Defying Nature [ON HOLD]

Chapter 3

It was almost noon. Sun's parents had left at nine. Her dad wouldn't be back until six, but her mom should be back by now. The traffic wasn't that bad right? The snow had stopped falling, but some buildings were without power, some people were blocked in. The snow was surrounding their apartments or houses, and they couldn't get out.

Why had Jack done this? Was it because he was mad at Sun, and wanted to get back at her? Sun wouldn't find out if Jack wasn't on the fire escape. The windows were closed tightly and were covered in duct tape. Jack wasn't getting in. Sun wasn't going out.

Sally was sleeping on Sun's bed, and the brothers were in their rooms doing something. Sun didn't know, or was willing to find out. Nine year old brains could come up with some of the weirdest, and grossest things. Sun wasn't going to miss this chance. She pulled up some blankets, and her laptop by the fire and studied. She did all her homework, and finished most of the things she needed to learn for the test.

When she checked the time, it was 1:30. The fire was dieing, the light from outside fading, and her parents still weren't home. Sun put her head down on the pillow she had and cried. Something must've happened to her mom. She should've been back by now.

Sun turned on the TV and sniffled. She checked the news. No reports of any missing people, the traffic seemed clear. No one wanted to drive on snowy icy roads. Then it hit her: She could've had a car accident. she grabbed her coat, gloves, and hat and ran out the door, leaving sleeping, playing kids there.

She took the elevator and rushed out the door. The wind hit her full force. She tried to stomp through the snow, but there was too much. Her nose stung and turned red. Her hair went everywhere, and she was almost blown backwards.

Then Jack was there, he didn't catch Sun, he created soft snow for her to fall on. He was there to see if she was alright. "You OK Sunshine?"

"Jack?" Sun was breathless, whether it was from the cold, or something else, she didn't know. "Jack what are you--"

"Shh, look I'm sorry," He looked around. A teenager in a hoodie and jeans would look odd at this temperature. He wasn't wearing shoes today, Sun noticed. He ducked into the alley in between her apartment and another building and motioned for Sun to go over to him, she followed.

"Look, it's just--"

"What?" Sun was close to tears, "It's cold, my parents are gone, and-- and--"

"Look I'm sorry! I Just... It's just that I was so mad...at you, that, well." He held his arms out to show what he meant. "I didn't mean to. Once this happened, I felt horrible. I knew you didn't want this,"

The looked at each other. Once again they could see their breath in the cold shadows of the alleyway. There was a pause. Sun rubbed her hands together to try and stay warm, it didn't help.

"I tried to see if you were alright but it wasn't the right time." He continued, looking at the snowy ground. "After that, you boarded the windows up so I figured--" He sighed. "I'm just really sorry."

Sun smiled, "I do believe you." She looked at Jack and he looked up at her. "I feel like this is my fault though,"

"You can't take the blame, Sunny, I made this."

"Yes but I made you."

"What? How?"

"I made you do this. I told you that you owed me, I sent you that letter telling you--"

"No. This isn't your fault. I'm the one who got mad."

"Well...no. I did this. You didn't have to go through with it."

"But I did. You can't dump this all on yourself."

Sun looked down and noticed it was warm around them. The snow had melted from under both of their feet. She almost smiled, "I'm-- I'm sorry." And she ran out of the alley leaving the warm feeling behind.