It was the fifth of November in the year two thousand when a star disappeared from the sky: It had been a small star, barely visible. Everyone was asleep, and a thin layer of snow glowed yellow in the pale light of the streetlamps. No traffic roared by, no dogs barked, only the sound of snow crunching under small feet broke the silence. The air was cold, and fat snowflakes sprinkled down from the sky like white petals.
A large brick building sat at the end of the road; It was weathered and the cement steps that led to the front door were chipped. The steel guard rail was rusted but still usable and the outline of a sign long ago removed could still be seen on the front of the building. A little girl knocked on the door; she wore only a silk dress, with a thin blanket around her shoulders to protect her from the cold. Her lips were blue and her teeth chattered as she shook from the cold.
The door opened to a woman who looked down at the girl with concerned eyes. "A-are you S-Sandra Ma-Mackey?" the girl stuttered through frozen lips.
"Yes I am. Here, come inside. You'll catch your death of cold out there" the woman said, ushering the girl into the warm house.
"Th-thank you" the girl stuttered.
"I'll get you a dry blanket" the woman said before leaving. She came back a few moments later with a furry blanket in her arms. The small girl dropped her wet one to the floor and two small, white wings could be seen folded against her back. The woman's eyes widened. "Who are you?" she asked.
"My name's Elira, my mommy said to come find you. She said I'd be safe here" the small girl answered.
"Safe from what?" The woman wrapped the blanket around the girl, who looked up at her with fearful eyes.
"From the monsters."