEVER leave this place!!!..."

         At the Ice King's threatening words, Brian gathered his family behind him and stood up to the huge, supernatural being bravely.

         "Please, your Majesty, NO! If I've pissed you off in some way, I'm truly sorry! But whatever your problem is I ask you please, please, let my boy and Justin go! I'll stay with you, do anything you want, but just let them go and keep me in their stead!"

         "Soooo! Brian! I see your heart has melted at last!" said the Ice King in that same loud, grating, echoing voice.

         "Yes Sir! And solved the riddle! Well, it solved itself, actually. "It says: For all Eternity."

         "Congratulations, Brian!" the Ice King echoed, "But the fact remain, you can NEVER  Le- - NEV - NEV..." he turned away and degenerated into a hacking, smoker's cough.

         "Your Majesty, are you all right?" Brian asked.

         The Ice King held up a hand to signify he was and continued hacking for a bit. They could see a cloud of black smoke being coughed out. At last the smoke dissipitated and the Ice King sucked in a HUUUUUGGE breath of fresh, cold, North Pole air.

         "AHHHHHHHHH!!! That's much better! Sorry about that!" said the Ice King in his regular voice, "After the blizzard in Minnesota to Ohio, I had to make a last minute stop to Vesuvius to give it a coating of white. It was getting far too noisy and rebellious.  Besides, it's good for the oranges and grapes. But the ash and smoke...oh the smoke does horrible things to my lungs. I much prefer the cold arctic air! Now, as I was saying, you will never leave this place without assistance! The trip across the Arctic Sea alone will require air travel."

         The three male mortals nearly melted with relief despite the frigid cold.

         "Oh, your Majesty! Oh, I'm sorry! I thought...I thought..."

         "The worst?" the Ice King said in amusement.

         "Well, yes. I'm so sorry."

         "I'm sorry too," said Justin, "I was thinking the worst of you even before I thought you were threatening us. But maybe this will make up for it. I remember the North Wind told me you were seeking the piece of the goblin's mirror so I saved it. Here it is." And he carefully unfolded Gus' drawing and let the shard of glass that was only the size of a grain of sand slide into the Ice King's waiting palm.

         "Oh, Justin! There is nothing to make up for! But thank you! Thank you for this! I indeed have been looking for this for 100 years and now I have the means to punish that wicked goblin once and for all! NORTH! Bring me the jar!"

         "At once, O, King!" the North wind flew to a high place off to the side that Brian and Justin had not noticed before. It turned out there was a shelf made out of thick ice that was otherwise invisible. The North Wind took a huge jar with a long, thick neck and a round, fat bottom (I WILL not make another Mother-in Law joke, I will not, I will not....OOOPS...I just did) from this shelf and brought it to the Ice King.

         "This jar is made from almost every piece of the glass from that evil goblin's mirror.  His evil instrument of destruction has been transformed into his prison and punishment. However, without all the glass, the jar is powerless. Now, with this last piece, it will be complete."

         The North Wind began to spin around the jar, taking it with him. The jar spun around and around in midair, faster and faster as if it were on a pottery wheel, faster and faster until it became a blur. Faster and faster until the friction of the frigid air did the impossible; the outer surface of the jar slicked over into slippery water. The Ice King carefully dropped the last shard of glass onto the top of the jar. He ran his hands lovingly over it, slowly, carefully, the way a master potter would over his spinning clay. His eyes were feverish, focused and manic. The mortals were forgotten.

         "KEEP GOING! KEEP GOING!  KEEP SPINNING! FASTER!! FASTER!!" he boomed. The North Wind kept going and spun faster sand faster. And it worked. Eventually the shard slicked over as well and became a part of the jar.

         "NOW!" the Ice King screamed and in a move that seemed to have been practiced many times over, the Ice King and the North Wind both blew their frigid breath over the jar and the North Wind stopped the jar on a dime. There was a crackling as the jar re-froze instantly.

         The Ice King's beautiful, icy face was wreathed in such joy that it became even more handsome and so cold that it hurt to look at, like pressing your nose against a frozen windowpane.

         "At last!" he breathed, "At last! At long last I have that wicked goblin right where I WANT HIM!! AND NOW! AND NOW HE SHALL PAY!!" his voice became terrible, wrathful and made the enormous throne room shiver with its echoes.

         "North! Take care of the humans! Take them home! Take them anywhere else they need to go! They are masters of their own destinies and heroes in their own right! Good-bye Brian! Good-bye Justin and Gus! I wish I had gotten to know you better!  FAREWELL!!" And the Ice King launched himself into the air carrying the jar with him. He punched a hole in his own roof and disappeared upward and away in a cloudy blizzard of smoky snow. And that was the last they saw of the Ice King.

         "What a Drama Queen!" exclaimed the North Wind, "Well, King," he amended.

         They all laughed.

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The night before...At the crater...

         Jason and Hunter kissed for a long minute and for that minute Jason was swept up in a torrid wave of erotic heat that made him glow from head to toe. As well, Hunter kept up the lazy circles on his tummy and then moved upward to play with his nipples, which just spurred Jason on to greater passion.

         For Jason, that kiss was wonderful. When he was held prisoner, he dreaded kissing, dreaded the time Rickert would be able to touch him. Jason knew the sex would be painful and rough. It would be rape. And he imagined that Rickert's lips would be rubbery and as slimy as the man himself.

         But this! This was gentle and exploratory and seductive and giving and taking and Jason never wanted this to end. And Hunter's lips were masculine and wide and soft and a joy to kiss.

         But, like most things, good and bad, it did come to an end. Or rather, Jason came to his senses and ended it.

         Shaking himself slightly, he stilled Hunter's wandering hand and slowly broke the kiss. "Stop," he said, "We have to stop!"

         Hunter let him go and sat on the bunk. "What's the matter? Isn't it good? Did I do it wrong? I'm usually a very good kisser," he said, unmodestly.

         "On the contrary, it was very good. It was my first kiss...and it was great! But it doesn't make any sense! One minute you are telling me I'm your prisoner and yelling at me when I ask you a simple question and the next we're making out! We need - I need to slow down. Besides Hunter, I know what you do. How do I know if we carry on this way that next morning you won't have your hand out and I find out you considered this just a fuck and a hustle? I am not going to be a trick for you and I want my first time to be special! Hopefully, I want my first time to be with "the one"."

         "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I guess I hurt your feelings, huh?"

         "Let's just drink this, hmm?" said Jason in this tight voice that he didn't recognize. "You have any mugs?"

         "Left cupboard," answered Hunter. He observed Jason's tight movements, "Oh shit! I DID hurt you! I'm sorry!" he said contritely.

         "Just forget about it," Jason said, pouring out the cocoa.

         "I don't want to forget about it! I'm AM sorry Jason. But I also can't talk about my past! I HATED my childhood! I just hated it! I hate my mother! I hate talking about it!"

         "Ahhh," Jason said softly, "Freud was right! It usually stems back to that. So...tell me about your mother," he said, sounding remarkably like a shrink.

         "Didn't I just say I hated talking about her?!" exclaimed Hunter, "Besides, what the hell do you think you are? Some kind of shrink?"

         "Actually, I have a Ph.D in psychology. So...yes, I am...some sort of shrink," Jason said, unrolling Justin's bedroll. He wondered where Justin was sleeping tonight. He had no way of knowing that Justin was awake and flying at supersonic speed over a black and endless sea on the back of a reindeer who was forging a flat file of flaming flatulence out of his backside. "So, if you ever did want to talk about it...you can, and it will be a safe place to do it."

         "I'll think about it," said Hunter sulkily.

         "Very well." Jason threaded his small white hand into Hunter's large brown one. He sat on the bedroll next to Hunter's bunk and took a sip of his cocoa. And waited.

         "I wasn't hustling you, you know. I might not be ‘the one' but I really did just want to hold you. I wanted to kiss you. I don't know why. But there's no charging tonight. For you, I promise, there never will be."

         "Thank-you Hunter. That means a lot to me. So...are you ready to tell me about your mother?"

         "ARRRRGGH!!! Why is that so important to you?"

         "Because the more you avoid the past, the more it's going to ruin your future! Hunter, look where you are? Alone...and lonely. Don't deny it! Your kiss spoke volumes about your need to be touched. In a crater, in a frozen waste, collecting animals for...I don't know what! Let me help you Hunter and then if you want we can get out of here and build a future!"

         "What do you mean, build a future?" asked Hunter suspiciously.

         "Hunter, come on! I can't stay in this crater forever! Neither can you! You'll starve!"

         "There's a town about a day's journey away. That's where I get my supplies."

         "Well, regardless, I'm not staying here forever. My friend promised to come back for me. And if he doesn't, well, I'll go with you to that town and make my way in the world from there. I have some money to start me out and I have enough education to start any business I want and go from there. And either way, you could come with me - with us, if they come. Come with me and share my life with me. OK. Granted, you may not be ‘the one' and we may split up later but by that time, hopefully you'll have learned enough social skills and a trade enough to survive in Pittsburgh, or anywhere else you want to go from there. Come with me, Hunter!"

         "I hate crowds. I hate cities. All I know is how to trap and hunt and hustle. Is that really who you want to share your life with?"

         "No. That is why I want to find out why you isolate yourself. That's why I want to find out why you hustle. Because once you find out, you'll be able to stop and move on. Come on. Talk to me. Why did you start to hustle?"

         There was a terrible pause. Hunter yanked his hand away. He scrunched into a corner of the bunk. He pulled his knees up into his chest. His voice came out in a too small voice for such a big man:

         "Come on Richie! (That's my real name) You live here too...Gotta pull your own weight. We all need to work."

         "Hunter?? What kind of work?" But Jason already knew. Nausea rose.

         "You like young dick? For 50 you can suck it. For 100 I'll let you fuck me."

         There was a terrible silence.

         "What? You think I'm bullshitting you? That I'm making this up!? Well FUCK YOU!! You wanted to know ALL about my sainted mother! Well THAT'S what I remember most about HER! She wanted a supplement to her income! And it was EASY! So I kept doing it! I've been doing it ever since! And if you don't believe me, then you can just go screw yourself!" Hunter turned toward the wall.

         "I never said I didn't believe you," Jason said and began rubbing Hunter's craggy back soothingly. "I believe you. Turn around Hunter. Turn around and look at me."

         Slowly, Hunter turned around and looked at Jason with wide eyes that expected recrimination and judgment but found nothing but compassion. He sat with his legs hanging over the bed. Jason climbed into his silken lap and wrapped his smaller arms around Hunter's neck and Hunter's big arms enfolded him into a muscle-y cocoon.

         "I believe you. I believe you and we are going to get through this. Together."

Several hours of intense psychiatric therapy later...

         They had talked about a lot. His parents, who both were miserable excuses for human life. His father had abandoned them when he was three and his mother had started pimping him out when he was five.  They talked about them moving all over, settling in big cities to keep out of the radar of Social Services and because costumers were plentiful. This is where Hunter's hatred of big cities stemmed. They talked about the terrible punishments that were promised if he ever told. They talked about happier times, his play as a child and his anti-socialism as a defense mechanism and now Hunter could see that's what it really was.

         After several hours, Jason had reduced Hunter to a muscled mass of giant man goo. So many tears had been shed that Jason's entire pajama front had to be taken off and wrung out. After that, and because Hunter wasn't wearing one, he saw little point in putting another one on.

         "Sorry, Jase," snuffled Hunter.

         "No problem buddy," Jason answered him. "Let's just get some sleep now, OK?"

         "OK." Hunter lay down in his bunk and Jason curled up in the bedroll. Their hands found each other in the dark and clasped tightly together.

         "This was an interesting sleepover. Are all sleepovers like this?"

         "No, Hunter. This sleepover was definitely one of a kind."

         "You're still my prisoner, you know," Hunter said sleepily, in play.

         Jason felt upward with his other hand until he found Hunter's face. He felt around until he was guided enough to lean upward and kiss Hunter softy on his gorgeous lips.

         "That's all right. Because I think I'm coming down with a serious case of the Stockholm Syndrome."

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         Back at the palace, after they had calmed down a bit, Justin finally asked, "How are we to get home then? I thought you could only take us short distances."

         "That is true, such as I am. But there is a another way."

         The North Wind flew over to the compass in the floor. He flew over and into the hole in center. There was a whooshing, a boom and a great shockwave of energy that radiated outward in all directions. It was so powerful that it knocked them all down. There was a hissing as a great cloud of steam filled the hole and rose upwards. The steam slowly dissipitated.

         And from out of the steam, out of the hole, rose quite a different creature. His body was still a tornado of wind but it was softer, more regulated than the North Wind. His face was that of a handsome South American native. He had a warm smile and a kind and gentle voice. Attached to where his neck should be and flowing out behind him was a large many colored cloak. White, red, purple, blue, green, and yellow, they all mishmashed together into intricate designs and puzzles behind him. It was if he were wearing a giant Persian carpet on his back, only lighter and more flowing.

         "Who are you? Where is the North Wind?" asked Justin.

         "The apparition yawned and stretched till he nearly reached the ceiling. Then he settled down again and said, "Hello Justin. It's me. I am...well I was...the North Wind. When I travelled into the hole that was the North Pole, I could travel no further North. I am the South Wind."

         "So that's why the two of you share the same throne," said Brian in sudden understanding, "You are the same person - uh...wind...whatever!"

         "Yes Brian, that is right! It also means I can travel south now and take you home. And unlike my counterpart, I am warm enough for you to be comfortable all the way. Are you ready to go home now?"

         They all agreed wholeheartedly that they were more than ready. "But how will you carry us all?" asked Gus.

         "You shall ride on my cloak. It can shrink and expand to carry as many companions as you like." And one by one, with a lift of his airy arms and a warm breath, he blew them onto the Persian carpet cloak and flew up and out of the hole that the Ice King had made when he left.

         And it was warm! It was like flying on a magic carpet and a magic carpet that was an electric blanket to boot! After the deep freeze of the Ice Palace, the three humans couldn't get enough, and for a while they just lay there on the softly undulating cloak soaking up the warmth of the air that the South Wind was streaming out behind him to keep the cloak horizontal.

         "You human creatures are such a curious lot!" laughed the South Wind. "So sensitive to the changes in your temperature!" Now we - we are not bothered by temperatures in the least!"

         "That's because you make the temperatures! We have to endure them!" Brian retorted.
         The South Wind laughed heartily at this. The South Wind had a much nicer laugh then the North. It was not mocking and was deep and rich and musical and made you want to laugh along with it. Then he said: "True enough, Brian, true enough! Now, where can I take you!?"

         "Home to Pittsburgh!" Brian answered. There was an air of contented silence that agreed with him for a few minutes and in no time they had started the long trek over the black and icy Arctic Sea.

         Suddenly Justin bolted upright, jackknifing up to a sitting position.

         "No, wait! We can't go home! Not yet!"

         "Why not, Justin?" asked Brian.

         And so, of course, Justin told him all about Jason.

JGJGJGJGJGJGJGJG

At the crater...

         The next morning when Jason and Hunter awoke, they were still holding hands. They opened their eyes at exactly the same time. They smiled and came together for a lingering kiss

         They got up and fell into an easy routine, as if they had been doing it all their lives, as if they would be doing all their lives. Who knew? Perhaps they would. Jason still wasn't sure that Justin would return, didn't see how he possibly could. But he hoped.

         Jason got up, folded the bedroll out of the way and searched Hunter's kitchen. He put the coffee on and found eggs and bacon and put some on to fry. While everything was sizzling nicely, he rolled up the bedroll. He found some bread and put it in the toaster.

         Meanwhile, Hunter had thrown on some hasty clothes and went out to take care of the animals. Before he left, he bent Jason over into another sweet and tender kiss.

         He arrived back just as Jason was dishing up the breakfast. He greeted him the same way he had left him. Jason returned the kiss with equal ardor.

         "This is nice," said Hunter

         "It certainly is," answered Jason, smiling. "Breakfast?"

         "This is also nice. I don't think I've ever returned to have food waiting for me before. The caravan smells all...bacon-ey."

         Jason smiled and held out his hands. "Come and eat," he said. And so they did.

         They were halfway through crunching their bacon and toast and slurping coffee when Hunter noticed the rolled up bedroll.

         "Why did you put that away?" he asked.

         "I need to be ready in case Justin comes. He may be here at any time. You should get ready too. Release the animals, pack a few things and come with us."

         "But they only left yesterday! Surely they can't return again today. Perhaps...perhaps they won't come back at all," he said a little hopefully.

         "Perhaps. But I must be ready. You do not know the lengths that Justin went to, to rescue me earlier. I do not think he would abandon me now unless he was forced to. And remember, he did leave on a flying reindeer. Anything is possible."

         Hunter nodded, mulling that over. He had been forced to accept that fact when he had gone outside and found the empty reindeer cage.

         "Come with us," Jason invited again. "Come with me."

         "I don't know. I'm so used to being alone! And how can I just pick up and...and just...Go, like that! What about my animals? I mean...this is my home!"

         But even as he said them he could hear how hollow his words were and how foolish they sounded.

         Jason addressed every issue. "First of all Hunter, you aren't alone anymore. Like it or not, you have me now, at least until we hit the town and we either split up or he wander the world together." He came around the table and climbed into Hunter's lap, straddling him. Hunter gulped. "And from the way you keep greeting me, I think you DO like it." Justin pulled him down and this time their kiss was long and deep. Hunter flicked Jason's lip seeking entrance and Jason granted it eagerly, sucking greedily at Hunter's large and practiced tongue.

         Sometime later, they broke apart and Jason rested his head on Hunter's shoulder and continued: "As for the animals, let them go."

         "Let them go! No way!" yelled Hunter.

         "Yes way! They're wild creatures you captured, I'm sure they'd love to return to their wild homes. Perhaps some of them have mates waiting. Let them go, Hunter and come with me. And this crater! This crater, this surrounding wasteland! This is no home! It's cold and lonely and barren and a terrible place! Oh, Hunter, if you really don't want to live in the city or around people, we'll adapt and move after we've established ourselves. As I said, I'll be able to do anything and if cities still bother you, I'll buy you an island and we can live there. Imagine a tropical island where we can farm a few livestock, grow food, eat wild food that grows and...and just be warm! Together and alone and warm, warm, warm, forever and ever!"

         "Alone...and warm...mmmmm!" Hunter snuggled into Jason as if it were already happening. "Oh, that's a lovely dream, Jason.

         "Come with me, and I'll do everything I can to make it real. I promise."

         "I can't!  Don't you understand!? I'm not strong enough. I just can't!!"

         Jason looked up at the hunter who had captured his heart with wide, sad eyes. "All right. Well, I won't say anymore. I won't push. Just know, I really want you to change your mind and the invitation is still wide open."

         Sadly, he slid off that wide, wide lap and returned to his own chair. He finished his breakfast although it was harder now that he was pushing past that big lump in his throat. And after he finished and started on the dishes, he kept his face away from Hunter so that the big man would not see the tears that were adding to the dishwater.

JHJHJHJHJHJHJHJH

Several hours later...

         Jason was outside, giving the Arctic hare a few carrots, and treats to the other animals as well. It was the only outside activity to do and he needed to be outside for awhile. He needed some fresh air and exercise and some goddam space from that obstinate man or he'd go mad. Oh, this place was horrible! It was so wide and empty and silent and there was nothing to do except walk a bit outside or stay sitting inside in the heat. He may as well be imprisoned in that first caravan again. And now that he had feelings for Hunter, it made it even worse. He wanted to be as close to the man as possible. He needed to be as far away from him as possible.

          The hare was just finishing up the last carrot when all of a sudden a great multi-colored sheet/blanket/carpet? Came sweeping over the top of the crater and down into the bottom. Justin and Gus and a brown haired man were riding it. They had come!

         "Justin! Justin! You came back!"

         "I promised you I would, didn't I?"

         "I know, it's just I didn't see how...I didn't...Oh, Justin, thank you! But what is that you're on!?"

         "Why Hello, young fellow, are you coming to join us on our journey?" And of course, Jason was scared out of his wits until he was introduced to the South Wind. And when he was, he was filled with such a sense of wonder and joy and excitement, he could hardly contain it. He was rescued! He was going...dare he say it...home!

         "Can you wait? I have our bags still packed and everything's ready! And I want to ask Hunter if he'll come one last time!" his voice faded because he was already running toward the yellow caravan. The South Wind swept after him.

         "You mean that dreadful hunter who captured us? No, Jason! Just come and escape with us!" shouted Justin.

         "Don't worry, Justin! Things have...changed!" And Jason ran up the steps and into the caravan.

         "I know you can only go south. But is there any way we can wait for him?" asked Justin.

         "There is a way," said the South Wind, "But it's strictly forbidden and extremely secret."

         "Tell us! Tell us!" yelled Gus, who simply adored secrets.

         "Just this." The South Wind flew to the center of the crater and sloooowwwwlly began a twisting, circular motion holding pattern slowly moving outward in a tight spiral holding pattern. I can hold this spiral until we reach the very outer edge. Then I must return to flying south. If your friend is not back by the time I reach the edge, we must leave him. I shouldn't even be doing this. Now, all of you, promise me! Not a word to the Ice King!"

         "Not a word! We promise!" they all promised.

         Meanwhile, inside, Jason had picked up his panniers and the bedroll and faced Hunter on last time.

         "Please Hunter! Come with us! Come with me! Let's make a go of it! I feel like I've gotten to know you so much in the last while. I won't lie to you and say I love you but...I think I could if you give us a chance. I think...you could even be the one!"

         "I can't! I just can't! Besides, your friends would never let me on! They hate me for what I've done! Besides...I'm just no good! I'm no good for you. I'm just a stupid hustler. I can't!"

         "Jason!! Hurry!" yelled three voices as the magic carpet made a pass by the caravan.

         "I don't care how good or bad you are! We can continue your therapy! We can make you realize what I already know! You are good enough for me! You're the best! And most important, you are good enough for yourself. Come away with me!"

         "I can't!" choked Hunter.

         The carpet made another pass. "Jaaaasooon! Hurry!"

         Jason leaned up on his tippie toes and clasped that big neck and kissed those rough, masculine lips one more time. "Then I guess this is goodbye. That's my ride. Goodbye, my Hunter! I'll miss you!"

         And with that, Jason left the caravan without looking back.

         Outside, he ran over and threw the panniers onto the cloak and then grabbed Justin and Brian's hands. They attempted to haul him up and were helped along with a welcoming gust from the South Wind. Jason felt himself rising up and over and OOF!! He landed on his back in the center of the cloak. It grew and expanded to accommodate all of them and the bags as well.

         "Why did you go back! Our things didn't matter! He might have caught you again!" scolded Justin.

         "Justin! Calm yourself! It's OK! We had a nice long chat last night and...well he's different now. I wasn't his prisoner any longer He's - He's my friend! In fact I invited him to come out of this waste with us. But he wouldn't come."

         "Why not?" Justin asked, softening a bit.

         "He's too ashamed of his past and of who he used to be. He won't let himself move forward." He shook himself. "Ahh well, I cannot change his mind. I'm so glad you came back! Thank you Justin!" And he launched himself into his arms and kissed both cheeks with joy.

         The South Wind continued his holding pattern out of respect of their reunion.

         "Uh, Jason...You know we talked about this right?"

         "Don't worry, Justin! I'm over that! Oh, you must be Brian!" he said to the dark haired man, ignoring his darkening face. "Here's something, so you don't have to be jealous!" And before he could stop him, Jason launched himself into Brian's arms and kissed him on both cheeks. Brian struggled a little with it and held his hands straight out as if to say: I ain't doing nothin'! I'm innocent of this!...while Justin looked on in amusement. "Are you all right!? Are you better, I mean?"

         "Yes. I'm fine now. Who knows how long that'll last now that I have two twinks to deal with," Brian said in his dry way.

         Justin and Jason looked at each other. "He's fine!" they said together, and laughed uproariously.

         "I could get jealous!" said a smaller voice, "Real, real, jealous!"

         "Gus!!" Jason turned, and caught Gus perfectly as the boy launched himself into his arms. "Oh, my big boy! Oh my biggest, little hero! I couldn't forget you!" And he covered his little baby face in kisses and hung on for a good long time.

         The South Wind was widely spiraling now. "Are we all ready to go?" he asked.

JGBJGBJGBJGB

         Back inside the caravan, Hunter watched Jason leave and stood there in the stillness of his home. He felt sad and bereft and lonely and...horrible.  Oh, God! Was the silence always like this? A horrible, crushing weight that made it hard to breathe?

         He looked out the window and watched Jason hug his friends and then the little boy. Oh! How long had it been since he'd held a child nurturingly in his arms? Never. Never and forever if he stayed here. He looked at the ground. The snow and ice was packed so hard down here and for miles around it was as hard as stone. He couldn't even make a snowball. And it would never melt. Never.

         He turned away from the window, a sob rising in his throat but it came out as a deep wail of anguish, of animalistic pain, much like the cries he had heard from the animals he had captured over the years. He looked over his home, if you could call it that. A few possessions. A gun. Nothing that had any real meaning for him; it all came with the caravan. He looked out the window again.

         Oh God! What was he doing!? He was choosing this cold loneliness over a warm, smart, and handsome young man who most likely loved him! Hunter didn't know if he loved him in return but he knew he was in pretty strong like with the boy and he was letting him get away!

         "Are we all ready to go!?" he heard a faint voice cry out.

         HELL, No! Hunter wasn't ready for them to go at all! He suddenly realized, he had no choice; he simply could not be left here in the silent frigidity one single second longer. COULD NOT!

         He stood frozen to the spot for a moment of panic like one would do if they had heard fire alarm bells go off and needed to get out RIGHT NOW! Then he grabbed a thick coat off the wall, the one that had his great-grandfather's pocket watch in a deep pocket along with his compass and his hat with earflaps and ran out of the caravan, leaving everything else behind.

JHJHJHJHJHJHJH

         "Yes. Yes, I guess we are," Jason said sadly.

         "I'm sorry, Jason," Justin said, as the South Wind began to pick up speed.

         "Yes. I kind of hoped...Ah well. Life's not a fairy tale, right?" he answered.

         And the next second his heart soared as Hunter burst out of the yellow caravan like a bullet out of his own gun and ran toward them. He didn't even pause to shut the door behind him.

         "Jason! Jason! Forgive a stupid old man!? Let me come! Let me come!?" He ran full tilt across the bottom of the crater.

         "Of course! Slow down! Slow down! Stop! Please stop!" he yelled. He stretched out his hand off of the back of the cloak as Hunter ran as if he was a man late and running after a very important train. Which he was.

         "I'm sorry, little one! Once the wind picks up, it rarely slows down! But I shall try!" The South Wind shouted.

         And he did try, but it didn't work much. It was like sliding across a greased floor in stocking feet. He began to slow a little but not much. Hunter was sliding his feet across the ice in a skater's run.

         "Oh, stop! Please stop!" he screamed.

         Jason's hand was still outstretched. "Run! Run!" he urged.

         Halfway across. Three quarters. Hunter had nearly caught up.

         "Hurry Children!" the South Wind screamed, "When I reach the edge I will have to blow upwards. I have tarried too long as it is!"

         Hunter skated faster. And faster. Two feet away. One foot. His hand was outstretched.

         Suddenly, Jason felt himself extended past the waist off the cloak. Justin was holding his legs. Brian was holding Justin's legs. But now they were almost to the edge. Just a few more seconds.

         But now Jason could reach Hunter. They grabbed for each other. Their fingers slipped. They tried again. Almost. A third attempt.

         They reached the edge.

         Jason's fingers hooked onto the ends of Hunter's. But it wasn't enough. As the Cloak blasted vertically upward, Hunter was lifted up and away. But almost immediately Jason knew he could not hold onto him with the hold he had on him. It wasn't secure enough and Jason could feel Hunter's sweaty hand freeze into an icy sheen.

         Hunter looked up with tortured eyes as their fingers started to slip.

         "I love you!" he said.

         "Me too," Jason said. Their hands slipped away from each other. Hunter fell away.

         "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!" yelled Jason, heartbroken. But it was no use. They were almost to the top. And then they were over and away and flying away from that place.

         The last they saw of Hunter was that he was caught in his own trap, sliding down, down, down the side of the crater, up the other side, down again, up and down and around the icy surface.

         Hunter made no attempt to stop himself. He slid back and forth and around and he didn't care if he ever stopped. He wished he had been high enough for the fall to kill him for then he wouldn't be able to feel the crushing loss. But eventually, he did stop, well slowed enough so he could roll his body over and over and then stop.

         And then he just lay there, his body numb, a fact that had nothing to do with the cold. He knew he had missed the best opportunity of his life. He lay there and closed his eyes, the cold soaking into his body but he didn't care. He wanted to die.

JHJHJHJHJHJHJHJH

         "Go back! Go back! Please go back! He was ready to come! We can't leave him there now!" begged Jason.

         The South Wind slowed to the speed of a breeze and thought about it. "I don't know. I'm really supposed to just go south. I've already broken enough rules as it is."

         "Oh Please! Isn't there anything you can do? Anything?"

         "Weeeeeelll....It's REALLY not allowed...But I suppose...."

         They all waited with bated breath.

         "I suppose I could make one more long pass around. Just one! And not a word to the Ice King!"

         "We promise! Now hurry!" they all yelled.

         And so, the South wind began a huge sweeping arc to the left moving around the crater until he was approaching it from the North again. As he went, he muttered, "Well, after all, he did say to take them anywhere they wanted to go. I think this qualifies as anywhere. Yes...yes, I'm sure it does."

         And then it was too late for doubts because he was sweeping down into the crater for the second time.

         Hunter could honestly say that he had never seen a more beautiful sight in his entire life as that big ole sheet gliding down and over and into the crater. His spirits rose from the deepest depths to the highest heights. He jumped up and ran over to the flying cloak.

         "Hunter! Will you come away with me!?" yelled Jason, "This is your last chance! We cannot come this way again! Will you come with me?" He reached down again with his hand.

         "YES! Oh yes! I will come! Take me with you!" Hunter yelled reaching up. They each grabbed onto each other's wrist this time, in a secure, locking hold. Hunter was dragged across the ice.

         "Oh wait! The animals! I cannot leave the animals locked away like that!"

         They all looked to the South Wind for help.

         "I cannot do anything against the locks of mortal men!" protested the South Wind.

         "But I didn't use locks! Not really! I just froze them closed with ice!" yelled back Hunter.

         "The South Wind sighed long-sufferingly and looked back at them. "You mortals really would be lost without me," he said pityingly.

         Then he took a VERY long breath in and blew a strong, sultry, hot wind down into the very center of the crater. The wind radiated out to the out edges of the crater. The rock hard packed ice and snow was melted to reveal puddles and hard brown Earth underneath. All the caravans were blown open and the cages' ice locks melted within seconds. As soon as the animals realized their cages were open and they were free they rushed out, up the winding path that led topside and scattered to the four corners of the Earth, free at last.

         At the same time, the South Wind blew straight upward into the air taking all his passengers and one man holding on for dear life, vertically 1000 feet up. Then, taking pity on Hunter he gave a quick HUFF!  backwards and blew him onto the cloak which grew a little larger to fit him. Hunter and Jason threw themselves into each other's arms.

         "I love you," Jason said.

         "Me too," Hunter replied. They kissed.

         "Is that everyone? May we NOW get this show on the road?" asked the South Wind, understandably annoyed.

         "Yes. Yes, that's everybody. Thank-you, South Wind. Please take us home now," answered Justin.

         "Then hold on, mortals! This is going to be the ride of your life!" yelled the South Wind and he blasted off southwards fast as a rocket, fast as lightning, fast as thought, and faster than that, going home, home, home at last.

JGBJHJGBJHJGBJH

         They arrived home at around 9 pm on Christmas Eve. The South Wind dropped them off on the roof just where he'd picked them up, so long ago. Gus was asleep so Brian carried him down from the cloak in his arms. It felt so good to hold his little boy again.

         "Farewell, mortals! Farewell, and remember! Not a word to the Ice King!" And he flew off to the south. They all waved and that's the last they ever saw of him again. (In supernatural form, at any rate)

         Through the rooftop door, down the stairs, a minute fiddling with the alarm code, and next moment they were all stumbling through the big, brown, sliding door. And then it was slid closed and they WERE HOME! Home at last, out of the snow and the cold and in the safety and warmth of the Loft. Brian tried to wake Gus but the little boy only made grumbly noises and turned over snuggling deeper into Brian's arms. So, Brian just put him to bed, in his little bed they used when he visited. The rest of them flopped exhaustedly in the living room area.

         "Good grief! What ta DUMP!" said Brian in his best Hepburn impression, looking around the loft.

         "Brian??" Justin asked worriedly, "You are all right, aren't you?"

         "Huh! Oh, yeah, I'm fine! But look at this mess! We'll have to call Conseula in the morning!"

         Justin sighed and sagged against his picky partner in relief. For a moment there, he thought...well, it didn't matter what he thought, it wasn't so. He looked around.

         Well, they had been gone for 24 days. And now the entire Loft was coated in a thin blanket of silvery-grey  fairy dust. Chairs, tables, the sofas, the counters, everywhere, nothing were spared.

         "You spoiled thing! You're not calling anyone! It's Christmas tomorrow and we're not dragging Connie away from her family any more than we're splitting up. If you want this mess cleaned up, we'll do it ourselves! Come on, gang! We can do it together! Brian, where's the mop?"

         "What's a mop?" asked Brian in genuine confusion.

         Jason and Hunter laughed while Justin's shoulders slumped slightly. This was going to be harder than he thought. Then he thought of something else.

         "Oh yeah! Brian, there is one party you can call! Lindsay and Mel! They...well, they think I've kidnapped Gus. I wasn't able to tell anyone I was leaving and when I phoned, they wouldn't listen to me. They're liable to have the F.B.I..."

         "I'm on it," Brian said, as he walked to the phone.

         And while he was doing that, Justin actually managed to find a mop. Well what do you know? There was such a thing as Christmas miracles after all!

THE     END

EPILOGUE...COMING SOON