Student Story:
From the Cold

A shroud of silence had been drawn across the forest, broken only by the whistling wind. Every breath was a puff of steam in the air. Every step was a crunch of snow on the ground. I blinked away a snowflake as I trudged through the woods, my pack weighing down my shoulders.

I hadn’t accounted for this. I had started in the south side of the forest, aiming for
a woodcutters’ village two days away. From there, I could travel to one of the larger cities and make a fresh start. Again. This last city, I felt, was the only chance I had. That chance was dwindling rapidly with every snowflake that fell from the sky.

Where was I? The sun seemed to have disappeared behind the gray clouds, and
landmarks had vanished under a blanket of snow. I stopped, turning around and
squinting. Something seemed familiar here. Could I be coming upon the road? Hefting my pack, warmed by a flash of hope, I walked forward into a clearing. No. Wait. This wasn’t the road. This was a log cabin; I knew it well. A rickety fence tottered around the yard. A battered chimney poked out of the roof. A lazy thread of smoke crawled out of it. I had come here a thousand times.

He was there. He was bending over a pile of wood, picking up logs for the fire
inside. For her. He straightened, and I caught his eye. A flicker of recognition—I turned away. I would not stay here even if he let me.

We had been like brothers once. Not now. Not after what I did.

I swallowed, realizing how far away that village was. There was no time to linger
here. As I walked away, the snow crunching under my boots again, I didn’t look back at him. He didn’t call after me.

* * * * *

The sun must have set behind the clouds, because the forest was swiftly plunging
into darkness. The wind was howling now, hurling snowflakes into my face like needles of ice. I could only hope that I was going fast enough to reach the village before night truly fell.

It seemed like I had been walking forever. My pack felt like it was dragging me
down, the straps biting into my shoulders. My feet ached, begging for a rest. But I couldn’t rest. If I stopped, I would die in the cold.

How long had I been going on? Surely I had to be close now. Flashes of cold had
turned to an icy chill settling in my bones, a constant shivering that didn’t warm me at all. I wanted to get to that village. I wanted to go home. Where was home? I didn’t know anymore. I had no home. Home had a fire. I wanted a fire. I wanted …

A tree root was lurking beneath the snow. My boot snagged it—I fell—I lay sprawled on the ground, my face smashed into the snow. It melted slightly with each breath I exhaled.

Cold. Cold. Home. Cold. Home …

My last thought was that I would die out here, alone, and no one would know. No
one would care.

* * * * *

Hands ripped the pack off my shoulders, dragged me up out of the snow. “Get up.
You’ll freeze to death if you don’t. Come on.”

I blinked sluggishly as he gripped my arms, shaking me. “Please. Wake up, okay? I’m taking you back to the cabin. You have to help me, though. I can’t carry you there, you know I can’t, come on. Please. Can you hear me?”

“I hear you,” I mumbled. What was happening?

“Okay. Okay.” He hauled me to my feet, holding me up as my knees buckled.
“You’re doing fine. Come on. Walk with me, okay?” He pulled one of my arms around his shoulders. “I’ll keep you up, but you have to walk. Let’s go.”

With an effort, I took a step. Then another. As my mind began to clear, I whispered, “W-why are you here?”

“She thought she saw you out the window.” I stumbled, but he held me upright. “Hang in there, okay? She asked me when I came in, and I told her it was you. You’d freeze tonight, she said, and we both know that there isn’t any shelter nearby.”

“Th-thanks.” A bolt of ice dashed up my spine. I shuddered, stumbled again. “You
c-c-could have left me.”

“I was tempted to.” He looked away, studying the dark sky. “She convinced me
to come find you, and I knew she was right.”

* * * * *

In the gloom of the forest, I caught a glimpse of light. A little spark. Spark. Fire. Was there fire soon? To be warm. I was so tired. It was cold here. Cold. Cold …

“Stay with me.” He pulled me up again—I had been faltering. “We’re close, I promise. She left a light on for us, it’s up there ahead. Can you see it?”

“Mm-hm,” I mumbled.

“Stay with me. You can’t drop out on me now—please—we’re almost there.” His
voice cracked. “I promise we’re close, just keep walking a little bit further. To the light, okay? We’re going to the light.”

“The light,” I murmured. “I can do that.” More stinging flakes of snow landed on
my face. “Is she w-w-waiting?”

“Yes,” he said. “She’s waiting for us. For you, okay? Just a little further.”

With an effort, I turned my head, studying his face. He was squinting ahead, jaw set. Even in this cold, a bead of sweat was trickling down his forehead. I remembered days long gone, days of playing together and working together. Days where we had tested each other’s strength, compared each other’s height. I had won every time. Yet he was the one bearing me up now.

“Thank you.” I could only manage a whisper. “Thank you.”

* * * * *

The fence. The chimney. The smoke. I could barely keep my eyes open to see them, but I knew every inch of this clearing. We staggered through the gate, up the four steps. He shifted his weight—he was really all that was keeping me on my feet now—and pounded on the door.

She opened the door, backlit by the fire’s glow inside. “You made it.” She smiled
at us, looking relieved.

“We’re here.” He took a heavy step inside, half-dragging me with him. “I’ve got
him.”

“You sent him after me.” Each word was an effort. “Why?”

She placed a warm hand on my back, guiding me inside as she shut the door. “We had to. We couldn’t leave you out there to freeze.”

“You could have.” The fire crackled, shooting waves of warmth at me, but I didn’t have the strength to step closer to it. “You should have, after what I did.”

She slipped her own shoulder under my other arm, supporting me as he held me
up too. “It’s okay.” I turned to look at her, and she smiled again. “You are forgiven.”

I swallowed.

“Welcome home.”