Christine trudged along the snow willfully, her miniscule legs pulling and elongating beyond its normal form. Her slight body slowly becoming enveloped with the all powerful force of the snow, engulfing her in a blanket of white. "I must keep going" Christine muttered to her self, her chapped lips and frozen tongue forcing her words to be short and inaudible. Christine began to think of her dying father, lying in bed hacking up a lung. She looked around, the furry of snow concealing any light in the distance, she thought woefully.

The nearest town is miles away, but my father will not make it a fortnight if I do not get a doctor. How far have I already walked, it feels like it's been hours. I can't go on much longer like this…

Christine snapped out of her trance as she fell face down and felt the ice cold ground crush into her face. Damn Christine! Focus! She pried herself off the ground, struggling not to be consumed by the mounting snow. As she lifted herself up, she saw a glimmer of light in the darkness, and then it was gone. In a flash she was up sprinting towards the light, only after a few paces did she realize it was dark again. DAMN! She shook her head furiously. I know I saw it, I couldn't have imagined it! She began again racing quite furiously towards where she had seen the light. Something has to be there, I know it. At least I hope it!

She was sprinting forward into the darkness, the snow swirling all around… Christine didn't know where she was going, but she also couldn't stop. Call it destiny or fate, but something was pulling her in this direction. Lost in thought, Christine tripped flying herself through the air. Landing face down once again arms stretched out, her nails dug into the concrete… Wait concrete? Christine rubbed her hands vigorouslyfeeling concrete all around; she stretched out her arms to see how far it went until her hands felt a door.

Christine scrambled to her feet and she let out a sigh of relief and anxiousness. She prayed someone would be home, and she mustered the courage to knock at the door. Her tiny fist pounded and hard as she could as she heard the wooden door quake and cackle from her efforts.

Adrenaline was pumping in her veins as she prayed someone would answer. As she contemplated all her morbid thoughts the doorknob, shuffled and jiggled and finally at last it creaked open. There was nothing but darkness for a split second and shivers ran down Christine's arm a evil suffocating feeling latching onto her body. She couldn't shake off the energy this place, and she was about to turn and run but then the door fully opened…

-"Dear child! What are you doing out here in the cold. Surely you will catch your death!"

A woman said, snapping her out of her forlorn feelings. Christine looked up, and gasped and she swore the woman before her must have been an angel. All those feelings of disparity and evilness fled her at an instant as she started upon this goddess.

"Ma'am, I do regret to disturb you at such a late hour, but I must find some help. My papa is ill and I'm afraid he will not make it a fortnight if I do not get him help right away. Please"

"Alright, please do come in. I regret to inform you that I will not be able to help you until sunrise-

"But Madam! My father is ill, so ill. Please you must help me now. He is all I have!" Christine tried to grab the strange women, more so out of desperation than anything. The woman turned around, and for the first time Christine noticed her swollen stomach. "oh, I'm sorry ma'am. I did not see. I understand. I'm sorry but I must go and find someone who can help me. Goodbye Madam." Christine turned sharply, but before she could take another step the woman had grabbed her hand.

" Nonsense dear child, there is not another house for miles and even then, no one in their right mind will trench through the snow to aid a stranger. Please child, some inside and get warm, you will surely die if you continue on. I promise I will help you in the morning, just please come inside child."

Christine mulled this over in her head. This woman did have a point; I have been walking for miles already in this weather and this is the first house I stumble upon. If I continue there might not be another chance for shelter.

"Yes ma'am, I will stay" She grumbled.

"Wonderful! Now come along to the fire place, so we may dry you off. What is your name girl?"

"Christine, Madam"

"What a beautiful name, for such a beautiful little girl. I am Madeline. Madeline Destler"