PAPER STARS: An Ordinary Magic Story(13)

“Ryder,” I said. “you need to get back in the truck where it’s warm.”

I heard wind, I heard his breath, then all I heard was a very soft, “Oh,” before his phone cut out.

The Christmas music in the background was sweeping through Carol of the Bells. For some reason, I noticed it, like that one detail was important.

The rest of my brain refused to work, to move past the silence, that final: “Oh.”

I stared down, down, down at my phone as if my hand belonged to someone else. As if I were floating somewhere near the ceiling, operating my body from a distance.

“Answer your phone.” I whispered as I dialed him back.

It went to voice mail. I dialed again.

And again.

And again.

“What?” Ryder’s voice. Rough. Faint.

I blew out my breath, anger, fear, panic. Inhaled slowly.

Keep it together, Delaney.

“Ryder, tell me exactly where you are right now.”

He grunted. I could tell he was moving around. “On my back? In snow. You woke me up?”

He moved. “Blood. Someone’s bleeding?”

“Is someone with you?”

“No.”

“Are you bleeding?”

He paused, finally: “Yes.”

“Where?”

“Head. I’m seeing double too. Hell.” He sucked a breath and sort of exhaled a shaky laugh. “I think I got run off the road. I don’t remember getting hit…”

“Where is your truck?”

“Uh. Over there.”

“Get in your truck. Now, Ryder. Right now.”

“So bossy.”

I bit my lip to keep from screaming at him. “I am your boss, Reserve Officer. Now move it.”

He groaned. “My GPS?”

“Yes. We’re narrowing it down.”

There was nothing but short, huffed breaths, and then more groaning, a few curse words, and finally the sound of a door shutting again.

“Try the engine,” I told him.

I could hear the battery clicking and knew that engine wasn’t going to turn over.

“Well, that sucks.” He swallowed thickly. “I’m down a ravine.”

“Can you see anything else?”

“Snow.”

“He’s in a ravine in his truck,” I told Jean.

“Keep that cell on,” she said.

“Do you have emergency supplies?” I asked him.

He shifted a bit. “I think I gave them to the mom.” He exhaled slowly. “Freezing to death was not in my holiday plans.”

“You’re not dying. I won’t let you die.”

“Was joke,” he slurred.

“You stay awake,” I ordered. “Bundle up with everything you have and stay awake.”

More movement. His voice was a little muffled when he spoke. “Talk to me, Delaney. Keep me awake.”

“I put up a Christmas tree.”

“You told me that already.”

Right. Oops.

“I laid down under it and stared at the lights.”

Pause.

“Ryder?”

“Here. Still here. Was it nice?”

“Beautiful. You need to stay awake. Are your eyes open?”

“Mmm.”

“Liar. Open your eyes.”

A sigh. Then, “Tell me something. A thing you liked about Christmas.”

“When I was little?”

“Yeah.”

“Presents.”

“If you want me to stay awake, better tell me a longer story.”

“All right, hang on.” I wracked my brain and glanced at Jean again.

“Somewhere off of Highway 20 near Three Fingered Jack.” Jean’s fingers were flying. “Emergency services are stretched thin. There’s no way a vehicle can get through that. Highway 20 is closed under snow and ice. I’ll see if I can contact Santiam Ski Patrol. But that’s a lot of terrain to cover.”

“Hey,” Ryder’s voice was rough and whispery. “Thought I got a story?”

“Right. Hold on, I’m thinking.”

Jean speared me with a look. “We need to call on something other than emergency services if we want to find him quickly.”

That was one advantage to being a small town full of supernatural beings and vacationing gods. We could call on people with unusual abilities when things got bad.

Of course, most supernatural beings wanted to be compensated for their effort and time. And some of them, I thought as my soul-losing deal with Bathin sprang to mind, set a pretty high price.

“Get someone,” I told her. “Now.”

I turned all my attention back to Ryder. “Okay, you have to answer every time I say your name. Got that, Ryder?”

“Affirmative. Roger that.”

I started pacing again, envying the dragon and dog who were curled up and comfy in front of the fire as the storm raged outside.

The tree lights caught my eye, and I gazed up at the star. I knew what memory I should share.

“When I was little, my mom read me a book about a Christmas star. It was supposed to be a sweet story about the little star that fell to earth and got lost. Finally, with some help from forest creatures, a snowman, and a couple children, the star was set upon a Christmas tree to shine brightly and bring joy to all. Are you listening, Ryder?”