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Paige snapped her gaze at him. “Sorry. I’m going to have to pull over. I can’t–“
“Paige, look out,” Dewey shouted, jabbing a finger forward at the windshield.
Paige’s eyes cut back to the road, widening as she spotted a deer. She slammed on the brakes, twisting the wheel to try to avoid smashing into the wide-eyed creature.
The snow made the road slick. The car fishtailed as Paige fought to keep it on the pavement. She lost the battle moments later when the back end failed to stabilize, sending them into a wide spin.
Paige stared in horror as they swung past the deer in a wide arc before the car slid over an embankment and smashed into a pine tree.
Smoke poured from the crinkled hood as Paige pried her white knuckles from the death grip on the steering wheel.
Her hands shook as she ran them through her hair before glancing over at Dewey. “You okay?”
The little dragon climbed to his feet and stared down at this body. “I think so.” He shot a look over his shoulder. “My sweater came loose.”
“Oh good,” Paige said in a shaky voice. “Glad to know that problem’s solved.”
“Are you okay?”
Paige stared at the still-smoking hood of the car before slowly nodding. “I think so.”
“That doesn’t look good,” Dewey said, following her line of vision.
“Nope,” Paige said.
She stepped on the brake and hit the ignition button, but nothing happened. Lights flashed across the dashboard in a colorful display.
“Well, that’s just great,” Paige said.
“Now what?”
Paige glanced around as she slid her seat belt off and reached into the back for her tote. She dug for her phone, freeing it from the tote’s deep pocket and swiping it open.
Her shoulders slumped as she tossed it back inside the bag. “No service.”
“We’re on our own.”
“We’re going to have to walk somewhere to get help.”
“Walk? It’s snowing!”
“Yes, I know that,” Paige said, removing a beanie from her bag and stretching it over her head. She wrapped a scarf around her neck before stuffing it into her heavy coat and zipping it up to her chin, then she pulled on her gloves. “Maybe you should wait here.”
“Wait here?” Dewey said with a wrinkled nose. “Are you joking? I’ll freeze to death in the car. Or be killed by an animal or something.”
Paige pulled her fur-trimmed hood over her cap and tugged it tightly to her head before she pulled a fuzzy pet blanket from her tote. “Okay, fine. Probably best to get into your carrier, though. I’ll throw this blanket over it so you stay warm.”
Dewey hauled the carrier onto the seat and hopped inside. Paige zipped it shut and kicked the door open. The wind whipped inside the car, blowing snow across her.
She grabbed the door handle and slammed it shut. “Okay, it’s way too windy. The blanket is going to blow right off.”
She unzipped the carrier and shoved the blanket inside. “Wrap up in it.”
Dewey tightened his scarf and pulled the blanket around him, nestling down into the carrier as Paige tugged the scarf up to her nose.
“Ready?” she asked with a muffled voice.
“Ready,” Dewey answered, only his snout poking from the fabric.
