I bandage my hand, then put on my gloves and pull the door shut. The sky is streaked purple and red, as if someone took a knife and slashed it open, the ghostly moon too afraid to show its face. Behind me, the cabin blazes with light. It spills out through the windows and onto the snow. A beacon.

Gripping the axe, I jump down the steps. The gnarled arms of the tree dip and wave as if beckoning me, and I hurry towards it. I have to return the dead before the draugr comes. If it kills me, there will be no one to save Mormor.

Two ravens circle high above, their bodies buffeted by the icy wind, and I am glad to see them. I pause at the edge of the garden, feeling exposed. If the creature appears now … A harsh caw sounds in warning and I glance in every direction, but there’s nothing. I keep walking, the crunch of my boots horribly loud.

A howl comes from the forest.

My head spins as I stare about me. I turned on every light in the cabin to attract the draugr; if I go back it will find me … and the tree is too far.

The shed!

I turn and race towards it, then hurry inside. There are no windows and I have to strain to make out shapes in the gloom. My hand shakes as I pull the rusty bolt across.

Another howl, closer this time.

I want to hide in a corner, but I don’t move. I need to know where it is. Shuffling sounds. A low, breathy snort.

It must be right outside.

My chest flushes with heat. I hold the axe before me, my hands sweating in my gloves.

The door rattles and I cry out, but it’s just the wind.

Holding my breath, I peer through a crack in the wood. The yellow light from the cabin illuminates every weed stalk near the house, but there’s no sign of the creature. I move my body to the left and angle my head to look to the other side.

A shape moves past, temporarily blocking the light.

I gasp and pull back, convinced it’s seen me. When I look again, the creature is lumbering up the porch steps.

I slide open the bolt, ready.

It paces the porch, then looks in through the windows.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

It pounds its fist along the outside of the cabin. My fingers tighten around the axe, hatred burning inside me. A grunt, and then it kicks open the door and disappears inside.

Now. I have to go now.