[CONTENTID1] Ice Maiden [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]“There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.”—Bram r, Dracula [/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3] Lay Zhang finally ventures into the wild mountain range. The day ends, and a cold frost settles upon the rocky land. He beckons the wary horse to a trotter. He shivers in the semi-darkness. The mountain peaks block the light from the moon, which appears so ominous and scary in the endless sky.

            He hops off the horse and makes camp next to a giant rose-shaped rock. The fire provides some warmth, but Lay notices the drop-in temperature. Soon, snowflakes dance from the sky. He shivers and his teeth chatter. He rubs his hands together over the waning fire and pulls his blanket tighter over his shoulders.

            Lay searches the darkness. He raises a lit branch and finds a shadow flicker against the light.

“Who’s there?” he cries.

            The shadow reveals herself. A beautiful young woman, with skin as blue and translucent as ice, and hair as white as snow and full of frost. Her dress cascades like water, sparkling like ice, and her sleeves full of gossamer rime drags meters behind her. Lay succumbs to the deathly cold. His fingers and toes grow numb. He breathes the frigid air.

            The woman is a myth come true. The Ice Maiden. Everyone whispers her name with dread back in his village.

            “You are a brave man to leave your home,” she says. “I had not seen anyone cross my territory in over a hundred years.” Her fingers trace his cheek, and leaves frost and ice with their touch. “Tell me, young wanderer. What do you seek?”

            Lay breathes in the cold. He curls away. His fire is out, and his horse has fallen. “Please, spare me,” he says, as he shivers like a madman. “I simply wish to see Neverland.”

            “Poor fool,” the Ice Maiden says, dolefully. “You wish to see Neverland. There is a price you must pay for that.”

            “What do you want?” asks Lay.

“Give me your heart, which is warm and alive,” she answers. “And then I shall let you cross this mountain path.”

            Lay presses a fist over his chest. Fear washes over him. “My heart? What good will that do for you?”

                                                *

Before Suji could head into the library, Yoomi grabbed her wrist and ran to the other end of the hall. Her cheeks flushed as she gasped for breath. Suji tore from her grasp with a devastating scowl.

            “What gives, Yoomi? I need to study,” she said.

Yoomi wore a lot of makeup that day, and Suji already guessed what the troublesome girl wanted before she planned. Suji had no choice but to follow Yoomi to the arena, where they caught up with Jieun. To her dismay, the arena was filled with students from all areas, and on the field, Chanyeol led his team against the other university in a raucous display of a caveman’s version of soccer. Suji always mused why people tried to kill each other over a little ball.

            Yoomi drooled as she watched Chanyeol run across the field, yelling like a barbarian at his sweaty teammates and flashing that hairy forest underneath his arms. Suji wondered why Yoomi found all that manliness attractive.

            “Oh, he’s just so y,” Yoomi said, as she blinked back her wonton tears.

Jieun giggled. “You’re so cute. If you like him that much, why not just tell him?”

            Yoomi vehemently shook her head. “No way! I’ll never stand a chance. Especially if I’m up against Krystal and her valley-girl gang!”

            Jieun whistled. “Wow, you really don’t like them, do you, Yoomi? Have they done something terrible to you?”

            “I think they’re just competition for our Yoomi,” said Suji, and Yoomi flushed with embarrassment. “There has to be some way for Chanyeol to notice your brilliant drabness.”

            Yoomi frowned. She removed a chocolate bar from her bag, and bit into it with vigour. “Suji, you’re so mean sometimes.”

            Suji’s phone vi