I'm new here. I just wanted to try writing for once. Wrote this as a try-out. I'd like to see what kind of responses I would get.

Disclaimer: Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Chapter 1: Blizzard

Jack trudged across the wintery land, with his staff as his only support. The howling wind blew at his face. Normally, he wasn't even affected by such weather. However, he had definitely not expected this.

The great Jack Frost was cold.

It wasn't just any cold, either. He was freezing. The unrelenting cold made sure he couldn't feel his fingers or his toes. For the first time, he could finally experience how others would have felt in his presence. He loathes it. He even hates it. He would have given a bitter laugh, but he couldn't feel his lips. No wonder everybody wants me gone, he thought.

Deciding that he could no longer make any more movement, he let his skinny form lay crumpled on the ground. His fingers no longer held their grip on his staff. As he lay, his teeth continued chattering. He couldn't take it any longer. He could feel his eyes slowly shutting, giving in to the bitter cold. He was going die alone in these woods. Not that he should mind, anyway. Besides, wasn't he alone for the majority of his life?

He saw a light in the distance, approaching him slowly. Was it death coming for him? He didn't know. He was going to find out, though. It's funny, really. A winter spirit, killed in his element. He's going to die. Alone.

Jack let his eyes shut for one final time.

Olivia sighed as she looked at her strange guest on the couch. He didn't look any older than 16. He definitely was strange. What was he doing out in the middle of a snow storm with just a hoodie and a pair of regular pants? He didn't even have his shoes. She could only imagine in pity about what he went through in the blizzard. Nobody deserves to be abandoned in such a state. However, as much as she pitied her guest, she could not stop to wonder how her guest could possibly be in that place of the forest. There was no way someone from town could travel that far with the ongoing cruel blizzard. Anyone strolling around the forest in such weather would be deemed insane. She would have to ask him later.

Despite the predicament she found her guest in, she could not stop to wonder about how strange he looked. His hair was silver, and it almost glistened when she initially found him with frosts on his hair. It looked so much like the snow. He had pale skin, sharp jawlines and boyish looks. His small, but athletic, frame was easily swallowed by the sheet of blanket she had provided her. Even hours after she had taken him in, she noticed that his touch was quite cold. It took days for it to go down to regular-human temperature. It was truly a mystery how he ended up in such a state. Perhaps, he's one of those mysterious homeless boys? Olivia paled when the thought of her guest being an escaped criminal passed through her head. She dismissed her thought quickly, not wanting to know what she would have meddled with. She made herself promise to make him leave as soon as she was done with him.

Olivia snapped from her reverie when she had noticed that her guest was shifting uncomfortably. He was probably waking up now, after being unconscious for two days. She quickly went into the kitchen, fetching a warm bowl of soup she had made for her dinner. When she had returned, her guest was already up but still remained on the couch, rubbing his eyes as he took in his surroundings. She allowed herself to take a seat on the couch the opposite of his, and carefully placed the bowl of soup on the coffee table. He jumped at the sound, slightly startled, but slightly relaxed upon seeing Olivia.

"You're in my house." Olivia blurted before her guest could question it himself. "You were in a blizzard and you were freezing to death. I took you in. I've kept the wooden stick you were carrying around in the storeroom."

Her stranger, still slightly insecure, nervously replied: "T-Thanks" he stuttered, although he looked quite alarmed when he saw his surroundings.

His face suddenly morphed into one of shock as he questioned "Wait, you could see me, in the blizzard?"

"Yeah, I had a lamp at that time…"

Her guest visibly frowned when she had told her that. He waited a moment, probably picking the right words to use.

"Has anyone else, other than you, seen me?" he asked his nervousness still present in his voice. I instantly became wary of him. This guy could really be a criminal.

"No. The only other person who has seen you was the doctor, who came earlier this morning. Why?" Olivia asked while making sure her suspicion was evident in her tone.

"Nothing..." he muttered. He had a look of mild shock and realization. He began mumbling something, somewhere along the lines of "I shouldn't be seen anyway" but Olivia was not sure.

Before Olivia could stop herself, she asked her guest "Do you have a family? Your parents or relatives, anywhere?" she mentally smacked herself for that question. Even if he did have relatives, they would certainly not be from Burgess. In all her time spent in this village, she had never seen anyone with his hair colour. He would've been… notable.

He visibly paused before he replied, again unsure of how he should respond. "My parents are gone. My relatives would be out of reach. Let's just say… they have really important businesses to run. They won't be visiting me anytime soon." He rambled "even if they noticed me gone, they wouldn't have enough time to come visit me." He paused, unsure if he had said the right thing yet again. He seems very concerned about how he would come off to people, Olivia noted. He's probably hiding something.

Despite that, Olivia still couldn't stop the wave of pity which overcame her. As much as she wanted to probe, she was in no position to glean any personal information about her guest's private life. She then found herself realizing that he was currently in somewhat the same position as she was a while ago.

Before she could stop herself again, she gave herself another hard mental smack as she blurted out "Would you like to stay, until your relatives come for you?"

"I appreciate the offer, but no thanks. I would be imposing on you," he replied with a nervous smile. Not too used to getting help from people too.

"No, no such thing. There is no way I am letting you out in such a state and in this weather. You can stay as long as you like until this blizzard is over," Olivia insisted.

The boy nodded and muttered thanks, before helping himself to the bowl of soup. He seems strangely reluctant about the soup. His eyes widened in mild surprised when he laid hands on the smooth porcelain surface of the bowl. He removed his hands before carefully placing a hand on one side of the bowl, carefully lifting up. Using the spoon held by his other hand, he scooped up a spoon of soup. He looks at it cautiously, blowing it several times before putting it in his mouth.

Her guest caught Olivia staring "What?"

"Nothing, soup is better hot."

He frowned, obviously not used to this.

"By the way, I'm Olivia. What's your name?" Olivia asked curiously. She only found it appropriate that she learns her guest's name if he was putting up with her for the rest of the wintery weather. She hoped she would not be too attached to the stranger.

"Jack F-" he replied before correcting himself, "Jack."

"Just Jack? No surname? Family name?"

He nodded.

He was strange indeed. If he had stated his family name, wouldn't it be easier for her to find his relatives? The thought of him being a criminal passed through her head again. "What is wrong with me?" she mentally chided herself. She couldn't help it. Even in his deteriorated state, the boy still appeared devilishly handsome. There was no doubt he would be popular with the girls.

"Just leave the bowl on the table when you're done. You can stay in the guest room, it's upstairs, just opposite mine. I'll put your… belonging on the side of door to mark it." She said, pointing to his wooden stick. "I'm going to bed now," she finished.

Jack simply nodded and replied "Thanks"

She hoped that Jack's relatives would come soon. He was a strange one indeed. Olivia yawned, promising herself to learn more of her guest to find his family soon. As she laid on her bed, she wondered how she would be able to juggle work and her guest's priorities.

I'll figure it out tomorrow

She yawned one last time before sleep overtook her.