Shadowsnow

Chapter 4: Trying to Move On

The next day was my mom's funeral. It was bright and sunny, but a little cool.  After spending a little time trying to decide on an outfit, I decided on my black, knee-length, three-quarter-sleeve dress, as well as my black knee-high, heeled boots.  They were the last things my mom had bought for me before she'd been killed and something felt right about wearing them together, especially given what the day was gonna be like.

As for my jewelry, I chose to wear the gold butterfly-and-diamond necklace that my mom had given me for my sixteenth birthday, my high school class ring with a dark blue stone, my silver sapphire-and-diamond encrusted ring, and my diamond earrings to match the butterfly.  I sighed as I looked at myself in my mirror.  My heart hurt as I saw myself wearing all the things my mom had given me.  I don't think I can do this.  I heard a knock on the door and glanced at my dad in my mirror.  He'd cracked the door open but he wasn't looking in.

"Can I come in, Al?"  I nodded before I spoke.

"Yes."

My voice sounded raspy and cracked at the end.  I'd spent the whole night before on the phone with Carter and Ronnie, sobbing about my mom's death.  My dad opened my door and walked over to me, gently setting his hands on my shoulders.

"I know what you're gonna say, Dad.  It'll be alright.  We'll get through it somehow.  Time heals all wounds.  Or something like that."  My dad shook his head slowly.

"No, I'm not.  I...honestly don't know what to say.  Your mom was always the one with the right words to say.  I just want to make your pain go away.  I wish I knew how."  I turned around and hugged my dad tightly.  Surprised, he hugged me back.

"Just admitting that you don't know what to do or say and being here for me is enough.  I feel the same way for you, Dad.  I wish I knew how to help you."

We stayed like that for a little while longer as we comforted each other the best we could.  Once we were both ready to go, my dad and I drove to the cemetery where we would be burying my mom.  It had just clouded over but was still partly sunny when the last of our friends and family arrived for the funeral.  Carter, Ronnie and Xander stood near my dad and me throughout the funeral, trying to comfort us.

While most of my family and friends cried or were teary-eyed, my eyes stayed firmly dry.  I had cried myself out.  And I needed to be stronger for my dad.  He needed a rock now that ours was gone.  We had been the first to arrive at my mom's grave, but we were the last to leave.  I stood at the foot of my mom's grave, clasping my hands tightly together, even when Carter and Ronnie had left.  I can't leave.  It'll make it even more real than it already is.  And I don't think I'm ready to face that yet.  I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to look at my dad.

"It's...It's time to go, Allie," he told me, solemnly.  I sighed and nodded, turning to face away from my mom's grave.  I turned my head back one last time as I walked away.

"I love you, Mom," I whispered.

Then, my dad and I got in his car and drove away.  As soon as we got home, I ran upstairs to my room and changed my clothes.  Then I threw myself onto my bed and screamed into my pillow. It's not fair!  She shouldn't be dead!  A few moments later, I sat up and pulled my knees tight to my chest. I looked around and saw ice covering every inch of my room. What the hell? I heard footsteps come running up the stairs, even though my door was shut, and got up from my bed.  I heard my dad trying to get the door open and looked around, still shocked that I'd coated my room in ice.  When my dad finally got the door open, I was trying to figure out how to make all the ice go away.

"Allie!"  I whirled my head around to face my dad and nearly hit him with a snowball.  He ducked just in time as I stared at him.

"What the hell is happening to me, Dad?"  Before he could answer me, his home police radio went off.

"Attention, all units!  We have codes 0500, 0600, 0700, 1400, and 2609 at BankFive on Metacom Avenue! There is an unidentified person with some form of teleportation! They're attacking all officers present!"