There was a chill in the air, and Eleonora could definitely feel it. She clung close to Katarina, hoping for some warmth. The two hurried down the streets of Hailey, Idaho. The wind blew past her, feeling like thousands of tiny needles, plunging into her skin.

"Oh my goodness, Eleonora, you look like a dead person!" Katarina exclaimed lifting up Eleonora's face. Eleonora shivered once again, the cold biting her. "Come on, let's get you inside." Katarina held open the door to her home, slamming it shut behind her. Her brother, Clarence, peered down from the staircase.

"It's just Katarina!" he shouted up the stairs, disappointment in his voice.

"Just Katarina! Well, I thought you loved me." Katarina teased, winking at the 11 year old. Clarence groaned and ran up the stairs. Katarina threw aside her siblings coats. She had five, to be exact. Clarence, Theodosia, Hannah, Fleur, and Jeffrey. They were all between the ages of 11 and 2. Katarina, Clarence, and Fleur all had the same dark tone of skin, while Theodosia and Jeffrey had very dark skin, similar to that of their fathers. Hannah had pale skin, and looked the most like her mother. The family lived together in a small, cluttered house in the middle of a forgotten road. Eleonora on the other hand, lived a few blocks away on a street bustling with life. There were two restaurants, a bookshop, and a small furniture store. Eleonora's house was simple. It had just enough space for her and her parents. Eleonora pitied Katarina, for she truly did have poor living conditions. Her mother had died from the flu a few years ago, and the house become even more chaotic since then. Katarina often came over to Eleonora's for escape, but today, it seemed to be the other way around. 

"God, if I saw you on the street I would swear you'd been struck by the plague! You look absolutely dreadful! I didn't know the cold affected you so." Katarina fretted over Eleonora, sending her sister to grab as many blankets as she could.

Eleonora sighed. "I didn't know either. But for some odd reason, ever since the cold season started, the chill leaves me feeling so very awful."

"Well, there must be some cause for it!" Katarina insisted. Eleonora shrugged.

"Not that I know of. But I'm sure it will pass." she smiled, not wanting Katarina to worry so.

"I should be on my way home." Eleonora insisted, fastening her coat.

"I'll walk you." Katarina grabbed Eleonora's arm.

"Really, I'll be fine. Thank you." Eleonora hurried out, unable to stand thinking about what had been happening any longer. But she couldn't help herself once she got outside. The cold hit her like a mallet, pounding into her very soul. She braved on, ignoring the pain. She knew that she had to keep going, because it would be even more painful if she stopped.

She eventually made it home, and she ran up to the front door, desperately knocking for someone to let her in. Her mother came to the door, a worried look entering her gaze as soon as she saw her daughter's ashen face.

"Eleonora? Are you alright? You look as if you've just risen from the grave!" she asked, taking Eleonora's coat off.

"I feel as if I may be dead." Eleonora plopped herself down onto the brown sofa, her brown hair slapping the back of the chair.

"What happened out there?"

"It's cold."

"Is that all?"

"I'm afraid so. Mum, is it possible to be, oh, how do I put it, allergic, to the cold?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous! Of course not!"

"Perhaps it's all in my head, but the cold air feels less like air and more like a sword." Eleonora tucked her hands under her legs to warm them up.

"Well, that is rather odd. Perhaps we can see a doctor."

Eleonora nodded, grabbing a blue blanket with gray tassels and wrapping it around her body.

"You would think with all that body fat, the cold wouldn't bother you much." her mother teased, but it still stung a little. She knew she was bigger than most girls, and her mother always found a way of pointing it out. Eleonora still thought she was quite lovely, and everyone always said she would be very beautiful if she lost a few pounds. But she didn't feel a need to, and the nagging only increased her dislike of the diet trends and corsets.

"Well, it doesn't help apparently. I mean, Katarina is as thin as a pole and she didn't seem to be bothered at all!" Eleonora sighed, undoing her hair.

"Well, perhaps you can find something in one of those books of yours."

"Perhaps." Eleonora sighed. She seemed to be sighing quite a lot lately. "Goodnight mother." she kissed her mother on the cheek and walked off, feeling a little on the edge.