Marilyn walks slowly across the frozen lake, every step cautious and uncertain. Her eyes sweep across the surface, searching for any sign of Bear.

Bear, her chocolate lab, was no where in sight. She listened intently for his barks and whines. His paw prints had created a track in the snow, leading right toward the frozen lake.

“Bear?” she called out wearily. Her voice cut through the cold air, bringing her back to the serious reality of the situation.

She turned her head, checking her surroundings again. A layer of misty frost rose from the ice, writhing around her legs and chilling her skin. Her nose was runny and pink and she could hardly feel her fingers.

Marilyn pulled the hood of her jacket tighter over her head and tugged her beanie over her ears. She’d get sick if she stayed out there any longer. Mother and Father would be so very mad…

But Bear was out there somewhere, lost in the cold without food or shelter. Marilyn’s lip wobbled at the thought. She wasn’t supposed to be out looking for him—Mother had calmly explained that Bear was gone forever.

Marilyn took another step, further out over the frozen lake. Her boot slipped over the layer of ice and she screamed as she lost her balance. She fell and her back hit the ice. Just as it did, she heard it snapping beneath her. She tried to scramble away, but cracks spiderwebbed under her wherever she went.

At a particularly thin patch, the ice gave way completely. Marilyn plunged down into the freezing water, a guttural cry leaving her throat.

“Help!” she screamed before her head slipped under. Her gloved hands desperately clawed at the edge, but the ice she grabbed simply broke off in chunks.

Nobody was going to come save her. Father was in the woods, looking for wood for the fire pit. Mother was at home, making dinner. She was supposed to be at home, safe and sound. Nobody else lived within a mile.

Bubbles rose around her. She was so cold—so so cold. She clutched another piece of ice, this one more sturdy, and tried pulling herself up.

Suddenly, she was rising out of the water. Something was pulling on her hood, back onto a thick part of the frozen lake.

Marilyn panted, hardly able to move. But she heard him pant and bark, howling to get help.

Her hands closed around his collar, pulling Bear into her arms and hugging onto his neck.

“Oh Bear, thank you,” she whispered into his soft fur. “Now go get help…go get Father for me.”