idk what this even is

meh I'll think of a title later maybe

The icy wind scraped Irina's cheeks, causing her to shiver and speed up her pace. Her mom would be furious she stayed out so late, and walking slow would not help her case.

She lived in the horribly cold country of Russia, and unfortunately, it was winter.

School had ended four hours ago, at 4 pm, yet Irina had stayed behind to follow through with a dare her ex-girlfriend, Anastasia, had made. Remain in the supposedly-haunted boys' locker room for twenty minutes, and she'd get 500 rubles.

She had been called a chicken, a wimp, by many, and this was her chance to prove them all wrong.

Of course, all the rumours were wrong. There never was a haunting. Everyone is so gullible, she thought, that if someone spreads a stupid rumour, once it goes around, everyone will be believing it.

She did the dare. 20 minutes. Then another 5 for good measure. Anastasia stayed outside, and as soon as Irina came out, she handed her the money, speed-walked to her car, and drove away.

Just half a mile left, Irina, if you hurry up you'll get home in five minutes, she told herself.

She had to cross a usually-busy highway to get home. Being winter and all snowy, no one was driving. Irina waded across the highway, trudging her feet through a foot of snow with each step.

Having just stepped off the highway, she realized she had miscalculated and had about a mile and a half until she got home, but she could cut through an alley instead.

She ran as fast as she could, having no desire to remain in the piercing cold weather.

She passed the back of a restaurant, holding her breath as she walked by a couple of dumpsters.

A thump made her stop in her tracks. She threw a quick glance to her back, saw nothing, and brushed off the noise.

Again.

This time, she could not avoid it. Four unmistakable knocks, coming from the furthermost dumpster.

"Hello?" She called out. "Is anyone there, and do you need help?"

A knock replied to her question.

"Um, ah- you can't speak, can you? How about you knock once for yes and twice for no?"

Knock.

"Are you hurt?"

Knock knock.

"Are you lost?"

Knock knock.

"Then what are you doing outside in this cold? Don't you have a home?"

A few seconds passed, then a knock.

"Why aren't you home? Are you stuck in the dumpster?" She said, slowly walking to the dumpster.

Knock knock.

"Can you come out?"

There was a moment of hesitation, then a knock.

"C'mon then, I won't hurt you, I just wanna see who you are."

A small girl no older than six years old hesitantly crept out from behind the dumpster.

"Oh, my god, sweetie, are you okay?" said Irina, voice dripping with concern.

"I- I think so," replied the little girl in a barely audible voice.

"I'm Irina," she said, crouching down to face the little girl, "what's your name?"

"My name, I remember when I had a name. Years and years ago, when I was known," the girl silently mumbled to herself, "they called me Mary," she said in a louder voice.

"Hello there, Mary. Now, you said you had a home."

"Yeah, I- at least I think I do."

"Don't you know? How long have you been alone, kiddo?"

"So long. So, so long," said Mary, with a faraway gaze.

"What do you need?

"I need-"

"Food? D'you need food? Shelter, somewhere to stay for the night or a couple of days? Are you sick, might you need medicine? Blankets! What about blankets and coats and warm clothes, do you have any? A way to contact your family? Because I can help you with that," Irina rambled, "seeing as I have a phone, or I could take you to my house and my mum could drive you to your house, or, or..." she trailed off, realising she hadn't let Mary tell her what she needed.

"I need..." whispered Mary.

"Yes?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes. Er, well- not necessarily you, I need your meat. Your sweet, juicy human meat," Mary said in an eerily seductive voice, "tough then deliciously tender." There was a glint in her eye, making Irina scared.

"Mary, you're not making sense. Maybe being out here affected you. Are you positive you're okay?" said Irina, slowly retreating from Mary.

"No," said Mary, gripping Irina's wrist with a newfound force, "You're not getting away."

"Wha-" she managed to say, before Mary pinned her down to the ground, her tiny body surprisingly crushing Irina's lungs. Not that this affected her breathing any more, seeing as Mary was slowly choking Irina, whose face was turning a dangerous shade of red.

"On second thought, no. I think you'll want to be alive for this," decided Mary, releasing Irina.

Irina gasped, trying to inhale as much air as she could.

"Mary- AH!" were Irina's last words, as Mary bit off part of her neck to get her to shut up. Blood pooled around them, painting the crisp white snow an eerie red colour, not that either of them cared.

"Never trust a little girl alone. And never, ever, ignore the fact that said little girl could be a cannibalistic human shapeshifter," advised Mary, before continuing to devour Irina, or rather, what was left of her.