It was cold as ice. Ellie groggily pulled her blanket closer to her body. However, her hands did not respond to her. They were numb and stiff. Feeling confused, Ellie tried to get up. Her body failed again to respond to her wishes.

‘Is this what they call sleep paralysis?’ she thought in her confusion.

Despite that, she managed to open her eyes just a crack only to squint in reflex. Blinding white light seared the nerves in her eyes. Her senses gradually returned to her and she finally felt the gritty, numbing cold against her cheek as she lied prone. Her whole being felt chillingly cold to the bone.

‘Wh-what? Snow?’ her befuddled mind thought as she gasped.

“I must be dreaming.”

She felt the cold air enter her throat. Her heart pounded as her confusion morphed into fear. Her quickened breathing gave life to warm puffs of warm breaths that juxtaposed against the unforgiving cold.

The sensations were too realistic to be a dream.

‘Where am I? Why is there snow? Wasn’t I at my computer?’ Puzzled, Ellie tried to fumble around for her glasses.

A sudden wave of sleepiness washed over her.

‘Forget it. I’m going back to sleep,’ she lazily thought and huddled tighter in her blanket.

The extreme cold had made her lose logical reasoning and succumb to her drowsiness.

Ellie was about to fall back asleep when she heard faint barking sounds in a distance. They got louder and clearer as time went by. Still, Ellie drifted to sleep.

She awoke to someone shaking her.

“Girl, can you hear me?” a worried man asked.

“By the gods! What is a child doing here? Where’s her mother?” a woman’s shrill voice sounded.

“Is she even alive?” this belonged to a nonchalant voice.

‘Gosh, why are these people disturbing me? Let me sleep! Don’t they know that I didn’t sleep for 3 days?’ Ellie groaned and turned away.

“She’s alive!” the man was overjoyed.

“What? Really?” the nonchalant voice sounded surprised this time.

“Hey girl, wake up! You mustn't sleep here. You’ll freeze to death!” the man urged Ellie.

‘What? What do you mean, freeze? It’s warm and comfy… Hold on, I think I’m forgetting something.’

“Here, take her wet clothes off and wrap her up with these,” the woman said.

Ellie felt warm hands stripping her clothes off.

“Quick! She’s cold as ice!”

‘What’s happening? Wait… something… there’s something that I must do…’ Ellie frowned as she started to recall something.

“Poor girl, she’s so small,” the woman murmured.

“AH!!!”

Ellie screamed. Her eyes shot open.

The people holding her were shocked and dropped her to the ground, butt naked.

‘I need to upload my latest chapter! I’m already late by almost a month! Oh-em-gee, my readers are gonna kill me! Not only that, I need to submit a 75,000 word novel for this competition so that I can win a thousand bucks, unsubscribe from this streaming service because I'm going broke, pay rent to my parents since I’m not leech and a responsible adult despite living in their basement, cancel paying for this useless insurance just because I was dumb and fell prey to this cold-call from this bank… evil bloodsuckers--'

“Huh?” Ellie looked up.

She saw three bewildered faces staring back from above at her, speechless. Was she not on the verge of death before?

“Huhhh???”

It was Ellie’s turn to be bewildered. Who were these people? There was a man with a scary face. Strangely enough, he carried a worried expression instead. He was a big man with a thick and long beard-- basically a bear of a man.

Next to him was a woman with a hawk-like nose and thin lips. She was squinting her already small eyes, scrutinizing the naked Ellie.

The final of the trio was a young man with sleepy eyes, of which despite his eyes widening in surprise, they were still almost half closed.

They were a peculiar combination of people with strange clothes to Ellie, at least. Wrapped tightly from head to toe, their weathered woolen clothes resembled those of medieval European common folk. Of what exact era and locality was unknown to Ellie.

She did not feel any malicious intent from them but instead felt uncomfortable as she squirmed mentally under their gazes. It was only after a few beats that she finally realized that she wasn't wearing anything.

Blood gushed up to Ellie's cheeks like how water rushed through the floodgates of a dam when they opened. Roaring deafened her ears as her heart raced in her chest. She jolted and tried to cover her body the best she could. Dizziness washed past her from the sudden changes in her emotions and weakened body.

“Um…” a soft voice sounded and Ellie felt a tug on her leg.

She lifted herself slightly and looked forward. A young boy who was bundled up tightly with thick clothing from head to toe was staring at her with curious eyes.

Ellise gasped.

They were the most beautiful baby blue eyes that she had ever seen, shining in that bright, winter morning light.

From befuddlement to embarrassment and to amazement-- all these strong conflicting emotions within Ellie replaced each other in rapid-fire succession. Her head spun.

It was on that fateful morning, when Ellie felt the utmost embarrassment in her entire life from being butt naked in front of the little boy with beautiful eyes, that she flopped back to the ground and fainted.

Ellie awoke again, this time in a warm place. She was swaddled in layers upon layers of warm blankets that she felt swallowed by them. She could smell smokey air and hear crackling firewood from a fire nearby. It was quite dark in the dim light save for the dancing shadows cast on the dingy ceiling.

"Mama, she woke up!"

Ellie turned her head to the source of the voice and saw the back of a little boy bolting towards a door. She tried to push herself up but was surprised by her unexpected weakness.

Hurried footsteps and the sound of a door opening and closing was heard. A woman reached towards Ellie, trying to prevent the latter from getting up and hurting herself.

“Girl, you’re awake! Shh… it’s okay, you’re okay now,” the woman soothed Ellie and propped her up against some pillows.

Ellie opened her mouth to speak but could only barely manage a croak. Her mouth was parched.

“Here, drink some water,” the woman poured a glass of water and brought it to Ellie’s cracked lips.

Just as Ellie was about to take a sip of the steaming hot water, the door suddenly crashed open. The woman jumped in surprise and water splashed over Ellie.

“Astrid! How’s the girl?” A booming voice sounded after the crashing door.

“Osmond!” Astrid, the woman, exclaimed. “Why can’t you enter the room properly?”

She scolded the man and quickly grabbed some towels to pat Ellie dry. The sight of the broken door caught her eye.

“Y- you… OSMOND!!! This is the third time this month!” Astrid fumed.

“Hey, you know that I’m the one who fixes it, right?” Njord grinned sheepishly.

Astrid rolled her eyes and sighed. Just then, a random old man poked his head through the open doorway left by the broken door.

“Oh, ho-ho, the girl’s awake?”

“Wait, wait, wait, I heard some commotion from Osmond the bear. Is the girl awake?” A loud-mouthed girl snaked her way past the old man.

“Hey, I found her first! I ought to know how she’s doing!” the hawk-nosed woman from before said blocked both of them.

More people haphazardly filled into the room and the space between the doorway. Their voices rose to a clamor as they excitedly asked about Ellie.

What of the person of interest, Ellie? She shrunk backwards and covered herself with all of the available blankets that she could reach, save for her eyes.

‘What the-- who are these people?’ Ellie thought as she clutched the blankets in her small fists. She glanced over to the back of Astrid’s looming figure by the bedside. Her arms were outstretched. The mob of people that were inching ever so slightly towards her bed were also exceptionally tall.

‘Why are these people so huge?’ Ellie clutched the blankets tighter to her chest.

“You mad lot-- what are you all doing here? Can’t you see that you’re scaring the girl? Get out this instant!” Astrid shouted at the top of her voice.

The haphazard mob retreated begrudgingly but stopped just right outside the open doorway.

“I. Said. Get. OUT! Get out of my sight!” Astrid grabbed a chair and threatened to throw it at the mob.

Only then did they willingly leave and disappeared completely from the doorway. However, judging by their shenanigans, they were most likely nearby.

Astrid heaved a sigh and placed the chair back to its original place once she saw that the doorway was clear.

“Um… do I have to get out too?” the little boy asked softly.

“Hmm? Oh, Ralf, you don’t have to! I’m sure that the girl would want you around,” Astrid stooped to the boy’s level to pat his head.

Her voice warmed up considerably and her face lit up as she faced the boy. It was a totally different demeanor from before.

Ralf beamed and the room seemed to light up brighter.

‘Wow, how can a simple smile look so pure and angelic?’ Ellie thought and felt herself smiling too.

Ellie looked up to see Astrid walking over to the bed.

“Girl, are you okay?” she asked as she kneeled by the bedside. “I’m sorry that we scared you. They’re not bad people, just very concerned about you. And you’re all safe here, right Ralf?” Astrid patted Ralf’s shoulder gently.

Ralf nodded enthusiastically, his smile never leaving his small face. His ruddy cheeks made him look so adorable that Ellie almost could not resist the urge to pinch them.

“Yep, just like what Ralf said, you’re safe here. It’s all warm, we have food, and you don’t need to be afraid of beasts,” Astrid scooted beside Ellie and held her gently.

“And when you feel like it, you can tell us where to find your mother or father, okay?” Astrid’s warm voice soothed Ellie’s nerves.

“Mother?” Ellie mumbled, confused.

‘Why is she treating me like a kid? Hang on, she’s really huge! I’m considered average in height but I’m not even up to her shoulder…’

“Wh-who are you? Where…?” Ellie asked, her voice barely a hoarse whisper.

“I’m Astrid, and this Ralf, my son. You’re in a village north of the town of Asger. This is as north as it gets and it snows almost perpetually,” Astrid chuckled.

“A-Asger?”

‘Where’s that?’ Ellie’s heart flopped.

“Mm-hmm. We found you collapsed in the snow alone,” Astrid sighed and handed a cup of warm milk to Ellie.

Ellie accepted the cup with a mumbled thanks. Its warmth was soothing to the soul. Still, it could not sooth the uneasiness brewing in her heart from the strangeness of the situation. She recalled what had happened before in the snow and could not believe that it actually happened.

Once again, she noticed that the cup was unnaturally large in her hands. Even with both hands, she could not fully cover the circumference of the cup.

“Do you remember what happened?” Astrid asked.

Ellie sighed and a puff of warm air escaped her mouth as she recollected her thoughts.

“I was uhm… writing at my computer. I think-- I think I fell asleep.”

“Computer?” Astrid frowned.

“You don’t know a computer? You know, those things that connect to the internet and have a keyboard that you can type with…” Ellie’s voice trailed off as she saw the confusion grow on Astrid’s face.

“Uhm… you don’t have it here? I thought every household should have one, no, a few by now. Oh wait, you said that this is a village. Maybe that’s why you don’t have it. Come to think of it, you don’t even have electricity.” Ellie babbled.

“Electricity?” Astrid’s head tilted to a side as she tried to comprehend what Ellie had just said.

She held her head in one hand and asked, “The computer… is it some kind of tool? Since you write with it?”

“Yep, and it’s powered by electricity,” Ellie perked up as the conversation started to go somewhere.

“Powered by… electricity? What is electricity?”

“Uhh… it’s a type of energy. It’s a-- it zaps and is really quick and is white, no, sometimes blue or purple… or--or green! Oh yes, it’s like lightning!”

Ellie was excited as she finally found an analogy to describe electricity. Still, it was strange that these people did not know about electricity and computers. It is already the 21st century, everyone on earth should know what electricity is, right?

“Hmm… lightning energy…” Astrid snapped her fingers. “Oh, I think I understand now. It’s a magical device, right? The computer? And you use a spell to control lightning to use it?”

She clapped her hands, “Wow, this is amazing! I didn’t know that you could control lightning! Still, wouldn’t it be dangerous? It’s lightning afterall.”

“Huh?” It was Ellie’s turn to be puzzled.

‘Magic? Spell? What is she talking about? How could she misunderstand? What world have you been living on to not know about computers and electricity and instead assume it’s some magical spell mumbo-jumbo?’

“Did an accident happen? Is that how you were separated from your parents?”

Ellie sighed and held her head in her hands.

‘Why is this conversation not going anywhere…’

“Girl? Girl, are you alright?”

“Why are you calling me, girl?” Ellie grumbled.

‘I’m a full grown adult…’

“Hm? Oh yeah, we haven’t asked you for your name,” Astrid laughed.

“Ellie.”

“Ellie?”

“Yep that’s my name,” Ellie sighed.

“That’s an interesting name. Okay! Ellie, dear, are you feeling alright?”

Ellie did not answer the question. She was not feeling 100% alright. The whole situation was too strange. She retraced her thoughts and tried to reorganize them.

‘Okay, first things first. I’m in a very cold place, which is a village that is near the very north and it’s also north of a town called Asger.

How the heck did I come here? I was in the suburbs and it wasn’t even snowing. Wait a minute, how could I miss it? It’s summer! I live in the northern hemisphere and it’s summer! Am I in the freaking tundra?

Also, what’s with the medieval get-up? Their clothes, the house, the furniture… Is this some historical role-playing group? And magic? This is madness.’

Ellie shook her head and moaned in frustration.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be okay.”

A small voice came from beside Ellie. She looked up and saw the boy, Ralf hugging her.

‘Aww, is he trying to comfort me? He’s so cute... Especially his blue eyes.’

Ellie could help but smile at his gesture.

“Eh?”

‘This boy, he’s the same height as me? Hold on…’

Something began to click inside Ellie’s head.

“You’re Ralf?” Ellie asked cautiously.

“Yup! Ralf Askell is my name,” the boy flashed a toothy grin.

Ralf Askell.

The name struck a chord in Ellie’s mind. Figurative gears clicked into place and started spinning.

‘Ralf Askell??? Isn’t that--’

Ellie yelped and cupped the boy’s face in her hands. She peered into his eyes.

Light silvery blue eyes. Check.

Ivory blonde hair. Check.

Scattered freckles across his nose. Check.

Medieval Europe setting. Check.

Northern village that snows perpetually near Asger… check.

Ellie’s eyes widened. Her mouth slackened.

‘No way… No *bleeping* way. You’ve got to be *bleeping* kidding me.’

Ellie shook in disbelief as realization dawned on her.

‘It can’t be… this place-- it’s my novel???’