Two new characters! Hooray! Hope you enjoy it!
Elsa pulled the car over to a gas station. Thank God her wallet had been in her coat pocket when she left because she really needed gas in her car. She got out and leaned against the car and took a few deep breaths. She thought for a moment.
"I'm out of there. I'm finally out. I can be me now. The person I've always known I could be." Elsa stood up straight and went inside the gas station, pouring herself a cup of coffee. As she stirred, she heard footsteps next to her and someone grunting with effort. Elsa looked down to see a little man who came to about her waist. He had short, brown hair, dark eyes and was clad in a puffy white coat with black buttons and a white beanie with a brown puff ball on the top. He was trying in vain to reach the pot of hot chocolate next to the coffee, but he wasn't having much luck.
"Do you need some help?" Elsa asked the little man.
"Oh, would you?" the little man asked brightly. Elsa poured the hot chocolate into the cup and gave it to the small man.
"Here you go." The man smiled at her.
"Thank you so much!" he said, hugging her legs. Elsa's eyes widened in shock.
"Um, what are you doing?" the little man realized that he had just hugged a total stranger and gasped. He quickly let go and sheepishly backed away, blushing.
"Sorry about that. It's just, I like new people." he said, fidgeting nervously and looking at the ground. He turned his eyes to Elsa.
"And you certainly seem nice enough. I mean, you helped a total stranger out. Who in this town does that? And to someone who... well, looks like me." he said, gesturing to his 3-1/2 foot stature. Elsa looked shocked. Had this little man just complimented her?
"Well, I mean of course I did. Who wouldn't?" she asked. The little man shrugged.
"You'd be surprised." Elsa gave a small smile as the man returned her smile. He extended a skinny hand.
"Hi, I'm Olaf. And I like warm hugs!" he said. Elsa shook the man's hand.
"I'm Elsa." she replied. Olaf retracted his hand and took a sip of the hot chocolate.
"Well, it was very nice to meet you, Elsa. Once again, I thank you for helping me out. I'll let you get on your way." he said, looking out at Elsa's car.
"Where are you going, anyway?" Olaf asked.
"Oh, nowhere in particular. Maybe somewhere in the mountains." Elsa answered. Olaf screwed up his face in confusion.
"O.K., well, if you ever need anything, just come back around here. I work across the street at the bar. I entertain over there some nights." Elsa had to remember that.
"Will do. Now, if you would excuse me, I really need to go, I'm sorry." Elsa said, feeling bad for shooting the conversation down.
"Oh, no. It's fine. I understand you have places to be, people to see and stuff. I won't hold you up." Olaf stated. Elsa put her coffee down on the counter as the cashier rung it up. Olaf stopped her as she reached for her purse.
"It's on me." Olaf said with a goofy smile that somehow gave Elsa some comfort.
Anna sped through the snow as it smashed into her windshield, searching for Elsa's car.
"Where are you?" she wondered aloud, struggling to see out of the windshield. Suddenly, she heard a loud BANG! She squealed, stopped the car and looked in her rear view mirror to see that her tire had blown out.
"Ugh, damn it!" she said, smacking the steering wheel. She didn't have a spare. She looked up the block through the window and saw a small mechanic shop.
"Oh, thank God!" she shrieked, shifting the car into gear and pulling her flat tire into the parking lot. She put on her coat and got out of the car, observing the sign that hung above the store, which was decorated nice for the upcoming holidays.
Oaken's Auto & Grocery
Anna looked at the shop, which looked more like a cabin than a garage. And who sold groceries with auto supplies that wasn't a department store? Oh well, maybe it was just really home-y inside or something. She opened the door and looked around. It was definitely a home, someone lived here and operated the store. Wow. Anna looked around for an employee or someone when suddenly,
"Hoo hoo." Anna jumped a little and turned around to the face a largely built man sitting behind a counter with a welcoming smile on his face, as if he'd been expecting her. She guessed this must be Oaken.
"Can I help you, ja?" the large man asked her.
"Oh, yes, um... I need a winter tire replaced. And a spare?" she asked. Oaken grinned.
"Oh, yes. I can do that for you, dear. Any thought as to what kind you may want?" he asked. Anna couldn't really place his accent. He was definitely Scandinavian, but where was he from? Meh, it didn't matter. She had more important matters to deal with.
"Um, I have goodyear now. Let's do that for both of them." Oaken punched some numbers into the computer.
"That's two hundred and fourteen dollars and twenty-six cents, dear," he said, "Would you like the road hazard on the both of them? That allows a free replacement if you run over a nail in the road or have another blowout like you did here, ja?" Anna shrugged. Why not?
"Sure." Oaken typed some more.
"Two hundred and thirty even, dear." he said. Anna handed him her debit card. It was a good thing she was wealthy, but that kind of money spending did hurt a little as Oaken's huge hand slid the card into the machine. Anna suddenly remembered, she could ask him if he had seen Elsa! She could have some in here looking for road supplies, right? It was worth a shot...
"Um, hey, I was wondering, did you see another young woman, short-ish like me, skinny, white blonde hair, blue eyes and pale skin come in here earlier tonight?" Oaken shook his head.
"Oh no, the only one crazy enough to be out when a blizzard is coming is you, dear." Just like that, the door swung open. Anna snapped her head around to look at who came in and Oaken followed suit. She saw a strong, broad shouldered man enter, a good 6 or so inches taller than she who's winter clothes were covered in snow. All she could see of the man was his brown eyes and his blonde hair, which was just as covered in snow as his black hat.
"Well, you and this fellow," Oaken added, passing her the card and the receipt, "Hoo hoo! How may I help you?" The mysterious man walked up to Anna, craning his neck at her as she hummed nervously.
"Excuse me." the man said, as if he were irritated.
"Hmm?" Anna said, being jerked back into the world instead of trying to blend in awkwardly.
"Behind you." he said, his voice muffled by his thick scarf.
"Oh, my fault. Sorry about that." the man got a pack of batteries from where Anna was standing, then went over to a freezer and retrieved a bag of baby carrots.
"Could I help you find anything, ja?" Oaken asked gleefully.
"No, I'm fine." the man answered gruffly, retrieving a bottle of antifreeze. He came over to where Anna was standing.
"Are you in line?" he said, motioning in front of him.
"Oh, no I was finished, go ahead." Anna said, moving more out of the way. She looked around and then just decided to casually lean on the counter and wait for the man to finish so she could talk to Oaken about her tires.
"That'll be 40, sir." Oaken said. The man's eyes widened in shock.
"FORTY? I think you mean twenty five." he said.
"Oh no, that's no good there, ja? See, it's supply and demand. There's so many people needing the antifreeze, I had to up the cost to 25, then 10 for your batteries, then 3 for the carrots, then the sales tax makes 40." Oaken explained.
"All right, you want to talk about a supply and demand problem?" the man demanded, "I sell ice for a living." he said, gesturing out to his truck, which was attached to a small camper with bags of ice in the bed of the truck.
"Oh... that's a rough business to be in in the winter." Anna interjected, "I mean, who's going to need ice? I mean there are Christmas parties, and dinner parties and-" Anna stopped and realized she had gone a little far and the man was giving her a death glare.
"Er, I mean, ahem, that's very... unfortunate." The man turned his attention back to Oaken.
"Still 40. I have to make living. But, I will throw in this free tire jack and ink pen for your troubles, ja?" Oaken said, trying to be generous. The man exhaled sharply.
"Um, probably not the best time to ask, but, have you seen a woman, short like me, white blonde hair, blue eyes and pale skin wandering around anywhere?" The man pulled his scarf off his face and turned to her.
"No, I have not. Now excuse me. I have to deal with this crook here." Oaken looked offended as he rose up from the stool, revealing his huge stature and burly physique. Anna observed the man's eyes widen in shock again and his cheeks turn bright red with embarrassment as Oaken towered over him, cracking his knuckles and furrowing his brow.
"What- did you... call me?" he asked innocently. The man shuffled awkwardly as Oaken looked down at him, now at his full height of about 6'8, having him tower over the customer.
"Well, I didn't exactly mean a crook, I meant more of a-" he began. Oaken rolled his eyes.
"Okay, heard enough." he picked up the man by the scruff of his collar.
"Hey! Put me down! Put me down, now! This is illegal! I can get you arrested!" the man protested, throwing punches at Oaken with his mittened hands and missing every time.
"Oh, no you won't sir. You'll be gone is where you'll be." and with that, Oaken opened the door and pushed the man out of his store so hard that the man stumbled and face planted into the snow. Anna's eyes widened in shock of what she just saw, but Oaken came back to the register with a smile.
"I am so sorry about this violence, dear. I will have your car brought around back to have your tire replaced as well as throw in a gift certificate for a free oil change, so we have good feelings. Anything else I can get for you tonight?" Anna looked down at the supplies on the counter the man had left.
"Um... maybe."
So here we are. When Anna met Kristoff. More Kristanna to come next chapter! Plus a scene with Elsa is coming up in Chapter 11 I think you guys will like :-)
Here is a question I will probably add to the end of each chapter? "What do you think will happen next?" Let me know!
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