In the darkness, I could use a little company.

Milton and Beyond

Will Mackenzie's boots crunched through the thin crust of snow blanketing Milton's desolate streets, the cold biting at his cheeks as he made his way past abandoned homes and shuttered storefronts. Each breath materialized in a cloud of mist before him, dissipating quickly in the frigid air. His mission was clear: restock Grey Mother's supplies and place Lilith Barker's necklace on her grave. A simple trade for a clue about Astrid's whereabouts—information he yearned for.

Sage, nestled against his neck, provided a peculiar but welcome source of warmth. Her diminutive frame, barely larger than a sparrow, quivered slightly each time his footfalls sent a jarring thud through his body. The ticklish sensation of her tiny hands gripping strands of his beard was both odd and endearing. He could feel her breath, surprisingly warm for such a small being, brushing against his skin.

"Are you sure you won't be more comfortable in my pocket?" Will asked, his voice softened by concern.

"Here is good," Sage replied, her voice barely above a whisper, tinged with a stubbornness that belied her size.

"Alright," Will conceded with a gentle nod, careful not to dislodge her. "Just hold on tight."

The day was unusually calm, and for that, he was grateful. The wolves seemed to have retreated, giving them respite from one more threat.

"Grey Mother's house would be warmer," he offered again, trying to mask the concern in his tone as they approached the house that served as the blind woman's refuge.

"Strange human...I don't wanna..." Sage mumbled into his collar, her words muffled by fabric and fear.

"Okay, okay," Will reassured her, feeling the tiny grip on his beard tighten.

Sage burrowed further into the warmth of his neck, and Will felt a flutter in his chest that had nothing to do with the cold.

They passed the darkened windows and snow-covered cars; the silence was so profound it was like the town, was waiting to fade away entirely.

****

Will's breath fogged the air as he turned the knob of the chest, the digits of the code given by Grey Mother clicking softly into place. With a final twist, the latch released, and the lid creaked open to reveal a trove of climbing gear nested in the shadows—Lilith's legacy, and his escape out of this town.

Will's palm was a cradle of warmth, the heat from his skin seeping into Sage's tiny frame. He looked down at her, the small figure dwarfed by the weathered lines of his skin. "You could stay here, Sage. It's warm. You could...borrow from Grey Mother. She wouldn't mind—not that she'd know."

But he saw it then, the ripple of fear that washed over her delicate features. Her tiny fingers tightened around his thumb; a silent plea etched in the glisten of tears forming in her brown eyes.

"No! I want to stay with you. Don't leave me!" Her voice trembled, resonating with an ache that mirrored his own dread—the terror of abandonment, of being left to face the darkness alone.

"Hey, hey," Will's voice softened, a gentle giant's whisper against the backdrop of the empty room. "I won't leave you if you don't want to be left." There was a tenderness to his words. With careful movements, he slid Sage into the deep pocket of his coat. He then finished packing up his supplies and then headed downstairs for a last goodbye with Grey Mother.

"Take care," he said, the words inadequate against the magnitude of her solitude. "Help will come."

""Find your Astrid if you can," Grey Mother rasped, "Forget about me and this forsaken town."