The ache of mid-winter clung to her bones, as she stumbled through knee-high drifts with a threadbare shawl tightly wrapped to her slender frame. Flakes of snow spun furiously past her cheeks, paying no heed to the tears frozen in mid torrent, blown to crystal by the relentless wind. The ice groaned under its added burden, and gave way.

She was gone.

Into the icy black depths.

She was gone.