She wanted to cry. Wanted to hold her little brother and never let go. But there was no time.
“Don’t talk like that, Wox.” Her voice trembled. “You have to live. Remember what you always said? You’re going to build a big house someday. A really big one.”
“What does a big house matter if you’re not in it?”
His words hung in the cold air between them.
She had no answer. Nothing she could say would make this right. She cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. Her thumbs wiped away his tears, but more kept coming.
“Even if I’m not beside you… I’ll still be with you. I’ll watch over you from afar. So…”
Her voice broke completely now. Tears spilled from her eyes, hot against her cold cheeks.
“So from now on, be brave. Don’t be afraid of anything. And become strong. Promise me you’ll become strong. Because if you’re strong... no one can ever hurt you again.”
Wox stared at her, crying, shaking, barely holding on.
“Will it hurt? When you... when you’re gone? Will it hurt you?”
She could not lie to him. Could not say that no, it would not hurt. That death always hurts. That she was terrified too. But she could not tell him the truth either. So she said nothing. Just pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face in his shoulder. Her own tears soaked into his clothes. For a moment, she just held him. Her little brother, the only family she had left in the world.
She wanted to stay like this forever. But they did not have forever.
She pulled back, quickly wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Then her little brother’s. Her thumb brushed the blood off his cheek, the blood he had not even noticed.
“I love you, Wox. Never forget that.”
She stood up and looked around desperately. She needed somewhere to hide him. Somewhere safe. But there was nothing, just endless trees and snow, white, cold and empty.
Then she saw it.
A hollow tree. Old and wide, with a dark space at its base. Big enough for a boy to curl up inside.
She grabbed his hand and ran toward it.
***
They stopped in front of the hollow tree. Wox’s green eyes were wet and wide with worry as he looked at his sister.
“Sis…”
She turned to him and slowly knelt down. She placed one hand on his shoulder while the other gently held his face. Her palms were cold, but he leaned into them anyway.
“Wox. Stay here.” Her voice was steady, even though her heart was breaking. “Don’t come out until I come back.”
She said it like it was true. Like she would actually return. But deep down, she already knew… she was never coming back.
Tears streamed endlessly down Wox’s face. One after another, burning trails down his cold cheeks. He did not even try to stop them.
“Sis, don’t go, please.”
“Don’t worry, Wox,” she said, forcing a gentle smile. “I’ll only be gone for a little while. Just stay here and wait for me.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver bracelet. It was simple, old, but well cared for. She took his trembling hand and placed it on his wrist, then gently closed his fingers around the bracelet.
“Take this, Wox. This bracelet is special. Always keep it with you.”
As Wox stared at the bracelet through his tears, she gently lifted his chin, making him look at her. “This will keep you safe. And remember... I’ll always be with you. So don’t be afraid of anything.”
Wox threw himself at her, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her neck. He hugged her tightly.
His sister held him close, her arms steady even as her own eyes burned. But she refused to let the tears fall. She rubbed his back slowly in steady circles. Like she used to do when he was small and scared of thunderstorms.
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