While they packed up the sleigh, I said my goodbyes to Hellbreath. I felt like I owed her an explanation of why I was handing her over to a total stranger, and she listened while I cried. With one last parting kiss, I left her, my heart splintering with every step I took away from her.
When the man came to pick her up, he also brought a sleigh of sorts that dragged behind four other horses. He said he only lived about two miles away and he seemed nice enough, but I couldn't squeeze out any questions for him through the lump in my throat.
We left shortly after, and our new cabin couldn't compare with the old. It was barely four walls leaning against a roof, but it did have a fireplace. We cooked over it, and I requested the smallest dose of opiate tea possible so my brain would stay sharp for tomorrow.