2 miles away to the southeast. "It's just a story, darling. Nothing to be frightened of." A mother comforted her small child by the fireside on a wintry day, gently rocking in a rocking chair. The girl buried her head in her mothers chest, purple tears running from her eyes. "I don't care, mama. It's scary." Her mother smiled gently and closed her eyes for a moment, dreaming of when her husband had been home. "Ah, yes it is. But your father was even more scary." At this point she held up her hands in the light, so it cast shadows against the walls, depicting as she went.
"He had sharp claws (curled the tips of her fingers), mighty wings on his back, (two hands spread out on either side, thumbs touching) , and a hood that always covered his face. And he always wore a mask, for his face was disfiguired from years before." (covered her face, only the eyes showed.) The little girl smiled. Her mother wiped her tears away, fingers coming away purple. "And, Patricia, your father loves you more than anything in the world."
The little girl asked, sadly, "Will he ever come back?" The mother bit her lip and frowned, for the very same question had been rattling around inside her mind. The moment passed like a summers breeze, and her gentle smile returned. "I don't know. But when he does, I'll buy you the biggest candy cane you've ever seen!" The little's girl's face lit up momentarily, beautiful brown eyes met her mother's green ones. "I can't wait!" Then, she gradually drifted off to sleep. The mother smiled, then turned her head to the window, where snow gently fell down, freshly started. She said softly, still rocking, "Me too."
The snow fell softly outside, the light from the lamp still lit upon the table illuminating the snow that fell near the window. And the girl's eyes beneath the lids, glowed a soft red, illuminating the brown eyes, as soft as the coal in the fire.