While they packed up the sleigh, I said my goodbyes to Hellbreath. I felt like I owed her an explanation of why I was handing her over to a total stranger, and she listened while I cried. With one last parting kiss, I left her, my heart splintering with every step I took away from her.

When the man came to pick her up, he also brought a sleigh of sorts that dragged behind four other horses. He said he only lived about two miles away and he seemed nice enough, but I couldn't ...