Zorban's Destiny

by T. J. Quinn

  Even the one Zorban gave, enhancing his friend’s qualities with enough humor to make his audience laugh. The sound of his hoarse voice did strange things to her, but she refused to analyze them. She would be leaving town in a few minutes, and she wouldn’t be seeing him ever again. It would be a total waste of time to dedicate a moment of her thoughts to him.

  After the speeches, the happy pair had their first dance as a married couple, opening the floor for the ball, with a romantic ballad.

  Dancing wasn’t one of Leah’s talents, so she wandered around the room for a while, considering it was time for her to leave if she wanted to get home before the storm.

  “So, we meet again,” a male voice sounded from behind her.

  She didn’t need to look around to know who it belonged to. The chill running down her spine would have been enough answer if she hadn’t immediately recognized his voice.

  Slowly, she turned to look at him.

  Chapter Five

  Zorban watched her turn around to meet his gaze and smiled. She looked stunning in that sparkling navy-blue dress. When he had seen her for the first time on the elevator, she had been wearing a sweater at least three sizes bigger than hers, a shapeless pair of jeans, and her hair had been hidden underneath some sort of wool beret. Even then, something in her had stirred his emotions, as it hadn’t happened in a long time.

  But now, in that dress, with her hair elegantly combed in a braid, she looked breathtakingly beautiful, more beautiful than any other woman he had met in this universe. As if that wasn’t enough, he could sense there was something special about her, though he couldn’t quite determine what it was. And he wasn’t talking about her hair color. Even in Thalia, that almost white hair color was uncommon. It was something else, something he wanted to uncover, no matter what.

  “So, it seems,” she said with a fake smile.

  “Are you enjoying the party?” he asked, taking a step closer to her.

  “Oh, yes, it’s lovely,” she answered politely. The truth was she felt a bit out of place surrounded by all those people she didn’t know.

  “Where are you from?” he asked, curious. “Joanne never mentioned you before,” he added, eager to know more about her.

  “That’s probably because she only met me yesterday afternoon,” Leah explained. “I did the ice sculpture for her, as well as all the ice decorations for the chapel.”

  “Oh, you’re that Leah!” he said, surprised. “Joanne spent the rehearsal dinner talking about you and your work. I have to admit I was amazed at what you did to the chapel,” he said, with a smile.

  “I’m glad you liked it.”

  “You must have worked the entire night to get all that done,” he said, intrigued.

  “Well, yes, the night cold temperatures helped me a lot, and I had all my tools in my truck, so it wasn’t that hard,” she explained.

  “How did you manage to get all that frost on the ceiling?” he asked, with an intrigued look on his face.

  “I’m afraid I can’t reveal the secrets of my work,” she replied, finishing her drink.

  “I have to admit I would love to see you at work, but I understand some artists prefer not to have an audience,” he said, nodding.

  “Yes, you could say I’m one of those. Besides, I work at very low temperatures. Most people don’t enjoy that,” Leah added, wishing to end the subject.

  There was no way in hell she would let someone watch her work. People would treat her like a real freak, more than they already did.

  “I’m not most people,” he assured her.

  His people conjured ice and snow as easy as others breathed and Leah’s abilities with the ice had intrigued him. He had no knowledge of another Thalian living on Earth, so he was sure she wasn’t from his home planet, but her talent had spiked his curiosity. The truth was she puzzled him and stirred emotions inside him he hadn’t felt in quite some time.

  “I’m afraid I won’t change my mind. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for me to go home,” she announced, with a faint smile.

  He grabbed her arm and once more, a jolt of energy rushed through her whole body, making her gasp.

  “The party is just starting. I’m sure you can stay a bit longer,” he asked, with a tone a bit hoarser than before.

  “I live several miles away from here. If I want to get home before the announced storm, I’d better leave,” she replied, trying to free herself from his grip.

  “You can’t leave with a storm on the way, it’s too dangerous,” he protested, tightening his grasp around her arm.

  “If I don’t leave now, I’ll have to use a sleigh to get home and leave my truck behind. I don’t want to do that,” she explained, tugging her arm until she forced him to let her go.

  “That’s even more dangerous. Don’t you have family or friends you can stay with during the storm?” he asked, following her, when she walked away from him.

  “No, I don’t.” She stopped, annoyed with his behavior. “Listen, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. You don’t have to worry about me,” she assured him, walking towards where she had last seen Joanne. “Enjoy the party,” she added, finally leaving him behind, caught by one of the guests.

  She wanted to say goodbye to the bride so she could leave.

  “Ah, Leah, are you enjoying the party?” Hannah asked her when she bumped into her.

  “Yes, of course. It’s an amazing party,” she assured the other woman.

  “I saw you talking to Zorban. Isn’t he the hottest man you’ve ever seen in your life?” Hannah asked, with a sigh.

  “Yes, I guess… if you like that kind of man,” Leah said, with a scornful scowl.

  The man was too arrogant, too sure of his own importance to be her kind of man if she actually had one.

  “You mean the drop-dead gorgeous kind of man?” Hannah teased her. “And if that wasn’t enough, he’s one of the richest guys in this part of the world.”

  “Good for him, but I have nothing in common with a guy like him, so it’s kind of pointless to even look at him, don’t you think?” she asked, looking at Zorban, as he crossed the room to meet the groom.

  “Yes, I know what you mean, but one can dream, right?” she asked, with a deep sigh. “I’ve tried to talk to him, but I haven’t been able to get more than a couple of words from him,” she grumbled.

  “Well, don’t waste your time on him,” Leah smiled at her. “It was a pleasure knowing you, Hannah, but I have to go now if I want to get home before the storm,” she informed the other girl.

  “Oh, can’t you stay until the party is over? I’m sure Joanne would like you to stay,” the other woman protested.

  “I know, but I really have to go.”

  “Well, it was a pleasure knowing you too.”

  Leah left Hannah and walked towards Joanne, who was talking with her mother next to the fruit table.

  “Leah, my mother was just telling me how astounding the chapel looked,” Joanne said when she saw her coming.

  “I’m happy you liked it.”

  “I had never seen anything like it. The photographer showed me some of the pictures he took during the ceremony, and they are amazing. The brightness of the frost and the way the light reflected off the snowflakes was like nothing I ever saw in my life,” the older woman said.

  “I would love to see those. Would you mind sending me some of them?” she asked Joanne, with a smile.

  “Of course, I will.”

  “Thank you. But, I’m here to say goodbye.”

  “Can’t you stay a bit longer?” Joanne asked a bit disappointed.

  “If I don’t leave now, the storm will catch me on the way. Thank you for everything, and I wish you all the luck in the world,” she said, with a smile.

  Joanne hugged her. “Thank you for making this day so special. I’ll never forget it.”

  “It was my pleasure,” she assured her.

  “Do you have the key to my room? All your things are still there
.”

  “Yes, Hannah gave me a copy before we left the room. I’ll leave it at the reception desk before I leave.”

  “Good. Have a safe trip back home and send me a message when you get there.”

  Leah shook her head. “The storm will cut off communications, but don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

  After saying goodbye to some of the other girls that approached them, Leah was finally able to leave the ballroom.

  Once at the suite, she changed into her clothes and carefully hung the dress in the dressing room, next to Joanne’s clothes. Even if she wanted to keep the dress, she wouldn’t have anywhere to wear it.

  Putting on her beret, she grabbed her bag and left the room. At the reception desk, she gave the extra key to the clerk and headed out to the parking lot where she had parked her truck. The sun had long disappeared behind the dark clouds of the storm and the day was as dark as night.

  Taking a deep breath, she headed to her truck at a fast pace, though she was sure she wouldn’t get home before the storm hit. However, she trusted she would get close enough to walk the rest of the way. She had done it before, and she was sure she could do it again. She knew her way around those parts. She had lived all her life there.

  She jumped into the driver’s seat, and she was about to start the engine when the passenger door opened up, and a man jumped inside.

  Chapter Six

  “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked Zorban, startled.

  “I can’t let you go all alone with a storm coming this way,” he replied, with a stubborn look on his face. “Since I wasn’t able to convince you to stay, I decided to go with you,” he explained.

  He wasn’t sure what had moved him to do this. He just knew he couldn’t let Leah go all alone. Therefore, he apologized to Matthew for bailing out in the middle of his wedding party and rushed to his room to pick up his things. He didn’t even change clothes, afraid she would leave without him.

  “I don’t need a sitter. I assure you, I’m reasonably able to take care of myself,” she grumbled.

  “No, you’re not. If you were, you would be staying in town until the storm is over,” Zorban insisted, determined to go with her.

  “This storm might last for weeks. I can’t stay away from home all that long. I have animals I need to take care of,” she replied, in a cold tone. “So, unless you’re willing to get stranded in the middle of nowhere with a total stranger, for God knows for how many weeks, I advise you to jump out of this truck. You already made me waste enough time,” she added.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” he assured her, in a firm tone.

  She stared at him for a few seconds, not sure what to think or what to do. In the end, she shrugged and started the engine. “Suit yourself,” she grumbled, driving away.

  They traveled the first miles in silence. It was already snowing, and she knew they were heading into the storm and would run into it anytime now.

  “How far is your home?” he finally asked, breaking the silence.

  “Three hours from here in good weather. Today, it will probably take us at least, six hours,” she assured him.

  “Why do you live so far from town?” he asked, with a frown.

  “Because I like it,” she grumbled, paying attention to the road.

  The storm was gaining strength, and she was starting to think she wouldn’t make it back home with the truck. She should have left the party earlier.

  “Are you sure this is a good idea? We can barely see ahead of us,” Zorban asked, with a deep frown.

  “I know this road like the palm of my hand,” she assured him. “You shouldn’t have come,” she added, worried about the man.

  She was sure she could walk the remaining distance to her house, but most people wouldn’t. The temperature had gone below zero, and he was still wearing the tuxedo he wore for the wedding.

  “I couldn’t let you come all alone,” he insisted, his frown deepening.

  Remembering there was an abandoned shed not far from where they were, she stepped on the accelerator, trying to get there as fast as possible.

  “We’ll have to take shelter in a shed nearby. There’s no way we can make it back to my house with the truck,” she explained as she drove the vehicle over the snow-covered road, thanking all gods she had put on the snow chains before she left home.

  “You should have known this would happen,” he grumbled.

  “I wouldn’t have any trouble to get home if I were alone,” she snapped back. “I’m used to these temperatures, but you’re not.

  He opened his mouth to say something but at that moment, a giant moose jumped in front of the truck, and she had to steer the wheel violently to avoid running into the beast. That sent the vehicle in an uncontrollable spin before it threw them down a ravine, making the truck take a few turns in the air before it landed upside down at the bottom of the cliff.

  Leah must have lost consciousness for a few minutes because when she came around, she wasn’t able to remember for a few seconds, how the hell she had gotten in that situation. It was dark around her, so dark she couldn’t see a thing, and the only sounds were those of the roaring storm.

  She was still hanging upside down from her seat, held in place by her safety belt, but she couldn’t see where Zorban was.

  Worried, with her heart beating in a frantic rhythm, she called out his name. “Zorban… where are you? Are you alright?”

  Cautiously, she removed her seat belt and slid to the car’s ceiling, wishing night vision was one of her strange abilities. Cursing her luck, she moved around, trying to find Zorban but it only took her a few moments to conclude he wasn’t inside the car. Scared as hell, she reached into the glove compartment and grabbed the flashlight she kept there.

  She had to find Zorban fast. The storm outside was getting worse by the second, and it would cover him in just a few minutes. If he were unconscious, finding him would be virtually impossible.

  Turning on the flashlight, she lit the car. There was a massive hole in the windshield, what made her suspect Zorban had been tossed out of the car. He hadn’t been wearing the seat belt.

  Terrible images of him laying somewhere outside, covered in blood, filled her mind. She tried not to think of them, praying to find him alright.

  She rolled out the passenger window and slid out of the car, using the flashlight to look around, eager to find Zorban. But he wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

  “Damn… this can’t be happening. I can’t lose him here,” she grumbled, with a weight in her chest she couldn’t quite explain.

  The storm didn’t seem to be subsiding anytime soon, so she was Zorban’s only hope of rescue. She had to find him, no matter what. Taking a deep breath, she decided to use her abilities to move the snow and reveal whatever laid beneath it. She retraced the truck’s trajectory, and after what felt like an eternity, when she was about to lose all hope, she found him underneath a pile of snow.

  More scared than she dared to admit, she rushed to his side praying to all the gods for him to be still alive. When she felt his heartbeat, she was so relieved she almost passed out. He was hurt, his clothes were trashed, and there was blood on them, but she was only able to find a cut on his head still bleeding. He had scratches and bruises all over, but fortunately, after a quick search, she didn’t find any broken bone or any other serious wound.

  She had to get him out of there, but she had no idea how. The truck wasn’t going anywhere. Even if she managed to turn it right side up, it would never climb the ravine and get back on the road. The storm roared around them with viciousness and that only complicated things for her.

  Going to the shed they had been heading for would be faster, but with Zorban hurt, it wasn’t her best choice. She needed to take him to a warm place, where she could clean up his wounds and take care of him properly. The shed was almost a ruin. She wouldn’t find anything there.

  She was closer to home than to the city, so her choice was clear. Now, all she need
ed was to get something to carry him. She had some blankets on the truck, but she needed some sort of sleigh to put him on. Even if he regained consciousness, she wasn’t sure he would be able to walk, much less in that storm. Most people would have died after being thrown out of the car that way, so they were lucky he was still alive.

  Moving her hands, she quickly built an ice sleigh, and after wrapping him in the blankets, she slid him into the sleigh, making sure he was covered and protected from the cold. Now, all she needed was to make herself an ice path for her sled, so it could slide easily.

  Getting some of her things from the truck, including her satellite cell phone, she did her best to set her course. Before she left, she checked on Zorban again, worried about his unconsciousness, but he was still out.

  Taking a deep breath, she conjured the ice path and started to push the sleigh through it. The worst part was pushing him up the ravine, but once they reached the road, things were a lot easier. It was a good thing she no longer had to climb the mountain because she would have never made it home. From there on, it was downhill.

  It took her more than three hours to get home. She had made short stops to check on Zorban, worried that he didn’t regain consciousness. The storm still roared around them, and she was sure it would continue for several days.

  By the time they finally arrived at her house, he was cold but had better color in his face. Relieved, she dragged him into the house and turned on the heat before she allowed herself to get some rest. It had been a hell of a trip, and she was exhausted.

  Five minutes later, she pulled herself up and went to check on Zorban. He wasn’t as cold as he was before, but she was still afraid he was suffering from hypothermia. She turned on the fireplace she had in her living room and brought down the mattress from the guest room. It would be easier to warm him up in the living room than upstairs in the guest room, assuming she could take him there.

  That decided, she took off his damp clothes, leaving his underwear on and dragged him onto the mattress, covering him with the warmest blankets she had.

  Only then, did she go for the first aid kit to clean up the wound he had on his head. It was deeper than she had expected, and for a moment, she thought she had made the wrong decision bringing him home. The last thing she wanted was for him to die on her.