That Halloween night changed everything. Ferry could tell, although his friends tried to act as usual. None of them mentioned the encounter with the creature, that night. As if the very memory of it would have brought it back.

But no matter how hard they tried to pretend nothing happened, once the night settled, looking behind and throbbing at the smallest noise were saying differently.

 Ferry knew that all too well. If he was used to meeting strange beings, his friends were not. This time, however, even Ferry was troubled. That stranger, whoever or whatever it was, gave him the feeling that it wasn't the last time they would meet. Ferry's biggest burden was to see his friends worried and to know that that presence was still watching. Or worse, that it could hurt them only for being his friends. 

One morning, at the beginning of November, something happened; something that chased away any fears or worries. Winter came.

Ferry hated winter. He couldn't understand other children's joy of playing in the snow, having snowball fights, and building snowmen. That only meant getting your nose and cheeks frozen, even if bundled up from head to toe. The cold was getting through his clothes, and no matter how many sweaters he put on, the cold eventually reached to the bone.

His friends, however, could spend an entire day in the snow without complaining. Every morning, they greeted him with a shower of snowballs. Then, they had to follow a narrow path to school through the snowbanks; and their winter adventure continued on their way back home.

But not even the winter coming, with its frozen smile, could not take the memory of that night away. Soon, Matilda and Ben avoided staying outside when evening fell. From the first moments of darkness, they started running home.

Things were not great at school, either. For a while, Ferry could no longer draw those amazing things he once did,  nor could answer to Miss Summer's questions in class. He sat at his desk even during breaks when everybody else was outside, playing in the snow.

"Ferry, why don't you come outside?" he could hear a small voice beside him. It was May, with her small bonnet over her tresses and her gloves on. She was waiting for him.

"I'm a little cold," he said, faking a cough.

"You could need some fresh air," she said smiling the way only she could.

Ferry frowned, "Why don't you go with your friends, May?" he snapped at her. "Go and play with Billy Pride! I'm sure you have a lot in common. Now leave me alone!"

After a moment of astonishment, May ran out of the classroom with tears in her eyes. Ferry felt he was the worst being in the whole universe. But he had to do it. What if that presence was watching him that very moment? He couldn't put May in danger. Her, of all people.

In time, he turned into the grumpiest person. He pushed everyone away, even his friends. He didn't visit Ben anymore. He chased Matilda away each time she asked him to play together. He pretended he had to help his mother, or doing homework, or not feeling well.

"Listen, Ferry," Matilda questioned him one day, "I'm sick and tired of being pushed away. Can you tell me what's wrong?" she said in a harsh voice.

"Nothing's wrong..." he muttered.

"Oh, no, something IS going on. And you are going to tell me right now!"

"Or what? You're going to hurt me as you usually solve any of your problems?" he said, forcing a burst of laughter.

For a moment, Matilda was speechless. Enough for Ferry to tail off. He's always been a bit scared of Matilda and her temper.

"I'm not giving up that easily," he could hear her shouting behind him.

At home, he rushed to his room, took off his school bag and coat and threw himself on the bed. Then, he stared at the ceiling. A knock at the window woke him up. It was his raven. Ferry opened the window and offered him some bread crumbs from a box he kept under his bed. Ever since that Halloween night, the raven was following everywhere. He could hear him croaking above, on his way to school. He could see him at his class's window, swinging on a branch. The biggest cold couldn't stop that bird. Night after night, he would hear its wings' fluttering at his window. Somehow, he felt safe at the sound of those wings.

Yet no matter how hard he tried to hide it, Mrs. Donovan's agile eye didn't miss her son's behavior. She noticed he was not going out that often, but she blamed it on the cold weather, for she knew Ferry never liked winter. But his absent mind was the one to trouble her the most. He wasn't laughing anymore; he wasn't spending time in front of the nice, cozy fire in the living room. He wasn't even drawing anymore. He stayed in his room for hours and looked at the wonderful drawings he once did. Or he watched through the window somewhere far away. All the way to the forest...

"Is there something wrong, dear?" she asked him one evening when she was putting him to bed.

"Nothing, Mum..." he said in a faint voice, not daring to look into her eyes. How was he supposed to tell her what was tormenting him? How was he to talk about the latest events which have turned his world upside down? How could he ever tell her he wasn't even her child? And that made him wonder─ if all Lavender Sky told him was true, what happened to Peter and Eileen Donovan's real child? That thought was the most painful of all. He didn't want to lose his mother, just like he didn't want to lose his life. He was being selfish, and he knew it. But no, he couldn't and wouldn't tell anyone.

His mother sighed and kissed him on his forehead. "If you ever want to talk to me, I am here..." she said before going out of his room.

So the days were passing by, one after another. With each day, Ferry was getting more estranged from his friends and everything he once loved. His only comfort was that he wasn't putting anyone in danger anymore. Not even the winter holiday, his very first one, couldn't send away his low spirits.

One afternoon, he was staying in front of his window as usual, when a soft knock on the door chased his dark thoughts away.

"A girl from your class is here to see you," he could hear his mother's gentle voice.

"Go away, Matt!" he said without turning around.

"It's not Matt..." he heard a small voice behind him.

He discovered May, holding her bonnet in her hands.

"Actually, Matt is the one who sent me here to talk to you," she continued. "She says you're not talking to anyone anymore... And that I'm the only one you might want to talk to..."

May took a few shy steps closer, then she sat on the edge of a chair, near Ferry's studying table. She was waiting for him to say something. But Ferry was so surprised to see her there, he didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell her everything. But could he trust her? And wouldn't she be in danger once she knew?

"It's hard..." he eventually said. "I have a secret I can't tell. To anyone. I'm a coward, I know. But I really can't tell..."

May watched him with her big eyes, almost forgetting to blink. Ferry had never seen her so serious.

"Listen," she said, "I don't know what your secret is. But if you don't want to tell, it's fine. No one can force you. But let me tell you this─ you are not a coward. Actually, you're the bravest person I've ever known. You are not afraid to speak your mind. You are curious and willing to learn about everything. You have a sharp mind and a big heart. And you are not afraid to say it straight. I wish I could be more like you. Not to care what people think. But I'm─ I'm not like you. My parents thought me to treat people nicely, so they would treat me nicely in return. But it doesn't always work that way..."

Then she stood up, looking determined, "Now get dressed. We're going sledding. I'll be waiting for you downstairs."

She then went out, slowly closing the door behind her. Ferry stood still for a few moments. Then, he got dressed and in a blink of an eye, and he was downstairs, too.

"Can I play with May, Mum?" he asked.

Mrs. Donovan smiled, happy to see the old Ferry again, "All right, but don't stay too long. It's getting dark soon."

Once outside, May picked up the rope of a small sled with a blanket on it,  waiting for them in the front garden. It was fit for only two children. To Ferry, the sled looked like a magical chariot.

"Where to?" he asked, blowing in his fists to keep himself warm. They haven't even left, and he was already frozen.

"To the snow-toboggan, of course," she smiled.

Ferry obeyed. And the winter didn't seem so harsh anymore. He looked at the cotton clouds above and at the snow-coated branches, from which a fine, sparkling powder was falling. Like fairy dust, he thought. May herself looked like a small fairy. Her red winter coat made her look a rosebud, floating on a foamy sea.

Without realizing, they arrived at the hill near the Shepherd's Forest. May took her gloves off and stretched out her hand towards him. Ferry did the same. He took May by the hand and they climbed the hill together. Her hand was cold as if kept in the snow the whole time. Then, little by little, her hand turned warm from his burning hand. Ferry forgot the cold. All he felt was a wave of warmth embracing him as if in the midsummer.

The climbing was difficult. The snow had fallen heavily lately, and the snowbanks were rather big, reaching their knees. May fell often and Ferry had to help her stand up, dusting the snow off her clothes. Then, they kept going up the hill. When they've reached the top, the shadows of the night were already falling over the trees.

There, on the top of the hill, Ferry felt his worries vanishing. They could hear their own laughter, sounding stifled like they had cotton in their ears. May's cheeks and nose were turning all red, like cherries. Everything around was white and quiet. Only the croak of Ferry's raven could be heard, letting them know they were not alone.

"What now?" asked Ferry.

"Now we climb the sledge and let go," she said. "Haven't you been sledging before?"

"No... but it must be great."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

May sat in front, holding the sled's rope. They wrapped themselves in the blanket, took a deep breath and let go.

The sled was running fast, bringing ice thrills to their cheeks. The children were giggling and laughing while the sound of their laughter was carried away to the forest where unseen eyes had been watching the whole time.

Climbing down took them a while. But the entire time, Ferry felt as if the small sled was floating over a sea of snow, carried away on the wings of the wind. As if the time stood still, and they were sliding down the hill again and again. He wished they'd never stop. But time was its own master, and it couldn't obey some children's will, not even if one of them was a fairy. So when the night took over the last patches of light, Ferry and May reached the bottom of the hill. They fell off the sled in the soft snow, and then they just stayed there, staring at the sky. Ferry couldn't feel the cold anymore. Only warmth.

Eventually, they headed back to town, with the snow creaking under their feet. But none of them felt the cold anymore. When they arrived in front of May's house, it was already dark.

"Thank you for today," said Ferry.

"Don't mention it," she said, smiling. "That's what friends are for."

Ferry smiled back and started home almost flying. It's been the best day.

Yet the day was not over yet. He wasn't far from May's house when he heard footsteps behind him. And the memory of that Halloween night came back, stronger than ever. This time, he decided he should face the danger. To his surprise, he saw Billy Pride coming out of the darkness. 

"What is it, Donovan? Are you scared? You look paler than the usual," he laughed.

"What do you want, Billy?"

"I see you and May have become the best of friends," he said trying to look like he didn't care, although his voice said differently.

"It's none of your business," Ferry cut him short, trying to move forward. But Billy was staying in his way.

"I wonder what May would say if she could see that scary face of yours even scarier," he spat the words.

And he took out of his pocket a shiny object, pointing it at Ferry. An iron spoon. So harmless to others. So dangerous to him.

"Do you know what this is, Donovan? It's a spoon. An iron spoon to be more exact. I'm just curious what it could do to your skin," he said laughing, taking a step closer.

Ferry knew all too well what iron could do to him. He tried to wrest the spoon from Billy's hand. But he forgot he didn't have the gloves on anymore, and the iron burned his palm as fire.

The pain pierced his body, and Ferry fell on the hard ice of the street. He barely managed to stand up and to take a few steps back from Billy who was chasing him. Then he felt someone behind him and, turning around, he bumped into Danny Stevens, Billy's shadow. The chubby boy caught him in his strong arms from which Ferry couldn't escape, no matter how hard he tried.

"Hold him still, Danny!" Billy shouted as he was running towards them.

Ferry couldn't see any way out. The power of the iron was too big, making him feel dizzy and weak. All he could see was the spoon in Billy's hand, coming dangerously close to his face. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to strike.

But nothing happened. Not a single sound. Then he could hear steps coming closer. And a croak.

The gorge of Danny's arms weakened and Ferry could finally set himself free, falling on the hard ice once again. In the light of the streetlamp, he could see a silhouette coming from the other side of the street. It looked like a man. He was wearing a black cloak that covered him almost entirely and a tall, black hat. His black, leather gloves caught his eyes. They were very long, all the way to his elbows. He was holding an ebony walking stick with a raven head on the top.

"Let him go!" he could hear the man's strong voice.

The two boys took a few steps back.

"Who─ who are you?..." Billy muttered, shivering at his sight.

The stranger came closer. He wasn't very tall, but he looked strong. His cloak was up to his ears and only his red eyes were sparkling from underneath the hat.

"It is not important who am I. But if you touch one hair of this... boy ever again, you will be sorry," he said pointing his stick at the two boys. "Don't think I can't find you!"

Billy and Danny were now both shivering. Then, they started off at a run. They were slipping on ice and falling; then, they got up and ran again.

The stranger helped Ferry stand up and dusted the snow off his clothes. He smelled like herbs in the summer.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Ferry nodded.

"Then you should go home," he said and turned on his heels, heading towards the end of the street.

A black feather fell behind him, shining on the pristine snow.

"Baldie!" Ferry called him.

The stranger stopped, without turning.

"Baldie, I know it's you," said Ferry. "I just want to... thank you..."

"No, you don't... There are many things you don't know," he said. Then he walked out of his sight. To his surprise, he couldn't hear the stranger's footsteps on the ice anymore.

"Baldie, wait!"

Ferry ran after him. At the end of the alley, the stranger was nowhere to be seen.

Thank you for being part of my writing adventure! Every comment, every vote is showing that Ferry's tale needs to be told. And I am grateful for each and every one of you :)