The slowly dimming fire wasn't providing much heat. The nights were especially brutal this time of year, and the strong winds were only making things worse. I held my blue-tinged hands over the fire, soaking in what little heat it was putting off. I was used to Russia's cold winters. I had been here all my life. This winter, however, was the coldest in years. The wind slowly began to pick up and a cloud of swirling snowflakes rose into the air. The sudden gust of wind silenced my fire, plunging me into darkness and despair.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust so I could see my surroundings once again. I could hear something, possibly an owl, moving in the rafters above me. My teeth began to chatter as a bone-chilling cold began to set in. I pulled my knees to my chest, and grew concerned at how difficult the simple task was. I extended an arm, finding it to be stiff as well. A shiver ran through me and I pulled the limb back to my body, curling up into a ball. I knew the signs of hypothermia when I saw them. I also knew that I probably wouldn't make it through the night.

I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw, trying to stop my teeth from chattering. I had survived out here for three years. There was no way I was going to die now. But still, a small voice inside me cursed my decision to not go to the children's home. The place was horrid, but at least I would have had a bed to sleep in rather than this abandoned barn. I didn't really regret my decision though. An orphanage could never have given me what my adoptive family had. They cared for me in a way that my biological parents or an orphanage never could. A slight smile appeared on my face at the thought of them. I wished that they were still here.

Minutes passed. The night seemed to stretch on forever. I heard an odd rustling outside, making me open my eyes. I squinted to see through the snow and the darkness, eyes eventually settling on a figure standing outside and watching me. I couldn't see the person's face, but something about them was so familiar. There was a flash of movement and another shape stepped into view then stood beside the first person.

"Help," I tried to call out loudly, but my voice was hoarse. I got to my feet, every movement a struggle. The two figures stood there, unmoving. "Help," I said again. I took a few steps forward and out of the barn, only to trip and fall back into the snow. Warm arms encircled me, getting me to my feet and keeping me warmer. I looked up to thank my rescuers. My mom and dad stood in front of me, warm smiles on their faces. Tears sprung from my eyes. "You were dead," I whispered. "How are you here?"

My mother cupped my face with her warm hands and dried my tears. "Did you really think we would leave you alone, my little Kolya?" She chuckled lightly. I hadn't heard her laugh in years and I didn't realize until now just how much I had missed the sound of it. Her graying hair was curled and her makeup done perfectly, just like always. Her face was free of the blood and bruises that covered it the last time I saw her. I felt an arm over my shoulders and turned my head to see my father standing beside me. He hadn't changed a bit either and was still wearing his glasses and his gray hair was neatly combed. A bright and cheerful smile was on his face.

They both looked so different from the last time I saw them. That day their faces had been bloodied and beaten to the point where they were barely recognizable. I hadn't wanted to look, but someone had to identify them.

Together, they led me into the barn, but it was no longer the barn. A house sat in its place, but the image wasn't quite clear, almost like it was something out of a dream. We walked inside and I suddenly felt very warm, like I was standing near a fireplace. I couldn't see it, but it felt safe and warm so I removed my jacket and sat down. The snow on the ground sent a chill through me, but I hardly noticed it. My parents sat on either side of me. I looked at them and saw flash of their bloodied, lifeless faces but then I blinked and it was gone. I closed my eyes, so happy to be with them again that I didn't notice how slow my breathing had become.

I laid there alone in the snow, in that dusty old barn, my lips and fingers a dark shade of blue. I let out one last breath and my body fell completely still.