Write: the third one

More writing but the third time

He stared solemnly at the picture and then looked down at the fire in front of him. He had thought of his mom and how she had happily helped him move. He remembered her telling him he was always welcome to come back home if he wanted to. 

Is it too late to move back?, He thought to himself, maybe it wouldn't be too bad to see mom again - and maybe I can just get used to seeing HIM ever so often. 

He shook his head. He couldn't face him now. His heart had not yet healed from their last conversation. Well, maybe not conversation, it was more like a battle. Both sides screaming and yelling at each other and ending with both sides feeling empty and broken. 

Gray tried to shake away the memory of the battle they had before he left, but the memory only lingered, like a scar slightly faded but not yet healed. A scar still left bleeding, no matter the bandages wrapped around it. 

He sighed and, while still having the memory bleed in his mind, closed his eyes and let the gentle noises of the fire carry him to sleep. 

**

With the wind howling outside and the storm never letting up for just a second, something hobbled out of the woods due to the force of the wind kicking it out. It had desperately tried to take off, back to where it once came, but the wind had firmly pinned the creature to the ground, not letting up. It was nearly impossible to see, so there was no way the creature could just up and walk home, not in the state it was in. 

As the creature fully started to accept that this will be its resting grounds, a light shone through the harsh and mean show, sparking hope within them once again. 

They winced as they fought against the cold and the wind, determined to follow that light and possibly to safety. Drops of crimson blood and strange footprints was the only thing left in their wake. 

**

Gray did not wake. He had continued to slumber even when a wave of cold had washed over his body, making him shiver. He could only assume that the fire had just died out, having used all of the firewood. He didn't even stir when something light tickled his nose. He thought it was a stray snowflake that had found its way inside, so he simply waved it off and continued his slumber. Then there was a thump and a crash and the sound of wings beating, finally making the sleeping man jolt awake and look around in fear.

The fire had indeed gone out, but not because of the lack of firewood, in fact, there was plenty of wood left over, meaning something had blown it out. He then felt another shiver crawling up his spine and found that his door was wide open, having the angry wind and snow finding their way inside. 

That must have put out the fire, he thought, but..I swore I had locked that door…

He had moved his body, rubbing his hands together to try to stay warm, but when he went to force the door closed, he stared in horror at the door. It had been ripped off its hinges, having claw marks grip the sides of the door.

He had stared in horror at the door, but before he could even speak, another clatter came from inside the cabin, the sound of creaking echoing through the house. Gray's breathing stilled at the noise. Someone…or something had broken in the cabin.