Nick: A Winter's Tale

Chapter Two: By the Lantern's Light

Much later that night, the wind and snow had kicked up into a full, screaming blizzard. Nick awoke several times to the howling gale, trying in vein to rest before the next day.

After an hour or so, he gave up and got out of bed. His cabin consisted of one large room, with a bed area beside the door, and a living area opposite, complete with comfortable chairs, a fireplace, and a small table. On the wall opposite his bed, the other side of the door, his green coat hung and dried above his frosted boots, which were still flecked with chunks of snow.

Nick walked over to a basin of water in the corner near his cabinets; his store from the well near his house, and filled a small iron kettle with it. He hung the kettle over the fireplace and stoked the flames so they grew higher and hotter again. Thankfully the wind didn't seem to be blowing down the chimney, evidently going at the wrong angle to rush down it.

He sat down on his chair and waited for the kettle to boil, hoping a hot drink would calm him enough to get some sleep. Soon, the kettle was steaming and squealing, and he poured himself a mug of tea.

As he sat, drinking his tea, he thought he heard something from outside. A shrill noise. He assumed it to be the wind, and continued to drink. He had been right, the warm liquid was indeed calming him down.

After another while, he heard something again, and this time, he craned over to look out the window. A thick sheet of falling snow and permafrost blocked what was normally a charming view of the forest. This particular forest lay down the slope of the mountain, where it then spilled out to cover several hundred acres to the west of Hilldale, like someone had spilled a large blob of green paint on the side of the mountain.

He didn't see anything out of the ordinary as he peered outside, but when another moment had passed, another sound rang out, and this time, the wind carried it his way, and one distinct word rang in his ears.

"Help".

Nick sprung to his feet, dread filling him, and pressed his eyes against the window. Squinting hard, he saw, with a sinking feeling, the telltale bobbing orange glow of a lantern down at the bottom of his field, near where the edge of the trees would be.

He rushed to change, shedding his night time gown and donning his shirt, suspenders, black trousers, and thick green coat. He lit his own lantern and rushed out his door and to the fence around the edge of the field. He could hear the voice crying help once more. It sounded female, and very young. He hopped over the fence, and walked across the field toward the light.

He saw, squinting hard, just before the looming silhouettes of the trees, a small hooded figure carrying a lantern. Whomever it was seemed to be crying out in desperation.

"Hello?" Nick shouted, "Are you alright?"

She didn't seem to respond. Nick glanced around and noted the wind blowing strongly against him. It seemed he could hear her, but she couldn't hear him. He trudged his way toward her through the thick sheet of snow. The wind was so heavy that his footprints vanished behind him as he walked. With great effort he trudged forward, step by step against the relentless gale. His face stung as the chunks of snow hit him like icy knives, yet still he pushed, never looking back.

He could hear her more clearly now. She seemed to be crying out for help in the storm, looking frantically around for anyone who could assist, but no matter how much attention he tried to bring to himself, she did not notice Nick approaching her.

Nick noticed she was moving around, not staying still, and he began to panic when he saw her moving beyond the trees into the forest, and away from him.

"Wait!" he called desperately. He trudged as fast as he could manage through the thick snow, flecks of frost clinging to his boots and trousers right up to his knees. The little girl's lantern bobbed away through the treeline, and he could still just about hear her cries for help.