The Child of Frost

Papa's Theory

Fawn's P.O.V.

I couldn't believe it. Momma had gotten worse since this morning, and Papa hasn't woken up. I've done everything I could to keep him warm, but it doesn't seem to be enough. Do I need to let him rest? What about Momma? How am I supposed to get them both back to health when I'm not even sure if I'm making a difference?

"Momma, why don't you rest? I'll bring you some hot soup, so please." Momma continued coughing violently, shivering with the cold. "Get some rest by the fire, at least."

As if she were a little girl, Momma looked over at me and said, "it's cold. Too cold." I couldn't help but be afraid as I saw the emptiness in her eyes. "We're all going to die. Every last one of us."

"What are you talking about, Mama? You're going to be fine." I tried to get a hold of her hand, but was surprised to see how fast she actually was. In the blink of an eye, she had grabbed my shoulders tightly and began shaking me.

"He's going to make it happen. Jack Frost is the cause of this!" Coughing violently once again, I watched her in horror as she continued to panic. "Jack is going to kill us all. All the ones who did him wrong! We're all going to die!"

What is she talking about? Jack hasn't done anything wrong. Why would she think this is Jack's doing?

"Momma, get a hold on yourself! Please, you're scaring me," I shouted just as her nails dug into my shoulders. "Jack wouldn't do anything like this, so please, let go!"

She shook her head no. "You're just blind to the truth. Look around you, Fawn. This village is in trouble." Pushing her away from me, I cleared away a tear that had made it's way down my cheek. "You're a blind child. Your love for that creature is what hides you from the truth."

Despite how afraid I was, I heard Papa moving around and ran to his side. I found him standing by the fire place, staring deeply into the flames. It was almost as if he was lost in his thoughts.

"Papa?" I asked, making him turn to face me. "How do you feel?"

He looked at me as if he were seeing me for the first time, but after a moment of silence, he seemed to register what was going on. "How did I get home? What happened?"

"I asked Jack to bring you home. We found you lying in the snow unconscious." I stepped closer to him and took his hand. "What were you doing out there?"

"I was looking for him. Jack started the storm, and I got lost trying to follow him." I noticed a sad smile on his face as he said, "that boy is truly stubborn. He didn't want to see me, and yet, he saved my life. Thank you both."

I looked outside as the thought of Jack creating an angry storm like he did crossed my mind. Why would he do something like that? Actually, was he responsible for whatever had attacked me out there?

"Did Jack say anything before he left you?" I asked curiously.

He nodded and said, "something was wrong."

What could have been so important that Jack would leave someone alone in the icy storm? What was the true purpose behind that storm? Could it be that Jack actually did cause this? No. That's impossible, right?

For years, I've heard the stories about the bringer of winter. I know practically every story, but somehow it seemed hard to believe that Jack would do something like this.

"Papa, what do you think is happening?" I asked, wanting his opinion. "What's going on?"

"I believe that Jack's the one who is in trouble. Something attacked me while I was out there, and it warned me to stay away from him."

He was attacked out there too? Is it possible that it was the same thing that attacked me?

"What was it?"

"I'm not sure what it was, but it was definitely after Jack Frost."