"Daredevils have been warned to stay indoors today during what seems to be an unprecedented 'white-out' in parts of the country. Accumulations of snow are now expected to reach forty-five centimetres by tonight in what is predicted to be the most severe weather event in recent years."

It was officially winter. Heavy snow fell from the heavens above coating the world in a thick blanket of white. I had never seen the likes of it before. The twisted overlaid road before us seemed incessant as my father and I journeyed higher and higher into the mountains.

He drove slowly, his eyes never straying, his grip on the steering wheel never wavering. The window wipers darted back and forth struggling to allow my father a clear view of the way ahead. The tire chains providing maximum traction battled perpetually with the path below.

My father reached out to turn off the radio ignoring the repetitive weather warnings that were being broadcasted. He has absolutely no intentions of waiting for this blizzard to pass. Even if that meant risking both of our safety evidently.

Shifting in my seat I made a move to try and make myself more comfortable. The small dimensions of the chair under me was highly restricting no matter which way I placed my body upon it. I was sore, stiff and in desperate need of stretching. Not to mention I was bursting to use the bathroom.

"I don't think I can hold it for much longer." I whined throwing my father a pleading look. It had been over two hours since our last sightings of any kind of humanity. We had passed no cars, no houses, not even a darn sign or turnoff.

"It shouldn't be far now." He replied hesitantly, a dour look etching itself across his aged features. He was in no humour; it was apparent he wasn't exactly thrilled about being called out to come and investigate a case so far away from the preferable city life we were both so accustomed to.

You see, my father is a detective. He has been for over seventeen years. According to the state's government he was actually considered to be one of the best in his field. We were always on the go, never staying in the same location for more than a few weeks at a time. For as long as I can remember work has been beckoning him around the country to solve cases and investigate unusual happenings.

However, having said that, these cases were always located in cities and large urban areas, never remote towns and quaint country villages. Which is why this was both a shock to my father and I when he received a call to go to Barnaburgh Hill Town & Reserve.

It had been a long journey up until this point, regardless of the current weather conditions and our slothful pace. We had been driving for the last eight hours, covering three hundred and twenty-two kilometers to be exact. I was now certain that we really were heading to the backass of nowhere as my father had so eloquently described it as earlier this morning.

"At damn last. We made it." My father sighed relaxing back into his seat in relief. It was then that I took notice of the approaching snow-covered worn out sign at the side of the road that could barely be deciphered. Barnaburgh Hill Town & Reserve. Population count one thousand, six hundred and seventy-three.

What a small population. My father hadn't told me much regarding the case he was about to investigate. He never did, they were always classified. The little I did know regarding this one however, was that people had been going missing on and off within the reserve for many years, all cases resulting in a dead end.

Then, just two days ago a possible lead surfaced when some rangers stumbled upon three victims of what seemed to be a brutal animal attack. The entire case didn't fall into my father's usual jurisdiction at all, which had me thinking that he mustn't have disclosed some very important aspects of it.

"Eliza" My father began catching me off guard. "I know you are street smart and well slightly more intelligent than most girls your age, but while we are here, I don't want you wondering off or anything ok. Things are ... different here than the city. You follow our set rules as always, am I clear?"

His gaze fleetingly flickered over to me for confirmation as he ran his hand smoothly through his greying hair. I could tell he was worried about my safety, so I merely just nodded my head in reply. I would do whatever I could as per usual to put his mind at rest whilst he concentrated on work.

I would attend my new school as he had ordered just like all the times before. I would be careful not to make any real friends that I would become attached to before our departure. However, I would maintain a certain friendliness without running my 'smartass mouth' and not allow myself to be a subject of bullying. Curfew was at 7pm sharp every evening and all my studies would be prioritized to maintain an A average grade in hopes of acquiring a scholarship into the college of my choice next year.

"I promise. But you have to promise that you'll be careful too this time." I berated back to him in return. "I'm worried. Like you said, this isn't the city."

He was all I had left, and I needed the reassurance that he was going to be ok. His hand instinctively reached over to ruffle my hair which he knew I hated with a passion. We had such an odd relationship my father and I, but we were close nonetheless.

Soon after our short conversation a settlement started to come into view and I leaned forward in my seat slightly in anticipation to get a better view. It was a small sized town centred around a large park square. Few people moved about with winter jackets on and scarfs wrapped around their necks going about their daily lives.

The buildings around seemed charming and somewhat old-fashioned. Trees surrounded the settlement and the large snowy slopes far in the distance behind the forest reserve stood tall looking down over everything. It was picturesque.

"Wow." I laughed shaking my head in disbelief at the sight before us. It didn't seem so bad. "It's um rather quaint."

Without a second more passing my father pulled into a parking spot outside of a tiny restaurant that was surprisingly opened named Toni's on the park square corner. "Let's grab a bite to eat. I'm starving."

I was more than happy to oblige as any second longer my bladder was going to explode. Without dawdling I jumped out of the jeep pulling my jacket closer to my body as snowflakes blinded my vision. Shielding my eyes with my right arm I ran through the crunching snow across the curb towards the door of the restaurant in desperation to get out of the cold winter weather.

But before I could comprehend what was happening the restaurant door flew open and collided with me knocking me down onto my ass. My butt hit the icy ground first with a hard thud and I winced in pain at the impact. That was definitely going to leave a bruise.

"Oh my goddess, I'm so sorry!" A girly voice exclaimed as I watched a stretched-out hand appear swiftly before my vision. Grunting I grabbed the hand gratefully allowing the stranger to pull me up with ease to my feet and I came face to face with a girl who looked roughly around my age.

"I'm so sorry are you ok?" She questioned concerned as I took in her odd appearance. She had midnight curly black hair and grey eyes. She also had a delicate girly face but her body was stocky and strong looking as if she worked out all the time. But that wasn't what I found odd, she was wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. How was she not frozen in this weather?

"Y-Yea I'm fine, I'm sorry I should have been more careful." I apologized in return dusting the snow from off my clothes. I stood there awkwardly not knowing what to say next. Cue social anxiety.

"I'm Sophia!" She exclaimed introducing herself with a huge grin as if she could sense how uncomfortable and anxious I was feeling.

"Eliza." I returned giving her a half attempted smile back.

"You're not from around these parts, are you? You sound city raised. What brings you to a small place such as Barnaburgh?"

I opened my mouth to answer but was simultaneously interrupted by a voice calling out from down the street.

"Sophia, c'mon!"

Her gaze didn't turn towards the voices though. Instead her eyes locked onto my father as he slowly got out of the jeep to come join us. She glanced over him as if assessing the situation before waving goodbye to me. I stood staring as she darted in the direction towards two guys down the street whose figures I couldn't quite make out through the snowfall. What I could make out was their clothing attire though; both in shorts and a t-shirt. What on earth was wrong with the lot of them?

"You ok? That looked like quite a sore fall." My father asked as he approached me pulling on a thick woollen dress jacket. I stood staring watching the figures as Sophia and the two boys stared in my direction from down the street through the heavy snowfall.

"Uh, yea - yea I'm fine. Just an accident." I responded somewhat perplexed and moved to open the door of the restaurant once again. Seconds later they turned and disappeared walking into the distance. I couldn't understand why such an ominous feeling was consuming my body all of a sudden.