I shrug on my tattered jacket, just thick enough to block the bite from the wind as I step onto the cobbled stone outside my door, making sure I lock it tight behind me. I glance at the sky, but no moon greets me. No playful stars wink hello as I pass under them.
Nothing up there to watch over me tonight.
I stroll through my village, weaving throughout the stone and dirt paths connecting the houses. I keep one hand tucked deep within my pocket, fiddling with cubes of sugar, while the other dangles loosely against my side.
The first house I approach is my neighbor’s house, a block away. My house is a ways outside of the village, guarding it. I lift my hand and knock twice, pause, then thrice. A warning to those inside to turn their lights off and stay inside until the sun rises. The candles in the windows are
