Hugging Her Bear

"Where are you?" she called, hugging her bear.

"That nice lady from the village said she would be here," she thought, "But it's so cold out."

...

"I just want to go home," she cried softly, crunching snow as she stumbled toward the bridge ahead of her. Slowly, she reached the railing and curled up to stay warm.

"So tired...," she mumbled, closing her eyes to sleep. Drifting into darkness, the soft rumble of a truck pulling to a stop slowly faded from her ears.