The mansion felt cavernous and hostile, the air rapidly losing its warmth.

“The heating is completely off,” I noted, my breath forming white plumes in the dark.

“They’ve cut the main power grid,” Nathan said as we ran.

“The backup generators are only running the security partition and the servers.”

We reached the end of the east wing hallway.

The door to the playroom was closed, but a sliver of light showed underneath.

Nathan grabbed the brass handle and pulled it open.

The room was freezing.

Emma, Lily, Sophie, and Grace were huddled together under a massive patchwork quilt on the floor.

Their small faces looked up at us, pale and terrified in the green glow of the emergency wall units.

“Daddy?” Emma whimpered.

“It’s so cold.”

Nathan dropped to his knees on the carpet and gathered all four of them into his arms.

“I’ve got you,” he muttered, kissing the tops of their heads.

“I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay.”

I stood by the doorway, listening to the house.

Beneath the howling of the wind, I heard the distinct sound of heavy footsteps.