Winter's Night

By Siri Paulson

A Marine on leave.

A heartfelt rondeau.

An Inuit on the edge.

A dreamer on a quest.

Turtleduck Press does winter.

This anthology is a collection by the authors of Turtleduck Press, benefiting UNICEF.

• Language: English
• Publisher: KD Sarge
• Release date: Nov 30, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465916785

Book preview

WINTER'S NIGHT

Edited by Siri Paulson

Icy stories and poems by

Kit Campbell

Siri Paulson

KD Sarge

Erin Zarro

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed within are either fictitious or used fictitiously.

Individual stories © 2011 by their individual authors.

Smashwords Edition

Distributed under Turtleduck Press

http://www.turtleduckpress.com

Cover art © 2011 by KD Sarge.

All rights reserved.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Frozen

Coming Home (A Rondeau)

Santa Hat

Trajectory

The Long Night

Whisper of Regret

Author Biographies

Queen’s Man

Introduction

by Siri Paulson (Editor)

Winter is a time for warm drinks, family gatherings, presents, and glitter. It's also a time for hunkering down in thick clothing, for putting up lights to ward off the darkness, for waiting for the return of the sun. Bare trees and snow can be stark, but also beautiful. Some people struggle with losses of loved ones at a time when such importance is placed on family, or simply have trouble functioning with so little direct sunlight. Others come alive when the weather cools—they love the crisp, clear air, the sparkle of fresh snow, the quietness of a snowfall.

Our anthology authors explore both sides of winter, each in her own way.

Kit Campbell shows us, in Frozen, a village where summer has been banished and the inhabitants are struggling to find enough food to survive...unless they can solve the mystery of why they are trapped in eternal winter.

Erin Zarro's three poetry offerings explore love, loss, and heartbreak through the imagery of winter.

KD Sarge takes us to another planet along with a cynical space Marine who has never experienced Christmas before. For those who have read Sarge's previous novels, Knight Errant and His Faithful Squire, Santa Hat is a sneak peek into the early life of Eve Cori Marcori, Taro's adopted older sister.

Siri Paulson gives us, in The Long Night, another take on the motifs of winter, hunger, and magic, this time from the perspective of Inuit (tundra dweller) mythology.

We've also included a preview chapter from Turtleduck Press's next publication, a novel by KD Sarge set in the same world as her previous two novels from Turtleduck. For one girl, Joss Ravid will change the world—even though he doesn't like girls. Queen's Man will be available from Amazon and Smashwords in April 2012.

So wrap yourself up in a big sweater, make yourself a cup of tea, curl up before a crackling fire, and enjoy Winter's Night!

Frozen

by Kit Campbell

The snow drifted slowly through the bare branches of the trees, turning to mist as it floated through Astrid's breath. She glanced back for just a moment, just to make sure it was not filling in her footsteps, before continuing forward. Snow lay thick on the ground, but there seemed to be some equilibrium to it; it had been the same depth as long as Astrid could remember, falling just below her knees. She trudged on, pulling her coat tighter about her shoulders. Hopefully today there would be something in the traps, something to take home to her mother to feed to her siblings, but she held out no hope. There was as little food for the animals as there was for the rest of them.

Astrid paused, peering up at the white sky. She'd heard that once it had occasionally been blue, once the snow had melted and the trees had bloomed. That was before her time.

The traps were empty except for a small quail. Astrid broke its neck quickly and began the return trip home before the snow absorbed her path. Not that she worried about getting lost particularly; there was only so far she could go, and, come nightfall, the village would be the only source of light within the forest. There were always people trying to go, trying to reach different lands, perhaps to see if things were different elsewhere, if the snow was not ubiquitous, but they always returned to the village. There seemed to be nowhere else to go.

Her footprints had disappeared by the time that she returned. To her surprise, there was a large crowd gathered in the center of town, surrounding the fountain. Once, her mother had said, water had flowed there, but it was so iced over that one could no longer see the original sculpture. Astrid joined them, curious. It was rare to see everyone together; she was aware of no births or weddings, and no one had been sicker than usual lately, but perhaps there'd been an accident. Rumor told of a giant bear, as white as the snow, that roamed the forest.

What has happened? she asked the woman next to her, an elderly neighbor that Astrid had not seen outside her house in some time.

At the center of the group was Erik, a boy a few years older than she. They'd gone to school together, back when there'd been school, back before the elders had given it up as folly, back when there had still been the hope to try left. He looked up as Astrid joined the circle and smiled widely. Astrid! The most incredible luck - I've found a hoard of mushrooms. It should feed us for some time.

Astrid blinked. That was good news indeed. A new food source was desperately needed. Where did you find it?

In a cave, two days' walk from here. Deeper in the forest than I've ever been. The group began to break down into smaller ones, whispering amongst themselves, as if speaking any louder would make the mushrooms evaporate into thin air. Erik came to Astrid's side. And something else, he said, lowering his voice, You told me how to get there.

What?

It was the strangest thing, continued Erik. You came to me in my dream and told me where to go.

And you believed this dream? asked Astrid, taken aback.

Erik shrugged. "There didn't seem to be any reason not to. Even if it was only a dream, I had to take the chance. My grandfather has not been well. He often sits by the window, staring off into