Frozen Trial

Morning came without color. The temp had ended, but the atmosphere was colder than ever. Frost coated it all with a sheet of glass. As Annabelle opened the door of the hut, the light which came in was pale and hard. Snow in the street came to her knees. The woods seemed to have digested the night, and were clean again.

She went out and took a deep breath. She fainted at the air that burnt her throat, but it was pleasant to inhale anything sharp. The silence was thick. Even the ...