Rose woke up to loud knocking. She winced as she slowly opened her eyes, wondering who could be bothering them so early in the morning. She sat upright on her makeshift bed.
She lifted her hand to rub her eyes but only ended up shivering. Rose swore—the fire might as well have gone out. There was only a little coal burning and no wood.
Her eyes widened in horror. She rubbed her palms together and rushed to her mother. Her lips looked more bluish than normal. Rose immediately panicked, and one glance around the room told her all she needed—her father was not home.
"Fat'er," she called, just to confirm, but she got no response.
"Maybe he went to get wood," she muttered aloud to herself.
She adjusted the covers over her mother, but she knew she would have to get the fire burning soon. Unfortunately, except her father had a stash of wood somewhere, the wood her father would bring would be green wood.
