A new home

Lydia was surrounded by winter's white and beautiful terror. The snow spun around her so that she could no longer see two steps in front of her. It was as if there was a white wall in front of her that led her into an everlasting world of blindness. Her finger tips were turning blue and the snow felt like millions of little needles slowly making their way through her skin. She was all alone. Nobody was around to guide her through the blizzard. She was the only person for miles around and as she pulled her cloak tighter around herself, she felt a cloud of misery sweep over her. She could feel her legs giving way with every step she took. She knew she wouldn't make it much farther. She began to pray that she would find something, anything, to protect her from the biting cold. Even a simple haystack would do. All she wanted was to feel warm again. She kept turning the same prayer over in her head, again and again and again. Finally, the cold and the wind got the better of her and she collapsed.

"I can't go any further," she said out loud.

To her surprise, a voice answered.

"Oh yes you can." The voice was calm with an unmistakable air of authority but she could also hear a slight sense of humor in it.

"I didn't come all this way just to see you give up. Now stand up and start walking."

"I can't," Lydia said in defeat.

"Oh it's easy really. You just place one foot in front of the other."

Lydia made an attempt to stand but her legs were too numb and she fell on her knees.

"I can't, I'm telling you, I can't."

"Watch, I'll show you," the voice said.

Lydia had never really thought about looking where the voice came from before and when she looked up she saw a tall young man dressed in armor with a red cloak and a sword. In his left hand he held a mirror, but it did not reflect what was in front of him. It reflected the face of a kind man with a dark beard. However, the one thing that caught her attention the most was the tall young man's wings.

"Who are you?" She asked, hurriedly standing up. She didn't know why, but she felt as if she were in the presence of royalty.

"My name is Michael."

He began to walk ahead of her and she was afraid that she might lose him in the blizzard. The blanket of cold was still wrapped around her like an icy coffin but she felt more alive than ever. It seemed like it had been hours since they had started walking but when she really thought about it she was sure that it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. The snowflakes whirled around them as if they were magnets and just as she began to feel her legs getting weak again, she saw a dim light up ahead. It grew and grew as they came closer and the light seemed to work like a barrier from the snow. It became warm and stars seemed to float from the growing light. As she looked closer she could see that they weren't stars at all, but little cherubs. As they flew by her, the trail of dust they left behind them melted the snow beneath Lydia's feet and green grass sprang up. Eventually they came to a staircase that led up and up, but at the end you could see where the wonderful glowing light came from. The staircase seemed to be made out of clouds but they weren't wet and Lydia didn't sink through them. They were light and fluffy and it made her feel good just to touch them.

"Not far now." Michael said.

They climbed up and up until they came to a great, big, golden gate. Lydia tried to see beyond the gate but could not. The only thing she saw was an old man with a white beard standing in front.

"Ahh, we've been expecting you," the man said.

"You know who I am?" Lydia asked, extremely surprised. She had never seen this man before in her entire life. The man laughed a loud and happy laugh.

"Of course I know who you are."

"Then, if I may ask sir, who are you?"

"I am Cephas, the gate keeper and this is your new home." The End