At one end of the balcony was a narrow spiral staircase that appeared to be an escape route. I managed to climb to the top only to discover that I was penned in, so I pushed against the wall of darkness.
The cold air hit me so hard I gasped. Eventually I realized I was on the church roof, so I crawled along the roof to a low wall that circles the bell. Below me was a peaceful village. At first, I thought it was one of those Christmas scenes in a glass ball, but then it dawned on me that I was looking down at the town square tucked away on a bright pillow of snow. The Christmas tree across from the monument looked like a star, and the Sundry Store twinkled with colored lights. As the tiny town beckoned me in the moonlight, I hoisted my body up onto the ledge for a better view. The scene be
