Winter in August

Prologue

I still remember that day. The police came to my door. And what they said haunted me. Questions raced through my mind. Why me? Why them? Who would do this?

When I got the news I wouldn't believe it. Tears streamed down my face. They were lying. They had to be.

I didn't fully take in what had actually happened until the funeral.

The funeral.

They buried them. We all cried. I was only 7 and I cried. I cried the most though.

All through out the funeral one question stuck in my mind.

Why me?

After the funeral I remember being taken home.

Home.

Where all those great memories were made when they had lived.

I remember going to my room to cry and finding all of my things packed up in a box.

Just one single box.

Everything I owned fit in that one single box.

So when I took a look around my room, I noticed.

No clothes in the drawer. No toiletries in the bathroom. But the one thing they did forget to pack, was Winter.

Oh sweet, sweet Winter.

I quickly ran to pick her up and when I did, I held her in my arms tightly.

Winter was my best friend. The one who was always there for me. She and I had been through everything together.

My reunion with Winter was cut short when an officer walked into my room.

He led me to the front door and to a car just outside of my house.

I noticed that their cars weren't here. I felt a pang in my chest as tears threatened to spill over.

My Aunt was waiting for me at the car. Her tear stricken face holding a sad smile. She raised her arms and embraced me in a warm hug. But I felt nothing as she cried on my shoulder. Nothing.

When I got in the backseat of her car, she focused on driving while I focused on crying my heart out into Winters soft mane. The mixture of black, grey, and white engulfed my face into calming protection. Nobody could hurt me as long as Winter was around. She was my safe place. The only one left who I could trust.

Sure that changed over the years. I began to learn to trust more and more people. But that doesn't mean that it didn't take time. Or endless questions.

There was one main question that stuck in my head since my parents death.

Why me?