As he journeyed through the cave, the frigid chill reaching his bones, his fingers numb from the cold, he saw a light up ahead. Excitement rose knowing that he had finally found a way out, but quickly fell once he was greeted by a far away shadow standing among the stalactites that he had grown accustomed to over his trek through the icy cave.

From the shadow came a gruff voice. A voice that he knew well.

“Took you long enough.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you.”

“I did what I could.”

“And it wasn’t enough.”

As he grew closer to the mouth of the cave, the shadow’s features took on more light until he saw the familiar face staring back at him.

“Why did you send me down there?”

No response. Only a curt nod and a motion that could only mean to follow.

“I asked you a question.”

“I know you did.”

Their steps made crunching sounds in unison as they walked through the snow and back to the cabin.

“You know, it’s rude to ignore someone when they ask you something.”

A laugh came from the individual leading, causing his shoulders to shake.

“If manners paid the bills, then perhaps I’d pay more attention to my P’s and Q’s. But bein’ polite never got me nowhere but looked down on by all those stuffy folks and feeling nothing but of place.”

Sigh. Always a comeback.

Things were silent for a while, and he listened to the rhythmic steps they took until they finally reached the warm cabin he’d been dreaming about for the last few hours.

“Bet you’re starvin’.”

“Bet you’re right.”

“Bread and beer is on the table, should fill you up some until the stew is done.”

He nodded in thanks, giving his hands time to gain some warmth back in them, the pain of coming back to their normal temperature more prevalent than the emptiness of his stomach.