Kicking the snow pile at the foot of the porch stairs in a desperate attempt to release my pent up feeling of helplessness and frustration clinging to my chest.

Making my way into the town square where I should be able to monitor to their house from a distance out of view, but still able to hear any abrupt noises that may occur within the towns borders, removing my scarf from around my neck, filling it with some snow securing it tightly for a makeshift ice pack for my fractured nose.

As I lay down on one of the benches with the best view of Damian’s and Sapphires house, releasing a loud sigh of release as I pressed the snow filled scarf against my nose, instant relief from the pain as the cold helps to reduce the swelling of my nose slowly making it easier to breathe. Strained but still easier nonetheless.

Why am I still here? I think to myself as I find myself mentally adrift observing the snow fall from the thin clusters of snow clouds passing over top of Freyview.

A constant doubt in my own actions acting out of character. In all my years of travelling. I’ve never once offered out my aid to help fix a problem that didn’t directly affect me, deliberately going out of my way to avoid other people’s problems.

“Who have you got in a fight with now?” I hear Warren’s voice from across the square. Tilting my head up slightly to catch a glance to see if it is.

“Not in the mood for… well… you” I announce rolling my eyes at the mere annoyance of his presence.

“But seriously…Who did that?” he asks, pointing towards my nose, repeating his original question determined to get an answer.

“Damian” I answer begrudgingly “you really not gonna let me have five simple minutes to myself” Staring him down removing the ice pack from my crooked nose. Sitting up to allow him room to sit beside me knowing full well he isn’t going to leave me to my thoughts any time soon.

“Can I ask you a question?” Warren asked if his demeanour changed from the guard that’s been watching me all day and night with his unhealthy scepticism. To a softer, more relaxed tone compared to his usual sternness and authoritarian stance he normally takes when talking to me.

“All you’ve done is ask questions, since I got here”

“True, this will be the last one then.” scratching his head at the realisation that I was basically right, nearly everything he has said to me since I arrived was one way or another some form of question. “Why are you trying to help us?”

Taking in a deep breath ready to explain the real reasons I was willing to help from the beginning. “I’m not a fan of adults. They always twist their words and bear ulterior motives in which they will take advantage of anyone to meet their needs… however children are innocent they say what they think without reservation, no twisted words, no hidden agendas. The children are the best of us and they don’t deserve what's happening to them.” The deepness of my voice helps to display my seriousness in my words.

Saying the words aloud for Warren to hear but also become a gentle reminder of the main reason I offered my assistance in the first place, putting my feelings aside for the sake of the future generation.

“But I had my own ulterior motives as well. Call it fate or destiny or whatever else you believe… but something drew me to this town in search of something I’ve long forgotten” I explain further with my fingers as I announce my real purpose for my presence in this town.

Stolen story; please report.

Abrupt screaming cutting our conversation short brought me back to reality from my trance, both me and Warren leapt to our feet scanning the surrounding area, our eyes locked onto Damian’s cabin as the lights flickered through the window.

The closer we got to the cabin the louder the noises became, the constant screaming of the entire could be heard from outside the cabin, reverberating all throughout the town, lunging up the porch steps skipping out most of them desperate to cover as much ground as possible. My only thought is about getting into that house, damned to the consequences.

My attention was drawn away from gaining entry by a loud smashing occurring only metres away from my face, causing me to close my eyes and raise my arm in an attempt to shield my face from the shards of glass flying past me along with a broken up vase that had thrown in my general direction.

My heart beating ever quicker as my desire to break in continues to rise at an exponential rate, slamming my shoulder into the door as hard as I can, gritting my teeth as the pain from my shoulder as the force of the impact rekindled the pain, reopening the wounds from the previous day.

My face turned red at my own helplessness and frustration quickly realising that I can’t even muster the strength to knock down an old wooden door, frantically looking around for any other means of entry, pressing my hair back whilst scouring the area.

A subtle smirk emerged looking at the shattered window laid at my feet, shrugging off my coat tossing it over the window ledge covering the remaining shards.

Placing my hand on top of my coat, a subtle crushing could be heard as I pushed down on my hand, pushing off of the ground vaulting the window. My gaze brought to the monster of a being currently holding Sasha all tied up under its arm as it stood in the living room, just staring its breathing louder and calmer than everybody else’s in the room.

Unable to believe the sight I was witnessing for the first in all my travels, refusing to comprehend that such a being could exist in the first place. It bore the head of a goat with horns protruding from its forehead wrapping back around on itself with piercing black eyes and a snake-like tongue hanging just outside its mouth, to display its split end.

“It’s got Sasha” Sapphire cries out as tears streaming down her face, continuing to scream, as Damian holds her back in his arms refusing to let go knowing there's nothing the two of them can do against such a monster.

Refusing to take my eyes off the heinous creature… even for a split second to offer Sapphire and Damian that everything is going to be ok. Slowly reaching for my dagger’s blade interlocking between my thumb and my index finger, trying to reveal my intentions, almost becoming mesmerised in its eyes of darkness unable to see anything but my own reflection in them.

I can take it. I think to myself snapping myself away from my trans like state, observing its movement, looking it up and down. It doesn’t appear to be too big underneath that frayed dark cloth it seems to be wearing to keep its body hidden from the onlookers' sight. Doing my best to ignore Sapphires screaming, at least for now my only focus right now has to be getting Sasha back.

Its nostrils begin to flare up, taking a large number of small breaths each releasing a small cloud of steam as if it’s ready to make its move. All of a sudden it flings a bound Sasha over its shoulder onto its back, chomping down on the rope with its teeth, fleeing towards the chimney with Shasha in tow behind.

Out of options, grabbing a light grip on my blade, withdrawing my arm back to my ear, throwing my dagger forward with as much force as I can muster. A shriek released from Sapphire at the sight of the sharp pointed blade hurtling towards her daughter “stop.” Damian shouts at the top of his lungs his voice trembling with fear it’ll hit Sasha” Damian continues to cry out, his only concern now being for his daughter.

As the monster begins its ascent up the chimney, dragging Sasha along with it. Quickly rushing to retrieve my dagger catching a glance up the top only to see the snow clouds looming over the town.

Rushing back, vaulting once again through the window, grasping my coat on my way through, putting in as hastily as I can knowing I don’t have time to waste. “I’ll get her back. I promise” I say back to both Sapphire and Damian both sobbing uncontrollably on the floor without looking back, continuing to jump over the porch railings making a mad dash around the back.