Hunter

Prologue

   The silent world glistens beautifully, piles of snow laid on the ground. The sun reflects off the silver floor, making the snow all the more blinding. It's now Christmas Day, as if the fairy-lights hung on every campus tree as well as every edge of every roof shining brightly didn't explain enough.

   Café owners awaken, turning all of their closed signs over, welcoming pedestrians to a potential warm cup of coffee or even a comforting pastry. However, the streets are deserted. Most of the residents went home for the holidays, preferring the ease their families brought to their hearts over the cold, empty, silent walls the university had to offer.

   Those who stayed behind spent their days wrapped up in the warmth of their blankets, afraid of being bitten by the fierce cold. So, they lay in bed, sipping ferociously on a cup of hot chocolate as thick, fuzzy socks protect their numbing limbs. Some even watch the seasonal movies they give on repeat, smiling to themselves as they allow their lives to slip away in the comfort of their sheets.

   I refused to spend the holidays with my family; not like they even wanted me there to begin with. My father would've locked himself away in his office, only stepping out to simply leave for 'personal matters' when those times came. As for my sister, well, she would've been pleading on her knees for more materialistic things to smother herself in.

   The annual--essentially--family-involved holiday no longer served its purpose when the people around you are too involved with themselves to acknowledge your existence altogether. It wasn't always like this, though.

   Before my mother passed away, there was not a single moment where any one of us went missed. The only time we had away from each other would be during the night as we were all soundly asleep in our beds. Even then, we would come together in our dreams. Of course, I didn't mind. It was my family, and my family was the most important thing to me.

   She was the center of it all, though. My father's smile always grew wider with just the sight of her. It was the most lovely thing to watch; seeing your beloved parents so happy could set your heart at ease. At least that's what it did for me.

   When she left us, the change in our family dynamics was drastic. My father secluded himself from the outside world altogether, suffocating himself with work to drown out the thought of her absence. It was almost like all he lived for was gone; like he didn't even care for my sister and I now that our mother was not around. There was no other way to explain it. She had to have been all he loved and utterly adored.

   My sister was too young to remember the life before our mother's death. Maybe that's why she's so content with the way things are now. She's never known anything besides the iniquity we--for some reason, still--call 'family.'

   I wish it were that way for me as well. Maybe then I wouldn't have to struggle to recall the memory of my father's face. It's been so long since I've last seen it.

   The loss of love had me craving for something of the kind for years now. Losing everything all at once left a hole in me. It's been like this for a while; someone fills up that hole little by little, then it empties itself out as they go. Even now as I look away from the curtainless window to stare up at the popcorn ceiling, the hole is there, bigger than ever.

   I sigh at the thought, rolling to the side to slide off of my bed. Glancing at the clock that displayed itself on my phone, I groan loudly. 11:12, it read.

   It was still too early for my liking. Having to spend the day by myself with nothing to do to pass the hours made my head pound against my skull. If only I could sleep all day. If only.

   Huffing, I stand, kicking past the bundles of clothes spread across my floor to get to my closet. I scan through it, building myself an outfit for the day. Picking things out, I fling it across the room, letting it land on my bed.