1.

Josie stared at the crow. It stared back at her, fearlessly.

It was large and fat, black and sleek. Its large beady eyes poised on her.

She pushed a strand of curly, red hair out of her face and knelt on the ground. Soaking her purple dress, she balled up a wad of snow, rolling it around to a perfect ball in her palms. She paused for a moment.

Josie then hurled it at the crow, with a small battle cry, her arm lurching forward.

It didn't move as the snow-ball landed inches beside where it was perched on the branch. The branch trembled lightly but it didn't scare the crow away.

"Go away!" Josie shouted, "Go away!" She bent to gather another bunch of snow, trembling as the cold wetness soaked through her mittens to her hands, damping her already sweaty skin. "Leave her alone!" Josie yelled, anger rising in her voice, "Go away!"

I want her.

"Josie!"

Josie's older sister, Melanie, had found her. She shook her younger sister's shoulders, hard, rattling her teeth. The snowball slipped from Josie's grip and onto the snowy ground.

An icy cold wind blew fiercely, then quieted.

Melanie was panting, her wet brown hair clinging to her forehead in strands. Her green eyes were wide and scared. She wasn't even wearing a coat, only a frayed t-shirt and old track-pants. She must have run up the hill in her slippers. She clutched Josie tightly then pushed her at arm-length again.

"What the hell are you doing, Josie? Nana's been looking everywhere for you! I was so worried! You need to tell people when you go out to play!"

Melanie was mad. Josie knew that.

"I'm sorry, Melanie."

The crow hadn't moved an inch. It still peered at her queerly, its eyes seemed to laugh at her. Teasing her like a child being taught a lesson.

Melanie grabbed her hand, dragging her away. Josie reluctantly trailed behind her sister, shivering as fresh white fluff came from the sky and landed in her hair. The hair on the back of her neck pricked. Josie could feel the crow watching her sister.

It always watched her sister.