The alarm blares loudly forcing me out of my sleep. It’s 7 in the morning and the sun is warming my ever growing cold room in the dead of winter. Groaning, I stretch my arms over my head feeling tightness down my neck and back. Finally getting up, I can smell the strong, soothing aroma of coffee brewing in the kitchen.

Walking down the cold, hard wooden steps, towards the kitchen, I pour a cup of coffee into my favorite mug. Heating up my hands, I walk towards my front door to sit out in the chilly morning air that smells of fresh, crisp snow. As I walk outside through the black door frame, I look out into the snow and I see them. Footprints.

I stop abruptly, thinking about last night. Remembering that I could see the brown dead grass, there was no snow last night. And it is no longer snowing this morning. These are fresh footprints. My heart begins to pound in my chest. So loudly I can hear the beat in my ears and feel the pulse throughout my whole body. I feel the slick drops of sweat forming along my brow and upper lip. Taking a couple steps forward until I reach the steps leading the to yard, I look at the prints closer. They are big, like a man’s size. But who on earth could have been here? And when? My mind starts racing and all the possibilities. My eyes are darting around my yard, frantically looking for more clues. When they stop, landing in a spot out in the distance. Landing on him.