"Natana! I have not seen you in so long! My dear, come over here! Let me see you more closely!" It is Carol McStow talking to me. She is sitting in her usual rocking chair, her black hair up in a bun, her glasses hanging on the tip of her nose, tempting to fall off. I smile and close the wooden door behind me, stopping the snow from following me in.

"Oh Carol, I've missed you so much!" I whisper just like I was a child. I run up to her as she stands up catiously and I wrap my arms around her. I bury my face in her shoulder and can tell that she smells like fresh apple pie. Carefully unwrapping my arms away from her, I stand back to smile. Carol had changed since I had last seen her eight years ago. She is shorter than I, stooped over on a cane carved from cheap wood, her face is covered in aging wrinkles, and every movement she makes is stiff and looks painful. Glancing her over I felt so bad for her, but Carol didn't let any of her pain show. She kept a smile wickered on her face. She finally broke the silence by sighing and sitting back down in her rocking chair, the wood underneath her making the same crrrreek crrack noise I used to fall asleep to while in her arms.

"Natana, you're so...so grown up now. Your so tall, you've grown out your hair, and oh my! When did you start wearing such heavy makeup! We must catch up!" She sighs once more. I crouch down next to her, patting her knee.

"Carol, I need your help." I whisper, changing the topic. I am dieing to talk to her, to catch up on all the lost years, but I have something more important to do first. Carol cocks her head to the side, like she always did when she was ready to listen. I take a deep breath, inhaling through my nose and exhaling through my mouth, Carol watching me all the while.

"You must know that the Kinsos are coming in three moons." I start. Carol nods and motions for me to contiue with a flick of her hand. "Well, everybody is behind on collecting food. I mean, really, really far behind even if no one wants to admit it. The weather is horrible and our animals are deadly sick, and this has been happening over the past ten winters. We started out great, but each new moon brings us deeper and deeper out of control. We have nothing, Carol, nothing." I pause for a breath. Carol looks at me with agreement in her eyes. She knew it also. As I open my mouth to contiue, Carol slowly stands up and motions me to a nearby chair.

"Let me get us some tea before you contiue." She shuffles off to the kitchen as I crawl up into a chair. I scoot it over to Carol's rocking chair and wait for her to return. Tapping my fingers on the chair's arm patiently, I can hear her clinking the tea pot on the stove. I sit and wonder what to say next before a large knock comes from the door. Carol pops her head out from the kitchen, her cane wobbling unsteadily underneath her.

"Natana, will you be a dear and answer the door for me? I wasn't expecting anymore company, but let them in." She says and walks back into the kitchen. I nod and quickly scrabble out of the chair, walking briskly to the door. I open it a crack and peer out.

"Village Police! Open up!" Shouts a man in a black uniform, his hair combed back under a stiff hat. My mind franticly wonders why they would be here. Carol isn't a crimical, is she? Another knock pounds on the door and I quickly open it up. The man is towering above me and looks at me with not a speck of character in his eyes.

"I'm here to talk to the owner of this house. May that be you?" He asks, his eyes not leaving mine. I gulp down some air before stuttering a soft 'no'. He grunts and shifts his weight to the other foot.

"Then may I speak to him or her?" His voice is growing bitter with impatience and I turn my head towards the kitchen, my hand still locked around the doorknob.

"Carol, can you come here for a second? The village police are here to see you." I yell, trying to seem calm. At the same time, I'm still wondering what could of happened. Carol shuffles in, eyes wide and curious like mine. She runs her fingers through her hair that has fallen out of the tight bun it once was in and tucks in behind her ear. Once she reaches the officer, she opens the door all the way and gives him a weak smile.

"Yes Sir?" She says quietly. The officer takes his hat off and tucks it under his arm, the air becoming stiffer and the tension growing and growing. Carol quickly realized that he was waiting to be inviited in, and she swept her hand into the room.

"Come on in, dear Sir."