Dr. Creepen's Dungeon - S5 Ep204: Episode 204: Werewolf Winter Horror

Episode Date: December 26, 2024

Today’s fantastic story is the entire ‘The Festival of Snow’ series, an original work by the wonderful Boe Whiskey, kindly shared directly with me for the express purpose of having me exclusively narrate it here for you all. https://www.reddit.com/user/boewhiskey/

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BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. To Dr. Creepin's Dungeon. Werewolves of long-captivated popular culture, embodying the primal, untamed side of human nature. Their duality, the struggle between civilized humanity and the savage beast, resonates with audiences as a metaphor for repressed desires, uncontrollable rage, or transformation. Stories of werewolves often explore themes of identity,

fear of the unknown, and the thin line between predator and prey. From folklore to modern films, and literature, the werewolf's allure lies in its ability to both terrify and fascinate, offering a thrilling glimpse into the wild instincts lurking within us all, as we shall see in tonight's feature-length tale. Now, as ever before we begin, a word of caution. Tonight's story may contain strong language as well as descriptions of violence and terrific imagery. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then let's begin.

Tonight's feature-length tale is The Festival of Snow by Bow. Whiskey. Amongst the mountains of Montana, there is a town with a history almost forgotten to those who reside there. The truth about the early days of Jupiter, Montana, has been diluted and become but a legend. Each year this legend is still celebrated by the residents, who number about 7,300, along with the many tourists who visit the town for its winter beauty and snow season. Being at the base of Winter Rock Mountain, Juniper becomes the temporary home to hundreds, if not thousands of people enjoying the skiing, snowboarding, and other wintertime festivities each year. The festival of snow, held annually, is the only remaining hint to the origin of this friendly town.

The legend speaks of the Norse god Ulur, his queen and his prime minister. A very long time ago, due to his subjects seeming to slowly forget him and move past the older traditions. Bulur, along with his two closest, began wandering the world, morose, and in search of a new dwelling place. When they came to a valley surrounded by mountains, they fell in love with the beauty and wonder of the landscape. deciding to settle here they made the top of a mountain their home soon they discovered that they were not alone in these mountains a group of creatures called yetis roamed the land they were fierce and savage beasts that only found pleasure in causing mischief and pain one night they attempted to kidnap ulu's queen but were swiftly beaden back by ullur his minister and the queen herself

Both parties learned then to live in the presence of the other, with only occasional and minor run-ins. Years passed, and humans began moving into the valley and settling down. All the prior residents watched the new inhabitants and worried over the invasion to their homes. It soon became apparent to Ulur, however, that no human was aware of his or any other presence on the mountain. Thus they considered themselves to be alone. in this new land. Mulu continued to watch and study the men. When he discovered they took part in and enjoyed winter sports

and referred to him as a patron saint of winter celebrations, he excitedly donned the clothes of men and walked among them. The Yetis were not as fascinated or pleased by anything these humans did, though. They began trying to drive the men away. Each of these attempts was thwarted by the men with aid from Ulur. Once subdued, Allure was pronounced their king and hero. It was sworn that there would be a festival each and every year in honor of Ulur and his courts. This became known as the Festival of Snow.

The events have grown, and some have changed in the past 70 years. But one thing remains the same. Costumed humans pretend to be Yetis, coming down from the mountains in order to cause mayhem, interfere with the celebration and attempt once again to steal away the Queen. Of course, the Yetis never win, and are always driven back to the wilderness to spend another year brooding and planning. Last year brought to light the terrifying realisation that this story may not be a completely fictional legend to borrow from the Norse Pantheon.

It began with a seemingly isolated animal attack. The small ranch on the edge of town was ravaged overnight. Several horses and cows were found torn to shreds, mutilated and missing sections of meat. The owner of the ranch was, of course, in shock over the state of his livestock when he discovered them in the morning. He called the sheriff's office and reported it. Deputies, along with members of fish and wildlife, went to the property and began an investigation. Aside from the animals on the ranch, it was found that up to two miles inside the woods that the ranch bordered,

small animals were also dead in unnatural manners. It was determined that a small pack of warbers must have moved through the area and viciously attack the other animals, eating only parts of them before moving on. Admittedly, it was strange behaviour for a wolf, but the amount of prey caused them to rule out a mountain lion or bear. Fresh snow had started to fall in the early hours of the morning, and went on until midday. Due to the lack of tracks in the snow, it was assumed that the attack was late the previous night, either shortly before it began snowing, or even in the first moments of snowfall. Either way, there was no other.

to follow and helped determine the exact animal responsible for this brutality. The community was alerted to the possible presence of wolves in the valley. It wasn't unheard of for wolves to be seen in the area, but it was rare for them to be so close to civilization. Not a single person doubted that wolves were the culprit and therefore everyone kept an eye out for any sign of them. In the first few days, a handful of calls came into various law enforcement agencies, claiming a wolf sighting, but when looked into, they were either unfounded or ended up being a lone coyote. Talk around the town brought suggestions that maybe coyotes were responsible and not wolves. Those who knew enough about them understood that coyotes don't typically hunt in packs, and they rarely go for the larger game such as horses and cattle. After a week with no new attack or confirmed wolf sighting,

conversation of the attack dwindled and was forgotten more and more. People were forgetting the ordeal and focusing on the holidays. Children were looking forward to their vacations and adults were busy with end-of-year work, gift-buying and preparing for either leaving or hosting holiday family get-togethers. Any fear of animal danger became mostly limited to deer, causing wrecks. on icy roads. It was the night of December the 13th and the early hours of the morning of the 14th when the call was made. My brother works nights as an officer for the Juniper Police Department. Most of the time he mainly deals with drunks and domestic calls. Mid-morning on the 14th though,

he showed up at my small coffee shop looking haggard and exhausted. I was surprised to see him at this hour, considering he was usually in bed by now. His expression and overall appearance made me worry immediately. Without a word, he walked behind the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. A couple of patrons watched him, confused, but let it go when they saw me approach him and call him by name. Scott, what's wrong? I asked. He slid the coffee pot back in its place, then looked to me and took a sip of the steaming black coffee before answering. You're never going to believe me, Cor.

I raised an eyebrow at him and motioned him to the back office. I told the barista, Dana, to take over for a bit. She nodded, and I followed Scott into my office, shutting the door behind me. Scott sat down immediately in one of the chairs and continued sipping his drink. I perched myself on the edge of the desk and waited quietly for him to compose himself. I got a call this morning that was out of the ordinary. He finally said, pausing to look at me and shake his head as if he almost couldn't believe it himself. Okay.

So, why was it? was it out of the ordinary? I queried him. The first thing that set it apart was that it dealt with the newspaper girl. Dispatch said she was frantic and they couldn't really understand what she was trying to explain, only that there was something following her. I thought to ask him then if it was just someone thinking that she was up to no good, but he held a finger up, gesturing me to wait a minute before interject. He continued. That wouldn't be too odd in itself. This happened before, but this young woman was been working in the paper for years,

and any time that I've ever encountered her all heard of coal she had to make, she was always calm. I can't say I've ever spoken more than a few sentences with her, but she seems like the quiet time. She's the one I told you about that last year. Someone called in, saying there was a drunk driver, but really it was her. She was very polite when I approached her and explained that her wheelbearing broke, and she had to maneuver her truck so it wasn't in the middle of the road. The entire exchange was lighthearted, and she seemed very easy-going, but quiet, you know?

I nodded, and he took another drink of his coffee before setting it on the desk in front of him. He rubbed his forehead, and I took the moment to speak. So, what made her freak out? Scott took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as if preparing for something intense. I called her myself. She sounded like she was in tears. I could hardly understand what she was saying. It sounded like she was talking too fast and the words were meshing together.

I got her to agree to meet me at the little bus depot over in Wildwood because she was in that area. I drove over there and saw her sitting in her truck waiting for me. Cora, the girl looked scared to death, worse than if she'd seen a ghost. She'd obviously been crying and it was sucking in gulps of air trying to calm down. I asked her what happened and if the person who had been following was still around. She said it wasn't a person that followed her, and she hadn't seen it since leaving Sapphire Creek Road. She finally calmed down enough to point a shaky finger towards the back of her. truck and said that it hit her. I turned on the spotlight and looked to the end of her truck bed.

Sure enough, there's a dent back there next to the taillight. I turned the light back off and asked her to explain if she could. What she told me made no sense. At first I thought she might be on drugs. I'd never seen her drive like she was under the influence of anything, and there were no other signs of drug use, but her story was insane. She told me that at a turnaround point on Sapphire Hill. She saw something in her side mirror as she was positioning herself to deliver some paper tubes. She said that at first she thought it could be a person standing in the road back there,

but when she did a double take, she saw it wasn't human. It had a humanoid shape, but it was at least eight. feet tall and really pale, almost as pale as the snow. It had something on its shoulders, like an animal pelt or something that she didn't notice at first. Only when the snow fell off the trees it stood under, did she see that his shoulders were actually covered by something. It chased her almost the entire way back, growling and making a rumbling sound. When she got to the last corner. He darted into the trees and cut across a yard to emerge on the road and lunge for her truck. She swerved and missed it, but just as quick it swung a fist towards her and hid the back of her

truck, causing the dent. He didn't follow her after that, and she called in. She told me that the pelt fell away at some point, and she thought she saw spiky gray fur running the length of its spine. other than that it didn't seem to be hairy but also didn't look completely naked either that sounds like a crock of shit i said with a raised eyebrow he nodded drained his coffee mug and returned it to the desk yeah exactly what i thought but with no reason to actually think she was on drugs i thought maybe someone was out dicking around in a costume or something and scared that the living daylands out of the poor one. So I left us shortly after and went to Sapphire Creek to investigate for myself. When he didn't answer, I made a motion with my hands as if to say, okay, and... He straightened up in his chair, looked me dead in the eye and said, I saw it, Coral. It was real.

I almost hit it going down the road. It's huge, taller than any human I've ever heard of. Yao Ming, Andre the Giant, any of them. It wasn't someone playing a prank. It was an actual monster. You're messing with me, Scott. It's not even springtime, let alone April Fool's Day, and Halloween is over.

You're not going to scare me that easily. I told him, rolling my eyes and standing. I was feeling a little frustrated that he pulled me away from my duties to try and pull a joke and he grabbed my arm as I took a step towards the door. I looked down at him and furrowed my brows at his expression. It seemed to be genuine and his eyes were full of fear and confusion. I'm not lying, Corr. This isn't a joke.

It was crossing the road when I came around a curve. It was only a few feet in front of me. I had to turn quickly into a driveway in order not to hit it. It saw me. It locked eyes with me. And those eyes, they weren't animal eyes. They were close to human, but there was just something off about them. They were too grey, like a snow cloud.

It grunted at me and I got the hell out of there. I think it's the thing that attacked those animals before. His voice was low, almost a whisper. It was pleading for me to believe him. I searched his face and saw the signs of exhaustion around his eyes. I softened, stepped back and took his hand off of my arm to hold him both of mine. Hey, I cooed to him in a gentle voice. It's okay. You're okay.

His shoulders relaxed and he let out a long breath. I crouched down next to him and rubbed his arm, trying to soothe him. It wasn't like my brother to get scared of anything. When we were little, he was the stereotypical tough jock, hard to rattle. It made me nervous to see that something had spooked him so much. Days went by, and as much as I'd love to say things calmed down, they didn't. reports started coming in nightly of sightings of this beast it was easily discovered that there wasn't only one as some of the reports mentioned multiple creatures all of the sightings took place around the base of winter rock in the woods surrounding it one night during a particularly bad storm decorations around town were vandalized this was the first time these things had come to a more densely populated air

area of town. Snowflakes that were fixed upholns, garlands that were stretched from one side of the road to the other, and lights that were wrapped in the garland and hung around straw fronts were pulled down and destroyed. Anyone who saw it happening made themselves scarce and notified the police, but there was nothing anyone could do. Everyone agreed on the conclusion that they were responsible for the attack at the ranch. We were all too. terrified. The town's winter spirit was being destroyed by these things. After that, they were seen almost every night in town on the north side. They would climb onto the roofs of businesses and hide amongst the shadows. No one knew why they were doing this or what they even were.

Anytime someone, police or otherwise, tried to go after one of them, a vibrating roar would be from behind the person and then another in a different direction. It was always low enough that it made your head feel like you would rattle off of your shoulders and distract you just long enough for them to disappear once again. Children stopped playing in the open, even though the monsters were only seen at night. Night businesses began declining in their number of customers after nine, and the town became more desolate than it should have been. after two and a half weeks of living in terror

nothing more had happened the creatures were still seen occasionally but there were no attacks no more vandalism at their hands as a community we gathered and wondered if the festival of snow should go on but in the end almost everyone agreed that

if anything we all needed this we needed to celebrate and be merry and stop living in fear. So, plans continued, and the festival king and queen were to be crowned on the 14th of January. Three days before the events, I came across what seemed to be the single person who thought this was a bad idea. Mr. Hansen was a regular at the coffee shop, and I greeted him fondly, as I always do. That Wednesday, though, he seemed to be in a downright foul mood. grumbling to himself more than talking to anyone else.

Are you okay, Mr. Hansen? I asked him, while preparing his large Americana. He grunted in reply, so I followed my first question with another. What's going on? This, he gestured outside, and then to the post right pinned to the wall behind the counter. And that. This town thinks they can just ignore what's been happening, and have the same. celebration like usual. Why shouldn't we?

No one's been attacked other than that first sighting, and she was only shaken up. The festival's a tradition, I answered him calmly, curious as to why exactly he was against it. I can't say they'd ever been a very festive person, but he was a usually happy man. Don't you think that's what they want? Has it occurred to anyone that they want us to be caught off-garde? They want us to think we're safe, so when they try to take the queen, we won't expect it. He slammed a palm onto the counter, making me flinch.

The snow queen, I managed to ask, somehow remaining calm on the outside. Internally, though, my nerves were beginning to work in overdrive at his outburst. He grunted once more, looking down at the counter. I handed him his coffee And he left without another word to me That was odd I heard Dana say from beside me I nodded in agreement

Very odd I couldn't help but spend the rest of the day Wondering if he knew something that no one else did The night of the coronation The police presence was felt but not feared Security had been stepped up just in case Scott was one of the officers assigned to walk around through the crowds and keep an eye out for anything dangerous,

whether it was a monster or someone who just had a little too much to drink. The king and queen of the year were crowned, and the real party began. Everyone was having fun, and thoughts of anything other than the festivities was far from anyone's mind. That was, until there was a loud crash, and a scream rang out over the music. causing people to scatter. I'd been visiting with Scott for a moment after bringing him a hot chocolate. The second we heard the scream,

he shoved the cup into my gloved hands, told me to get home, and hurried off through the crowd, moving against the flow to the source of the commotion. That was the last time I saw my brother. Instead of heading home, I went back to my closed shop, a few blocks away, where my car was parked, and I unlocked the door quickly.

I saw Dana and her boyfriend approaching as I closed the door. They'd also parked at the shop and walked to the celebration in order to avoid the headache of trying to find a parking spot there. I held the door open about a foot and stuck my head out, calling to them. Dana veered her boyfriend in my direction, and I ushered them inside before locking the door. It's going to be hectic out there. Better to wait here for it to calm down, I told them. Dana nodded, and her boyfriend Josh began pulling chairs down for us to sit on.

Because she was still young and in college, I felt motherly toward her and wanted to be sure she was safe. As we began to sit down, we heard the distant shots of a gun being fired. The three of us sat in silence and shadows for a while, watching the deluge of Kavis of cars vacating the area. After a few minutes, Dana offered to make us all some coffee while we waited. I agreed that it was a good idea and stared out of the window while she worked. When she brought over the cups of coffee for each of us and sat back down, she asked,

Did you see what happened? No. I shook my head and blew the steam off of the liquid before taking a tiny sip. Scott's out there though He took off when he heard the scream Dana's eyes widened And worry flashed over her face I'm sure he'll be okay

And as soon as things settle He'll let Corrin know what happened Josh said Wrapping his arm around the frightened Dana She nodded and sipped her own coffee I checked my phone periodically And found no call or message from Scott even half an hour after ducking into the shop.

The traffic had died down by now, and the coffee was gone. Dana and Joss suggested that we all go home and try to relax now that things seem calmer. I agreed, and we exited the building. I bid them good night and watch them drive away before starting my car and making my own way home. I was worried about my brother and had an awful pit in my stomach, But I did my best to convince myself that it would be okay and that I would hear from him by the morning. I'm not sure when, but at some point after returning home, I curled up on my couch and fell asleep, still waiting to hear from Scott.

I awoke to a knock on my door. It took me a groggy minute to understand that what had woken me, but when the second knock came, I jumped to my feet and answered the door, hoping it was Scott. Instead, I saw another officer standing there with a grim look on his face. The entire day is a blur to me, but I know that the man, Officer Reichek, explained to me that Scott was missing. He had gone to the aid of the newly appointed queen, and in the scuffle, he and the queen had been taken by a group of the creatures that appeared without warning at the party. They destroyed equipment, and when they snatched up the queen, Scott and another officer, along with a good citizen, charged the monster, slamming into it and trying to free her. The second officer and brave civilian were both torn to shreds by the creatures.

Other civilians were also found dead, killed at their hands of the monsters. Scott, however, was lost in the commotion. And when the group of monstrous bandits retreated, he was nowhere to be found, dead or alive. Someone came forward a few hours later to tell the police that they had witnessed Scott knocked out and carried off with the queen. I was lost for days, only going through the motions of life. I had yet to cry, and was in a perpetual numb state, hardly hearing things said to me or seeing things in. front of me. Dana was an incredible help in running the store during this time, and we kept a flyer on the door that read, Help bring me home with a photo of Scott. Before long, everyone knew the

story in the family of the queen, a woman named Tessa Murphy, began coming in regularly to talk with me. Her husband and daughter would ask how I was doing, and we would share in a collective grief for our losses. It was during one of these little meetings that I finally broke down and cried. I think I continued crying for a month after, wishing my brother would just return. Our mother had died when we were very little, and our father joined her six years ago when I was 20. Scott was the only family I had left. It slowly got easier to go on with my life. Not a day passed where I didn't think about him, and I checked with the Juniper Police Department twice a month to see if there was any progress or news.

They stopped looking in March, but left the case open. It's now the beginning of December again, and I was prepared to spend this winter hiding away at my home, morning the anniversary of the horror our town went through and the loss of Scots. Plans for the festival are still being made, and as far as I know, know this year will keep with the tradition, but include a moment of silence for those who died and those who disappeared last year. I wanted to pretend the entire thing wasn't happening, but today Mr Hansen and I had a very interesting conversation. It started with something

he overheard in the coffee shop while waiting in line. He was shaking his head when he approached the counter, and I asked him what was wrong. The tourists over there talking about the festival. It's a shame what happened last year. I don't know if I can believe. It won't happen again. His tone wasn't angry or enraged. It was calm this time, with a hint of hopelessness.

I began preparing his usual order without him having to tell me, What do you mean again? I couldn't imagine the pain we'd gone through. becoming a new part of the tradition. Mr. Hanson looked at me intently, with an expression that made it look like he wanted to tell me something, but wasn't sure if he should. He didn't answer until I handed him his coffee.

Oh, my dear, you deserve answers. I can't give them all to you, but I'd like to tell you a story if we could speak in private, he said, piquing my interest. I gestured for him to follow me behind the counter and into the office. With only a glance at Dana, I saw her nod, signaling she would handle things out here. When we're in the office, I sat at my desk and motioned for Mr. Hansen to sit across from me. He obliged and took a seat in the chair that Scott had sat in so long ago when he explained the first sighting.

"'Cor, do you know the legend of Ullor and the Yetis?' he asked. I nodded in response, and he continued. "'Who did the Yetis always try to kidnap?' The answer immediately came to mind, but realization hit me like a soft and awkward punch to the gut, causing me to take a few seconds to respond. "'The Queen!' Mr. Hansen nodded solemnly.

and remove the lid from his coffee before setting both lid and cup on the desk. People believe the Yetis are more like the Bigfoot, just white and prefer cold climates. It's likely this idea stemmed from the same idea that polar bears evolved from grizzly bears. But what if the description of a typical Yeti is incorrect? I'm not sure I follow, I said. Scientists have supposedly proven that Yeties were. actually bears. But imagine the bear that someone claimed was a Yeti was in fact not really what

a Yeti even looks like. Imagine it doesn't resemble the universal description of what a Bigfoot looks like. Not many people are left in the world that understand how a creature in one part of the world can share the name of an entirely different creature in another. People move from one place to a new one and use terms that they already have and understand to describe something new and it eventually becomes called by the same name, therefore losing at some point what it truly is or what it might truly look like. Okay, I think I understand what you're saying.

I responded with a slow nod. The hairy, Yeti beast from one place could have been used as this type of descriptive name for another non-haired beast in a different place. In fact, this is water. happened. When people began moving into the valley and creating homes and communities, they were attacked by things that they could only think to describe as Yetis, when in fact, physically, they are much different. Both share pale skin and fur, and act aggressively,

but the Yeties of our mountains are not the same as the Yetis of somewhere such as Nepal. So, you're saying that those things last year were Yeties? I asked. Mr. Hansen nodded. Indeed, they are the Yetis that our ancestors encountered. They are the Yetis from our legend. They've been silent for so long, but now they are back, and we don't have a God-King to protect us anymore. The legend is true!

I posed another question, trying to grasp my head around what he was saying and implying. I wouldn't have believed him before. But after everything I'd seen last year, I was willing to believe almost anything. Well, yes, most of it at least. We can't be sure, really, that there ever was a God-King that came to our rescue. Or if it really was Ulur, but there was a family that lived here before anyone else. They made their home on the mountain.

The wife was said to be very beautiful, and the Eddies did try to take her on several occasions. It is unclear how exactly they were beaten back. All I know for certain is the man of the family was crowned the first festival of Snow King, and his family continued to thrive, creating a lineage over the decades. I believe that the end of this line has something to do with the Yeti's returning, and, of course, they went after the Snow Queen, as they had done so long ago. He took a drink of his coffee while I pondered what he was explaining. The end of the line!

Did the family somehow ward them off all this time? Why did the line end? Mr. Hansen gave me a smile. There was a mix of sadness and appreciation for my curiosity. Jeremy Hogan was the sole heir to that legacy. He was killed in the summer of 2016 by a drunk driver. Geez, poor boy was only 17 years old. Not old enough to have started a family of his own.

He had no siblings, and his father is who knows where at this point. When his parents divorced, Jeremy's father took off, heartbroken, and threw himself into his work. His mother, not of the Hogan line, became addicted to drugs soon after, and he was put in the care of his grandparents. His grandmother passed away a few years ago, but his grandfather is of the right descent, and I'm sure was teaching him the ways of warding off the Yetis. When Jeremy died, however, he was moved to a care facility because something in him broke. His heart, I would assume. He lost everything he once had.

So his son, Jeremy's father, arranged for him to be placed in a home somewhere down south with a warmer climate. My heart sank. I remembered hearing about the accident, a memorandum of the accident, a memorial. held at the high school. The Hogan family had been around for as long as anyone can remember. I never realized the name was so close to being lost to time, or that they might possibly have had more to them than anyone knew. Without anyone to do whatever it is they did, the Yeties are going to come back every year, aren't they? I asked in almost a whisper. Mr. Hansen nodded glumly, and I asked him how he knew all of this.

The Hogan family and the Hansen family got way back. I happened to have some old journals from a long deceased relative that outlined the legend and the beginning of the festival 70 years ago. I never thought any of the ramblings of what was believed to be a madman could be true. But when the monsters started appearing last year, I knew it had to be. We didn't talk much after that. there was nothing more really to say. So, here I am now, hours after the exchange, typing all this out and trying to research how to make

the Yetis go away. I'm having no luck, but perhaps someone out there knows something. It's been a fairly dry beginning to the winter, and there's no snow on the ground yet, but I'm sure it could start any day now. and with the snow the Yetis will come How am I supposed to stop them And is there any hope

My brother could still be alive somehow It snowed last night When I went to bed A soft white blanket was being laid gently Across everything But by 5 a.m. It had turned to rain all across the valley The mountaintops and higher elevations

Were still getting a good amount of snow But down here in Juniper it became a dreary morning. It was almost as if the sky itself wanted to match the tone of the day to come with ethereal tears that turned everything into an ugly melting slush.

The beautiful pure snow wouldn't be left to try and lift any spirits old or young. I suppose for some the snow now would seem more like a curse but to me, no matter what it brings, the snow itself is still something good. something peaceful and comforting.

I just can't help but to still love watching the flakes of all sizes drift languidly to the ground. In my profession, seeing many locals and non-locals bring in news and rumors like wildfire, it didn't take long for me to hear about the tourists that had disappeared. A small group of five athletic out-of-towners were spending a weekend in a cabin that either one of them owned or was owned by one of their families. I'm not sure of the exact location, but it was somewhere up on the backside of Winter Rock Mountain, where there are less tourists and more open land. Two of them were taken in the night, leaving the other three to frantically contact the police

and flee to the bottom of the mountain and all the way into town. According to the grapevine, the three survivors were in hysterics and refused to return to the cabin or step another foot onto the mountain ever again. We still don't have any official details, but from the stories being told in one of the offices who worked with my brother, I know that, although they don't want to admit it or announce it, the sheriff's office is determined that those monsters,

the yeties, are behind it. The overcast and wet weather seems to be permeating from the citizens of Juniper themselves. Let me take you back a bit though and share with you what I've been doing after a couple of days scouring the internet I came up with nothing on defeating or preventing Yeti attacks After a particularly frustrating internet search session

I made myself a mug of red wine hot chocolate And sipped it while absent-mindedly looking towards the computer screen It sat on the table in front of me But my mind was far from the object Instead, I was remembering my brother, the snowmen we'd built together, the winter sports we'd taken part of, and the last time I saw him. He would have turned 30 back in September. I smirked myself, internally teasing him for being that old, and not even having a serious

girlfriend, let alone a wife. It wasn't that my brother was not attractive, he definitely wasn't bad with the ladies. Scott just primarily focused on his career. He wanted to become a detective and always did his best to respond to any crime scene, although we rarely had any horrific ones, and helped the detectives in any way he could. He did this sometimes even on his days off. I'm not sure exactly when I finished my hot chocolate or climbed into bed, but I remember waking up well before the sun.

In this part of the world, that isn't too difficult. as the winter nights are long. It begins to get dark as early as five in the afternoon, and where it begins to get light at about 4.30 a.m. in the summer. The sun hides away until around 8 in the morning in the winter. What did surprise me was that I had woken up on my own before my alarm went off at 4.15. Owning and running a coffee shop,

I tend to rise very early, so I can be open for those making their way to work. I sat up in bed The feelings of a dream Still clutching my mind And my heart Have you ever woken up And you can just sense the dream

Becoming fainter And fuzzier around the edges That's exactly how it was My heart was racing And I felt like there was something Of grave importance bestowed upon me I knew I had to remember Whatever it was that had come to me in my sleep

I shut my eyes tight and worked to clear my mind. Thankfully, the images from my dream returned without too much difficulty. I'd been standing on a frozen lake somewhere in the mountains. From where I stood, I could see the shoreline and trees lining the entire body of iced over water. Snow was gently falling, and although I was in my pajamas and not bundled up, I didn't feel cold. As I looked around, I realized that I was not alone. A woman confidently strode toward me. Her skin was pale, but not sickly,

and from under the hood of her cloak, I could see a long, flowing red hair. With her steady approach, I heard a strange flute song grow louder and louder. Underlying the flute was a low bass feeling, but it couldn't place any type of instrument could be making it. It was as if the land around us was humming. The woman stopped just before me, and I noticed a red tree-shaped brooch clasping her cloak around her. She didn't speak at first,

and I couldn't bring myself to remember how to form words. Instinctively, I knew this woman was special, someone more than human. She studied me in silence, as if judging my worthiness of her presence. She must have approved, because she spoke at last. Coram Miller, you have been searching for something. The inflection of her words made it a statement rather than a question. She knew I'd been searching, and she knew what for. I could feel that in my bones. I nodded without a sound, and she continued. I am heir. I have felt your plight and pain.

I cannot heal heartbreak, but I can help you. It is not common for those like myself to interfere in the lives of men or beasts of this age, but I will impart to you a single word of assistance. My mind soaked up every syllable she spoke, but I was left mildly confused at her last statement, Before I could control myself, I found myself asking loud. A single word? What good is a single word?

Is it a magic word? Ayre's face, which was previously solemn, contorted into a small smile, and her edges appeared to soften. I saw something move in the distance over her shoulder, and watched in awe as a beautiful bay mare, trotted to stand beside this mysterious woman. Gripping the dark mane, Eyer mounted the strong creature with the ease and grace of an ancient warrior. Her gaze moved to something behind her, and she looked in the direction the horse had come from. Again, I saw movement, and immediately knew the monster that stalked the trees. The skin, paler than Eeyers, almost as white as snow, the inhuman height,

the anger and hatred that began to permeate the area. The mare snorted and stepped to the side, wanting to vacate the spot in which it stood. The one guided the horse in a small circle around me, keeping her eyes trained on the Yeti the entire time. We both watched as it led out a deep roar before leaving the cover of the trees. It broke into a run towards us. I felt my body began to panic, but I was frozen in place. to my ear, the mare led out a frustrated Winnie and air patted its neck. She spoke her single

word to me. Enfreude. I was more confused and only half heard her over the rushing of blood through my ears. What? I broke my stare at the rapidly approaching monster to look up at her. She was positioned to run in the direction behind me. Mayor, nervously. hoofing the icy ground. Enfroy! She said once again, a little louder. And then she was off. A breeze pushed past me from the force of the horse

pushing itself immediately into a lope. I watched them disappear on the horizon for just a few seconds before turning back to the dangerous thing. Just as I returned my sight to the direction of the Yeti, it was upon me. I felt its hot breath against my entire face as it roared at me only inches away. The second it raised an arm to greet me with what I was sure would be a horrifying fate.

I covered my head with my arms and fell into a crouch position. And then I was awake. As I still sat in bed, the entire mental encounter remembered. I whispered to the dark and empty room. "'Enfroy?' "'I didn't want to forget the word, "'whatever it might mean. "'After another few moments of calming myself down,

"'I reached my bedside table "'and pushed the on button "'to light up my phone screen. "'The time read three, 57 a.m. "'It would be time to get up and head to the shop soon. "'A shiver radiated through my body "'and hit me how cold I felt. "'S sliding out of bed,

made my way to the bathroom and took a long, hot shower. The rest of the morning was uneventful, with me zoning out most of the time, still trying to make sense of the dream. About mid-afternoon, a young woman who looked to be around my age, walked in and approached the counter. I didn't know her, but she was still familiar because she'd been coming in several times a week for a few months now. She was never very talkative, but seemed sweet and plight. I smiled at her and stood up straight, abandoning my absent-minded doodling on a scrap of paper. She returned the smile and ordered the latte she normally requested. I asked how her day was, and we exchanged very limited small talk. Now, just like the conclusion I'd come to

sometime before, I assumed that she was just a very shy person and felt awkward in public. It was when I sat the drink on the counter and took her cash that she caught me off guard. "'Enfroid, is that your name?' she asked in a voice that hinted at a pleasant surprise. I looked at her, my brows furrowed. "'No,' I shook my head and responded. She had just given me a clue, though. "'It's a name.' The young woman shrugged a little and made a facial expression that matched her answer.

I assumed it was. It's the name of a road, at least. Well, it's more like a long driveway. There's only one person up there. How do you know that? I couldn't deny that I was immediately intrigued by the knowledge this stranger possessed. Um, she hesitated and looked down at the coffee now held in both of her hands. I could see her biting the inside of her lip as she worked to find the word.

After nine or ten seconds of silence, she took a breath through her mouth and spoke without looking up at me. I delivered the newspaper. The road is on my route, and they're one of my customers. I... Actually, I met your brother before. Realisation hit me, and I felt my heart sink deeper into my chest. You're the one that first saw one of those creatures. She looked up at me and nodded quietly. Standing before me was someone I hadn't even thought about through the entire ordeal. Scott said she had been so terrified that night.

How many people beside myself had forgotten about her experience? Sure, she wasn't missing, and she was still alive, but she'd still encountered one of those things at a close proximity. I stepped from behind the counter and wrapped her in a big hug. My body tense from the shock, but then relaxed after a second. She removed a hand from her coffee and hugged me back. I stepped from her and saw that she had tears in her eyes. Your brother was really nice to me.

I wish there could have been something more for me to do to help. I know it's only wishful thinking, but I just wonder if I could have done. anything, she said. I smiled at her. There might be something you can do now. I led behind the counter and offered her a seat on one of the stools that Dana and I kept back there for slow times when our feet needed a rest. After properly introducing myself and learning that her name was Jesse, we spent the next half hour talking about where Enfroy Lane was and the single house on it. I didn't realise how easy to talk to she was until after she'd left, but it was surprising how comfortable her presence made me. She was open to telling me her story in her own words, and I found myself remembering how Scott had explained it a year before.

Before she left, we exchanged numbers, and she assured me that she would still be in at least a couple of times a week. It turns out, she started coming to my little coffee shop specifically because I'm not. I'd owned it. Although too shy to say anything until now, she still returned, not only in hopes of overcoming her hesitation to speak to me, but also because she really did love my coffee. On my next day off, Thursday, I planned on going out to the lone house on Enfroy Lane. I wasn't sure what I would find, or what I was even really looking for, but I had to try something, anything. I just hope that I wouldn't upset who lived there too much. The drive took me north of town, past the main road to the mountain itself, and to a driveway that I almost missed. It wasn't quite

a quarter of a mile long, but it was close to it, making me understand why it might have its own name. If you didn't know it was a driveway, it'd be easy to think it was a road with several houses on it. The driveway itself came to a dead end at a relatively modest looking house. It was a single-story home with a large garage attached to the left side. The outside of it was covered in brown wood panelling that gave it an earthy and relaxed look. I stopped my car and opened the door to hear loud barking before I could even see a dog. I closed my door and stood next to my car, unsure of approaching the house now. The dog sounded large and angry.

I didn't want to make a wrong move and get eaten by whatever breed it might be. The front door opened and a hulking mass of fur bounded through the entryway and towards me. I flattened my back against the car and fell around blindly, trying to find the door handle without looking. I was sure this beast was going to devour my face. It was in front of me in mere seconds, sniffing at my feet and my legs, before rising up on its hind legs and pinning me to what should have been my safe metal box of protection. With two giant front paws on my shoulders, it was eye level with me. I held my

breath and shut my eyes tight, waiting to feel the hot breath and teeth sinking into my flesh. I felt the humid air from its mouth, but never felt the sting of my skin being ripped into. Instead, a large pink tongue began to drag itself up my cheek over and over. I opened one eye and then both, and pulled my face back, trying to get the dog breath away from my nose. Frost! I heard a voice bellow from a short distance away. The giant canine ceased the slobbery assault on my face, but didn't get down, keeping me still pinned to my car. I craned my neck and peered in the chest.

direction of the speaker. In the doorway of the home stood a man whose size matched that of his dog. From what I could see, he had broad shoulders and thick arms. My first impression was that of a stereotypical lumberjack, right down to the plaid shirt he wore. The dog turned its head to look at its master. The man hollered again. Let the last down, you big old. The liquor obliged and two front paws thudded onto the ground in front of me. With a huff, the beast plodded back to the man who turned his gaze to meet mine. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I stammered out.

The man let out a hearty laugh and waved an arm to gesture me to approach him. Oh, nonsense. Come on in! He spoke with a smile. I cautiously stepped away from the car and walked towards the open door. The man stepped aside and let me in first, followed by the dog and then him himself. He shut the door behind him before speaking once more. This is Frost.

Yeah, his size is daunting, I know, but his heart's just as big at his body. He's one of those gentle giants. I looked at the dog, who sat and looked back at me. His mouth dropped open, and he smiled in that special way only happy dogs can. He's definitely a giant You've got that right little lady He's an Alaskan Malamute I rescued him when he was just a pup

That had to be damned here eight years ago now He stood next to the cheery face mass of fur And I'm Frederick Harker Who might you be I don't assume a salesperson Since you have nothing with you And they don't usually come this far out No, I'm not selling anything.

My name's Coramiller, and I'm actually here because of your road name. Frederick gave me a puzzled look. Road name. Arnfroy. Yes, I nodded. It's a long story, but I was wondering what that word means, and I can't seem to find anything out about it. Ah, sit down.

Would you like something to drink? He motioned to a couch. I shook my head and sat down. He disappeared into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a glass of water and a plate of colourfully frosted cookies. He held the plate to me, offering one. Thank you, I responded and took a cookie. He set the plate on the coffee table in front of us and took a seed in a chair adjacent to the couch. I bit into the cookie and tried to keep from crumbs forward.

Frederick smiled warmly and said, No worries about the crumbs, dear. Frost is not only a dog, but also an excellent vacuum. At the mention of his name, the dog trotted over and sniffed towards the table, before settling down with his head underneath it. So, you want to know about Ornfroy? He said more as a statement than a question.

I nodded, and he searched my expression with his eyes. Okay, then. Arnfroy is a surname. It's linked to the Vikings of Normandy. My great-grandmother's name was Aunt Frey, but once she married, the name fizzled out. It's not a very common name in the world anymore. It seems like the original family is all but disappearing slowly.

He mused. What do you mean? I asked, finishing my cookie. Well, the Arn-Froy name is gone from this corner of the world. And Hogan is pretty much gone as well, he began to explain. Seeing my confused expression, he continued. Way back when the Ornfroy ancestors came to settle here. It was more than just one family.

A brother and a sister, along with each of their separate families, came to live in these mountains. The brother was a Hogan, and the sister, after becoming married, was an Ornfrey. Why aren't there any Onfries in the history books? I asked him, curious as to if there was information about the Hogan's helping shape the town, why not the other side of that same family? Frederick frowned, simply because there were no on friars that aided in the building of this area, at least not officially.

I could sense some hesitation from him, as if he knew something, but wasn't keenly on sharing the information to outsiders, as if it was a family secret. I made up my mind on the spot and took a leap of faith. Frederick, I'm going to tell you something that might sound a little crazy. Crazy? The man laughed. Okay, tell me.

I took a deep breath and readjusted my position on the couch to sit up straighter. I'm sure you remember the tragedies of last year. I paused and he nodded in response. well the police officer that disappeared was my brother Scott I avoided his eyes at this point because I didn't want to see the sympathy that everybody had when they found this out it was just too painful still I continued on rambling off everything I knew my talk with Mr Hanson my search for stopping the Yetis my dream of the woman named ear all the while Frederick listened intently without interrupting When I finished I sat still for a few seconds, eyes fixed on the door before finally looking to him. His eyes were on me and his brow was slightly furrowed. We sat in silence for a full minute before he stood up wordlessly and left the room. Frost lifted his head to watch his master retreat but didn't get up.

Upon walking back to his chair, my burly host had a glass on the table in front of him. front of me and filled it halfway with a dark liquid, then picked it back up and pushed it into my hands. Red wine. Drink it. I think we might both need more than just a glass. Maybe it's not as cliche, but I always preferred a big glass of this stuff to bourbon. His explanation surprised me a little. As a large human who fit the image of a mountain man, I surely wouldn't expect him to have wine over anything else, especially bourbon or whiskey. I took a sip of the warming room temperature liquid while he sat back in his chair. When he noticed my look of surprise at his preference, he smiled once again, but his eyes told a different story. I was expecting you to laugh or call me

insane, I admitted to him. He shook his head and took a long drink from the glass he poured for himself. No, ma'am, you won't get that from me. In fact, I'm going to give you something else entirely. My family has guarded this secret for many generations, but now I feel like, if I hold it from you, it could be dangerous, especially with what's going on in our fair little town, and the fact that it seems you've been picked by a goddess to help. A goddess!

I almost choked on the wine. Oh, yes. Frederick let out his hearty laugh once more. Ayer is a Viking goddess. She was mainly a healer, but was also helpful to warriors that she saw in need. I think it's safe to assume that she sees you as one of these warriors. I looked at him incredulously, but I've never been in a battle.

I've never even been in a fight. No matter. You're still a warrior in today. You're trying to battle the Yetis, or at least learn how. I can't tell you exactly, but I do want to share what I know. With this, he finished his glass of wine in an impressive gulp and refilled it, then offered the bottle to me. I held out my glass, and he replaced what I have drunk from it.

All right, Miss Cora, you're about to know what almost no one else does. You already know that the Hogan's and Ornfroes were once of the same family and they both moved here. The Ormfoy specifically consisted of a mother, originally a Hogan, a father, three children, and the father's mother. While the Hogan's were comprised of a mother, father, a young son, and a teenage daughter. Shortly after moving here and settling into their new home, the immigrants discovered, they were not alone. There were monsters that lived on the mountains and amongst the trees. Battles between the two groups became common and it seemed there was no end in sight. One night, a creature stole into the camp and attempted to kidnap the Hogan mother.

Being of Nordic temperament, the daughter rushed to aid her mother alongside her father. In the skirmish, the mother was saved. But once the battle subsist, decided, it was discovered that the daughter had been taken instead. This broke both families' hearts, and a rescue party immediately set out. Two of the three Hogan children remained behind with the two mothers, while the other four left to find the Hogan daughter. They tracked the Yetis for two days before discovering a small lake, high on one of the mountains. It was here that the girl was found.

Yet again, a fight broke out when they attempted to leave with the girl. lives on both sides were lost but in the end the hogan girl her young brother and the onfrey father survived and made the trek back to their home here frederick paused to take another long pull from his glass he swallowed hard before continuing when they returned a massacre was discovered it appeared that all lives were lost but crying was heard from a distance One of the children, a small boy, was found hiding in the hollow trunk of a large tree. He had run and hidden after the attack commenced. He was badly injured, but alive. The Yetis backed off at that point, leaving the remaining members of the families to heal and try to go on with their lives. After a few months, it became clear that the girl was pregnant. She hadn't spoken much about what happened when she was gone.

but finally admitted to the others that she had been raped and carried an abomination inside her. No matter how harsh she tried, the baby would not die in her womb. They all agreed and planned to kill it the moment it took a breath in the world. That didn't happen, however. The night the child was born, the Yeti's returned to claim their progeny. Perhaps it was a mother's instinct, or the bond a woman shares with something she grew inside her. but she refused to give up the baby and she couldn't bring herself to destroy it either. It looked like her, not like a monster.

They gave up that night, but returned a year later. When one of the creatures went to kill her, it was stopped in its tracks by an angry scream from the child itself. The Yeti's retreated, and life again went on. Over the next few years, the Enfroy Fires, The father succumbed to an illness and died, living his young son, the two remaining Hogan's, and the of human baby, to continue on their own in the world. When the child was old enough to walk and talk, he told his family of a dream he had in which

the winter god, Ulur, showed a ritual to fend off the beasts. It was a simple task of marking trees with runic symbols and hanging metal items among the branches. The key element was the child's blood though. Each ruin had to be anointed with a drop of the hybrid blood in order to seal the magic. So they began performing the ritual each year at the beginning of winter. I was transfixed with his tail and when he finished and leaned back in his chair, again finishing a glass of wine, I realized that I hadn't moved a muscle during his telling of the story. I looked down at my glass and sipped the dark red liquid, trying to wrap my head around all the details. When I looked back to him, he had a sad smile on his face

and was scratching frost behind the ear. But what happened after that? Well, the Hogan line continued through the child. Yeti blood continually passed off, although diluted with each generation, It still seemed to work just fine in keeping those things out of our lives. The Enfroy line continued as well, obviously. The town of Juniper was born and grew. He answered without looking at me. But the legends... But the legend says that men from Juniper helped fight the Yetis.

And what about the Hogan brother that survived? Did he not have a family? Questions spilled from my lips. Although a fantastic tale, He gave me the answer I had been looking for, but I was still curious about the others. Oh, the people of Juniper did help one year when the ritual wasn't performed on time. It was an early winter, and the first snow caught everyone off guard. They helped fight back the creatures so the ritual could be performed.

The Hogan son aided the men in the battle while his mother did the ritual. The original Hogan brother did begin a family, and had a daughter. his branch of the family ending with her when she married. No one is really sure where the family line ended up living as the daughter moved away with her husband shortly after marrying. Frederick looked up at me and I could see the distress in his eyes. Do you understand why you can't get rid of the Yetis though? I nodded slowly.

There's no one left with the proper blood. The only people with the Yeti blood in their veins no longer live here. A person. He corrected, then explained. Charles Hogan passed away in a nursing home a few months ago. That only leaves Richard, who not only lives up to his nickname, but it also is nowhere to be found. I raised an eyebrow at his comment without saying anything.

The typical nickname for Richard is Dick, and that he is. Have you ever met the man? He asked me. I shook my head. No, but something tells me I don't want to. We sat in silence for a moment while I finished my wine and had another cookie. The ritual was simple enough, and I believed anyone could probably perform it. But with the Hogan line gone, there was no blood to seal it.

I stayed with Frederick for another couple of hours, talking and brainstorming. The conversation turned to more light-hearted topics, and I found that I really enjoyed his company. When I had to leave, he told me to come back and visit any time I wanted. Frost walked me to my car, and I promised to bring him some treats next time I came. As I drove back into the Juniper Limits, the sky was dark, and my thoughts were focused on how I could do anything to help my town. I didn't have Yeti blood in me, and I didn't know how to get any. Would I be able to cut one of those things to steal some blood?

That thought in itself seemed preposterous, but I felt like I had no other option. I stopped at the coffee shop on my way and chatted with Dana for a moment while making a latte for myself. I didn't stay long, and almost the moment I returned home, I found myself finishing the cup of coffee and running a hot bath to relax it. I felt drained and frustrated. After the bath, I fell asleep to snow, beginning to lightly fall outside my window, and a question in my mind repeating over and over, how do you find and kill a Yeti? The following morning brought the horrid news of the campers going missing during the night.

If I ever entertained the thought of not trying to do something to prevent the monster attacks, those thoughts are gone now. I have to do something. My brother would have done anything to save his beloved town, and the people who live and visited. Just a while ago, I texted Jessie and told her to be careful out there at night. She responded that she always is and asked if I found anything out. I told her I had, and next thing I knew, she was walking into the shop. I made a seeceitial latte on the house, and led her to the office to fill her in. I explained to her that I was going to try and find

one of the monsters so I could take its blood. How are you going to find one? she asked me. I really don't know, but I have to try. Too many lives has been lost, or destroyed by those things already. I replied. All right, I'm in, she said in a determined voice. I didn't want to bring harm to her, and felt she'd already dealt with these things enough, as once was more than enough for any person. But I couldn't help but smile and not.

Are you sure? I asked her. She nodded curtly. Yes, I'm sure. So, now I sit here. The sun is set early, like it does on winter days, and the air outside is cold, but it's not snowing. The storm is rolling in soon, though. But for now, I prepare for a different kind of storm. Jesse and I are going yeti hunting tomorrow.

I just hope we don't die. The Yeti hunt was almost unsuccessful. I say almost because we didn't find any Yetis, but we did find something else. Remembering my dream and what Frederick had told me, Jesse and I set out to the lake at the top of Winter Rock Mountain. We accessed it from the back side of the mountain, after determining that the only road that neared it was there. It was hardly travelled.

and looked like, if left alone for a year, it would disappear back into nature. The road didn't go the entire way to the lake, and we had to hike the last mile on foot. Jesse was sure to bring the shotgun she kept for protection, while I brought the hunting rifle that had been scots. We trekked through the woods, and when we emerged from the trees, I saw that spread before was the lake I'd been standing on in my dream. The surface of ice didn't look as thick as in my dream, but that didn't matter as we wouldn't be walking on it. We began to circle around the water, searching for any sign of monsters. When we found strange tracks in the snow, I figured we were in the right place. The tracks themselves were similar to those a human's bare feet would make, but the toes were unnaturally long and wide, and there was no place for an arch, as if the creatures were.

that made them were flat-footed. At first there were just a few, but as we followed them, they increased in number, and it became more difficult to tell what direction they were headed to. We followed as best we could, and came upon a small cabin-type structure. It looked as if it had been made in a hurry. Logs that made up walls showed gaps, and the metal roof didn't seem to quite fit the structure properly, being too long on one side and just barely covering the house on the other. It also appeared that the roof was actually a myriad of different metal sheets instead of one uniform type and colour. There were no windows that we could see from the front of the building, and the door was nothing more than a simple plank of wood pushed up against the entryway

from the outside. There were no hinges attaching the piece to the house itself, but it was held in place be a large tree limb that crossed it horizontally in the centre. What the hell is this? Jesse asked aloud. I shook my head in a silent response and tentatively stepped to the ramshackle cabin and knocked. Hello? I called through the wood. Is anyone in there? I heard shuffling sounds in response and then a bang resounded from the opposite side of the plank. muffled voices that didn't quite penetrate the barrier accompanied the now rhythmic knocking. I couldn't tell what they were saying, but the voices sound panicked.

Without a word, Jesse joined me at the door, we began pushing the thick limb out of its place across the door. With grunts from both of us, we managed to get it up high enough to drop it to the ground, unlocking the cabin. I pried my fingers around. the side of the tall plank of wood and pulled it down, learning it fall on top of the limb that had held it closed. We were greeted by a man holding onto the inner wall as if it were the only thing keeping him standing. Jesse and I glanced at each other, then back into the cabin. Who are you? Are you okay? I blurted out. The man nodded and let his body slowly slide to the floor. I stepped inside the cabin and saw in a glance that the inside didn't look any better than

the outside. I focused on the man now sitting against the wall. As I crouched down to his level, Jesse walked past me and into the room. The man's lips were dry, chapped and cracking, and when he tried to speak, a raspy voice barely more than a whisper came out. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a bottle of water out of the backpack that I carried. and opened it, offering it to his lips. He drank greedily, and shaky arms reached up to hold it on his own. From somewhere a little farther into the cabin, Jesse called me, Cora, Cora, come quick!

I whipped my head around to look in her direction. I saw another person, a woman, in similar shape as the man in front of me. I stood up as he continued to drink from the bottle. working to drain it as rapidly as he could. Jesse was following my lead and had the woman taking sips from one of the bottles she'd brought. Unlike the man, the woman seemed in a daze

and couldn't gulp the liquid steadily. Between drinks, she would call out as if asking for rescue, not seeming to actually realise that we were here. The man dropped the empty bottle to the floor beside him and pushed against the wall, steadying himself as he stood. I turned to look at him. Whoa, careful. You're obviously pretty weak.

Are the two of you the campers that went missing? I asked, hoping they weren't more people missing. He nodded and made his way toward Jesse and the woman, holding onto the wall with each weak step. I followed him, ensuring he didn't fall down. And when we stood next to Jesse and his companion, I gave him another bottle of water and an energy bar that I had absent-mindedly shoved into the pack. I retrieved another bar and handed it to Jesse for the woman. After waiting for the two missing people to strengthen themselves with food and water, Jesse and I helped them both to their feet and began making our way to the door.

Wait! The woman whispered loudly. I looked at her with a questioning expression. She pointed to the corner of the cabin behind us. What is it? Jesse asked in her sweet voice. The woman just gestured repeatedly towards the corner. I left the man standing against the wall and approached the spot cautiously, worried about what might be there.

Somehow we had missed the brown blanket that was hanging from the ceiling to the floor. I hesitantly reached to it and pulled it back, revealing another small room with two twin beds, one empty and one occupied. The person in the bed was sitting up, facing the wall opposite me, with their legs crossed in front of them. I felt my heart stop when the woman turned her head to look at us. In the darkness of the tiny room, it was difficult to read her expression, but I recognised her features immediately, even as shaded as they were. I'd seen photos of her too many times to not be able to tell that the woman before us was Tessa Murphy, the long-lost snow queen.

I felt the ability to form verbs leave me as I gaped with an open mouth at the sight before me. No, no, no, no, no, no, no ice please. I have a squirrel caged already. She spoke with raspy words. What the hell? I heard Jesse whisper from right behind me. This snapped me back to reality, and I looked over my shoulder at her. Jesse, this is Tessa Murphy, the Snow Queen from last year. My voice was a whisper as words finally came out.

Tessa had turned her head to look back at the wall. I motioned for Jesse to wait at the doorway before beginning to walk towards the kidnapped woman. I stepped carefully, instinctively. not wanting to make too much noise or any sudden movements. I had no idea what this woman had been through, but I did know that it was traumatic, and I didn't want to frighten her. When I stood close enough to touch her,

I called her in as gentle a voice as I could manage. Tessa, can you hear me? She shrugged slowly and nodded her head quickly at the same time. Even though the gestures were a little odd, I took this to mean that she could, in fact, hear me. She didn't turn around or look at me at all, though. Her eyes were fixed on the wall before her. I gingerly stepped around to place myself in front of her,

next to the bed she was seated on. Tessa, we have to get you out of here. Do you know if Scott... I was caught off by my mind blanking once again and making me forget how to speak. Her gaze met mine, and I became the focus. of her sight, but my own attention became fixated on her body, specifically her stomach. It was easy to tell that she had lost weight since being taken, but what was more alarming

was how swollen her belly was. After a few seconds, as if on a delayed timer, Tessa smiled and rubbed her pregnant belly lovingly. Scott, she said, as her smile grew wider. her before her face contorted into an expression of sadness and pain. I didn't know what to say or do. Was this woman telling me that she was carrying my brother's child? I felt I could read the dismal look on her face easily and took it to mean that Scott was gone now.

I was numb at the moment, and the sharp pang in my heart barely registered. Cora, we have to go! Jesse loudly whispered into the room. again breaking through my haze. I looked to her and saw the anxiety clearly on her face. I nodded a single time and told her, Take the other two, start making your way to the car. We're right behind you.

Jesse raised an eyebrow and hesitated, but nodded herself and disappeared from sight. I could hear her helping the two campers get to their feet and make their way to the door. As the noises from their feet receded, I crouched in front of Tessa and looked at her face. She was looking back at me, expectedly, like a child waiting to be told of an assignment.

All right, Tessa, we're going to get you out of here, okay? I need you to take my hand and stand up. Can you do that? I asked her. Tessa nodded with a small smile and shifted to uncross her legs. I stood up and held a hand out to help her to her feet. With a strength that surprised me, she pushed herself off the bed and slid her hand into mine, into locking our fingers. I returned her smile, but felt tears welling up in my eyes. This grown woman seemed to have reverted back into just a child.

But not only was she like a kid now, she had one growing inside of her as well. I shook my head slightly and blinked, ridding the moisture from my eyes. I needed to concentrate right now and worry about everything else later. Tessa and I made our way out of the cabin easily, quicker than I heard Jesse and the campers leave. I led her the entire way, trying to keep a steady pace but also not move too fast that she couldn't keep up or fall down. I guided her around the lake, following the tracks Jesse and the others have made. I saw them slip into the tree line just to see them. as it came into view.

I constantly scanned the landscape, waiting for a group of Yetis to rush into view and attack, but none came. In fact, no sounds other than our own could be heard until we caught up with the other three. Jesse had stopped to let the weak couple catch their breath and prepare themselves for the last half of a mile to the car. As the five of us began continuing our hike down the mountain and to safety,

Tessa started laughing like a five-year-old getting to ride her first pony. She still clutched my hand tightly, not seeming to want to let it go, but walked about a step behind me. I glanced back at her then to Jessie, how confused faces mirroring one another. In an instant, the confusion we both felt turned to terror, as branches cracking and pounding steps began to, and softly sounding through the forest from the direction of the cabin.

We ushered the three we had saved onwards. The man and woman with Jessie pushed themselves to move as rapidly as possible, no doubt wanting to get the hell off winter rock as soon as they could. Tessa sped up with me, but also continued to laugh and giggle. The unmistakable sounds of Yetis chasing us through the trees grew louder and closer. We had less than half a mile to go though, and I mentally begged our bodies to be able to get there in time. From behind us, it sounded like entire trees were being knocked asunder, and branches were being ripped from the trunks with a brute and angry force.

I tugged gently on Tess's hands, and she skipped a couple of times. None of this could be good for the baby she carried. The end of the trail came into view, and with it the sedan I drove. It would be a tight fit, but we could all make it. I shoved my hand into the pocket of my jacket, and yanked the keys from their place inside, slamming my thumb into the unlock button multiple times to be sure all the doors unlocked. It was overkill, but I was too scared to care. Jesse opened one of the back doors, and guided first the man.

Then the woman inside, before climbing in herself. As she did that, I pulled open the passenger door. Tessa, get in the car, I demanded. Then, realizing I needed to be gentle with her, I added, Please. Tessa let go of my hand and clapped hers together while looking back into the evergreens we had just emerged from. She laughed loudly, and I followed her gaze to see movement in the distance,

barreling towards us. Tessa, now! My firm tone made her flinch, but she nodded and took her seat in the car. I shut the door once she was in and ran to the driver's side, almost flinging myself in, positioning the rifle next to my knee

and shifting the car into drive before I shut the door. I used a small clearing to flip the car around and began accelerating down the mountain quicker than I normally would have. I was big on safe winter driving, but right now I needed to be big on getting us all to safety. Jesse, I said while glancing in the rearview mirror at her. She looked at me and waited for what I had to say. In about a mile, I'm going to stop the car and I need you to jump in my seat and take them to the hospital. What the fuck? No, Cora, just drive to the hospital yourself, she exclaimed.

I have to go back and get the blood. I need to kill one of those things. My voice raised a bit as I half pleaded, half demanded. Please. The woman from the back spoke in her low, weakened voice. Cora, we were lucky enough to find these three and get the hell out of there before the Yetis came down us. These two need to get to the hospital, ASAP, and I'm sure crazy pants up there does too. Don't stop until we get there.

The Yetis aren't going anywhere. We can come back for that shit. Consider this changing officially to a rescue mission. Jessie's voice was firm, and I knew she was right. My blood boiled, though, and my adrenaline was screaming at me to not only get the Yeti blood, but to avenge my brother. Tessa giggled once more, and began whispering in a sing-song voice. Crazy pants, crazy pants, silly little seat.

I rolled my eyes, annoyed with knowing I needed to do the right thing. Oh, fine, I said, and I felt a collective sigh come from the back seat. My front passenger stopped her melodic murmuring and said in a flat voice, Scott, take me home. Scotty, please don't die. Alone, I can't alone. I looked over at her and saw a tear escape her eye and slide down her ashen cheek. I felt my heartbreak into a million pieces, and I reached a handout to squeeze hers, which were

sitting in her lap. She was fidgeting with them, picking her nails and running her fingertips against one another, but stopped when I touched her. Tessa looked at me, not worried about crying like I was. It's okay, Tessa, I'm taking you home. A deep roar reverberated through the forest around us, loud and full enough of bass that we could hear it plainly through the windows and almost feel it in our seats. If we weren't moving, we might have been able to feel it, but the road aided in keeping us from experiencing that. We made it down the mountain, sliding around a few curves before I finally slowed down when I felt like it was safe enough to do so. I think I silently thanked my car for having all-wheel drive at least six times during our trip down.

In half an hour, we were pulling into the drop-off for the emergency room. Jesse and I helped the other three out of the car. I parked while my companion took them inside to get checked in. After shutting off my car, I walked to the doors myself and found Tessa waiting for me at the entrance. She held her hand out to me, again reminding me of a child. I couldn't help but smile to her, however heartbreaking of a smile it was. I took her hand in mind and we walked through the sliding doors and into the intake office. In the following days, the campers were reunited with their friends and made a fairly quick recovery. We asked them not to reveal who we were, as we knew

we still had work to do, and any media or hero-type attention we would get would only hinder that. One of the nurses that works in the maternity ward has been a friend of mine since high school and will give me a heads up on when there were police officers around. They were in and out of the hospital for three days, trying to talk to Tessa, who, although improving physically, wasn't showing any signs of mental improvement. I was informed that her mind had snapped at some point, and she didn't seem to remember much of the time she was gone. Occasionally, she would have lucid moments or just start crying inconsolingly. The baby itself would be born any day, and the doctors were worried for both the child and the mother's health.

They couldn't be sure either would survive, and were baffled at how well they had been surviving thus far. I asked if they could tell any more about the baby, but knew there was no way for them to give me the answer I wanted, at least not yet. The following day was spent in a sort of haze at the coffee shop. Business was slower than usual due to the storm that blew outside. I closed up shop early that day, knowing as the evening approached it would only get worse and the roads were quickly becoming impossible to reverse due to the strong winds creating snowdrifts everywhere. The county snowplows weren't even able to keep up with a constant barrage of white and wind. In the short time Dana and I had the shop open. We caught rumors and reports that the monsters were sighted by several people on the north side of town

and around Winter Rock Mountain. There were no disappearances or attacks, but just their very presence made everyone nervous. After calling it an early day, around 3.30, I returned home and attempted to rid my mind of beasts, blood, and the ache in my heart by finding a movie to curl up to on the couch. I avoided festive holiday movies or anything dealing with monsters or supernatural creatures. I settled on some rom-com, but barely even focused on it. It didn't take me long to fall asleep, still so emotionally drained. I awoke to a dark house illuminated only by the glow of the TV across from me.

Sitting up, I looked out of a window and saw that it was indeed well into the night by now. Grogly, I reached for my phone, which I had set on the coffee table. As I pushed the on button to check the time, I heard a noise from outside that startled me. It was soft, but unnatural, and I tried going over everything in my mind that could be moved by the storm and caused the noise. I came up with nothing, as my heart began to pound. in my ribcage, I stood up and stepped as quietly as possible to where I'd left Scott's rifle by the door. As I picked it up, I stole a look out of the window next to my front door, and saw nothing but the blowing snow of the storm raging outside. It continued making my way around the

house silently, looking through each window until I came to my back door. The backyard was difficult to make out, and I could see that the snow reached the top of my porch, but I was But when straining my eyes, I was able to distinguish dark spots in the storm. The more I looked at them, the easier I was able to see that they were silhouettes standing just inside my fence. It was painfully difficult to get a really good look at the creatures, because their skin was so similar to the snow that covered them, but didn't seem to bother them. I pulled my phone out of the pocket of my sweatshirt, where I'd put it, and quickly opened up

the text to Jesse. I typed as fast as I could, telling her that I thought the Yetis were at my house. As soon as I pressed send, I slid my phone onto the dining table beside me and reached for the doorknob. The deadbolt slid out of place easily, and as I unlocked the knob itself and turned it, I heard the howling wind slamming into every surface it could. The door was thrown from my grasp when I opened it by that revengeful wind and it hit the wall with a loud thud. The air that rushed into the house bit my face and tried to blind me with its sheer force and the snow it carried. A familiar, deep-throated rumble started to sound from the distance and I knew, without even thinking about it, that it was coming from the Yetis who were standing

by the large tree towards a fence. I slipped on the shoes that. I slipped on the shoes that. that were sitting next to the door and positioned the rifle against my shoulder, aimed in the direction of the monsters. I felt my entire body shiver from a combination of the cold and fear, as I took a deep breath and then walked through the doorway to face my enemy. The harsh, constant gusts made it difficult to steady the rifle or see more than a few feet in front of me. Although I could make out the silhouettes, I wasn't sure I could hear it. I wasn't sure I could hit one of them.

It had been a long time since I'd fire a gun, and even longer since it was a rifle. Scott used to take me once a month to the shooting range to practice with pistols, but since he'd been taken, I hadn't even thought about it. Just breathe and squeeze, I whispered to myself. I thought of Scott, of his smiling face, of his dreams that would never come to life, of the person he'd been

and mostly of the person he always thought his little sister was and could be I would be that person for him I would be brave I would save the town I would kill one of those goddamn Yetis if it was the last thing I do No wait I thought to myself Not the last thing I do

I still have to do the ritual as well Give us the child. A voice carried through the storm like it was shot with a catapult. The voice itself was gravelly and deeper than anything I could imagine. Each word was said slowly. Each syllable resounding like the engine of a jet airliner. It took a moment for me to realize that the voice belonged to one of those creatures. During my silent thoughts, the noise that originally sounded to notify me,

that there was something outside, came again, and I saw what it was. One of the Yetis, the one closest to the tree, slammed her hand against the thick trunk. It didn't sound like wood snapping, or the typical thud you might hear if you hit a tree with your own fist. It was more like a loud banging that a heavy door on a mansion might make. It was stifled a little by the weather, but still loud enough to clear. be heard and felt in my bones. The child is gone, I shouted back, not sure of which Hetty spoke. Standing at the edge of my porch, being pounded by the sharp daggers of the icy assault,

I could see that there were at least three of them in my yard ahead of me. I think they were all facing me as well, but even now I couldn't tell you for certain. The child is ours, came the child. a harsh voice once more. I felt like I was frozen in place. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, and, worst of all, I couldn't reach my finger to the trigger.

Do not attempt bravery as the male did. His companion was not worth his insolence. The words repeated in my head over and over, with no doubt in my mind that it was talking about Scott. Did it know that he was my brother? Did it even have the concept of siblings and family? The child is not here. I spoke firmly, determined to stand my ground.

Then bring the woman, give us the queen, it said. Tessa is not here either, and you will not have her. I raised my voice and tried to sound as hard as possible. Instead of the voice coming again, a deafening crack tore through the immediate area. Before I could understand what had happened, a huge limb from my tree slammed into the snow at the end of my porch. I jumped back, narrowly being missed by the object. My porch wasn't as lucky, and the bounce caused from the force of the landing, landed in the snow when I heard the wood of the steps creak and splinter.

I quickly composed myself to take aim once again, leveling the sights of the rifle to the spot I was assuming and hoping would be around the chest of the monster. I wasn't sure if this thing had a heart like a human does, or where exactly it would be located, but I figured the chest was my best bet for bringing it down. Thundering laughter echoed into my ears as I closed one eye and took a slow breath in.

I brace myself for the recoil. On the exhale, I squeezed the trigger. The laughing immediately stopped, and a shout of enraged pain overpowered the ringing in my ears. Shit, it's not dead, I thought to myself, and tried to take aim once more. The Yeties were moving, though, and I couldn't determine just where they were, let alone which one had been one to get hit. I lowered the rifle and focused both eyes into the blowing snow, desperately trying to see. The shout died down, and I was left with only the deaf sensation one gets when shooting a gun without ear protection. Just as I was considering how much of a disadvantage this was, a form appeared a few feet from the end of my porch.

It towered over me, and a long arm stretched forward to grab the tree, limb that had been thrown. I watched in a frozen shock as the limb rose high into the air above the awning of my porch. There was no way I wouldn't be hurt when the monster brought it down onto the roof above me. Even if I managed to not be battered with pieces of my home, surely the limb itself would connect with my body and that would be the end of me. I considered the idea of surviving through that but knew that that wouldn't matter. If I survived, it wouldn't be for long. The Yetis would see to that, especially after I'd just attacked one. While I was pre-optipied with thoughts racing through my mind, I didn't register the hesitation in the creature until the moment had passed.

A loud horn blared from the front of the house, growing louder as my hearing began to return, and the vehicle approached the side of the house, facing the fence from the opposite side. The horn didn't stop, as I watched the gate open, shoved forcefully by Frederick. Frost let through before his master, and began charging through the deep snow.

He wore a harness covered in clanging bells, and they jangled with every movement he made. His long, fluffy fur was bristling, and made him look a big bigger than he already wore. was. Frost stopped when he was standing in front of the porch, between the Yeti and myself. Hey, you ugly brutes! Frederick's boisterous voice fought to be louder than the horn. How about you get the hell out of here before I have to get angry? As he neared me, I saw he was brandishing a long machete in one hand and a large axe in the other. The Yetis gave a low grumble

that felt like an earthquake through my entire being. To my surprise, though, they disappeared into the storm, retreating to wherever it is they spend their time. We all stood without a word for a minute, the only noise coming from the horn still blaring from the front of the house and the intermittent protective growls from frost. When I felt that the creatures had really gone, I turned to my rescuer.

Frederick, how the hell? I was cut off by a raised hand. He looked to his loyal companion, caught him. Hey, Frost, go tell Jesse it's okay. Go see Jesse. He rubbed the dog's chin and pointed to the gate that still stood ajar, held in place by the ever-deepening snow. I watched as a sweet animal bounced through the snow like a kid playing,

big smile and everything. Frederick looked back at me, holding his finger up to tell me to hold on. A few seconds later the horn stopped, and, even with the howling wind, it felt very quiet all of a sudden. Inside, he suggested, gesturing to my back door.

I nodded and led him into the kitchen. Once out of the freezing weather and into the dry warmth of my house, I began to shiver, realizing I was cold and covered in snow. It clunks my hair, my skin and my clothes, but began melting rapidly when exposed to a temperature well above freezing. In the light, I saw Frederick was bundled up in a huge coat and pants that looked like they were repelled water.

His heavy boots thudded against the floor as he strode in and shut the door behind him. He set both of his weapons on the table, and address me. I was already headed over here to find you. Something told me you needed help, and with everything going on, I wasn't about to ignore a gut feeling. Go get dressed and grab whatever you might need.

I think you should come stay with me and frost, at least for tonight, maybe even tomorrow night as well. When he stopped speaking, I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tight. He wrapped his large arms around me, and helped me there while I cried into his chest for a moment. When I felt I could, I sucked in as large a breath as I could and pulled away from him.

He smiled at me, and I nodded, leaving him to go put some better clothes on and pack an overnight back. It took less than ten minutes for me to be prepared to go, making sure to grab my charger, my phone, my purse, an extra two sets of clothes, some toiletries and the right. I shimmied into my heaviest winter coat and we headed out the front door, locking it behind us. Frost was standing next to a big Dodge crew cab pickup truck, and I could see Jesse sitting in the driver's seat. When she saw us, she scooted over to the passenger side. Frederick opened the back door and Frost bounded into the truck with me behind him. Once inside, the door was shut, and Frost immediately laid himself on the seat.

with his head next to me. He licked my cheek once and panted while I rubbed behind his ears. I had never been more grateful for any dog in my life. This massive mound of sweet fur was definitely the best boy around. Jesse looked back at me from the front. Her expression one of concerned relief. You caught me right before I was headed home. The boss called and told us all to go home shortly after I picked up papers. I was planning on turning at the highway junction, when you texted, so instead I headed this way. When you didn't answer my text right away, my anxiety kind of took control, and I called Frederick.

He told me he was already headed out to you, and he picked me up on the way. Gee, I'm glad you're okay. I gave her a small smile. Yeah, all thanks to you three. I don't know what I would have done without you. I was sure I was a goner for a moment there. During the exchange, Frederick climbed into the truck and shifted to reverse. He backed out of my yard and we headed off down the road.

We dropped Jesse off a few blocks away, where she'd parked her small truck at a gas station that wasn't completely drifted over yet. She promised to let us know when she made it home. When we got to Frederick's house, coats were removed and placed on a tall coat rack by the door. Frost stood patiently until Frederick removed the noisy heart. and then settled over by the wood-burning stove. I was shown to the guest room and told to make myself at home. Exhausted, I had planned on turning in soon after arriving.

Frederick and I said good night to each other, and I thanked him over and over for coming to my rescue and saving my life. We agreed we would talk about what happens once we both got some well-needed rest. Oh, and I have some sort of. something to show you. I think it will solve all of our problems. He told me as I plugged my phone into the charger. Really? What is it? I asked him. Very curious as to what could be the fix-all. Tomorrow. For now, just get some rest. You need it. And with that, he gave me a smile. I walked down the hall to his own bedroom. I ended up staying with Frederick for more than just

one or two days. The day after I was brought to his house, we both returned to my home with the intention of him just taking me home. When we arrived though, we found a horrifying mess. The windows in the back door were broken, along with a window on the side of the house. The door itself was open as well. Leaves and branches held the door ajar, and I opened the door all of the way to see the tree that once stood tall and strong in my backyard. And I opened the door all the way to see the tree that once stood tall and strong in my backyard was now uprooted,

the very top of it lying on my porch as if it was trying to get to safety just as I had. After Frederick saw the scene of herbicide that my eyes were glued to, he suggested I stay with him for a little longer. I didn't even have to consider it. and agreed that that would be best. Before our trip to my house,

he treated me to some French toast and a non-descript wooden box. He was about a foot long and almost as wide with a sliding lid. When he pulled the lid from its place, I saw that inside, a top packing straw, was a pocket-sized book with a black leather cover

and a few large vials of dark liquid. Without touching anything, I looked up at Frederick, with a questioning expression. He proceeded to explain that he'd managed to get in touch with Richard Hogan. He was a total prick about it too and refused to come back to help.

It was a pain just trying to get him on the phone. No matter what I told him though, he kept telling me he would never return to Junip. After arguing our case for half an hour, he did agree to send something that he said would help. and he promptly demanded I never contact him again. The book details the ritual, including sketches of the ruins we need to carve into the trees. The vials, there's three of them, all contain his blood.

When we run out, though, we have to find another way. Frederick explained to me. All the while, I'm sure my eyes were wide as sources. There's enough here to last a few years at least. it looks like. Maybe after that we can consider the child again, I offered, letting out a sigh. Frederick nodded and returned the lid to the box. We finished our breakfast and went to find the shocking state of my house. Over the next few days, the Yetis made sure their presence was known. They walked the streets at night, destroyed decorations and chateowed windows of shops that made up

the majority of the north end of town. I haven't mentioned it before, but the northern end of town is made up of mostly stores, restaurants, and, well, a couple of bars. There's also a railroad station just past the commercial area, and then just past that. There are more homes, and a few more stores and businesses. That section, after the railroad station, is the closest to the mountain. All of these homes were terrorized in some way. Christmas had been less than a week before, and some people still had their decorations and lights up. By the time the Yetis were ready to move to the shops and businesses in town,

no home had anything festive left where it had originally been placed. Strings of lights were smashed and torn, thrown in yards, across streets and alleys. Reiths and garlands were torn to shreds. Snowmen were pummeled, a piles of snow that made everyone's heartbreak, little to look at. Nothing was safe, especially if it dealt with the holiday season. The last day of the year came, and New Year's Eve parties in Juniper were so scarce that, if you didn't know what day it was, there was nothing else to indicate a day of celebration. Frederick and I spend the evening inside with warm drinks, movies, and frost, who took to curling up at the end

of the couch opposite to where I usually said. We were all born. We were all born. perched in what had become our typical spots when my phone rang. I picked it up from where I sat on the coffee table and answered it after glancing at a number I didn't recognize. Hello? I greeted the caller. Hey Corr, it's Rachel. The woman on the other end answered. She sounded exhausted, but that could easily be attributed to her work as a nurse at the hospital. Rachel, how are you? I asked. Tessa had the baby, a healthy little girl. She didn't make it, though. Rachel's voice falters, as it sounded like she was choking back tears.

Tessa passed away during the birth. I thought you'd want to know. Yes, wow. Thank you, Rachel. I don't know what to say, I answered. My mind suddenly going blank, voiding itself from everything else. in the world. I have to go. We had a couple of wrecks come in recently. Seems like the monsters are causing more problems than alcohol tonight. I just thought I'd take a moment to call you

right quick. The nurse explained hurriedly. Yeah, of course. Thank you and good luck. I responded, and I hung up the phone without waiting to see if she had anything else to say. I held my phone numbly in my lap and stared in front of me. Not really seen. seeing the table or the floor. What happened? Frederick's voice wafted like a distant melody through my ears.

I shook my head to clear it and looked at him. The yetis are causing car wrecks. And Tessa died in childbirth. His face dropped in sadness and he didn't say anything. Frost, sensing the melancholy

state my heart was now in, nozzled his snout under my elbow and wiggled until his head was in my lap. I gave the dog a small, teary smile, and ran my hand over his head and buried my fingers into his fur when they reached his neck. His big brown eyes looked up at me from his position. At they go of my phone and let him lick my palm, rubbing his snout while he did. What about the baby? Frederick asked after giving me a moment. Rachel said it's a healthy baby girl, I answered, taking my eyes off of frost. Do you want to go see her?

The unexpected question caused me to look up and not. Yeah, I think I'd like that. In half an hour we were pulling up to the hospital. I noticed that there were a couple of police SUVs parked near the ER entrance, and I also recognized Tessa's husband's car in the lot. I pointed both out to Frederick and he asked if I wanted him to come in with me. Yeah, please, if you wouldn't mind, it was my answer. He squeezed my hand gently before exiting the truck.

He walked around to my side and helped keep me from falling on the ice as we made our way inside. I knew where Tessa's room had been and immediately began leading Frederick down the hallways to it. When we entered the maternity ward and neared the nurse's station, Rachel greeted us with a sad expression. In the room right now saying goodbye, she advised me. I nodded. What about the baby? She walked from behind the station and gestured for us to follow her.

We were taken to the large window that showed the nursery and the recent additions to the world. Rachel pointed out a small bundle sleeping quietly in the second row, then left us without another word. I gazed on the child and felt my heart swell. with a tinkle of joy and pain. She was beautiful. I glanced at Frederick and saw that he was smiling wide.

I made a mental note asking why he had never had children of his own. Cora? A female voice came from behind us. I turned to see Tess's daughter, Vera, approaching us with her father in tow. Vera, John. Rachel told me. I'm so sorry. I stepped towards them and hugged them both in turn.

I could see the redness of John's eyes, indicating he had only recently stopped crying. Vera was still crying and hug me tight. Thank you, Vera said in my ear, before she broke the hug. I nodded and motioned to Frederick. This is Frederick. He's a good friend of mine and was there when I got the call.

My condolences, I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how either of you are feeling right now, he said, offering a hand to John. John shook it with a silent nod before turning his eyes to the floor. Next, Vera shook his hand. Which one is it? Vera asked me. I brought her up to the window and pointed out the new board. She stared at it blankly, while John remained where he stood.

After a couple of minutes in silence, John finally spoke. That child is not ours. Take it. His voice was shaky, but determined at the same time. I caught a hint of anger in his tone. Tessar had said before that her family wouldn't want the baby, and she was right. I realized in that second that she had also been correct in saying that she would die. what my father means is that if you're willing we'd like you to take the child only if you want

i know that's what mum wanted too but i don't want to put this burden on someone who isn't willing or sure of it vera added staring a few seconds more at the baby before looking back at me i don't i mean uh yes what do i have to do i stuttered already having considered it since my conversation with Tessa. I knew that, if it came to it, there was no doubt that I would take the child and raise it. Not only would this give me access to the town-saving Yeti blood, but it would also ensure that the child would grow up with someone who knew what she was, and knew how to protect her. Mom was able to form a will during one of her clear moments. You'd take the baby home when they say it's ready, and we just have some paperwork to complete.

It'll take a few days or so to get everything in order before anything can be signed, but you'd be the one leaving with the child, Vera explained. The surprise in her expression only lasted seconds, before being replaced with one of relief. After agreeing that I would be called when things were ready, John and Vera departed. My heart broke for them. Here it was.

The very night when a new year, year would begin and they'd be starting it with the loss of someone they had just gotten back. Frederick and I didn't stay much longer either. We stopped to talk to Rachel on the way out and I was informed that I could take the baby home on the third, so long as everything continued as it was. Because of the state Tessa had been in, they wanted to be sure there was nothing wrong with the baby before letting it go. I thanked her and promised to return the following day. to visit what would be my child now. As we began walking through the main doors of the hospital,

we heard Rachel call from behind us. Wait, Cora! I stopped just past the door and turned back to her. She jogged towards us, waving something in her hand. Went close enough, she handed me the item, and I saw it was an envelope. I almost forgot. Tessa left that, and it has your name on it.

She panted slightly. I thanked her again, and she walked away. I did the same. Once in the truck, I opened the letter, and Frederick listened intently as I read it aloud. Cora, I truly hope you are the one to care for my child. John doesn't want something that isn't his, and he and Vera could never love this baby.

She deserves love. Please raise her with it. As much as I wish I could say that this was your niece, we both know the truth is, that this child is one that was conceived from an unspeakable act with a monster. No matter. I know she's good and she needs a good life. They tell me that she used to be born on New Year's Eve. I've been calling her Evelyn because of that, Eve for short.

It's up to you, but I would be eternally grateful if she knew that name in some way. I'm sorry about Scott. He was an incredible person and he did so much to try and help me. He wanted you to know how much he loved you. In those last moments, he expressed guilt of and not being able to save me and not being able to be there for you.

You will always be his family and his heart. I wish I could trade places with him for you. I will always be in debt of you, Millers. Thank you, sincerely. Tessa. Frederick wrapped a burly arm around my shoulders, and I cried on his shoulder for a few moments. When I was able to stop and dry my tears,

Frederick put the truck in to drive, and we left the parking lot. On the way back to his house, we discussed when we would visit the hospital the following day. We agreed to go shopping first, seeing as I was about to bring a baby home in just a couple of days. and had absolutely nothing that I would need. He also dropped a bombshell on me that I never would have expected. He asked if I wanted to move in with him,

so I wouldn't be alone in raising the baby. I told him I'd have to think about it and give him an answer by the time the baby was to be brought home. It was almost 11 by the time we returned to the house, but I texted Jessie just to let her know the baby had been born. She took a while to answer, but when she did, she asked if she could stop by before she headed to get her papers. I told her that was fine, and in half an hour she was knocking on the door.

Frederick answered and led her to the living room, where we'd been seated once again. I explained her the situation with the child and the Hogan package, as Frederick read through the notebook Richard had sent. If the baby comes on the third, maybe we should get the ritual done as soon as possible then. Jesse said, once I finish filling her in. I agree, Frederick chimed in. I nodded. Yes, I think that would be the best. I don't want those things coming after the child,

and if we can keep them out of the town, we need to do it as soon as we can. It's going to be a big responsibility, you know. Jesse said. I wasn't sure if she was talking specifically about raising the baby or performing the ritual year after year from now on. Either way, she was right. At the end of the book, there's a warning, Cora.

Frederick spoke before I had a chance to answer Jesse. It talks about the first hybrid child being difficult and... Holy crap. We both looked at him and asked in unison, What? Um, I think. At least, it seems like this was actually written by that child himself. As an adult, I'm sure, but this passage here talks about the issues in first person.

Give me a second. He moved the notebook a little closer to his face, as his eyes intently scanned each line. Jesse and I looked at each other with shocked expressions. I'm not sure why, but we had never even considered the possibility that the first yet a human had left any written documentation of any sort. Let me read you this. He cleared his throat and read from the passage. Not being entirely human makes for a difficult life, but not impossible.

The dark impulses that try to ensnare me can be pushed away. I have dedicated my entire life and being to making Juniper a town of growth and love. In my younger years, it was discovered that I do not fall ill or undergo physical ailments or injuries as do those around me. I was not impervious, but I also spent no time with doctors or healers until I was coming of age. My 17th year brought a flu unlike any known to mankind. I was plagued with illness and feverish visions. In these visions my true father caught me, and appeal to my monster nature.

When I felt myself begin to slip away and yearn for the mountains, which half of my lineage resides in, I was pulled back by the warmth and unwavering love and determination of my mother, the one person in this world that should hate me the most. Those of us who have this monster blood in our veins need to understand that in order to remain on the proper course. We must have that connection to our human life. side. We must feel more strongly drawn to the world of men rather than the world of demons and

creatures. It is my wish that those in my line remember this, and understand that, although we are stubborn and prone to mischief, we are also capable and worthy of so much more. The three of us sat quietly, soaking up the words and meaning for a few minutes. Wow, I muttered. You cut that straight, but I have a question, Jesse said. Hmm? I asked. She looked to Frederick and spoke. Who was the first Snow King? The one that the legend speaks of.

If the first Hogan father died, then how could he become crowned by townspeople? It's something that's just been on my mind off and on that just doesn't add up to me. A small smile crossed his face as he responded. Simple. He wasn't the one crown. The Snow King was also the first Yeti human cross. Jesse nodded, her loose end tied up. So, our town was built by gods and monsters? I let out a laugh.

It would seem so. We spent a few more minutes musing over the information and making plans before Jesse had to leave. When we retired to bed that night, I felt confident that we would be able to enact our plan the following day and be rid of the giant pest before I had a baby to take care of. The morning and early afternoon were fairly uneventful. Frederick and I went to a few stores and stocked up on baby supplies

and a couple of books that I thought could help me with my new motherhood role. After we were both pleased with a plethora of diapers, clothing, toys, formula and other items I thought we would need, we went to the hospital. Although I couldn't take her home yet, I was able to go into the nursery and hold the tiny baby for a while. I sat in a chair they had and rocked her gently back and forth in my arms. She hadn't come out of my body, but I couldn't deny that I already had a very protective feeling for her. She slept most of the time, but for a few minutes her little eyes opened and I saw there were a soft shade of blue, with a faint undertone of grey. Oh, she was beautiful.

Around one in the afternoon, we were back at Frederick's house, preparing for our journey and waiting for Jessie to arrive. Once she had, we all piled into Frederick's truck, and drove to my house for me to grab the rifle and some extra ammo. In our brief trip there, I saw that the window had been fixed and the door had been replaced. The back porch was still being worked on, but being New Year's Day, the company I'd hired was off for the day. While standing in the kitchen, looking at the repairs thus far, I considered Frederick's offer. It would definitely be helpful.

I didn't know the first thing about raising a child and taking care of a baby. Not to mention this was no regular child. It would also give me some more space, as my house was pretty small, with one actual bed. room and an office area that was barely big enough for a desk and chair. Although the backyard was a good size, the room inside the house left much to be desired. But could I do that to him? I wasn't sure if he dated, and if he did, what would anyone he brought home think about a friend and her baby living with him? Did he even date? I couldn't think of him mentioning anyone in his life in a romantic capacity, but he was in his forties and unmarried.

I shrugged to myself and left the kitchen to gather some more clothes from the bedroom and the extra ammo from the whole closet. As I rummaged through my dresser and threw items unceremoniously into a duffel-bank, I caught a glimpse of the backyard through the window that faced it. Aside from the uprooted tree still in the process of being broken down into more manageable pieces, there was something back there that my mind couldn't immediately process. I was frozen in place when I realized what I was looking at. My breath caught in my chest.

My heart felt like it was covered in ice. Atop the back fence was a horrid face, pale and snarling. Two clawed hands gripped the fence on either side of its face, and I got the impression that it was crouching while peering over. Did the Yeti send a scout or something to keep an eye on my house? I bit my tongue to jolt the rest of my body into action. I didn't think it had seen me, but I didn't want to risk it. I needed to get out of there quickly and hopefully continue to be unseen

so we could get on with a task at hand. I slowly grab the duffel bag, gripping the opening tight and zipping it up as I exited the room. I grabbed the two extra boxes of ammo and shoved them on top of my clothes before I slid the zipper all the way closed. The strap on the bag was swung onto my shoulder and in one swift motion I snatched up the rifle and opened the front door. I switched the knob to be locked

before shutting it and hurrying to the truck. When I threw open the passenger door, I jumped in carefully and handed my bag between the seats to Jesse to be stored on the floorboard. I positioned the rifle between my knees as I shut the door and yanked the seatbelt across my body. Go, I demanded in a flat voice. Frederick looked at me with a questioning gaze, but didn't hesitate to back out of my driveway and leave the house. From the back, Frost stuck his nose between the window and seat, touching my right shoulder.

What's wrong? Jesse asked when we were a block away. There was one of them watching from the back fence. I don't think it saw me, but I can't be sure. I explained, shaking my head. Shit. Do you think they've been watching you everywhere? Her voice suddenly became worried. I don't think they've been at my house.

I'm sure we would have seen some sign of them, and Frost would have gone crazy, Frederick answered. Hearing his name, Frost moved his face to between the drivers and passenger seats. A big smile on his face, the bells on his harness, jingling lightly with his movements. He looked to his master, mouth open and panting happily. Frederick smiled at the dog and removed his right hand from the steering reel to scratch his chin, then push him gently to get back to the back seat, which he did without grace, almost falling onto the floor. This made us all smile and helped to ease the atmosphere in the vehicle.

We had only one more place to go. Winter rock mountain. With Jesse giving directions from the back, Frederick found the end of the road where the trail began. Took a few minutes for the three of us to pull on some winter gear, coats and detachable traction cleats. Once we were confident that we'd be protected from the cold as best as possible. We gathered our weapons and supplies.

Jesse handed Frederick the notebook, which he tucked into an inside pocket of his heavy coat. Then she handed me a copied printout of the ruins we would need to carve into the trees. We each had two knives on us, for the carving itself, along with a small pack filled with snacks and water in case they were needed and some extra knives. The most important item in this pack, which I would be carrying, was the fragile vial of blood. We would have to find a densely needleed branch in our way to administer the blood onto the ruins. In the pack that Jesse carried were metal wind chimes and chunks of scrap metal. She also carried a measuring tape, twine, nails, screws, a hammer and a screwdriver. Frederick carried weapons and the extra ammo.

Aside from the pistol that Jesse wore on her hip, Scott's rifle, which was slung on my back, and the large machete and axe attached to either side of Frederick's belt. The only one not toting anything was Frost. I think he was almost bummed about this. Malamutes love pulling things, and we'd brought a sled that was in the bed of the truck. But we were sure between the three of us, we had everything covered, so we left it wherever it was.

Jesse and I led Frederick and Frost through the trees, and up the trail that led to the frozen lake. We discussed in hushed tones, where exactly we should perform the ritual, and decided it would be best just before the trees opened to the clearing with the lake and the shack-like cabin. The forest around us was eerily quiet, leaving us all with a sensation of being watched while we walked through enemy territory. Thankfully, we reached our location in just over half an hour. We retrieved the measuring tape and started to be able to be able to be able to be able to be watched. to determine which trees would be the ones to be carved. Jesse pulled out a sheet of bright red reflective dot stickers that I didn't realize she had. When she caught sight of my confused look, she laughed and said,

they're supposed to be for marking tubes and addresses for the rote that I figured they will be good to help mark the trees. Oh, that's a good idea, I answered, since the notebook says there are three ruins that need be carved with each set. Should we mark the middle tree for each tree up? That way we each carve at our own pace without question of which tree should be ours. The other two agreed, and we quickly took note of what order the ruins needed to be in, and which position we would need to take. Jesse would have the tree in the middle, marked with the red dot, Frederick would be to the right, and I would be on the left. From what the notebook described, we wouldn't need to carve trees

all the way around the lake, only on the side that began to descend, the side where we came from. We'd learned over reading through the book several times that in the beginning it had to be done around the entire mountain, forming a barrier that kept the Yetis at the top. When the main side of the mountain began to be developed, however, the Yetis avoided the other side because of all the unnatural materials used in the buildings and on the slopes, along with the loud snow plows that work daily in the winter to keep the roads in different skiing and snowboarding areas clean and properly maintained. Since the lake wasn't at the mountain peak, there was still miles of forest beyond it before the highest point dropped to descend into the metal rich face of winter

rock. It was still a large area to cover and took an hour for us to measure and mark the trees. The book didn't mention how much space should specifically be left between the carvings, but we guessed that 15 to 20 feet should be a good distance. When we finally finished with a preliminary marking, we each took a knife and began to carve the ruins. It was difficult at first for me, not having experience in shoving a knife and dragging it across wood. I finally got the hang of it, though.

After working for another hour and a half, we took a very short break to meet up, as we were now a little spread out and working at different paces. Is it me or does it kind of feel like we're being watched? Jesse asked when the three of us stood together. It's not just you. Have either of you heard any birds or animals? I responded.

They both shook their heads and Frederick pointed towards Frost, who was sniffing the ground and walking around a few feet from us. Frost seems on edge too. He hasn't growled or anything, but I'm sure he feels it as well. We're running out of daylight. I'm not sure how much longer we have, probably only minutes. I motioned to the darkening sky. I have some flashlights back in the truck, but we should get moving if we want to finish today.

I have two left to carve, and I can help you two with yours to make it quicker, but we're still going to hit night soon, Frederick said. Maybe you should finish your two right quick. quick and then go get those flashlights. I have my phone, I can use that light for now, but an actual flashlight would be easier to hold. I agree, though, we need to get this done quickly. Jesse responded. I nodded in agreement. I have my phone too, but it definitely won't be the easiest to hold while carving. I think I have six or so left, and Jesse has one less than that, I think. Jesse nodded at my estimate of her progress. It's a plan then. Keep working.

on your trees and when I come back I'll help you finish. Frederick said, and the three of us went back to our trees. The uneasy feeling giving me chills as the sun disappeared quickly. Didn't take much longer for Frederick to finish and leave to retrieve the lights from his truck. He commanded Frost to stay with us and the big dog contented himself by alternating between Jesse and I, spending a few minutes with each other before going back to the other one. I worked the knife as quickly as I could. and managed to break off the tip of the knife. I cursed under my breath, but continued to use it,

hoping it would actually help chip away the bark a little quicker. Frederick must have run down the trail and back, because he returned in less than 45 minutes to hand out the flashlights. By now, Jesse had one more after the one she was currently working on, and I had three more. As I headed to my next tree, Frederick offered to take over. Why don't you go ahead and get to do in the blood stuff? I'll finish your rooms.

Jesse's going to start hanging the medal as soon as she's done, and I'll join her when I finish. I nodded, gladly handing over the paper that portrayed the sketch of the ruin. I jogged back to their starting point, figuring that following the pattern would be the best thing for the ritual. I'm not sure if it really mattered, but I thought logically it would make sense to start at the beginning. I stepped into the trees and found a thin branch covered in pine needles that I hope would

work well enough for marking the trees in blood, but also be able to fit into the opening of the container. As I opened the vial, my nose scrunched at the thought of painting with blood. Never in a million years did I think I would be using someone's blood to mark trees. Then again, I also never imagined that Yetis were real, and I'd become a mother to a child with a human and yeti blood. My heart sank a bit when I thought of how I also

never thought I'd lose my brother. I blinked back tears, took a deep breath at the thin mountain air. I dipped the tip of the needles into the thick dark liquid and began adding it to the ruin carvings on each tree. It took a considerably less amount of time

to paint the trees than it did to carve them. I found that, after a few trees, the fact that my medium was blood stopped bothering me and I was able to work almost robotically to get my task done by the time I was at the third group of trees Frederick and Jesse were using the twine nails and screws to hang the wind chimes and metal pieces among the branches

between each trio of ruined marked trunks they started at the end and worked their way backwards we all held flashlights either in a hand or our mouths as we worked in total darkness. Frost paced around, never staying still for very long, his bell harness clanking constantly. When I was three quarters of the way done,

a vibration stopped us all in our tracks. I couldn't see the other two at this point, aside from the bobbing beams of light, but I heard all noise cease as the growl grew louder and stronger, rattling me to my core. I turned to look at the lake, shining the light in that direction as I saw two other lights do the same. Across the frozen water stood a group of at least a dozen monsters. Even in the distance they all looked horrifically tall, their skin shining preternaturally against the light.

I couldn't see their features, but I didn't need to see them in order to know how terrifying they were. I'd seen them before, and I knew what they'd seen them. were capable of. They'd spotted us and they were pissed. A tremble shot through my entire body as the growl became an emphatic roar, easily sounding like it was done right in my ear as opposed to across the lake. My nerve started vibrating and I knew we needed to get done quickly. Hurry up! I yelled in vain at the other two, who didn't hear me over the raucous Yeti call. I shone my light to them and shook it to get their attention. I received the same gesture in response,

and the three of us went back to work, trying to finish as quickly as possible. I kept glancing over my shoulder, and after two minutes of the continued roar, it subsided and left a ringing in my ears. I could barely hear Frost madly barking and snarling in the direction of the monsters. Another glance showed the Yetis beginning to step onto the ice and walk steadily in our direction.

I couldn't stop, though. I needed to finish. Picking up the pace as much as I could, I moved to the next group of trees and was almost finished when I heard a gunshot ring out. Looking back towards my companions, I caught the flash of lit gunpowder

as another round left the chamber of Jesse's pistol. I guess it was hers from the level it was fired from. This was proven true when I caught a glimpse of movement in the dark coming towards me. For a split second I was ready to scream, but I realized it was only Frederick. He reached me in a matter of seconds. Finish the blood, I have got your back. He half-hollered in a stressed voice.

I nodded and slung the rifle off my shoulder, handing it to him. He loaded around and took aim at the Yetis, slowly making their way towards the two of us. One shot, then two, three, five, seven. I lost count as I administered the blood and was no longer able to tell which shot came from Frederick and which came from Jesse in the distance. I wasn't sure if they hit any of the creatures but I couldn't stop to find out.

A few minutes later I had just three more trees and we could get the metal hanging finished then be out of here. I continued my work and had one finished only two more to go when Jesse's scream sounded in the air I whipped my head to look at Frederick. Go, help her! I commanded.

He nodded and took off back to the youngest of us. I turned my focus back to the trees and finish the second one of the set. I dipped the branch into the blood and raised it to the bark. As contact was made, a hand shot out from behind me, and claws wrapped themselves around my mouth, yanking me backwards. I tried to scream, but the same. The sound was muffled by the Yeti's grip. My head was pulled back to see the monster towering above me.

The child! It growled in a low voice at me. I felt like the voice sounded more in my head than outside of me. The flesh of this thing smelled like wet dirt and rotting trees. Bile rose in my throat and I felt like I could vomit. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my lunch inside my body. Hot tears of pain stung my eyes from the angle my deck was being craned. In a flash of genius, I knew I had to try something.

I lifted my jaw back and forth to help me open my mouth. When it was open wide enough, I brought my teeth down hard on whatever piece of monster hand I could. I bit down hard, and the creature let out a how of surprise, or pain, or both, I hoped. The hand released my face, and I lunged back. to the tree. I wasn't fast enough though, and the Yetty grabbed a hold of my arm in the tightest grasp I've ever felt. I was sure I heard something snap, and my hand released the vial of blood. The glass fell to the snowy ground, spilling red and staining the ground around it. I looked

to the master's face, and saw it register the blood, snarling for a second but refusing to let me go. I still had the branch with the blood on it and hoped it would be enough if I could just get to the tree The monster squeezed my arm tighter And began pulling me towards him I cried out in pain and fought against it the best I could The Yeti was strong though So much stronger than I

I dug my feet into the ground in an attempt to keep myself in place It wasn't working And I began being dragged away from the trees In the chaos I didn't hear the bells on Frost's harness Until he was launching himself to bite down on the arm that held mine His jaw closed around the monstrous limb And I saw now that this Yeti only had the single arm Where the other arm should have been

It was a jagged edge just below the shoulder It wasn't expecting Frost to arrive And in trying to shake the dog off of its only arm It released mine I brought the obvious broken arm to my chest and held it close while I stumbled back to the tree. The blood on the branch was drying, but I traced the ruin quickly, hoping again that it was enough. After I went over it a second time, it began to glow a soft red. I looked around and saw that each carving was beginning to glow, starting out faint and growing in intensity,

until it was all bright enough that I could no longer make out the shape of the rooms. At that moment, everything and everyone stopped. It felt as if the world slowed it spinning until stopping completely and holding that position for a minute. I'm not sure what broke the stillness, but the next thing I knew, Frost was being tossed across the ground, sliding to a stop before hitting the base of a tree. He jumped up immediately.

seeming not to be phased by this toss. Frost! I yelled for him before he could launch another attack on the Yeti. I dug behind the carved trees. The dog's ears perked towards me, and he bounded into the trees, running towards me and, thankfully, out of the reach of the monster

that raged just on the other side of the tree line. I buried my good hand in the fur of Frost's neck and nudged him in the direction of the others. We jogged through the trees, and I found it difficult to keep focus on the direction we were going. The constant roar and growls from the creatures was disorienting. Each time Frost guided me back to the right direction, I silently thanked him and promised to get him several huge bones to Noron as soon as I could.

I knew that, if not for him, I probably would have gotten myself lost in the trees. When we reached Jesse and Frederick, I realized that I dropped the flashlight. back at my last tree and had left it there. Jesse had hers between her teeth, as she tugged on Frederick's limp body, pulling it away from the edge of the trees. Frost left me and rushed to his master, licking his face and whimpering.

I could tell that there was a dark blood trail leading from just outside the trees. I couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from, though. He got hurt pretty bad. One of them grabbed him by the legs and tossed him. I don't know how deep the claws got, though. Jesse told me, panting and crying. The flashlight now in her hand.

Frederick made no sound. Oh, it looks like he's still breathing. Oh, shit, Frederick, stay with us. I said as I knelt down beside him. His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, giving me a little hope. There's no signal up here, but I might have some back at the truck.

We can't carry him out of here, but Frost might be able to have. help. Stay here while I go get the sled and see if I can call for an ambulance. She didn't say anything, but I saw her silhouette nod. I stood back up and started in the direction of the trail. I looked through the trees and saw the group of Yeti standing on the frozen water once again. They all faced the trees and grumbled angrily. One of them leaned over and smashed a fist into the ground, causing a resonating crack in the ice. As the sound faded, I heard the clanking of bells, and Frost came up to walk beside me. I touched his head and tried reassuring him. He'll be okay.

We're going to get help. Just over an hour later, Frost and I returned to get Jesse and Frederick. The sled was hooked up to Frost, and he trudged through the snow, pulling his beloved owner along. Jesse and I flanked Frost on either side, also tugging on the sled with ropes. Rescuers met us before we made it very far, and took over for Jesse and I. They talked amongst themselves, trying to keep us from hearing what they were saying, but I still heard bits and pieces. It wasn't looking good for Frederick. He was loaded into the back of an ambulance, still unconscious, and seeing how I was holding my arm,

they insisted that I joined them at the hospital. I promised that we were right behind them. Two days later, I walked around Frederick's house, eyes full of tears and heart full of sorrow, as I cradled Baby Eve carefully against the cast on my arm. She blinked up at me while sucking on the bottle in her mouth. I promise that you will never be alone. I will make sure you are always loved and strong.

You won't grow up with fear, but with knowledge and understanding. I promise to take care of you and protect you like I know your mom and Scott would have. I cooed in a soft voice, tears beginning to slide down my cheeks. You're going to be a great mother. A voice came down the hallway. I turned to look in the direction of the front door as Frost jumped off the couch. Jesse was pushing the wheelchair that Frederick was in. A wide smile spread across my face as Frost lovingly attacked his owner with licks and nozzles.

I crossed the room as Jesse shut the door. Down, you elf. I want to see the baby. Frederick nudged Frost playfully away from him. Frost smiled and watched his arms reached out towards me. I gently handed the bundled child to him, and he held her close to his chest, kissing her forehead before looking back to me. Oh, I'm so glad you decided to stay here. I nodded, still smiling.

Me too. Just no bringing crazy women home, okay? I teased. No. He smiled down to Eve. Yeah, you three are all the ladies I need in my life. Jesse squeezed his shoulder and leaned over him to look at the baby. I joined them, and we all gazed down at the soft blue eyes,

as Baby Eve broke into a wide smile. And so once again, we reach the end of tonight's podcast. My thanks as always to the authors of those wonderful stories and to you for taking the time to listen. Now, I'd ask one small favor of you. Wherever you get your podcast wrong, please write a few nice words and leave a five-star review as it really helps the podcast.

That's it for this week, but I'll be back again, same time, same place, and I do so hope you'll join me one. small. Until next time, sweet dreams and bye-bye.