Anna stared at it. The creature covered by a red cloak. It was staring directly at her, slowly making it's way towards her. Oddly though, she thought of what the town and her parents would think of her. After all, she said she was just going to go out to the porch. But she didn't. She was going to walk to the watch tower. She got herself into it.

She sat there, on her knees in the cold dewy grass watching it advance upon her.

What would poor Nicholas think of his deceased older sister? Who would protect him when Ivy and Lucius could not always be there? Who would help him during school, and help him when he got pushed down or fell during a game? That's her job as an older sister; help and protect him. Her father and mother made her promise that she'd do it before Nicholas was born.

She remembered that.

They were at the midwife's home. Anna was told to leave the room. Reluctantly, she did. Then Anna was told that she maybe should go to someone else's home. But her father was their, as was her aunt, her uncle, Christop was no where to be found though. Her grandfather and grandmother were there. A neighbor said she could stay at their home until it was all over with.

And so she did, for ten minutes. When they were busy with something, Anna snuck out and stood outside the house in the cold December snow. She remembered standing next to the house, shivering uncontrollable. But she knew she couldn't go in, but she didn't want to be away.

So she waited as the large snowflakes fell onto her hair as she stared down into the endless white.

Anna was hoping that she didn't make her mother yell like that when she was born. Her father, who was usually quiet around others, was also being very loud. In a different way though. In a way that made Anna smile.

Finally she heard the crying of a baby and Anna looked over her shoulder to the house.

With a grin on her face, she ran inside, squeezing in between the adults. She looked at her mother who was holding a bundle of blankets, smiling down to the babe in it. Her father sat beside her, also smiling down.

But they both looked up when they heard Anna, and they smiled.

Anna bit her bottom lip, the wide smile still plastered onto her face.

She ran next to her father and he pulled her up into his lap so she could look down upon the baby as well. "That's Nicholas, Anna." He whispered in her ear, "He's your baby brother."

Still smiling, Anna leaned in closer to the baby and smiled putting her finger next to his small hand softly. He gripped Anna's finger and her heart swelled. "Hello Nicholas, I'm Anna." She said in a whisper to her brother, "I'm your older sister..." Anna looked to Ivy who smiled back at her. Lowering her voice to an even quieter whisper she said, "I'll always help you, protect you, and love you." With that Anna leaned in to kiss his forehead.

Anna blinked. She promised Nicholas that she'd always be there for him. He was only seven now. He still had many, many more years that he'll need help.

The creature was only a few strides away from Anna.

"Please, Lord..." She said silently.

Without another thought, Anna was on her feet and running to the watch tower before she knew it.

'Don't look back, don't look back' her mind shouted at her. Why she didn't listen, she had no clue.

Anna looked over her shoulder to see the creature about twenty feet from her, but it was quickly closing the space.

She continued to run, her heart pounding in her chest, very short breaths, jumping over a few dips or holes that she knew were there.

Her eyes flew to the ladder, and she reached out for it, climbing it as fast as she could.

"Michael!" She screamed as she pounded on the door. She hoped they heard her. Anna looked down and saw that that it was just getting to the ladder by the time a hand was gripping onto her shoulder as he she got pulled up. She slammed the door and locked it without thinking.

There was a scratching noise on the bottom side and Anna slowly backed up, staring at it with wide eyes.

Suddenly though, it just stopped. Anna looked over the side and saw a quick flash of red going into the forest.

For a long while no body spoke. They didn't even look at each other.

"You should go home." The boy with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes, apparently Isabelle's older brother, told Anna, though he was looking at his hands, "I don't think it will come back again...tonight."

Anna glanced to Michael who gave a nod, "You'd be in enough trouble if...if your parent's found out about this."

"Don't you have to tell the elders though?" Anna asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"We'll just leave you out of it." Both of the boys nodded.

Anna nodded and slowly opened the door.

"I'll walk with you." The boy, Isabelle's brother, volunteered. He said this as an unsure question, looking at Anna then to Michael.

Michael looked hesitant for a moment, clearly he hadn't thought of walking Anna to her house, "Thank-you, Nathan..."

Nathan tightly gripped his hands together as he looked over the side. Taking a breath, he climbed down the ladder before Anna did. When his feet were on the ground, he looked up to Anna. "Well come on..." He said in a soft, slightly shaken voice.

Anna wet her lips then looked to Michael, "What about you?"

"Anna, someone has to be on watch." He said with a forceful smile, "Now go..."

"I've been gone for a while... What do I tell my parents?"

Michael's eyes darted to the forest, "Tell them... Tell them...Tell them you came out here because I was feeling ill." He looked back to Anna, "Go."

Without another word, she climbed down the ladder and looked to Nathan.

Nathan stared back at her for a moment then held out his hand for her. Anna glanced to his hand then back to him. He looked at his hand then offered out his arm for him. A look of nervousness, then confusedness, and finally a look that Anna couldn't read crossed his face.

"You don't have to. I can't walk on my own." Anna began in a quiet voice, but she held onto his arm anyways.

"So you don't fall behind." He answered shortly, starting a brisk walk back to Anna's home.

For the rest of the way back, neither of them spoke.