Melissa was scared. The sound of her breathing was the only thing that accompanied the never-ending howls of blistering wind outside -- wind so cold it stung her skin. Now and then she would feel the burn of the blizzard right outside, even whilst sheltered behind the rickety wood paneling of the cabin, cloaked in blankets and rugs. Trembles went up and down her spine as her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath that escaped from her lips. She would have tried to muffle the sounds of her breathing if it would make a difference, but she knew it would not. Nothing would save her from the situation she found herself in now.
Please. Please, God. Even if I can't save myself...
The bundle in her arms stirred. It let out a soft whimper.
Let me save my baby.
There was a howling screech outside so high it could almost blend in with the wind. Melissa had grown accustomed to the sounds outside after so long, barely even flinching when she heard it. She remembered then how she never got a good look at the creature. At first, she thought it was a man, but she doubted herself now. Every time she caught a glimpse of it through the cracks of the wood, every time she heard it creeping around outside, she doubted herself. No man could move the way that thing had moved.
"There's someone outside," he had told her, watching out the frost-coated glass as she had just barely begun to sit up from bed.
"Mm?" She mumbled, only halfway comprehending the words he spoke as she rubbed the grogginess from her eyes.
Richard was frozen still -- barely clothed aside from an old shirt and checkered pajama pants. He was staring out the window, his silhouette barely visible to her. He must be freezing, she remembered thinking.
"There's someone outside," he repeated, his tone more alert as he spoke slowly. He didn't dare turn away from the window, keeping his back to her as he watched, frozen stiff as if the cold had touched him. Melissa blinked.
"Who?" She asked, a dumbfounded look on her face. She knew he couldn't give her an answer, but it was the only question that came to her mind. Richard took a deep breath, taking a single step backward toward the bed as he kept his eyes trained out the window.
"I don't know," he finally answered, "He's tall."
"Well... where is he? Is it a he?" Melissa finally rose, cradling her swollen belly as she swung her legs off the mattress and stood as best she could, holding lightly onto the nightstand to balance herself properly. Her husband said nothing. She hesitated before she approached the window, frowning, "Are you sure it's a person?"
"He's just staring," he said. She took a few steps further, moving her hand from the nightstand to her husband's shoulder, almost withdrawing when she felt the cool touch of his skin. She leaned in and peered, scouring the darkness for a glimpse of whatever he saw. Her eyes darted around the endless void of the cold night. Finally, she saw it.
The silhouette was so tall and thin that she nearly mistook it for another tree, but she could make it out clearly now. It definitely looked like a man, or a humanoid shape at the very least. However, something about it felt wrong. She couldn't quite describe it -- maybe it was the shape's figure. Its arms and legs were a little too long in comparison to the rest of its body. Though she was unable to make out any details in the darkness, she could see that the figure appeared to be unclothed, but how was that possible? Here she was in her warm nightgown, sheltered behind four walls and a roof, and she was still colder than she'd ever felt in her life. No person, especially not one so thin and frail, could possibly survive in such conditions without a single wrap of clothing.
