And aren't you staying?

Marina and Joel finally found Timmy and his companion. A little kid, no older than twelve. A little kid whose skin was all frostbitten and covered in rime. The astonished parents tried to get their son away from such thing...  And then, they stopped seen the creature as a monster. They saw him as a eight year old, whose skin was very pale. And he talked to his "Mama" and his "Papa."

"See mommy, I told you he was real!" Said Timmy, enthusiastically. "Come and play! Whoever gets two cracks together wins!"

Joel started jumping after his son... He was making many cracks, but none of them connected. Marina started crying, confusing the two kids and the man. The little frozen kid couldn't calm her, she kept insisting in that she had to do something... And then, the kid understood.

Before she could do something, she heard a loud splash. There was a huge gap in the lake.

"Darn it! I wanted to win dad!" Said the little kid, a little grumpy over losing. Marina gasped in shock, but the little kid calmed her... "He is cold now." The woman couldn't contain her crying... And slowly, Timmy stopped seeing his brother. He was seeing the horrible monster who pretended to be his brother.

"Mom... I want you to be cold... You stopped being warm since the blizzard back in England..." Said the monster. "You were crying a lot. I don't want you to cry... I want you to sing with me, and play... Come on, Daddy is waiting!"

Timmy tried to join her mother, but the monster stopped him. "I'm sorry...But someone else wants to play with you." Timmy heard a loud splash and the monster's laughter and he was scared, for he saw the monster's real shape. The monster was laughing and... crying. Then, a movement among the trees startled both little kids.

"He thinks He can stop me... He thinks that just because my mom... Never mind, you are on your own" Said the frozen kid, humming a little song while skipping in the ice. He had both hands raised, as if they were taken by someone and Timmy could swear he could hear boots and heels walking in the lake.

When the kid was gone, the cold rush was over. A huge shadow emerged from the trees, with his arms open in a huge embrace. Timothy wasn't afraid... rather, he could hear his real brother calling... He knew who wanted to play... And, it didn't matter, he was very happy about it.