Christmas Elf

Part 9

When the morning sun entered the abandoned room I could hear my family moving around above us. Next to me, wedged into the wall, Nick slept. his bear looked more aged by this point, white permanently added to his beard in splotches. The curl and length of it never wavered, his eyes formed calm creases untouched by the world. I could see his chest rise and fall as he breathed. His arm wrapped around me in a lazy droop.

"Nick, wake up, they will come down soon." I warned knowing what would come of this if my parents saw. On que my door received a large bang on it, jolting Nick upright and toppling me out of the bed. When I grasped my bearings I walked over and opened the door to see my sister.

"Chris, are you alright?" out of all of my family my younger sister was the shy and scared type. She was who I went to about everything, even with Holy she never hated me.

"Yes, why? Did something happen Rose?" I adjusted my sweater pulling it further down.

"You got a barrel to the neck, Holy is scared out of her mind, and your husband put mom into a frenzy. So it's a normal Monday." she huffed entering the room and sitting next to Nick.

"He is not my husband. I got over that phase years ago." I lied, I did not need Nick thinking lowly of me as well and kicking me out too. I could see his face alter but I assumed it was the rough night we had, no sleep and constant yelling.

"Right. Either way the mayor is on his way, with guns and torches. I suggest this time you never come back till I'm the woman in charge." She hugged me tightly from her place. "Take the poinsettia, I found it in the garden, as a symbol you were alive."

I nodded, grabbing the flower, hugging my sister one last goodbye. I left the room and headed for my daughter. The house was silent, quivering with one wrong movement. The rooms were bare, untouched by humans, no one was in the upper rooms. I grew frantic as I looked for my daughter. I wished I could turn the corner and see her cheerful face, her happy laugh and glowing smile.

"Christmas, I don't think Holy is here. I think they have her." Nick pulled me from my endless search. I could hear the mob forming, slurs and snow was thrown at the windows. From the window I saw my family. My father held a knife above my daughter's head.

"Don't you dare touch her, she is my daughter." I stormed out of the house, fuming. I could see their pleased faces as I marched towards my father.

"She is mine, you leave, without her, and all our problems end." he gurgled a demonic laugh.

"Give me my daughter." I could hear him. He called her his daughter, Nick called for her. Soon the storm began to grow again, blowing over the mob slightly. Soon the tall man was next to me, his eyes shrouded in hatred and pain.

"Never! She shall make me money." He proved his point by burning her arm with the torch, causing both Holy and I to scream.

I could see her pain, I understood it well. The delirious man broke out laughing again, an uncontrollable laugh. His lungs refused to let out for air, a suffocating laugh. I made my way back to the shed, the crowd pemling me with rocks and snow. Fire kissed my red hair, as I began to race, breaking from the pain. As we escaped I broke. I lost my daughter.