Kat sighed as her eyes glared at her phone screen, stupid airplane trip. She couldn't believe they were going to spend the last two weeks of winter break in the north. It was cold enough back in Seattle who said she needed more.
"Day one, still on the plane and Kat looks like she's about to pounce."
She scowled. "Sam, get that cam recorder out of my face."
Her twin brother lowered the camera. "I'm bored too Kat, I need something to do."
"Talk to Rina."
Kat's best friend was in the seat on his left, nose deep inside a book which he was sure was werewolve fantasy or another uninteresting topic.
"She's busy."
"I'm not." Rina piped up.
"I'll be honest I just don't want to talk to you." Sam sighed.
"Kat can you exchange seats with your brother." She asked, her British accent clear.
"Sorry Rina, I need to stay close to window."
Rina muttered something under her breath before returning to her book. Sam continued look through his camera, his sister had given him the don't-push it look.
Kat turned back to her phone, she wondered if her other friends were missing her. She had so much planned for this winter; visiting her friends from her old school, parties and of course she dates planned .
"Thinking about Jayden?" Rina asked noting her friend's dreamy look.
Kat blushed a little. "No. I just want to go back home that's all. I just don't get why we're going on this trip."
"Dad said we'll find out as soon as we get there." Sam said.
She ignored him. "I also don't get why your family has to come."
Rina shrugged. "You know my parents they just love tagging along."
Mr and Mrs Ashton were the pair that loved travelling, even if it was to some frozen wasteland somewhere around Canada. What made it more convenient was that they were filthy rich, but surprisingly to everyone they didn't act like it, especially Rina.
Kat knew her dad didn't like it when the Ashtons helped them out with money problems but they really couldn't turn them down. Her family wasn't poor, they just had tough times. Everyone does.
The sound of the stewardess' voice over the speaker brought her back. They were about to land. She fastened her seat belt and forced herself to remain calm. A vacation was still a vacation, she needed the rest.
She'd really need the energy for what was coming soon.
They rode through the snow in snow cars. Soon they arrived at a small town where there were two cosy lodges waiting for both families. Rina wanted to skeep over with the Brooks telling her parents she'd unpack her bags the next day.
"Don't worry dearie, Lennie will help you." Her mother said walking up the stairs to the door of the Ashtons lodge.
"No I won't." Her brother cried from inside.
"Don't worry mom, I'll do it tomorrow."
"Have fun dear." Mr Ashton patted her.
"You know we used to have so much to do here in my time." Mr Brooks said wistfully giving Sam a suitcase the boy could clearly not carry. He saw Kat climbing a beam and raising her phone.
"How could you do anything without internet." That earned her a stern look from her parents.
"Young lady get down from there." Her mum called.
"Gladly. I'm freezing." She hopped down and breezed past them into the house where she plopped down by the already burning hearth. She'd continue her search for signal later.
"Mind helping with the bags?" Sam scowled still struggling wuth the one his dad had handed him.
"I think you got it."
Rina came to her side. "So what do you plan on doing when we settle in?"
"I want to go to the store ay the edge of town." Sam said.
"I want to find signal so I can let my friends know my plane didn't crash."
"Come on Kat, it'll be fun." Rina egged on.
"Don't waste your time." Sam said falling on the couch in exhaustion. "By now you should know that fun to her is breaking peoples arms and hearing them beg for mercy."
"Not really." Kat muttered. Though it was sort of true. Her first high school, Daintley's Academy was a sort of military school for girls alone. She fondly remembered combat drills and obstacle courses. That was two years ago. This year she got a new school, the normal one that Sam goes to. Her parents had withdrawn her from Daintley's after she took out a burglar singlehandedly on Easter morning.
Turns out most parents freak out when you admit your school teachs you . Who knew?
"I'll go with you guys." She said after a minute of thinking. "Mainly because..."
She trailed off at the sound of something strange. The others seemed to hear it too. They rushed to the window. Nothing. Kat could have sworn it was the sound of a distant animal growling.
"Mainly because you want to check out what made that sound?" Sam questioned excited to get more footage. Finally, something worth recording other than snow.
"We'll go tonight." Kat grinned. Rina on the other hand wasn't so excited. She loved excitement that stayed within the bounds of safety.
"A definite no." Mrs Brooks said when her children asked to go out. "Your dad said it'll be storming for about a whole week we're here. You kids aren't going beyond the houses."
"But mum..."
"No buts, and I'll be watching you three."
"So what are we supposed to do?" Kat frowned. "Stay cramped inside this nice, warm lodge all week?"
"You didn't have a problem being indoors back home."
The woman nailed them there.
For the next the days the three friends spent their time between both lodges. They couldn't even venture to the store as planned because for a whole week the storm raged.
But Kat had her own plans, when she wanted to do something, she darn well did it. What ever that sound was, it was calling.