Angel Notes: Chronological Order

Prologue: Crying Snow

December 24, Christmas Eve.
I was inside my room that day, looking at the falling snow wrapped within my blankets. 

One. Two. Three. 

I counted at them as they fall like crystallized raindrops from the sky. 

Four. Five. Six.

 I gazed upon the window in hopes for a sign. A sign from a red car. 10 hours has passed since they left, and I just can't wait for them to come home! Oh, the boredom is killing me! Not even the toys in my toy chest could ever satisfy me as the hand of the clock ticks by every second. Extremely impatient, I went outside my room and into the next room at the left. It was my twin's room. It has been a long time since I went inside his room. No, not even my tiny little fingers could ever count how many days it has been since I went in there.

I summoned my every bit of courage to knock o the door. But then I heard his voice behind it. I leaned into the door.

"Do you like Christmas?"

...

"I'm sure that our parents will come home soon."

...

"They'll come home, surely."

It's him talking to himself again. He always does it. Claude always perform his daily monologue every day. He always does. As of what reason... A total mystery. Not even our parents know about this. Only him.

Knock knock knock

I knocked at his door, and he set the door ajar. "Good afternoon!" I cheered. "Talking to yourself lately?" 

Claude nodded "Yes."

"Just how do you do it day-by-day?"

He pointed at the mirror next to his bed. "I face myself right over there."

"Really now?"

Both of us went to the mirror he was 'talking' to a while ago. I checked around it. Nothing. Just a normal mirror. No signs of anything whatsoever. "Your only true friend is yourself. You always listen to yourself. Nobody can understand you except yourself. You are your own audience." He muttered while I was gazing at my own reflection. 

"How come at the age of 7 you get to speak like that, as if... You lived longer more than 7 years?" 

He simply smiled and looked at his own reflection. "Speaking to myself raised my vocabulary and speaking skills. It also made me understand more about my surroundings." 

"Boy, wish I was like you!" I snickered, and he laughed. 

"William, you always were talking to your own reflection!"

 I was confused. "Eh? Since when?"

 "Everyday!" He puts his two hands right unto my shoulders. "I'm your own reflection. We're twins, remember? No brother left behind!" Then he shook me. 

".... Oh yeah! Hahahaha! You always make the silliest jokes! Hahahaha!"

"Hey William, want to look at the clock while waiting for Mother and Father?"

"You bet I will!"

Both of us went downstairs, our hands linked together, to the clock we go. We sat in front of it, moving our eyes with the beat of the clock. "Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock!"

A few minutes after, beeps from a car were heard. "It's them! It's them! Claude, it's them!" Me and Claude rushed into the door. The door opened, Mum and Pop carrying gift boxes. I want to charge myself to them and give them a big hug, but that would've been a bad idea since I might topple the gifts they were carrying. "Can we open them, please please please please please?!" I tugged my father's brown coat while staring at the towering gifts. 

"Not until 12 midnight, son." He replied joyfully. Both of them went straight forward to the Christmas Tree. One by one, they placed the gifts down below. Me and Claude just couldn't wait to open them. I tried ripping one, but Mum slapped my hand as punishment for my impatience.

Before Claude could ever have his hands at the gifts, someone called from Father's phone. "Hello?" He answered.

"Is it really necessary? We just got home from grocery."

...

"I see. Alright, but just for a short while."

He hangs up.

"What was that?" I asked. He lifted me in his arms. 

"Sorry sport, but me and your mother will have to attend another important meeting. We'll be back at midnight." 

Disappointed, I looked down. "Don't worry, we'll be back! Just wait here, m'kay?" I simply nodded, then he brought me down back to the floor. They left us alone again inside the house. Again, we waited.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's almost 12 midnight, and still no sign of the red car. This time, we are worried. What's taking them so long to go home this time? I'm sure that there's no traffic downtown at this point of time.

"William, do you think...."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing..."

Few minutes after, a black car came in front of our door. "I'll get it." Muttered Claude. He went downstairs in a jiffy. Staring at the car, I saw a man came out from it. I'm sure, that man doesn't look threatening and all, so might as well follow Claude.

When I went down the stairs, I saw Claude crying. I asked the man at the door what happened.

"S-sir, who are you? And... Why is my brother crying?"

"You must be William Boy. Hahahaha, nice to meet you. I'm one of your father's closest friends."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, mister. Speaking of father... Where is he?"

"Oh, that..." He removed his fedora from his head and put it on his chest. "I'm sorry to bring you the ill news this Christmas Eve..." 

"What news?"

"It's.. about your parents... They.. met an accident.." 

"A-accident??"

"Sadly, lad, they didn't make it... But, worry not, I'm here to take responsibility over you." said the stranger as he reached his hand at me. With utter shock, my instinct suddenly moved on its own, slapping away his hand away from me. 

"No... You're lying! My parents are still alive!" I ran outside and went to the middle of the street, shouting my parents' names. "Mom! Dad! Where are you?!"

No, they can't be dead, not during Christmas Eve! They were fine a few hours ago!

"William, get out of there! Get out of the street!"

Claude's voice became clouded in my mind as it was filled with confusion and worry. I barely can hear his words, but I'm certain that he was telling me to get off the street.

"William, the truck! Look out!"

A light shone behind me, with a screeching sound of wheels, realizing what was about to hit me.