trepidation (n.) || a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen

of the wind attacked her exposed skin.

She shivered, readjusting her scarf, and then she swung the axe again. The satisfying sound of wood splitting filled her ears and she bent to set up another piece of wood. She was always kept warm by splitting wood, as her body would generate its own heart in time, but the air seemed particularly nippy today.

It wasn't uncommon for the temperature to take wild dives. Sometimes it went from an easy fifty three to a solid eighteen degrees in two days, and in those two days, the weather could range from a gentle snow storm to a plummet of snow from the heavens. Almost as it did at the start of this winter. It was always a change that she was ready for.

She swung the axe again, determined to finish her task before the next snow storm impacted. She had heard the winter weather advisory on the radio this morning, but after the tenth piece of wood split, she took a quick break. Her shoulders were aching, unused to the vigorous activity, and her fingers were trembling, but she wouldn't give up so easily. Her Dad always called her a fighter, and for good reason.

She let her eyes wander around the snowy landscape. From her back porch, an expanse of trees and pines spread out, with a single trail that led to an old abandoned barn on her property. Once, in its hayday, her house used to be a bustling farm house with acres of land under production, but those days have since faded.

Now, her two story farm house creaked when the wind blew a bit too hard, the white paint flaking and whisking away with the snow itself. Every year, her father induced repairs on it, and she was frankly surprised that the roof didn't leak. Regardless, the little house was home. A very cozy and welcoming home.

It was settled in the woods, a driveway that led directly into town, and a couple of fields on the backside of the property. In the summertime, she explored the land they owned and she hoped that maybe her father could be convinced into purchasing a few cattle.

She always loved animals. She had the best pet turtle when she was six until her friend's dog ate it. To this day, she still blames that friend for letting in the rambunctious animal while she was cleaning her turtle's tank. Frankly, it was a miracle that the dog even survived because her turtle wasn't small, she made sure it was very well fed - maybe just a tad too much.

She would always beg her Mom to go to the city Zoo, even if she'd been there a million times and seen every animal, she just couldn't pass up the magic and excitement. She still remembers that one time she reached through the bars to pet a penguin. Her mother was mortified and the zoo staff were furious but she never stopped grinning with that toothy smile - zero regrets.

She sighed softly at the thought of her mom. She missed her mother, as anyone would miss their mother, but she felt like she never really got the chance to say a fair goodbye. She couldn't help but feel as though the event that took her Mom away was her fault, and if she could have traded places with her Mom on that day, she would do it in a heartbeat.

People will always says that bad things will happen in life. That life is never fair, and she tried to get herself to believe it so it wouldn't be as hard when the time came, but nothing hits harder than the unexpected. Nothing hurts worse than not being able to say goodbye. She was scarred from that day, a reminder, and she hated it.

She didn't know what she did to deserve it. She didn't understand why it happened, not even to this day, and she couldn't just accept it as a rogue accident. For the following years, she spent the days running from her past. Her Dad did everything he could to help her be happy and she did the same for him. They only had each other now and she didn't want to lose that, too.

Suddenly, a howl erupted in the distance.

Goosebumps flooded over her skin as fear shot through her. She turned her wide eyes in the direction of the wolf's howl and the noise sounded more like a haunting taunt than it did a beautiful melody. She once admired the majestic creatures, longed to be like them, and then her accident happened and she did everything she could to avoid them.

She was terrified of the wolves.

It was because of their kind that her once perfect life fell through the cracks, and yet, as much as she'd like to blame them, she knew that it wasn't entirely true. Something else laid unspoken in the dark.

She snapped out of her frozen revere and hurried to split the rest of the wood. The sun was beginning to crest from the sky, the day plunging into late afternoon, and she was eager to return indoors where she knew she was safe.

The howl worked into a crescendo before it plummeted to silence. She half expected another howl to answer, giving way for her worst fears, but when there was nothing for several minutes, she relaxed. It was rumored that wolf pack's moved and lived among humans without their knowledge, since humans didn't wander into the forest much, and she surely hoped it wasn't true.

She knew that wolves were cunning creatures, skilled in every aspect of survival, and they would do anything to protect their own; she'd witnessed it first hand. A truly terrifying experience that gave her ceaseless nightmares for months.

There was nothing but silence as she collected the last of her firewood in her arms and hurried inside. She neatly stacked the wood in the carrier by the door and then slipped out of her winter clothes.

Her father had left earlier that morning. He was employed as a mechanic in the next town west and he made some pretty decent pay for the area. However, with the forty five minute drive one way, when he left for work he wouldn't come home for a few days. He worked on average three to four days a week and then he was home the rest of the week.

She wandered into the kitchen to prepare herself dinner. She was used to the routine, they'd been developing it since early last year when he got the job. She always prayed for safe travels for him and that the old pick up wouldn't quit in between towns.

She had more homework to do after dinner before bed but she didn't mind. She was trying to be an early graduate junior. Regardless, even without the homework, she'd still be on her computer looking up something or watching Netflix. She was a naturally inquisitive girl and her isolated lifestyle was perfect.

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