Lying motionless is hard enough when you first awake. But when you wake motionless in the freezing cold on a winter morning with nothing but a scarf a coat, some boots, and some cargo pants it's even harder. Being motionless is one thing. But being motionless because of freezing temperatures is much more painful. And you know you can't stay out there all day or you are bound to die. A slow death. And that was something I didn't want to face.

I awoke not opening my eyes but seeing the orange through my eyelids from the sun. Then I opened them. Flinched, and shut them trying to roll away to only find that I couldn't move. My coat had gone stiff as well as my pants. The cold had found it's way through my boots. And the scarf seemed to be frozen to my neck. If I stayed there I was bound to either be frozen in time. Or die the slow painful death I had thought about.

When I was young I used to think of dieing. What it would be like. Feel like. Sound like. Would I scream? Would I be silent. Where would it take place? In my room? Out here in this forest of endless trees and snow. When would it happen? Right then and there? In a few minutes or hours? I had always heard of tragic ways of dieing. But I never thought of something like this. Dieing from freezing cold temperatures...under a willow tree.

I took a deep breath as it filled with the freezing cold air. It seemed so clean. But it was just the cold. I wiggled my nose as my dry skin stretched. I always hated that feeling. I wiggled my fingers which were still in the sleeves. It kind of hurt. But at the same time it didn't.

I had managed to stand up finally after 5 minutes. Painful but still. I got through it.

The lake was still frozen solid. I thought about crossing it. But I didn't want to chance it.

Turning around I saw dark clouds over the trees. A gust of wind picked up and a cold chill ran up my spine. I crumpled up and them rubbed my arms. I turned back around as I headed down the hill towards the other side of the lake.

I stopped as the sky turned bright blue. Bright blue and then to a flash of white.

I stood there in a mass area of white. Just white.

If you've ever had that feeling. That feeling when you feel as if you exist but you don't. That's...completly the opposite of how I felt. I felt...Like water. I could go wherever I wanted. But I would freeze up. The next thing I knew I was lying face up staring at the night sky. With orange,yellow, and red reflection onto my face. And warmth against it. I didn't want to move. But in order to find out what was happening. I suppose I had to. It was something that seemed like a stupid decision. Move or don't.

I turned my head and say the back of a dark firgure with a fire in between him and I. I have to say. I didn't want to talk to him. But he was interesting to observe from that spot. He didn't move except for a few nudges now and then. He seemed to be watching something up in the sky. The moon. The clouds. The night sky. I have to admit the stars were pretty. Even for me...

I felt something then. Something that could have killed me. But decided not to. Did this person give me medicine that was now taking affect. If he did then I would like to note that it was terribly painful.

I looked back at the man as the fire glowed off his back. There were some fish lying neatly on a blanket near the fire and some toasted ones on sticks in the ground that were roasting. They smelt good. I had never been a fan of fish. But I was hungry. Hungry for anything that was edible at that time.

I kept wondering to myself. Who was this man. Why did he take care of me. And why did he carry around such weird medicine. Was he a medical specialist. One of those types of people who wander the world who are inredibly smart. They kind that used to be professors but ran away after something happened. The kind that you don't really hear about until after they've told you their story.

And now I wondered...What was his story. Would he tell me? Would I have to tell him my story first? Would he ask things. Would he abandon me right as i moved. Pack up and leave. I had read a book once about that happen to a boy in a similar position such as mine.

Who was he?