A Melting Snowflake[A Short Story]

A Melting Snowflake Part-1

Julie had always felt that there was something mysterious about Christmas. She had never had a family nor friends, but she had always liked Christmas,and the complexity that is attributed to this celebration. She made her way to work knowing that today, she will have enough tips to sleep with a full stomach, which in itself was one of the reasons she adored Christmas. She looked up at the sky, hoping to catch some snowflakes, but hastened her steps when she couldn't find any.

When she reached the old Café, she went in through the back door of the building, and got ready for service.

Just as she had turned the Closed sign back to the Open side, the little bells rung and when the door opened, 2 police men came in.

"Are you Julie Barnes?", asked the one with a mustache.

"Yes. Would you like some coffee?", she asked, feeling the need to be polite.

While one of them hesitated, the other one answered.

"No, Thank you. Please take a seat.", he gestured to the one opposite to him.

She sat down.

"How long have you known Mrs. Brown.", he asked.

"Five years.", Julie replied, recalling the time when she was pushed down and bullied by a boy when he found out that she didn't have parents. Mrs. Brown was the one who pushed away the bully(who turned out to be her own son), and comforted her, gave her a place to sleep for that night, and a job that helped her get enough money to have 3 square meals a day. She was also the one who helped her finish high-school. All in all, Mrs. Brown was her Guardian Angel on earth.

"What were you doing yesterday night between 11pm to 12 pm?", the first officer asked, grimly.

"I was at home.", Julie replied.

"Can anyone attest to that?"

"Yes. My neighbor had seen me come in, and my landlord had also dropped in to warn me to pay all my dues in time. If you don't mind, will you let me know why I'm being interrogated?", Julie asked, a sense of foreboding closing in on her.

"I'm sorry Ms. Barnes, but Mrs. Brown is dead. She was murdered yesterday night between 11 and 12 p.m."

"What?", Julie asked, shocked into speechlessness.

"We're sorry for your loss.", the other policeman spoke up.

"But how? She didn't have any enemies! Are you sure it was her body?", Julie asked, shivering a little.

"Well, why don't you look for yourself and confirm it?", the first one answered, handing her a photo, and she could see them scanning her face for any facial emotions that could make her a suspect.

She bent down to look at the photo, and the moment her eyes met the cold bloodshot pair of eyes, her facial expression frozen in terror, Julie gave an audible gasp, which served as a trigger to an unstoppable torrent of tears from her eyes. The photo fell to the ground, as she sat there, sobbing and shaking uncontrollably in her chair, wrapping her arms around herself.

"We will take our leave. Mr. Brown will be coming in shortly to fill you in about your employment here.", the policeman said, and left the café.

Julie did not move the entire she was waiting for Mrs. Brown's son, of whom, she had been scared of, ever since her childhood days. The tears kept cascading, every memory of her and Mrs. Brown eliciting a new torrent.

After what felt like hours(Julie was not in the right mind space to judge the passage of time), the little bells tingled. She stood up from her chair, as two buff-looking men came in, followed by a shorter, and well-dressed looking man, who was talking into cellphone.

After he had finished his phone call, he gestured her to come forward. She obliged, silently.

"Ah! Is it really the orphan? Julie-wolly?", he called, sounding amused at the site of her.

"Yes.", she replied. If she had been the normal Julie, she would have told him off for it, but her brain was still processing, grieving, the gory photo continuously flashing in her mind's eye.

"Would you like to keep your employment here?", he asked, curiously.

Julie nodded, unable to open her mouth, memories of Jeremiah Brown's pranks and jibes, eliciting more tears, that she definitely did not want to shed in front of him.

"Well then. I've decided to convert this stinky old café into s night-club, with the best bartenders and waitresses under my employ. And for you to qualify, I'll have to keep a test for you.", his eyes flashed, and her brain went into the alarmed mode.

"What?", her voice shook, and she wanted to curse herself at how small she was making herself feel in front of him.

He chuckled, before speaking.

"I want you to demonstrate. First a lap-dance, then a strip-dance. Most of the ones I've hired are already well versed in these arts.", he said, his eyes filled with lust, resembling a predator staring at his prey, before it lunged for the kill.

Julie's ears rang, her eyes swimming, the tears still not finished.

"What are you waiting for? We haven't got all day.", he said, still staring at her.

"I'll not be one of your sluts, you pimp!", she shouted, annoyed.

"What did you say?", his eyes flashed.

"I said.....", Julie was cut off when Jeremy lunged at her. She barely got herself out of his way, her mind racing with all the outcomes of this possibility, but her legs took her towards the back door, and she burst through it running out through the back alley.

She knew it was a mistake when she looked back, and saw him much closer than she though he was, and her eyes widened in disgust at the sight of him unzipping his pants, still running towards her.

She looked front, and just in time avoided collision with a garbage can, her legs screaming at her effort to keep up her pace. Just when she had reached the end of the alley, hoping to escape into the crowded main streets, he grabbed her by her waist, and slammed her to the wall of the adjacent building, caging her between his body and the wall, his hands struggling to remove his boxers.

As if her hands had life of their own, Julie pushed him off her, and continued running in the direction of home. She ran for almost a block and a half, before looking back, but all she saw was white mist, and an involuntary grin passed her face at the snowflakes that fell on and around her. She lost him in a sort of mini snowstorm.

She did not stop running, until she reached her apartment building. But instead of stopping at the fifth floor, where her apartment was, her legs carried her until the very last floor, the the terrace. Julie had never been to the terrace, not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't have the time to. She clutched the metal railing, as she sank to the floor, exhaustion taking over, adrenaline rush wearing off.

She wanted to look down, at what she assumed would be a spectacular view, but her eyes wouldn't listen to her, showing her the vast and unbound skies. The snowflakes that fell on her, brushed her face, as if to comfort her.  And in that moment that her eyes closed, a deep feeling of farewell resounded within her.

Goodbye, she thought.