Minitales

Sleepless in The Big Apple- Mallory Rand

A crash of thunder.

Mallory jolted awake and peered up at the clock with squinted eyes.

2:35 AM. She sat up in her cot, sheets and comforters tangled around her ankles. Rubbing her eyes, she cringed as another boom of thunder filled her room and lightning flashed through her thinly curtained window.

She shivered as she finally felt the chilled air in her bones. Summer should not be like this, she thought, where are the warm, humid nights? Thanks, New York...

Mallory stretched out her legs then stood up and stumbled to her window. She clambered up onto the padded sill and laid back on the throw pillow. Lightning again enveloped her small room, she flinched.

If Laurie were here she'd hold me and comfort me. Tell me everything was okay and it was only God playing bowling, Mallory smiled weakly to herself as she imagined.

It was different now. Her cousin, and best friend was gone, forever. Now there was only Aunt Margaret and Sam. Sam was too... Sam to understand her. And Aunt Margaret, well she was frigid and probably had more in common with the toaster than Mallory.

Mallory was alone. She felt a tear glide down her cheek and realized she was crying. Scrunching up her legs, she wrapped her arms around herself as her body was rocked with quiet sobs.

No! She had to be strong, for Laurie. For Mom and Dad. Mallory swiped the tears out of the corners of her eyes and gazed out the window at the dark, storm-filled sky. She would be strong. For them.

She glanced at the clouds covering the moon once more and felt her eyes grow heavy. Turning away from the window, she got up from the sill and climbed into her still warm sheets. Mallory closed her eyes and thought, I will make next year different. I will be someone new. Then, she fell asleep to the pounding of rain droplets on the roof.