I'll Be Your Strength

It was a frosty and bitter winter's night, the white snow blanketed the crisp, colour drained grass for as far as the human eye could see. The leafless trees stood shivering in the chilly breeze, its stiff russet coloured bark that enclosed its body from top to toe, slowly began to flake off. An auburn haired squirrel hopped from its naked branches, preparing for hibernation. The young looking creature took care while landing on each branch, making sure that the fragile arms of the tree did not snap between hops.

In the centre of a large field of snow, lit up by candlelight, lay a small thatched cottage. Frost began to melt from the black wooden beams, dropping gracefully to the blank canvas below, piercing a deep hole through the thick layer of snow that coated the earth. The cottage walls were painted a cream colour, camouflaging it against the snow. This prevented the stunning building to be seen from the small amount of roads that crossed from Whitby to Runswick Bay in the North Yorkshire Moors.

Three young 18 year old girls, Amy, Kate and Milly sat together around the toasty warm fire in the small burgundy coloured room, with a hot chocolate in their hands, chatting together.

"So how's your relationship with Nathan going Kate?" exclaimed Amy with a grin, looking Kate in the eyes for a response.

"Yeah, Kate how's that going? I hear its getting serious?" added Milly, who now also looked at Kate, impatient for a response.

"It's going amazingly, he is just so..." Kate paused stuck for words. Milly and Kate shot a quick glance at each other, exchanging a grin, "...gorgeous and loving. It's nice to be around someone who protects you and cheers you up when you're down, I couldn't ask for more!" The atmosphere suddenly felt emptier, rather than there being three people present, it felt as if one had disappeared. Kate had been taken away into her own thoughts, her eyes closed and a smile spreading across her face. The only sound that could be heard was the laughter erupting from Amy and Milly as they watched Kate's reaction to her answer.

Unexpectedly, the dark colours of the evening merged together forming a bright white colour like Kate had been thrown into a cloud in the sky. All she could make out was the faint outline of her in Nathan's arms sat in his small living room watching their favourite film 'The Inbetweeners Movie', curled up on the snug sofa. Nathan brushed his tanned fingers through her soft, sweet scented strawberry blonde hair. He slowly caressed her cheeks, "You're so beautiful, words cannot explain" Nathan exclaimed affectionately. She then remembered how he had finished off his amazing compliment by then gradually leaning into her and kissing her on the cheek. This was the most amazing day where she felt this astonishing feeling of safety and pleasure for the first time.

Followed by this incredible memory it flashed to another, their first kiss. This was the finest of all her memories; it was where it all began. It was the most exhilarating and wonderful experience that brought her mundane lifestyle to life, giving it meaning.

It all began on a scorching sunny afternoon in July. The sunshine projected along the large green field, on which the cream cottage stood in the heart of, creating large, broad, black shadows of the tall healthy looking emerald trees surrounding the magnificent interior. All you could hear was the birds chirping and the distant ripples of the water from the little stream in the distance. But all of a sudden the silence was interrupted by the most ear piercing scream from the petite cottage.