I had taken refuge behind the shed in a spot that was, surprisingly, not covered in snow or ice. I leaned my head back against the cool siding. It cleared my thoughts, helping me better plan my next evasive move. I knew he was hiding on the side by the driveway. I had seen his shadow move earlier because of the lights that went on whenever there was movement. That was his disadvantage; no matter how softly he moved, his shadow would always give him away. I decided to use this against him.

I pushed off from the side of the shed and walked, as softly as I could, to the corner. The second I took my first step, a snowball came flying over the roof of the shed and hit my shoulder. I tried to figure out which direction it came from, as I slowly backed towards the fence opposite the shed. After a few more moments of silence, and the realization that he wasn’t coming after me just yet, I continued moving towards the driveway.