Keeping my head down, I slide back the bolt and yank the door open. Wind and snow roar into the cabin. I know what he’s going to say. He likes me, but not in that way.

Stig grabs my arm. ‘Wait! Don’t go like this.’

Why can’t he leave me alone? Haven’t I been humiliated enough?

I shrug him off and stumble into a blizzard. A tear spills from my eye as I jump down the porch steps, my boots sinking in snow. I raise my arm against the vicious spit of ice and gasp as the cold air burns my throat. Anger pumps my legs faster. I trudge around the side of the cabin, tears streaming down my frozen cheeks.

I pull my gloves from my pockets, but my hands are shaking and I can’t get them on. ‘Stupid idiot!’ I should have put them on before I came out. The snow is coming down so heavily I can only just see the tree. I shove my bare hands into my armpits and lumber towards it.

‘Faen! Faen! Faen!’

Stig’s voice gets louder with each curse. I wipe my face on my sleeve as a black shape half runs, half stumbles towards me. He’s wearing his coat but hasn’t stopped to put on his hat. The snow is whirling thick and fast. I blink and see him, only to lose him again.

‘I wanted to kiss you! I’ve never met anyone like you!’

I turn towards his voice. ‘So why didn’t you then?’

A cruel wind cuts into my face. My pulse races as I stare about me. Suddenly there is only white. No cabin, no tree, no up or down.

‘Stig?’

The snow is blinding. Gandalf barks in warning, but I can’t see him. I’m somewhere between the tree and the cabin, but I don’t know which is closer. I take a few steps, then stumble. My breath is hard and fast, leaving great plumes on the air.

‘Martha!’

My name comes to me over the wind, and I whip around. Not trusting my sight, I stagger towards Stig’s voice. I see the back of his head and my heart falters. He’s a dozen paces away to my left, walking in the wrong direction.

I run towards him. ‘Stig!’

He spins around.

A dark shape emerges from the snow. A half-human creature.

I gasp as it strides towards me. Strips of brown leathery skin hang from its skull, and its head is covered with dirty, matted hair.

I stand, unable to move, the air frozen in my lungs.

Stig runs towards me from the other side, waving his arms and yelling.

It’s coming right at me.

Stig yanks my arm, jolting me out of my trance. ‘Go, Martha!’ He pushes me away, then turns to face the creature. I run, desperately hoping I’m heading for the cabin.