Never Fear by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online

Leifur said while
removing the empty string from the arch over their doorway where
the sausages had hung for the previous night’s Lad.
    Magnús reached to the peak of the
doorway and released the final strand. He tossed it to Leifur and
said, “When Gluggagaegir peeps in our windows tonight, I have
decided to leave out in plain view a couple of old toys of Lilja’s
that she no longer plays with. He loves any sorts of toys, old or
new. There is a small drum and pipe I have selected for him.” He
brushed some snow from his blond locks that had fallen from the
doorframe onto him, shook his head, and said, “Mama and Lilja are
preparing biscuits for Gáttathefur tomorrow and that should satisfy
him.” He leaned in close to Leifur and whispered, “I told Lilja to
sneak some extra pepper into the biscuits. We will see how he likes
that!”
    “ Magnús, do you think that
is right? Did you tell Mama?”
    “ No, but do not worry,
Leifur. It is only a joke.”
    “ All right. Magnús, do you
think Father will come home in time for Christmas? I miss
him.”
    “ He promised to be home
for the Thorláksmessa meal.”
    “ But
that’s the day after tomorrow ,” Leifur whined.
    “ Father and Uncle Reynir
will be here,” Magnús asserted. “Do not cry.”
    “ I
am not crying,” Leifur said, a large tear rolling down his cheek.
“The cold makes my eyes water.”
    “ You are crying. You are a baby, just like Lilja, always crying.” And
he pushed Leifur into a snowbank.
    “ You are
mean, Magnús. I hate you! I hope the Yuletide Cat eats you!” He got up and ran into the house.
    Moments later, Berglind
came out of the house. “ Magnús! I thought you were all going to behave! You are
the eldest. You should know better. Finish up, then come inside and
apologize to Leifur. And here I thought you were trying to be
better children.”
    “ We are, Mama, but Leifur
is such a baby. I was only playing with him,” he said and kicked
the doorstep.
    “ Have not these last days
shown the seriousness of this all? Did my story of Grýla mean
nothing to you?” Her eyes began to tear.
    “ Yes, Mama, it did. I am
sorry. I will apologize to Leifur, and I will let him leave out the
toys for Gluggagaegir tonight. That will make him
happy.”
    “ Thank you, Magnús. That
is how you should treat your brother all the time. You must all get
along.” She turned and went inside.
    The next morning, the toys, which had
been carefully set out by Leifur, were gone, and Berglind and Lilja
were hard at work making biscuits.
    “ MAMA!” The shout came
from outside, and Berglind, fearing something terrible had happened
to one of her sons, bolted to the door and rushed out, yelling,
“Lilja, wait here for me!”
    “ Magnús, Leifur… what is
it? What has happened?” she said, rushing out into the yard, fear
and anxiety in her voice.
    Rushing from the
snow-covered field, the boys called, “Mama, Mama! Look! Look ! Over there.” The boys pointed
off into the distance.
    “ I think it is Father and
Uncle Reynir,” Leifur said.
    “ It must be them,” Magnús
added.
    Off in the distance, she noticed two
forms trudging through the fields. “SNORRI!” she
screamed.
    An arm raised in the distance, hailing
her.
    She pulled the children close and
squeezed them. “Children, your father is home. Home at last! Wait
here for us.” She sped off, slogging her way over the snow, and her
husband and his brother hastened their pace to meet her.
    They met halfway. Snorri dropped his
pack in the snow and embraced his wife. They held close for a
while.
    “ I have missed you,
Berglind,” Snorri said, not even trying to hide the emotion in his
voice.
    “ I have missed you as
well, my dear husband.”
    Berglind embraced Reynir. “And you,
dear Reynir.”
    “ Thank you, Berglind.”
Reynir’s low voice conveyed his feelings as he returned her
embrace.
    The three made their way to the house.
The cries of the children grew louder. “Father! Father!” When