There weren't many things that could make Fox pause if she was on her way somewhere. She possessed a friendly enough nature, but she could also be suspicious of strangers if they seemed like to have ulterior motives. And while she felt it was her Christian duty to assist others, she was careful with her efforts to do so.
But she was very susceptible to children. The sight of the young and the helpless turned off her common sense, and so when she saw the shivering eight-year old on the porch of the decrepit-looking house she immediately went to see what the matter was. A tear-streaked face turned up to face her, and the apprentice climbed the stairs. "Are ye lost, child?" she asked. "Can't you get inside?"
"I'm cold," the waifish girl said, and Fox took the small hand the child offered. "Will you help me? I think my mum's in there..."
A knock produced nothing more than an echo, and Fox opened the door, thinking it odd that it should be unlocked. Stepping inside, she looked around at the covered furniture, the dusty floors. Behind her, the door slammed shut with a bang. A good five minutes went by while she alternated between cursing and trying to open the door, but it refused to budge. And the child? Well, the child had disappeared.
"Hell..."
The scream shocked her, and she was soon off in search of the cause of that. Had she walked into an abandoned madhouse? At least she wasn't afraid of closed-in spaces. But she would have to see who could let her out of here.