What I Have Endured

The night on Elden Prime was brutal, with an icy chill that pierced to the bone.

Erin lay huddled beneath layers of blankets, shaking uncontrollably. Each breath she exhaled crystallized in the air, swirling into mist before vanishing.

Every muscle in her body screamed with exhaustion, her strength fading fast. 'How did it come to this?' She could no longer contain the growing torment inside her.

As her condition spiraled, the door to her room creaked open, and the old family butler, Greg, stepped in, immediately switching on the heater.

"Miss Erin, are you feeling alright?" he asked, his voice heavy with concern.

"Where's Grandpa?" Erin's voice was weak, trembling as much from her desperation as from the cold. Her eyes, wide and frantic, bore into Greg, pleading for some sort of answer.