Mom and Dad decided to stay to catch up with Robert and Alba. The four walked into the kitchen, leaving me and Louis alone with our cousins. I asked if they would take me on a tour and joked that I did not want to pass in here. Their smiles faded. I bit my lips and massaged the back of my neck.

Why did I say that?

"I apologize," I said. "I am sorry. I will not make a joke like it again."

"No, no, no," Rufus said. "Your joke was great. We love it. I love it anyway."

"Will you excuse us for a minute?" Bianca said.

They huddled and whispered amongst one another.

Should I let them know that I can hear them?

"Should we tell her?" Rufus asked.

"No way," Luigi replied. "You know how curious she is. And she is allergic to the cold. We can never put her in a death situation. I...we will never forgive ourselves."

"Lucia might be curious, but she is not stupid," Bianca defended me. "Remember when we were younger? We played that prank on her."

"Yeah. We convinced her that our snowmen were alive. That they were evil and going to attack the house."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. I was mad when they admitted that it was a prank. I was not laughing. I was embarrassed. I wanted to punch out their lights. It is a moment that I will never forget. I am younger than them. I trusted them. It hurt.

I lowered my arms. "Fine. I will go on a tour by myself. And I will not get lost." I started to the stairs.

Bianca grasped my arm. "I will go with you, Lucia. And then maybe we can do something fun. Maybe tell scary stories."

I slipped my arm out of her grasp. "Something tells me that you like scary stories."

She looked at Rufus and Luigi, and then back at me. "I enjoy all scary stories - except one. 'Cause it is true."

"Most are true, especially the stories with no monsters. The monsters that are only human."

"I meant that this particular story...hits close to home." She walked past me and rushed up the stairs. "I loathe being reminded of them."

I followed. "'Them'?"

"I meant to say 'it.' But if you are staying, you certainly will encounter...them."

By her tone, I could tell that she was afraid. "You know how I feel about secrets. Spill. Who is them?"

We reached the top and raced down a long and narrow hall. "Do you still believe in the supernatural?"

"I do not believe - no, I know that snowmen will never attack."

"You still have not gotten over that?"

"I did until you brought it up to Rufus and Luigi."

She gave me a playful slap on the arm. "How dare you. I cannot believe that you eavesdropped on us."

"Not my fault that you guys whisper too loud."

"Now that is an oxymoron."

We reached the end of the hall. I thought that it would never end. I did not notice until now that all the rooms had their doors shut. Not just the bedrooms. I thought that it was a tad strange and asked my cousin. She said that it was because of the wolves.

"W-wolves? Mom and Dad never mentioned wolves."

"They never did because they do not believe in them."

I squinted as I scratched the back of my head. "Why do they not believe in them? Wolves are proven to be real. As real as us. Maybe I should beg them for us to go to a zoo."

She opened the door in front of us and switched on the light. A lamp hanging from the ceiling chased away the darkness. "It is not wolves that you should be afraid of. You have heard of the abominable snowman, right?"

"Yeah. I have heard allegedly true stories regarding the beast." I covered my mouth. "Have you seen him?"

She shook her head. "You will never find a yeti or other monsters up here - because it is inhabited by the group known as...snowwolves."

I brushed my bangs away from my eyes. "Snowwolves? I have never heard of snowwolves."

"That is because I am the first person to tell you. Rufus and Luigi believe in them. My mom and dad do. I do. I have never seen them...but I have heard them at night. Howling at the dark blue sky. Clawing at both the front and back door, finding a way to come in. Small holes to crawl through."

"How can they crawl through a small hole? Unless that they are small too."

"Only when they are born, Lucia."

Bianca showed me her bedroom. I was no longer in the snowy mountains when I was in here. It was warm and welcoming. It was as if she were hosting a party. Lights hung on the dark pink walls. The floor was dark blue. I felt like that I was walking on the water. But only Jesus can do that. I asked Bianca about the bunk bed.

"My parents bought it after we moved here. We prayed that you would come one day. And you are here now! I cannot wait to have fun with my new roommate."

"We will have fun after we finish the tour."

An hour later, the tour ended. I am a bit surprised that it was short. My cousin led me to the big fireplace. I sat and listened to the fire crackling. So satisfying.

Bianca rubbed her hands together. "Ready to tell scary stories?"

"Yep. I would like to hear about the snowwolves first."

She sat next to me and put two fingers into her mouth. She whistled. "The boys should be here to help me out. They actually have seen them."

Luigi and Rufus hurried over. Luigi said, "Is it time?"

She nodded. "Time to tell Lucia."