"Aunty? Aunty is sleeping!"

"Not anymore," answered a disgruntled growl.

"Were you sleeping?" The bright eyes of a five-year-old boy peered at a young woman.

Marie rubbed her eyes. "Nope! You're seeing things."

"We're going to watch Frozen 2!" he announced before running off to join the rest of their family.

Marie smiled lazily. "Cool." Her head throbbed from her stepfather's homemade wine. She stretched her long skinny limbs and yawned loudly. It was 2020, and Marie was now 25. She rose and pulled her high waist skinny jeans back over her hips.

Her estranged uncle was lurking in the kitchen on the hunt for some cookies. He saw her stretching. "You should really consider modeling, Marie! You'd be good at it."

She smiled uncomfortably. "Thanks…"

Her sister-in-law scoffed from the sunroom. "That means she'd have to actually get a job." As chuckles of agreement filled the atmosphere, Marie frowned and headed for the front door. She did not want to hear any other snide remarks about her unemployment. She opened the door and stepped out into the cold. The winter had begun to thaw with the arrival of spring but was stubbornly hanging around into the night. She closed the door behind her and sighed. Her breath cascaded into the air. She watched it. Her parents' Australian Shephard, Rex, greeted her by creepily licking her hand and running back onto the driveway to patrol. Marie gave him a crooked smile and called his name. He sprang toward her and they dove for each other playfully. The woman romped around like a child, laughing at his attempts to grab her gloves and rip them off to declare himself the winner. She shoved him into the snow before tripping into it herself.

"Shit! No, no! I don't have fur! Stop!" Marie threw the snow onto him and pushed herself up. Rex huffed and trotted off proudly. She shivered and brushed herself off. She leaned down and picked up a bundle of snow, balled it together and took a bite out of it.

"Why do you always do that?" Her brother closed the front door behind him and sat down on the front step. He had grown into a handsome young man with reddish blonde hair. Marie's hair had darkened into a mousy brown as they aged.

"I was thirsty." She threw the remainder at Rex. "What are you doing out here?"

He pulled out a vape pen, their sister's, and smiled. Marie trotted over as he took a small puff. As she reached for it, the front door opened. Marie snatched the pen and hid it. Their mother rolled her eyes before speaking. "I need to talk to you guys. Something happened over at the Menlove's."

"So, their kid went missing and they want help looking for them? Why can't they call the police?" Marie nodded in agreement as her brother spoke. They had listened to their mother tell them that the family that now lived at the house John and Marie had grown up in was missing a child. This child loved to go into the woods but had not come back after nightfall. Marie squeezed her forearms. That was not a good thing at all, especially in those woods.

"They did. The police recommended that those who used to live there help look. It'll go by faster." The whole family was listening by now, even all of Marie's nieces and nephews.

Jack, her thirteen-year-old nephew, stepped forward. "Can I come with?" His little siblings piped in a chorus after him.

"No," Marie and her older sister answered at the same time.

"Yes," John interrupted. Marie shot a glare at him, but he nudged her. She noticed his blood shot eyes and understood. "Just to be safe," he muttered. The family readied themselves and conversed while John's car warmed up.

"Alright, let's go," Marie stated, beginning to bag up some cookies. "Make sure to have water and bring some cookies with for energy and for the kid. Charge your phones in the car if you must. I'll drive."

"She never came back after that." Marie and John were now at the house they had grown up in, their oldest nephew with them. Marie crossed her arms and listened to Nancy Menlove explain to them what had happened to their daughter, Layla. Her husband grabbed her shoulder in comfort as she began to cry. "She's a good kid. She wouldn't-…"

"Is there any place in particular she mentioned going to in the past?" Marie asked gently, thinking of her own childhood habits. An officer shifted his weight as he looked at her.

"She mentioned this place near the property line, over by the Douglas's. She said there was some kind of wind over there." Marie felt her heart stop for a moment. Nancy covered her face. "I just hope she's alright."

"Did you guys check over there?" her brother asked the officer.

He nodded. "Four times now. No sign of her. Just animal tracks."

Marie buttoned the top button of her dark grey jacket and tightened her scarf. "John, take Jack and start at the trail, where we used to hunt, at the north end. I'll start at the south near the opening of the trail into the woods and we can meet halfway. Then we can branch out east to west and try again."

John looked nervously at the officer. "Tell him, not me!" he seethed.

"Right, sorry!" Marie laughed uncomfortably. "I just got caught up in it all. We used to take that route when looking for our pets when we were growing up. It always worked."

"No, that's fine. You two know this place better than we do." The officer adjusted his gloves. "I'll radio the others and let them know what's going on. 55 acres isn't going to cover itself." He walked away and static followed him as he communicated with his coworkers.

"You said the trail on the south end?" Bill, the father, piped in. "Be careful. There's a sinkhole there now. We don't go down there and Layla knows not to, too."

"It was nearly three feet deep when we moved out of here, too." Marie nodded. "Thanks for the heads up. Each walk through takes about a half hour, so if we aren't back in around two hours, we probably aren't on the property. We'll keep in touch."

"Please find her," Nancy breathed.

Marie nodded. "We'll do everything we can."

The trio started off, her brother catching up to her. "Don't you want to take their dog with you or something?" John asked.

"No. I only trust dogs that know this place, otherwise I'll end up babysitting," Marie said. "Good luck. Keep your ringers on, guys." They all hugged and departed.

"I wonder how far they are in the movie," Marie muttered aloud. She hoped the other kids weren't worrying over Layla. They went to school with her, after all. She tightened the laces on her boots and trudged through the snow. She readied her pocketknife, keeping it pointed towards the ground. Even though it was dark, the snow still held onto the little moonlight that shone through the sky, illuminating the open. The cold caused the air to crisp and echo with every sound. Marie paused and listened for the location of the other officers. Light crunching and disembodied shouts met her ears, but they sounded far away. She would have to yell very loudly if something happened.

Marie approached the opening to the trails on the south side, wary of the new sinkhole. She stepped lightly on the ice above it, seeing it crush like glass and shatter. Water that was well below the freezing temperature rippled below, exposing a hole nearly ten feet deep. Marie swallowed nervously and went around.

"Layla? Can you hear me, honey?" She paused and listened. If something was wrong, then the child would be unable to shout back. She had to listen. "Try to make a sound on the snow. Two taps if you can." She took a few steps into the woods and paused again. "Two taps or snap a twig." Twenty minutes went by with her repeating these words. Her phone buzzed. John and Jack were now at the north end. "Shit, my ringer isn't on." Marie fumbled with her phone, taking off her glove.

A twig snapped near her. She froze. "Layla? Is that you?" It snapped once more. Marie felt her stomach twist and she raised her knife. "Layla?"

A deep growl rumbled through the woods. That was no child. She stood her ground. If it was a predator, the worst thing to do was run. She raised her knife higher and unbuttoned her coat. "Hey!" she growled back, whipping her coat wildly. "Show yourself!"

Snow crunched lightly to her left. Marie instinctively blocked her face and neck. A wolf leapt out of the brush straight for her. It caught her coat and Marie threw it down, landing a swift kick to its side before sprinting back towards the trail opening. Two? There were two?! Her breath caught in her throat. There were never wolves in these woods! Where did they come from?

"HELP! SOUTH! WOLVES!" Marie screamed. She whipped around and lashed out with her knife, jumping backwards as a wolf leapt for her.

"No!"

Marie fell backwards. No? Who was that? A large branch swung above her and landed squarely on the wolf. It yelped as it shot backward. It was all so fast. Marie was nearly to the ground. She was going to hit where the sinkhole was. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact. A body shoved her out of the way, and as she landed on the frozen ground next to the hole, the other wolf collided with whomever had saved her, both falling into the hole.

"Shit!" Marie scampered to her hands and knees, completely aware of the wolf that was still lurking near the brush. Panic flooded her vision and body. If she turned to help whoever was in the hole, then the other wolf could easily attack her, killing them both. She clenched her teeth and struck out with her knife. "C'MON!" she screamed wildly. "Come at me, you bastard!" The wolf growled and took a step forward. Splashing from behind her tempted to distract Marie. She heard a loud gasp for air, but it was choked by water. Panic engulfed her. With a snarl, Marie leapt so the hole was between her and the wolf and she reached inside. Adrenaline aided her as she threw the limp body of the other wolf out of the hole and onto the ground before its packmate. The wolf flinched and sniffed the limp body before it. "Go on! Get out of here!" The splashing stopped, but she could not turn her attention away from the starved animals in front of them just yet. The unconscious wolf stirred and whimpered. Marie put a hand over the hole, covering it with her body. "GO ON!" The wolves took off, but she continued to block it for a few seconds longer, making sure they did not come back. Marie reached down and grasped hold of the body and yanked it out. It was a woman in her mid-twenties. Although she was rather petite and probably five and a half feet tall, the water that clung to her weighed her down. Marie stumbled backwards, their bodies falling to the frozen ground. She did not stir.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Wake up!" Marie flipped the stranger on her back. "Come on! Wake up!" Marie violently shook her, but she did not stir. She flipped her light blonde hair out of her face and started compressions. Her lips were cold, a feeling that Marie hated to experience as she breathed in twice before doing more compressions. It felt as though her hands were going to break her ribs. Two minutes passed, then five. Marie kept going. "HELP!" Her screams did not echo. "HELP US!" Marie breathed into her mouth. "Please…don't die for me. Don't die for someone like me!"

Time passed and her body started to grow numb. Marie slammed her fists down on her rescuer's ribs, shaking her head. A light breeze tickled the back of Marie's exposed head. Tears streamed down her face, and she was becoming more and more numb. "…You can save her…"

"How?" she let out with a rasp. She could not scream or lift her head anymore. She did not care if she was hallucinating, even. She answered the voice without hesitation.

"A life…for a life…" The breeze swirled around the two women, but as Marie peered at it, darkness began to form within.

"It's you…" Marie coughed violently. "She tried saving me. Save her…"

The darkness touched her cheek. "Even if it means you will never see your loved ones again?" The last word echoed around them ever so slowly.

Marie managed to grab the unconscious woman's cold hand. "I don't care. She had loved ones, too. Just…help me save her."

"There is a price…"

"Then I'll pay it." She felt it. She was going to die soon. She might as well gamble.

"Oh?" The darkness swirled upwards as though it were reacting to her words. "So eager to throw away your life?"

Her eyes began to close. "Why should two of us die…when one can survive?"

"You will never be able to step inside of your world ever again…"

Marie's heart slowed. Her world? She felt the ground change shape below her but ignored it. "I don't care…"

"Very well. The deal is struck." The darkness swirled rapidly around them like a tornado and vanished. A loud gasp filled the air below her.

Marie looked down slowly. "You're…alive," she breathed with joy.

The woman sat up, touching her throat and coughing. She looked around them, her eyes growing wide. "Marie?"

"You're…alive…Good…" Marie fell forward and landed on the ground as a scream lifted high into the air. The young woman felt her heart swell with warmth. Everything faded into nothing, but at least one of them was still living.

Her eyes shot open before she could even comprehend what was going on. Ever so slowly, her eyes took in a light brown bed canopy. Marie's skin sensed a fire not far from where she was laying. She was nott anywhere that she recognized. A fire, and a handmade bed canopy? Was she in a log cabin? That had to be it. Yeah, she was in a log cabin, probably one of the officer's that had found her. Her eyes fought to stay open. She heard what sounded like a giant draft, and as she gazed over at the nearest window, Marie saw the moon, but no tips of any trees. Was she on the second floor or something? Voices sounded below her and outside of the room as well. Marie shifted in reaction to her back and arm stinging. The wolf must have gotten her after all. She stopped. The wolf. Her brother. Her nephew. Layla. That woman…

"You can't keep going in there, Elsa. The doctor said it won't help anyone!"

"I don't care, Anna! She saved my life. The least I can do is be there when she wakes up."

Marie blinked. Was she high? It was because her nephew had mentioned watching that movie. She must have taken a hit with her brother and not remembered it.

The door opened, and Marie summoned her acting skills and pretended to be asleep. Maybe she would start dreaming about something else. Light footsteps sounded to her right and she felt the presence of someone. They sucked in a breath before resting one of their hands on her forehead. "She's burning up." The voice sounded familiar… It was soft yet melodious and etched with worry. Marie knew it was the person in the woods. Beneath the touch of her fingers on Marie's brow, a light chill erupted and spread across her head. It felt like a light layer of ice. Marie gasped in surprise but forced her eyes to stay shut. She needed to know if this was a safe place to let herself be known.

"Is she awake?" sounded another young woman, also strangely familiar. The voice sounded European. Marie breathed heavily and coughed, forcing herself to relax.

"I guess not," answered the voice next to Marie. The back of her hand rested against Marie's cheek. It was a soft, gentle touch that made her feel safe. The stranger let it linger for a while before removing it.

A knock sounded on the door. "I found these near the bridge. They must be hers." It was a male this time. The slight scent of hay and animal wafted into the room, and Marie's nose twitched when she could hear the heavy breathing of a large animal come in with the young man. Was it a cow? Why was there a cow indoors?

Marie could not help but think to herself that she was really tripping. If this was really a dream, then maybe she could take control of it like a lucid dreamer could? She concentrated. The animal was going to make a noise right…NOW! The animal let out a huff. It worked! Okay, maybe next, someone will throw a log onto the fire? "Thank you," the woman next to her said. "Let's discuss this out in the hall. I don't want to wake her."

"Right, sorry! C'mon, Sven! No, you can't lick her to wake her up!" The young man left the room, but that was not what Marie was worried about. Sven?!

"I'll come with you, Kristoff." Light footsteps padded across the stone floor. "Elsa?"

"I'll be out in a minute." The door opened and closed to the far right, leaving only Marie and the woman next to her. The woman breathed in, resting her hand upon Marie's. Her heart raced. She heard the rustling of what must have been the other woman's dress as she leaned in. "You can stop pretending now…Marie."

The injured woman froze. Without opening her eyes, she asked quietly, "Who are you?"

The woman withdrew her hand. "I think if you open your eyes, you'd know."

"I can't."

The sound of slight creaking from a chair caught Marie's ear. The other woman must have shifted her weight. "Why not?"

"Because this is a dream." Maybe if Marie was blunt, the fantasy would end, and she would wake up from this dream. "You're a property of Walt Disney, an animated character who isn't real. So is Anna, Kristoff and Sven. This isn't real."

Silence answered her. The woman chuckled. "Is that what the book said about me?"

Marie's smile faltered. "What are you talking about?"

"You learned about me through a book, right? Or something similar where you're from?"

Marie opened her eyes but turned away from the woman. "Okay. Humor me. What do you know about me?" she asked.

"I know that your name is Marie, son of Nel. You had a dog named Buddy, and you have a large family that you love very much. You were liked by many yet felt alone. You loved being outside and knew how to comfort those who were sad. You also…"

Marie clutched her forehead uncomfortably when it throbbed. She stood. A soft underdress that she had been changed into fell softly down her legs. "I also what?"

The woman stood as well. "You died." Marie gasped, the image of the darkness filling her mind. "There was a great darkness. You fought with it all your life, but when it threatened to kill a child that you loved, you died protecting that child. Everyone in the story was devastated. They found out that you never had to die, and that was the most tragic theme of the story." She paused. "The unnecessary sacrifice."

Marie shook her head in dismissal. "That doesn't prove anything. If it's a book, then who wrote that story?"

The woman began walking towards her, her footsteps light and wary. "Her name was Nevaeh Scott." Marie scoffed and began walking towards the window. "Wait, what are you doing?"

Marie threw a nearby chair, shattering the glass. "Nevaeh Scott is a character that I made up myself. I was writing a book and she was the main character." She grabbed the sides of the windowpane and lifted herself up with great difficulty. She never usually felt her wounds in her dreams. The wind howled below, and the earth was black far beneath her. Marie shook her head vigorously to focus. "I don't care how realistic this dream is. I have to wake up and find out what happened. And the only way that I can wake up from a dream is to die."

"No! Please don't! You don't understand what's going on! Let me explain!" The other woman's voice came near. "This isn't a dream, Marie!"

Marie finally turned around and looked at her. Forget what she imagined former Queen Elsa of Arendelle would look like; this woman was very, very real. Tears streamed down her very real, very pale face. Her eyes were a very real but very striking bright blue, and the white dress she wore was torn and dirty unlike any drawing Marie had seen of her before. She was beautiful. Absolutely stunning. It was the type of beauty that a person could easily admire and covet. Marie smiled at her assuredly. "Don't worry, okay? I've done this plenty of times before. It's the only way I can escape a dream of mine. Even if it were real…this isn't where I belong. Even if I do want to escape…reality is never this kind." Elsa let out a scream as Marie released her grip and fell towards the darkness beneath.