This is a short story with a picture of Frosty and her dragon friend, Dread. Hopefully this explains the picture a little.

I sat on the ground, blood running down my arms and cheeks. I felt numb, emotionless, empty. I looked at my hands with a blank stare. My head hurt and so did my body as my blood continued to run down my arms. I let out a sigh and wiped the blood away. Little arms wrapped around my neck and I turned my head to see a little girl with tears in her blind eyes.

“You promised!” Her little voice broke as she attempted not to cry.

I looked away, my fox ears lowering as I whispered, “I’m sorry, Frost.”

Frost looked upset, tears rolling down her cheek and her lips drooping into a frown. I removed her arms from my neck and picked her up, setting her in my lap. We looked at one another, the silence around us growing then she cried.

“He hurt you. Why? You didn’t do anything.” She stuttered as she cried.

For some reason my expression softened and my pain faded for a moment. “Oh, Frost.” I said, pulling her into a gentle hug.

She hugged me tightly, her little arms barely wrapping around me. We stayed there for a long moment until she calmed down. I rose her chin and peered into her glassy eyes.

“Frost, I need to explain something.” I said and she nodded, so I continued. “I, well, we can’t go ice skating anymore. I was punished for taking you last night. Do you understand?”

“I understand.” Frost said in a sad voice.

That voice made my heart ache more than it was. I had broken a promise and I could never undo it. All I could do is sit there and suffer the consequences. Maybe I could apologize and make another promise, but would she accept it?

“Hey, I’ll tell you what. If you promise me that you will stay strong for me then I’ll promise to take you ice skating and I won’t break it.” I pleaded, my hope for acceptance seemingly taking a toll on me for a moment.

She looked blindly at or through me, maybe even past me. At that moment, she wiped her eyes and smiled, putting a strong, confident look on her face, even though fear still lay in her grey-blue eyes.

“I promise, Mr. Dead.” Frost Wing spoke with an almost happy tune. “But we can’t tell my daddy, m’kay?” She smiled.

It was at that moment, that smile of hers and the words she had spoken, got me to smile for the first time in several years. I gently held her close as I hugged her and ran my fingers through her brown and black locks.

“I promise.” I whispered gently and the world around me faded as I fell into a peaceful sleep with the sweet little girl in my arms.

Artwork and story © FrostWing6789