The morning was cold, crystals of snow were falling rapidly and drops of tears were running down my rosy cheeks. I’d made it through the night, but some part of me wished that I hadn’t. That I could be lying on the ground, right next to my sister encased in flakes of white heaven. Our bodies preserved as memories. A place for those who braved the wilderness in a harsh, harsh world. How I’d wished I wasn’t alone. She’d been a good girl. She looked after me and I’d killed her. The desperation of leaving this lonely place had got to me. But she didn’t want to go so as I pulled my big sister along, she fought back. So I gave her a slight push until her tight claws released my arm. She tripped and fell. Her body rolled over the edge and with one last ear-piercing scream she was gone. I’d tried to hoist her up, but she pulled herself away. She’d rather have died than spend a lifetime with me. Oh what did I do?
    I opened my eyes; letting those last few memories of my sister fade away. To be zipped up into a folder in my mind, a folder that I would never open again, a folder that held death between the silver-plated lock.
    I made my way through snow-covered blankets of land. Brushing against trees and brambles and letting go of the one thing I had left, I dropped my sack on the ground. However heavy it may have been I really didn’t need the heaviest contents. I only took the compass, the map, and a canister of water. This was my last chance of survival. If only I’d listened to my sister telling me where we were going and what symbols to look for. It’s not really my fault, sometimes she can start babbling and then I switch off, it’s annoying really.
    The morning swept on and as the sun appeared, the sky lightened with smears of yellow and gold. I trudged on sadly, occasionally stopping for rests and drinks of water. The way I was gasping for air, my water was going to run out pretty soon. The cool crisp air froze in my throat and made my mouth go dry. The burning sensation on my tongue made me shiver repeatedly. The gentle breeze sprayed powdered snow in the air and the Antarctic like atmosphere calmed as the first wave of heat fell on my un-noticed face. The warm rays of sun gave me hope that somehow, this forlorn nightmare would end.
    The day soon pressed on, and any chance of me getting to wherever I need to go had gone. Rain clouds began to form above me and the swirling sensation I could feel in my head was starting to drive me crazy.
    The wind grew stronger and the snow was thickening. Piles of ice-cold flakes fell on top of me as I crawled my way under branches. Despite the fact that I was shivering all over, I trudged on, knowing I’d somehow still got energy left in me. As the evening grew on me I forced myself to stop for my parents’ sake. It was tragic enough that Sophie had died on my cause, but mum and dad certainly didn’t need to wind up completely daughter-less.
    The golden sun was drawn to bed, and raindrops began to fall unevenly by my side. The sky grew darker and deafening howl like sounds daunted me as I began to feel my fear. Helplessly I sat pondering. Thinking about what to do next. Then it came again. Making its way through the upcoming night, the warm-blooded predator, and breathing in the crisp-mountain air, let out another fearful howl.
    For moment I stopped thinking about ways I could die and looked beyond the branch in front of me. With the moon, floating way up high, I could see markings of what could be a cave. Brushing the snow off my jacket, I stood up and shook myself down.     
    Stepping slowly, I trotted through the white floury like substance over to the cave. I eased my way gently through two vertical rocks and pressed myself against the wall at the sight of a flesh-tearing brute. Nothing could have prepared me for the state I got myself into. Viciously, I was staring into his small luminous eyes; I could feel my heart pounding like that of when you’re embarrassed. Blood was rushing around my body, and my ears were starting to throb. I let out a silent scream. I was petrified. Suspended in the sheer darkness of a black oblivion, I stood there frozen. Staring hard I noticed it was a tiger. White I think. With its silky-smooth hair it looked harmless. Strange how wrong first impressions can be. It opened its jaw and let out a sneeze. The inside of its mouth was a bright red colour like the stain of blood and had yellow sharp pointy teeth. My toes began to go numb and I was feeling my fear. Through the darkness of the only partly lit cave I saw his ears. They were curled and had stripes of black on them in small little lines. The rest of his body was a brilliant white with the occasional black stripe going from one side of his stomach to the other. They were spaced out. I think I counted four. I’m not sure whether it was his appearance that had shocked me or the fact I was only metres away from a killing predator.
    I forced my hands into the wall, hoping it would break from the pressure and I could escape. The wall had pretty much already molded to my shape, but what happened next fashionably and quickly unstuck my body from the wall. It picked itself up from its posing position on the floor and circled around me. I was now the center of this creature’s attention. Swiftly I closed my eyes, and unlocked the one forbidden folder in my mind. As I withdrew a key, the silver-plated lock opened. Ear-piercing screams echoed around me, pictures of Sophie whizzed around. Fragments of my past came twirling in motion. This was not the life I planned on leading. Waking up in a house that was incomplete. Knowing that my sister hated me and loathed me so much. Just then, I saw the happy times come by, ones in which I had forgotten. Memories of blissful nights, happy trips out and us passing the days by.  Enough, this was enough, this was more than enough to show me how and why I was still alive. Knowing that I choose my own destiny, I was relieved. Suddenly remembering that this was only a dream, my eyes flickered open.
    Facing this bloody-thirsty beast, my arms fell and I dropped to the floor. What a way to go, I thought. Gradually lifting my head, I started to weep. It stared at me. Wondering why I was here, it gazed, but slightly softer. I was an intruder. I curled my hands tightly around my ankles, and I rocked back and forth. Anger and annoyance swept through me as the cold-blooded white tiger enclosed on me. He turned his back and silently shuffled his way through the rocks.
    At that moment I knew I had been defeated. He hadn’t even touched me, but I made a big scene. It’s not my fault I was scared. How, would you feel when your life had gone up in smoke and had been faced with this ordeal? Ripples of rage were sent hammering through the air at my weak-minded body. The night was peaceful but cold. Lying on the bitter ground, shielding myself from the blizzard outside. I was so confused. My past experiences of terror had conquered my serenity. Picking myself up from the ground, and sitting stiff like a ghost, I waited, and waited. Waiting for something, anything. I couldn’t stay in this perpetual detention any longer. It was time to leave. I stood up easing myself off the grave like stone as I shivered. Shivering at the fierce noise that held death in your heart, a stabbing pain in which will never end.
    I edged through the rocks and trampled through a desert of snow, branches and occasional berries. Walking along seemed to be a little more relaxing that being held captive in the cave. Well, to say the least! Until now I had forgotten that noise in the cave, but the soft treading of footsteps I could hear behind me brought it right back. I turned around.
    It lunged forwards, taking me by surprise. It threw its claw to my face and ripped into my skin and tore the flesh from the bone. As the beast retracted its claws, my hand flung to my face to inspect the damage. Painfully I touched my face, the cut had gashed down deep and blood was pouring from my cheek. Suddenly a knife like wound started spurting blood everywhere. I hadn’t even noticed the tiger, which had attached itself to my stomach. I looked down in fear. My eyes seemed useless until I saw that the brilliant white snow looked like a damson pudding. I was in utter agony. It felt as if my kidneys had been ripped from me. As I struggled with the tiger, which was still strapped to my stomach, I tripped on something, maybe a branch. The tiger jumped off me and flopped onto the red berry floor. I smuggled a quick glance before I fainted. Only I didn’t faint, which I thought was impossible after losing so much blood. I just lay there anxiously, waiting for something to happen. Deeply looking at the moon lit sky I saw the stars. Thousands of precious glowing stars. They were beautiful. Sophie loved the stars. Gazing aimlessly my time was beginning to run out.
Panting, I flapped my arms, they wouldn’t move. I tried to turn my head, but my neck pulled it back. I couldn’t move. I was paralyzed. My air supply was relieving and my body weakening. I tried to catch a glimpse of the tiger but yet again my head wouldn’t move. What was it doing? Was it preparing to finish me off? For my last wish. I thought. “Please God” I said out loud. Even though my voice was broken and muffled it could be heard “I don’t want to die; I just wanted to do the right thing. Please God; give me the power to fight.” If they were my last words I hope they did me proud. I had been ripped to shreds in just seconds, blood pouring from every part of my body, gashing wounds open to the freezing temperature and that wasn’t the worst.
Through my water-filled eyes I saw him, attracted by the sweet essence of blood. It was not the same one as before, but him. The one so thoughtless, so evil that even malevolence wouldn’t be able to properly describe what he was. A stone-hearted killer ready to strike again. What could possess a lovely beautiful animal to do the devils work? Where could this silky- smooth haired tiger have come from, that would make him hate me so much. Then it hit me. Nature. A place where anything can happen. Animals killed, branches eaten, berries crushed by paws, everything. This was the wild. Cold-hearted and selfish they may be, but they will always be alone, I thought as he walked over my leg and open stomach. Letting out a heart-felt plea I groaned. His paw pressed against my heart with such force that I can’t describe. He let out a commanding howl that strained my ears, and then he closed his mouth.
I began to cry, I sniveled up what was left in my nose and my pulse settled back to a steady rhythm like that of a chime bell. His claw pressed harder and I gasped. Nothing happened. I waited and waited. Something must happen I thought. Staring viciously into his chocolaty brown eyes, I waited. I was feeling cold and lonely, such a feeling you can only imagine. Such a place in which you never want to be. Such a time to feel death.
My heart was pounding rapidly and then it stopped.