Secret of the Snow Queen (Fire and Ice Book #1) *GOING THROUGH EDITS*

CH. 25 Just a Monster

Monsters are real, and ghosts are real, too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.                                                           -Stephen King

                                                                                     Aurora

As I plummeted into the icy embrace of the river, panic seized my heart, and the freezing water enveloped me, stealing my breath away. I struggled against the relentless pull of the current, my limbs thrashing wildly as I fought to stay afloat. But the river was merciless, its icy grip tightening around me with each passing moment.

I tried to fight the current, but my efforts were futile. I couldn't swim, and the swirling waters threatened to drag me under. Desperation clawed at my chest as darkness closed in around me, and I felt myself slipping away.

As I struggled to regain consciousness, my mind was shrouded in a haze of disorientation; fragmented images flickered through my mind like fleeting shadows. Amidst the darkness, a figure materialized—a middle-aged man with brown hair and a beard, his features obscured by the fog of my fading awareness.

With each fleeting moment of lucidity, the man's face hovered at the edges of my perception, his presence both comforting and mysterious. I tried to grasp onto the fleeting glimpses of him, but they slipped through my fingers like mist, leaving me grasping at shadows.

As I drifted in and out of consciousness, the man's image persisted, a beacon of hope in the darkness that threatened to consume me. His presence was a lifeline, guiding me through the tumultuous currents of my mind as I struggled to find my way back to reality.

But with each passing moment, the lines between dreams and reality blurred, and I found myself slipping further into the abyss. The man's face faded from view, leaving me alone in the swirling depths of my subconscious.

                                                                                       ***

I slowly blinked my eyes open; the first thing I noticed was the warmth of a crackling fire nearby, its flickering flames casting a soft glow over the surroundings. Confusion clouded my thoughts as I tried to piece together how I had survived the river's icy embrace, but the memories remained elusive, shrouded in the haze of my fading consciousness.

As I struggled to sit up, a figure materialized before me—a middle-aged man dressed in a brown robe over a cream-colored tunic and brown leggings. His presence was unexpected, yet strangely comforting, like a familiar memory lingering just beyond reach.

"Are you alright?" his voice was gentle, his gaze filled with concern as he approached, holding a bundle of fish in his hands.

"I... I don't know," I managed to stammer out, my voice hoarse from the ordeal. "How did I...?" He knelt beside me, his brow furrowed with worry. "What happened?"

"You were struggling in the river this morning," he explained, his voice tinged with urgency. "I saw you from the shore, and I dove in to help you, but by the time I reached you, you were unconscious. I was worried you'd drowned." My heart swelled with gratitude as I looked up at him, the weight of his selfless act washing over me like a wave.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there." He simply nodded in response, his gaze softening with compassion.