It'd been two days since my family disappeared. I'd buried mama and father behind the cottage. I haven't eaten since lunch that day. The only one I'd talked to was my stomach and the stars, one to reassure it I'd find food and the other to beg for anyone to keep my company.

I laid on my bed clutching my stomach as it continuously rolled and decided to distract myself by speaking to the stars.

"Please bring them home to me... please I'll even take father back." I wept and wept looking up to the soothing sound of a flute.

A flute that seemed to sing to me, sing that it would give me a new family. So I grabbed my cloak and followed it.

I neared the warm light of both the music and the light of the flames surrounded by gallivanting young boys who danced to the flutes dreams. Each one seemed to hop and howl as if they were offering everything to the flutes player, who I noted was a young, devilish looking, boy in a cloak..

He looked into me and the music pulled me off my feet to join the wild boys in dance as I stomped and twirled freely. I hadn't felt that happy in years. I made my way in laps around the warm fire for what felt like hours. My cloak slowly slipped off my shoulders and my head was revealed to the cold air, soon to be as numb as my feet but I didn't care. The music stopped.

"You're a girl?"

I froze and felt the harsh cold air force itself on my skin where my cloak had unsheathed while the eyes of the boys bore a frosty gaze that burned my skin even more so. The other boys froze and looked at me along with the flute player who rose to examine me.

"Girls don't hear my music, so why do you?"

"I-I heard you promise me a new family, or the flute did-" My cold breath barely peeked out until I was interrupted.

"I'm afraid that offer cannot extend to you my dear." he interrupted.

Anger pulsated through me, how could he take what he promised so easily? I pictured Ollie's red eyes and winced with wet eyes. What was going on? What should I do now? I'm so hungry, I miss them. I have to get him to keep his promise or I'll die alone.

"B-But, you promised!" I dug my nails into my hands in clenched fists and felt the tears almost freeze before reaching the ground.

He gently put his hand on my shoulder and retied my cloak as I stood shivering from the cold and anger. His devilish composure drained into his deep eyes, replaced by one of sincere pity. He seemed t be kind deep down, maybe he'd been through hell like me and Oliver had but he didn't seem to be plagued by anything and revealed no hints of madness. It was much easier to read my family, I realized since Oliver wore his feelings in his eyes and John had no trouble conveying his feelings through cries when he wanted something. The same applied for my parents, mama tried to hide her sadness but I saw it clear as he bruises that decorated her body and father conveyed his feelings even more so after dancing with gale.

"Trust me dear you won't want to go where we're going, girls, unlike boys, are always loved and I'm sure it's only a matter of time."

"I don't have anyone left to love me.." I could barely breathe it was my hopes becoming dim, no everything was. "Mama and father are dead boy, Ollie and littler John are gone."

I couldn't read him, his hand was still barely on my shoulder but I couldn't see it in the dark.
Sensing my pain he pat my shoulder, but I couldn't feel anything and slowly he faded into the light of the fire and the cold snow enveloped me.

I awoke in my bed and the young boy was crouched, admiring the statues Oliver had left behind. He traced his finger along their wooden feet and stopped in the middle on mine, labeled by my name.

"Sister, Sister!" my memory of Ollie shouted. "Look 'ere at my new statue, bet you can't guess who it is!"

"Hmmmm" I squinted at the small statue in his palm.

It was carved out of wood that Ollie would steal before adjusting the fire and long hay that he'd curled to create long,
blonde hair. She'd had a light blue dress painted on her that matched with mine, even the little apron mama had given me to wear over it while working.

I gasped in delight and my eyes lit up while his shifted to pride-filled purple tinted with a curious orange.

"It's me isn"t it?!" I squealed in delight, hopping up to give him a hug while he almost dropped the statue due to my sudden jump.

"Yessire little sis, better not lose it I worked hard.. vigorously.. strenuously... aggresiv-"

Ollie often rambled so I'd gotten used to it. I raised again to hold him and he halted his madness and squeezed me in return.

The flashback ended when the young boy turned his gaze to me and I rose to sit and stared at him.

"You really don't have anyone do you?" I shook my head in reply. He sighed.

"What happened to you?

I recounted what occurred two nights ago and he held a piece of bread out to me, which I engulfed in no time, paying no mind as to how he made another appear from behind his back. I sat and explained everything to this stranger and he just sat on the side of my bed and listened intently to every word.

...

I know these chapters are short, but I think I like them like this so I can crank out two or three chapters every once in a while. I have no intention of rushing this but I've been thinking about this story for a while now so i finally decided to make something out of it. I really hope you guys enjoy this, It's my first story though so pleeeaasse give me some reviews or ideas or support I don't know.