Finally, Luca turned down a hidden driveway that seemed to disappear into a wall of pine trees.

The SUV bounced over deep ruts in the frozen ground before coming to a stop.

A small, dark cabin stood in the clearing, its roof buried under a foot of snow.

“We walk from here,” Luca said, killing the engine.

The sudden silence was deafening, broken only by the whistling wind.

I opened my door, and the freezing air took my breath away.

Luca helped me out, his arm supporting my waist as we trudged through the knee-deep snow toward the porch.

My boots sank deep with every step, and the cold seeped through my coat.

Luca reached into his pocket and pulled out a brass key, his fingers stiff from the cold.

He unlocked the heavy padlock on the front door, the metal clinking loudly.

The door swung open with a dry creak, revealing a dark, freezing interior.

It smelled of pine, dust, and old wool.

Luca shut the door behind us, locking it and sliding a heavy deadbolt into place.

We were in total darkness now.