Nightwatching

Faced with the brutal conditions outside, the mother instantly regrets her decision to leave the house. Despite her misery, the mother moves along the side of the house to stay hidden. She can see inside the window that the Corner is descending the stairs, so she knows that she must move quickly. Following her planned path, the mother runs away from the home and notices that the Corner didn’t come by car. The deep snow drifts and the bulky coat make running nearly impossible. Because she is only wearing slippers, her feet freeze first, and running becomes torturous. The cemetery is buried in snow, and she trips over a grave and badly cuts her hand.

With burning lungs and a bloody hand, she races to the forest path, which appears dark and menacing. Though her mind is ablaze with intrusive thoughts of fear and doubt, she forges ahead. She considers her task to be much like childbirth: unavoidably painful but better than allowing death to take her and her babies. She looks back at the house and sees the Corner in her bedroom, staring out the window. The heavy coat weighs her down, and she feels like someone is pulling her.