Bloody Winds

Chapter V

"Wake up sleepy head it's Christmas morning!" Sage was banging on my bedroom door so desperate to get everybody downstairs. She then came bursting through my door and jumped on me.

"River! Come on! Get downstairs already!"

"Sage! It's super early in the morning, why do this to me!?" I said as I moaned, not wanting to get up.

"I don't care if it's early! I still have a whole day planned for us all!"

"Fine, just give me my glasses at least." Sage grabbed my glasses off my nightstand and handed them to me. As I put them on things began to look more clear as I pushed Sage off me to the other side of my queen sized bed. I slowly got out of my bed, wearing my plaid pjs. Sadie was wearing a matching set mom and dad got us on our birthday to be even more like the twins we are. 

As Sage pulled me downstairs, there was a mountain of presents just waiting to be opened. The fireplace was crackling and the tree was up and sparkling with the lights and ornaments. Mom and dad were already down there drinking coffee, and even made us some hot chocolate. Mom's wings fluttered some as she saw us at the bottom of the stairs, dad didn't even realize because he was reading a book.

"Good morning you two! Come sit and we can start with presents!" Mom said as she signaled us to the black chairs across from the coffee table, where two white coffee cups held hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream.
I looked up at the very high ceiling, and over towards the balcony, where the door to my bedroom could be seen at the end of the hallway, then Sage's door with a sign that says "Girl's place".

The fire made a loud crackling sound behind me as I looked over by the presents and back at mom and dad.

After an hour or so of opening presents, the place was a mess with wrapping paper and the presents that were hiding behind the wrapping paper. Sage grabbed one last present and studied it. She always passed out the presents since she enjoyed it so much.

"It says it's for you River." She said with a concerned tone in her voice as she handed it to me. I grabbed it and studied it as well.

"Who's it from?" My dad asked, moving his head up from his book. I shrugged as I started to unwrap it. It was wrapped in black wrapping paper and tied with a red bow. I opened the box and pulled out a note.

"I bought you a coat since you didn't bring one last time. Meet me on the hill I took you to a week ago at 11:30" I read it silently, so then nobody would suspect what this even is.

"Well, who was it from?" Mom said leaning closer to me trying to figure it out.

"Oh it was just from Grandma, she wrote that she didn't have any more of the stickers for the gift." I pulled out a soft gray jacket and looked at it.
"Well that was nice of her, right Benjamin?" Mom looked over at dad as he looked up from his book confused.

"What? Oh yeah, make sure to say thank you to her through the mail." Dad then looked back at his book. I laughed a little from him not paying attention.

"Yeah yeah I will." I said putting down the jacket. I then glanced back over to the letter.

"Why does he want to meet me there? Or what if it's somebody else?" I took the note and put it back into the box with the jacket.

"It's Sage's year to clean up!" Mom pointed at Sage, laughing. Sage rolled her eyes as she started picking up wrapping paper, as mom kept making fun of her. I laughed some and grabbed my presents and went to my room. I shut the door behind me and started to put stuff away.
The few days after Christmas went by like a blink of an eye. I went downstairs to see dad working, as per usual, and mom taking the tree down, Sage wasn't anywhere to he seen.