Snow Man

Chapter 3 - dead man

I don't remember how long I stood there crying of my daughter. It seemed like forever. My body had stiffened against the cold. But I didn't dare move to stretch my sore muscles, and risk waking Annie into a world of her own pain and suffering. I had to think of a plan. I had to try and save my baby. The only family I have. The car still burned beside me, but moving towards it to get warm would have gotten me blown to kingdom come. The dead man, still laying on his back, looked as if he was sleeping from where I was standing. But I knew better.

I had to get Annie out of there. I couldn't allow her to see another dead body again. So before I started walking towards the city, I was going to raid the mans car for supplies that would be of some use to Annie.

It was then I heard an enormous explosion. It threw me off my feet. I tried to alter my fall so I wouldn't crush Annie, but shield her. I sadly failed. I landed on my side with her arm in between myself and the road. I heard a crack but no scream. She didn't even open her eyes to see what had just happened. I looked at her and then the burning car. It was fully on fire now. The car is destroyed, there was no use for it. I picked Annie up off the ground and brought her closer to the roaring fire. It wouldn't explode any longer. I knelt down and sat her on my knee while her head was resting peacefully on my shoulder. The cut on her forehead was bleeding uncontrollably, I had nothing to help her. No pain killers. No bandages. Nothing but the clothes on my back.

And the dead mans blood stained coat.

The thick coat on his back would be good enough to keep her warm. And his shirt I can use as a bandage. With that idea in my head I set Annie down on the road, close to the fire so she will keep warm without me, and went to the dead man for a second time.

He looked different somehow. Colder maybe. Paler. But at the same time he looked no different. I lifted the man so he was sitting up. His head drifted to the side so it was resting on his own shoulder. But I paid little attention to it. I unbuttoned his huge jacket, being very gentle when it came to taking it off his back. I don't know why I took so much care with a taking off the dead mans coat, I guess I thought he should be treated with respect, since this coat was going to keep my daughter warm.

Leaving the dead man coat less and unprotected from the snow, I staggered back to Annie, barely able to stand I dropped to the ground three meters from where Annie lay. Crawling along the ice covered road, it felt like everything that could have gone wrong in my life, decided I hadn't suffered enough, and it was time my daughter got more involved.

I staggered to my feet when I reached her, and lifted her light body up from the cold, wet ground. I knelt and put all her body on to my leg.

The pain was horrific.

I had to bite my lips together so I wouldn't pain out. Knowing I couldn't last long in this position, I gently shoved her little hands into the to big arms of the coat, being very careful with her newly broken arm.

My fingers fumbled with the buttons, I had dropped them may times. Shaking from either the cold or the shock. Maybe even both.

When the coat was securely around her tiny frame. I lifted her in to my arms, almost sighing at the relief my leg was given.

I let myself a brief second to warm myself against the burning car, before I went back to the prone body of the dead man.