The First of the Frost

I looked down at the street. I heard the screeching tires and the snapping of metal along with the the train and the railroad crossing sign.

I heard screams and a car horn and then, then there was silence. Dead silence. I was afraid to open my eyes and see what I knew I was.

I opened them slowly and sure enough I saw a sticky red dripping out of the mangled car.

I could see my breath in the freezing air and I rubbed my hands together to get warm. All of the memories started flooding back. The family I never had yet treated me like their own. Thanksgiving, making the turkey and helping the only motherly figure in my life set the silver wear down on the nice fall table clothe.

Christmas. The smell of pine and gingerbread snuggling up in a blanket next to a crackling fire telling Christmas stories and opening your presents on Christmas Eve because you couldn't wait until the morning.

Easter. Buying a pretty dress and going out in the morning sun searching for plastic pastel coloured eggs all around and eating jelly beans while sitting through church fiddling with your white little heel shoes.

Halloween. Hot apple cider and running around the house dressed as a scary monster trying to scare the dog and running from door to door collecting candy and then trading with your friends at lunch at school the next day.

All of that. Memories. Still there. People who you made them with? Gone. Why does the human heart feel jealousy? It yearns for what it doesn't have and it knows it will never have it.

I never knew my parents. Never. I lived with an abusive foster family but I practically lived with the neighbors. They were like my family. Their son, Mark, he was a year older than me and he's like my brother.

My foster parents would lock me up in the basement for months and I would sneak out the small window and go to the Dundy's house. Mr. and Mrs. Dundy loved me. and I loved them.

Ever since that day. That first day of the frost and it snowed I was walking home from my babysitting job down the street. There was an old railroad crossing sign there. I remembered how it used to ding but the yellow blocker never went down. We were all used to just driving right through it.

They didn't notice. They looked at me and were waving and asking if I needed a ride and that they loved me and that they'll see me when I get home and I just stood there smiling and then the realisation sunk in on me and I screamed at them to stop.

Mr. Dundy turned to face the train and yet it was to late. I heard the screech of the breaks but I knew it was too late.

Watching this as another person I saw as I went to run towards the demolished ruins people grabbing me and trying to comfort me as I screamed bloody murder. Tears streamed down my face in the realization. They were never coming back.

Ever.

Mr. and Mrs. Dundy died and Mark went into a coma. I would never forgive myself. The only shred of happiness in my life was gone.

They tried putting me in the hospital and eventually I got out and my foster parents moved away abandoning me. I live in that house still though. Scared that the man will come back and do what he promised if I disobeyed.

The Dundy's tried everything for years to get custody of me but The Carsons fought back. Claiming total lies about 'too many memories' and 'loving me to death' more like starving and beating me to death.

I still will not go in that basement. Never again will I. Since Mark will never wake up. The money the Dundy's had was left for me. Yet Mark got the house. I didn't care. It would have been too painful living there.

I still have the locket they gave me the second Christmas I spent with them. There's a picture of them inside and on the back they engraved, 'Always with love, Mom and Dad'

I had worn it everyday since then. I loved it. I wouldn't feel right not wearing it. I have a maid now. She cooks and cleans and I'm normally at my job anyways. I'm a waitress at a cafe nearby. It was their favourite.

They would take me there every Sunday after church and buy me an ice cream after lunch. Mark and I always got the Oreo flavored. I hold in tears every time I see a little boy and girl buying matching ice creams with loving parents.

After my shift was over (it was around 10:00PM) I made my way home and was careful driving in the cold fall weather. I pulled into the driveway only to see what I've been fearing. The front door is wide open.

Maybe the maid left the door open a bit when she left and the wind blew it open. I walked in cautiously and set my purse on the counter accidentally dropping my keys. I stooped down to  grab them and then heard a familiar evil laugh.

"I've come to play Aria, darling." he laughed darkly again,"And you thought I would leave for good."

Oh crap. I said in my head. crap.crap.crap.crap.crap.crap.crap.crap.crap.crap.

I ran into a hallway filled with rooms and ran into one of the the closets of a random room. There was a shoe locker and I sat on top of that making sure my feet didn't show and made sure the clothes blocked me. I heard his muffled footsteps and him calling me to come out of hiding.

I stopped breathing so heavily and shut my eyes tight and said a silent prayer. Lord, I'm sorry. Please forgive me for my sins and let me be safe!

The door of the closet opened and the light flickered on. And you thought you could run. I cringed and sat that crouched on the shoe locker.

"But I will always find you." He whispered in my ear. His breath making me feel uncomfortable.

"I'm letting you go today but I will be back." His voice ran through my ears along with his slow footsteps walking away.

And I came to realization. Sooner or later, somehow, he will always find me, and I will die. Die because he will kill me. And I will not know love. Because love, no longer knows me.

#################################################################

Hope you enjoyed!!!!!!!! Love you allllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Claire Dimitree <3 :="">