Prologue

The cold is unbearable. Seeping down to your bones. Your fingers are ice, your legs numb, and your breath comes out in small clouds. Your weary eyes slowly open to look at the room around you. You know why you're here, this is where he always takes you, when you've been bad. You just have to wait it out. Water droplets roll down your bare back as you slowly stand and move across the room. A T-shirt and and pajama pants lay on the floor, both icy with cold water. You shiver as you pull the clothes on. Your eyes finally land on an open window and your legs shake as you travel the length of the dark room to close the thin glass, separating yourself from the snowy weather. The damage was already done. You fall to the ground, too weak to hold yourself up any longer. You don't know how long you sit there before you go unconscious again.