Summary

The text describes a personal account of enduring an exceptionally cold winter night in the United States, filled with snow and a malfunctioning heater, leading to an eerie experience and a cliffhanger involving a mysterious voice.

Abstract

The narrative recounts the author's experience during the coldest winter since their move to the United States. The landscape is beautifully covered in snow, but the cold is biting, and the heater appears to be broken, adding to the discomfort. Despite attempts to stay warm, the author's body grows increasingly numb, and they struggle to move or call for help. Amidst this struggle, a mysterious voice offers reassurance, creating a sense of unease and intrigue. The chapter ends with the author losing consciousness, leaving the reader with questions about the voice's origin and the author's fate, inviting them to continue to the next chapter for answers.

Opinions

The author finds the snowy winter landscape stunning yet acknowledges the harsh cold as an impediment.
There is a sense of frustration and resignation regarding the heater's failure during such an inopportune time.
The author's initial assumption that the voice might be a product of their imagination suggests a skeptical view of the supernatural.
The tension and fear experienced by the author are palpable, indicating a deep concern for their well-being.
The cliffhanger ending, with the author passing out, creates a sense of urgency and curiosity, compelling readers to seek out the next part of the story.

A Very Cold Winter

Why is winter so cold?

It was a cold winter, the coldest that I’d experienced since moving to the United States. As I looked out the window, the garden and drive were completely covered in snow. The view was stunning, but far too cold.

Photo by green ant on Unsplash How cold is winter in the United States?

I could sit by the window all night just admiring the nature’s beauty, but I have an early morning the next day. I had an exam to take and I needed some extra time to dig my way out of the snow before I could get out of the house. This was the price to pay for a beautiful snow-covered winter.

I drew the curtains and went to bed. It was colder than I expected. Did the heater break down again? Not right now! I drew the blanket up higher, almost burying my entire head in it, but I was still cold.

Photo by Dim Hou on Unsplash How cold is winter in the United States?

My toes were the first to go numb, followed by my feet, fingers, and hands. My legs started stiffening as well. I’d freeze to death if this continued.

I must do something about this.

I tried to get up to check on the heater, but I couldn’t move! I tried to shout, but nothing came out!

What was going on?

“Master, hang in there.It’ll be over very soon.”

What! Who was the one who spoke?

Photo by Aditya Saxena on Unsplash How cold is winter in the United States?

My heart pounded faster. I looked hard into the darkness but didn’t see anyone. I pricked up my ear to listen, but I didn’t hear anything more. It was really quiet.

Perhaps it was simply my wild imagination from battling with the cold.

I was still extremely cold but the tension seems to have eased the numbness a little. I took a deep breath and mustered all my strength to sit up so I could get out of bed.

But I passed out instead.

Photo by Cai Carney on Unsplash How cold is winter in the United States?

This brings us to the end of this chapter. To find out who was speaking in the dark, following this link to read the next chapter.

This article is part of a series. You can find the other chapters at this link. Kindly note that the first chapter is at the bottom or end of the list.

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