The sun broke through the bleak grey clouds that hung low in the sky, but even as I tilted my head up to feel it's warmth there was nothing. The clouds continued to drop until a hazy fog surround me.

The sun began to disappear behind the darkening sky and I could feel a chill run up my spin as I tried to keep my heart at a steady pace. The fog twisted around my body and through my fingertips as I reached out in search of anything at all.

I took a shaky step forward and began to cautiously travel through the haze. The clouds burned my eyes, tears forming unintentionally as I blinked them away over and over again. The ice below my feet was slick and I tried my hardest not to fall as I continued on.

I traveled for what felt like miles, but still I hadn't found a drop of life. The lake I stood above seemed to go on forever and the fog that had descended only seemed to get thicker the further I went. I just wanted to find land, but my hopes of escaping this lake were impossible.

A strong wind whipped passed me, pulling at my clothes to guide me in a different direction. I stumbled along, the wind coaxing me on as though I had no choice but to follow it. My eyes squinted through the fog as it began to disparate, and yet again I could see the sun as it started to break through the clouds.

But the sun's light seemed to be centered in only one place. My breath hitched in my throat as I stopped dead in my tracks. There basking in the only beams of light was the hooded stranger I had never gotten a chance to meet face to face.

My jaw was set as I watched the red scarf wrapped loosely around their neck blew with the wind that had brought me there. I didn't move a muscle as I turned to see me shadow step out through the wall of fog.

My mind began to race as I wondered if I could get to the person before he could. His movements were slow as he crept up on the stranger still soaking up the sunlight. It was then that I took off in a sprint toward the only other human. My shadow's head turned in my direction and I faltered slightly as I reached the stranger, grabbing at their thick winter jacket.

Though before I could do anything my fingers were torn from the person as I was flung backward by the force of my shadow pushing me away. I winced in pain as my body hit the ice hard and rolled away from the two that now stood side by side.

I could feel warm liquid run down from my temple as I propped myself up on my hands and knees. Blood droplets fell to the icy floor below me, staining the cool white with a bright red. My body shook from the hard impact, but I forced myself up until I could look toward where the two stood.

"Get away from him!" I cried out to the stranger. "He's dangerous!"

"Liar." My shadow growled as he bent down so his face was level with the stranger who still wouldn't look my way. "He's a liar. He'll hurt you. He's the one."

My shadow continued on repeating his words over and over again to the person. Trembling slightly, I stood from the ground and began to move toward them, but again I was thrown away like a rag doll. My body hit the ground and I felt more scraps form on my exposed skin.

I huffed as I quickly got to my feet, forcing away the pain that ran through my entire body. I couldn't give up, not when I was so close.

"Please!" I yelled at the stranger, but my shadow's laugh overpowered my desperate attempts.

"Just look at me!" I tried again, hoping to catch just a glimpse of the person hiding under the dark hood.

I began to feel lightheaded as my lungs took in more of the foggy air. I made one last move toward them and in that desperate moment it seemed as though my shadow had lost control for a brief second or maybe he had allowed me to take over.

My arms wrapped tightly around the stranger, pulling them out of the clutches of my shadow. I turned my back to face him, hunching over the stranger's tiny frame to shield them from the blow that my shadow sent our way.

I clutched the person so tightly to my body and even as we were sent sprawling across the ice I could still feel the warmth that radiated off of them. As though they were the sun themselves.

We skidded to halt, my body rolling under theirs to create a soft landing for them. A tickling sensation fanned across my cheeks as long strands of hair fell from behind the hood. The stranger hovered closely above me and as I looked up passed their dark wavy hair to see their pale skin and bright green eyes my lips parted in astonishment.

.