I trudge furiously through the thick snow, my breath lingering in the cold air. I don’t know where I’m going, I just know I need to get away from the house.
As my rage simmers and dies, I become aware of my surroundings. I’m standing in a forest, surrounded by trees that are drooping from the weight of the snow. A crow is perched on a branch, silently observing me. I shiver, suddenly feeling uneasy.
Nearby there’s a snowman standing proudly in the clearing. It’s stick arms appear to be waving at me but it’s not the snowman itself that catches my attention. It’s the golden locket, glittering in the morning sun that hangs around the snowman’s neck that makes me walk over to the statue made of snow.
I unclasp the locket, the metal ice cold against my bare hands. Engraved on the front of the gold heart is the name Cosette Lisbon. I open the locket and take in the picture that’s enclosed inside. It’s a girl, around thirteen years old. She has long chocolate brown hair, big brown eyes and a beautiful smiling mouth.
Suddenly a high-pitched, bloodcurdling scream hits my ears, piercing the frosty air.
I stand frozen with fear. Then I ignore everything my parents have ever taught me and run towards the sound.
The cold air burns my eyes and stings my lungs and the deep, thick snow makes it almost impossible to get anywhere but I locate the source of the sound quicker than I expected to.
It’s the girl from the locket, I recognise her immediately. She’s cowering behind a tree. In front of her stands a wolf, it’s coat whiter than the snow, it’s lips pulled back over its teeth in a ferocious snarl. A low, aggressive growl escapes from its throat.
My brain seems to shut down. All I think about is that I have to get the canine away from the girl over and over again like a broken record.
Before I can stop myself or think about self-preservation I pick up a fistful of snow and chuck it at the creature.
The snow explodes on the wolves side, some of it clings to strands of the wolves fur and stays there.
I immediately regret my decision when the beast focuses its cold, merciless eyes on me and starts to creep towards me. I start to back away slowly, petrified.
Just before the wolf pounces I hear a joyful laugh. In the second before my certain death I look over at Cosette’s hiding place. She is gone. I wish when I’d woken up this morning that I had known this would be my last Christmas.
A/N
Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed!
Amy x
