Chapter 3

The envelope was worn and faded as if it had traveled

a long way. There was no return address. I slowly turned it 

over and began to tenderly open it. My hands shook with cold 

and excitement. Inside was a piece of crisp white paper folded 

into thirds and with my name printed on the front flap. 

I unfolded it and began reading. 

It was a note from a bookstore, telling me 

about the new shipments of books. The date was marked two 

years ago. I guessed it just got lost in the mail and finally 

made its way here. I sighed. The snow had stopped and I looked 

at the thermometer next to the door. Fourty degrees. I cried 

out in despair and buried my face in my hands.

My house was on a lonely road on the outskirts of Rose

Valley. The perfect town for only the most perfect families.

I promise you nobody drives along these roads in the dead of

winter,there was no chance of someone kindly driving by and

saving me from this barren wasteland of a yard.

The snow began to pick up again as the pale mounatins in the 

distance started to fade from view. The wind whistled in my ears 

as my hair whipped around my face. I felt a single tear fall from my 

eye. I stopped feeling its damp mark on my face, my hand

raced to my cheek, it was frozen. My eyes widened and the true

reality of my situation set in. I was not just cold, I was

freezing, literally.

I slowly stood up, careful not to make myself dizzy, and peeked in

the kithchen window. I craned my neck and saw the small digital

clock beeping 11:04. I slumped against the side of the house and

stared up into the creamy gray clouds blanketing the sky. I heard

the crunch of tires on gravel and saw two dim headlights come into

the distance. A rusty old Chevy appeared before me, a kindly old

gentleman had his head out the window with an eager smile on his

face. He kindly asked me if I was in need of any assistance and

offered a tattered blanket to me. Despite warnings from my parents

never talk to strangers let alone get in their car, I did.