This town nestled into the cozy little corner of Germany was a tiny thing. It was a tight nit community, the locals were nice, but didn’t take well to outsiders.

You had recently moved here, to escape the noise and rush of the city and exchange it for the quiet comfort of the country side. While the townsfolk had been polite, you still felt daggers being glared into your back every time you turned around.

The town also had all these weird little rituals, whispers of creatures with children’s faces that come when the cold gets too much. Circles of ash dust each home, and they carry nails, literal iron nails with them. Weird folk, with their weird superstitions.

Currently, there was a massive blizzard that hit. You had just went out to look for work with job interviews. And after an unsuccessful day you were driving back.

The wind howled like a living thing, biting your skin raw the moment you stepped from the car. Snow whipped sideways in blinding sheets, each gust cutting deeper than the last.

And that’s when your car decided to break down.

Blasted old thing just gave up and decided to let the snow take it.

You cursed under your breath—of all nights, of all times, why now? Your new house was close, not far at all. If you kept your head down and moved fast, you could make it before frostbite set in.

You hunched your shoulders and trudged forward, boots sinking deep with every step. The road vanished behind a curtain of white. The blizzard swallowed sound, leaving only the crunch of snow and your ragged breathing.

That’s when you heard it.

A thin voice. A child’s voice. Weak, almost carried away by the storm.

“...h-help… please… it’s so cold…”

Your heart jolted. You could barely see more than a few feet in front of you, but there—half-buried in the snowdrift—was a small figure. A boy, maybe six or seven, shivering violently. His clothes were paper-thin, his lips blue, eyes wide and glistening with tears.

He looked up at you, arms trembling as he reached out. Those big blue eyes of his framed by soft, windswept blonde hair. His tears frozen on his cheeks, his lips blue from cold. He seemed barley conscious.

“Please… take me with you…”

The blizzard wailed, and for a moment, it was just you and him—alone in the storm.