It was decided that Izzie [the carpenter Israel Blutstein] and I would go together on a night visit into Skala. 

This would be my first time back to Skala since we had set foot in the forest months earlier. I was feeling both excited and apprehensive. I remember there was light snow the evening we set out for town. We made our way to the logging road, careful not to leave any tracks in the patchy snow. 

Coming toward us from the other direction were a pair of peasant men, their caps slung low against the snow flurry. Keeping his eyes straight ahead, Izzie muttered to me to act normal and to just keep walking. Izzie nodded to them and touched the brim of his cap as we shuffled along.

I heard the footsteps behind us come to a stop. I realized the men had turned to face us from behind.