Frostbite

Chapter 1 | Widower

September 24th,
1887
Matthews' Residence

The wood crackled in the fireplace, sending embers and smoke up through the chimney.

"I dusted Ma's portrait while you were in town. Thought she deserved a clear view from Heaven." Said Samuel. His beautiful emerald-green eyes glimmered into the fireplace, looking very runny and tearful. Samuel's hair was ginger like his father, who had a long side-parted mess of ginger hair. Phillip looked masculine, with his lean but sturdy frame, and his full beard gripping his lower face.

Phillip's eyes were a silver haze, which looked empty as though he had never had time to refill them with happiness after he had lost his darling, Isabelle. Despite the loss of his wife, he never lashed out at Samuel, who had been in a depression for months after losing his mother. Samuel's 11th birthday had passed two months ago, and he was gifted a silver-plated dagger to defend himself from wildlife, and possible home invaders when Phillip was away at work in town.

Phillip got up from his rocking chair and finally replied to Samuel.

"Thank you, son. Your mother would be proud of the man you've become."

Phillip choked back tears while saying this. He walked over the the mantlepiece and picked up the portrait of Isabelle. Her beautiful shining face was poking through the grayscale of the portrait. Her angelic undertones, with her silky dark hair. Her alluring eyes made, Phillip tear up with longing.

He set Isabelle's framed portrait down on the mantlepiece and picked up his Civil War portrait. He looked so young, he was only nineteen then. He was holding his musket, with a look of pride on his face. He was lucky to survive, even more so to have survived without any amputations, as he recalled many of his fellow soldiers having their arms and legs hacked off if they got so much as a scratch. He flipped the portrait over and saw inscriptions on the backside.

April 7th, 1863. Captain Matthews, Union Army

He placed this portrait back by Isabelle's.

"Samuel. Get to bed. I'm leaving early for fishing in the Bay, make sure you check the rabbit traps before I get home. Love you, son."

And so they walked to their bedrooms. Phillip got into his long cloth night clothes, before he laid down, and fell asleep.

Phillip awoke to screams coming from the hallway. Adrenaline surged through his body, he didn't think while he was acting. He grabbed his six-shooter from his nightstand and rushed to the hallway. Nothing was there. He ran to Samuel's bedroom and saw his window broken, and Samuel was nowhere to be found.

End of Chapter 1.