“We could get together in the library;” Antonia was saying ten minutes later, the others information tucked safely in her pocket.

“We could hold rituals.” Encouraged Rhyan.

“For the sobets, is it?” Said Mackenzie enthusiastically.

“I think its sabots.” Answered Nicole, thumbing through the book. Both Rhyan and Antonia nodded.

The girls were making their way back down to the first floor. The librarian frowned at them when she checked out their books. Not because of Wicca, though, because of the storm.

“I hope you girls have reliable ways to get home.” She said. “I’m glad I live close enough to walk. Driving would be dangerous in this weather.”

Her statement cast a pallor on the girls, and as they approached the library doors they soon realized how right the old librarian had been. Snow drifts were pilled high in the wintry scene beyond the glass doors. Snow flew horizontally through the sky illuminated by the orangish street lamps, and the snow on the ground lay thick and wet.

“Oh my.” Said Nicole as they looked out.

“I’m going to freeze.” Stated Mackenzie.

“Well I’m going to crash.” Said Antonia. “My care is a pile of crap!”

“What are we going to do?” Said Nicole. “I live a long way from here.”

“We could call our parents, but then,” Mackenzie grimaced, “ I don’t want them driving in this either.”

They all stood in silence gazing bleakly out at the blizzard, each wishing for some sudden bit of inspiration on how to get home.

“Well,” Said Rhyan slowly. They all looked at her. “I don’t live very far from here at all. About four blocks. You could all come to my house to wait out the storm if you want.”

Antonia’s worried face broke out into a smile, Nicole looked a little relieved, but Mackenzie’s forehead wrinkled.

“You live four blocks?” She asked. “Are your parents there? Could I call home?”

“Yes, yes, and yes. You don’t need to worry or anything. I’m perfectly normal. Or as normal as any Wiccan can be that is.” She smiled. “I’m no stalker or anything. And you’d be in much more danger trying to walk anywhere further than four blocks than you would be with just me.”

Mackenzie’s worry seemed to soften. “I’m sorry, I’m just being careful, you know? You never know what might happen these days. But your right, the most dangerous thing for me to do right now would be to attempt to walk home in this. It takes me a good half an hour to walk home from here, and that’s when the weather is nice.”

“It would take you much longer to walk home in this.” Said Antonia. “Rhyan’s right, we’ll be fine if we stick together.” She looked over at Rhyan. “Its nice of you to let us come over to your house.”

“Oh sure, no problem.” Said Rhyan. “So long as you don’t mind dogs and cats and an overly motherly mother.”

“In this,” said Antonia, “I don’t think I mind anything but snow.” “Good point.” Said Rhyan. “And I think we should get going before the snow piles any higher.”

“Good plan.” Mackenzie said looking out the doors.

“And before we leave I think we should all try to bundle up as much as possible,” said Rhyan, who was already bundled up as much as humanly possible. At this statement Mackenzie wrapped her loud yellow scarf around her head like a turban, and slipped on her matching mittens. Antonia pulled her hood tightly over her head and tied it, giving her the appearance of a severely overgrown seven year old, and also pulled on mittens.

Nicole put her hands in her pockets. It was the best she could do. She looked sheepishly around at the others, who paused only for a moment before leaping into motherly action. Rhyan took her books and placed them securely in her nearly waterproof paper bag, along with Antonia’s yoga books. Mackenzie pulled an extra hat from her pocket and Antonia said she had some extra mittens in her car. It had been a while since Nicole had seen such friendly compassion. She smiled warmly around at them all.

From there they made their way towards Rhyan’s house. It was rough going. Not only was it difficult to see through the snow blowing into their eyes, but hey also had to climb over knee, sometimes waist high snow drifts, and they had to look out for hidden patches of ice caused by the excessive melting earlier that day.

Strange companionship formed within the group during that long trek. Antonia wasn’t the only one to fall, her clumsiness making it harder for her, but Nicole went down once too, and soon they were grasping each others arms and hands to stay balanced easier.

By the time they reached Rhyan’s house they all looked like highly frosted gingerbread girls. They barely had the initiative to peak out under snow crusted hats and hoods to see it. From what they did take in it looked like all the other houses in the old style neighbourhood. It had the look of a house built in the early 1900s but preserved quite well through time. The light issuing from the many windows made the house look excessively cheery in the storm. There was even a flag with an indiscernible pattern on it dancing manically with the wind.

They stumbled their way up the short drive. They had hardly made it halfway to the house when the door to the front screen porch flew open, flooding the girls, and lots of flying snow with light.

“Oh thank god! Come in before you freeze to death! All of you!” Cried out the black silhouette of a woman who must have been Rhyan’s mother.

The girls slipped and slid up the stairs toward her. The screen porch had a small carpet of snow on it by the time all the girls had stumbled in. Beyond it the main door into the house was open, and Rhyan’s mother was them all inside. A large grey mutt bounded out to meet them as they filed through, wiggling and barking madly.

The girls brought a fair share of snow inside with them, but he woman bustling around them didn’t seem to mind. They lifted sopping mittened hands to pull off crusted hats, and for the first time really looked around.