The cold, frigid wind had started to settle deep into Melania’s bones. She was only 9 when her mother had left her behind in their little cabin deep into the cerulean forest of Habaken.

“I’ll be back in a few days before the snow storm hits. Stay here and don’t go outside. I promise baby mommy will return home. I love you so much.” It was the last thing her mother had said to her with her voice sounding alomst fearful. As if saying it was more to convince herself than her daughter. That was 6 days ago before she had turned 10 and ate the last of what was left of their food. Which was not much considering all that was left was little bits of dried deer meat and ashten seeds. Little black seeds the size of finger nail with the taste of salty bark. It was never filling but her mother had taught her that the seeds provided the body with enough nutrients to keep you alive another day. It was when she had finished the seeds and couldn’t stand the only sound being her whining stomach that Melania decided to go outside and check for her mother.

Maybe she wasn’t far and was coming back with fresh supplies and meat. But that was hours ago. Hours of walking the stars knew where with the cold wind slamming against her face. The snow storm was here and she knew it was going to devour her whole. But she kept holding on to hope that eventually she would walk into her mother and that she would know how to get back to the cabin.

Loud thunder sounds echoed all around. Fear was clawing its way through Melania’s mind causing her tears to to freeze on her face despite trying desperately not to cry. Not that she could. The cold had started to cause her throat to feel scratched and raw.

It was very sudden a strong gust of wind had pushed her so hard she fell onto her knees and skid across what she now realized was the frozen river. It was also then when she had noticed a figure floating beneath the ice. Melania’s heart stopped and her mind could not take in what she was seeing.

It wasn’t possible. It was not real. Shaking her head and trying to clear the snow more from the ice to prove that her mind was making it up because this was not …. Not real!

But it was and she stared into the unblinking frozen cold eyes of her mother the other side of the ice where she knelt. Her mother had drowned and Melania was alone, completely and utterly helpless to what was going to happen to her now that her last family member was dead.