Page 3 of The Daredevil

“Okay.” The cheerfulness on the girl’s face dimmed as she stood straighter. Her mom missed the frown that came after.

I saw it, and my stomach twisted uncomfortably.

The sight brought on a sour memory. I knew exactly what that little girl was going through and how her life would change—how a monster would grow inside her psyche too.

I tried to look on the bright side. Maybe she’d grow up loving the beauty pageant world and the glitz and glamor it offered. Or maybe she’d be like me—hating it.

I desperately wanted to intervene and talk to the mother, asking her to pay attention to her daughter’s needs, but it wasn’t my place. So I said a prayer for the little girl, hoping she’d find her way faster than I did.

A few minutes later, the girl walked up and down the aisle, humming a tune. She glanced my way and noticed my Hello Kitty mouse pad.

“I have one like that too. Mine has more hearts on it.” Her blue eyes sparkled, lighting up her face.

“Hello Kitty is awesome, right?”

She beamed, and for some reason, I felt the need to say something. “Are you taking part in beauty pageants?”

She nodded. “Yup.”

“Does it make you happy?”

“Sometimes.” She lifted a shoulder.

I smiled and placed a hand on my heart. “Do what makes your heart happy. Hello Kitty would say that too.”

“She’s a smart cat.” She smiled, waved at me, and walked away.

I didn’t know if my words meant anything to her. She’d probably forget about them by tomorrow, but I felt the need to remind her how important inner happiness was.

The pilot spoke into the speaker in English and then in Icelandic, announcing that the plane would land soon.

The plane landed twenty minutes early, and I retrieved my luggage. A car service was supposed to pick me up, so I stood by the door looking for someone holding a sign with my name. A bald man of average height wearing a brown jacket and khakis glanced at his cell phone and then looked at me with a friendly expression.

He strode over with a smile. “You must be Ms. Michelle Yates?” He showed me a picture of my blog profile.

“I am.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Oskar Karlsson. I’ll be your driver in the city. Let me get that for you,” he said with a slight accent. Reaching for my luggage, he led me to a black Land Rover.

“Nice to meet you too, Oskar.”

He opened the back door for me, took care of my luggage, and then we were off. Dark clouds loomed in the sky. “Is there a storm coming?”

“Yes, ma’am. Your flight just made it in time.”

I’d never experienced a storm in Iceland, and I didn’t know why I wanted to. Normal people preferred nice weather during their vacation to explore and sightsee. Something must be wrong with me if I wanted the thrill of danger. Well, I wouldn't mind the inclement weather if I was safe and dry inside this car or in my apartment. NewYou Beauty had rented the apartment in the middle of the city, so I didn’t have to walk far to get to the office.

Metal clanked loudly, followed by another sound, which caused the engine to slow down. More noises erupted, forcing Oskar to pull over on the side of the road.

Nerves rattled my stomach as I glanced at the dark clouds. Unlike the Providence or Boston airports, the road out of Keflavik airport reminded me of driving through the flatlands of Arkansas, with no buildings in sight. Flat land greeted me on both sides. The idea of weathering a storm while stranded on a road with a stranger didn’t appeal to me anymore.

“Oh no.” Oskar’s worried voice didn’t bring me comfort. “Stay here. I’m going to check out the engine.” He exited the car, opened the hood, and then quickly closed it when the rain came.

Rain poured, and lightning flashed in the distance. I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the lightning as it cut through the dark sky. I’d always loved watching a thunderstorm in the safety of my home. All that electricity—all that power illuminating the sky—drew me to it.

Thunder roared, and I heard Oskar curse before dropping out of view. I rushed out of the car and hurried over to help him as rain and wind slammed into me, almost knocking me sideways.

CHAPTERTWO

---