A Lonely Christmas

three

I woke from my nap with a pounding headache, feeling like someone sat an elephant on my head. I looked up at the screen and saw that it said 'Are you still watching?'

Like, yes Netflix. I am still watching.

I tried lifting my head up but instead ended up falling back down onto the couch cushion and groaning out of pain.

After a few minutes of struggling with getting up from the couch I eventually got up and was able to reach for the remote before plopping right back down.

I pressed 'no' and threw the remote down one more time.

I fought the head pain as I got up to check the thermostat because I had the chills.

"Eighty...?"

How is it eighty degrees in this damn house but it's still cold.

I didn't raise the heat considering I had to leave the house and didn't want to come back to a house that's slowly burning down.

I walked to the kitchen and placed my cup in the sink.

I noticed my phone sitting on the counter and decided to check the weather outside.

And that's when I dropped the lovely iPhone eight right on the marbled floor.

"Oh my go-"

I had one hundred thirty seven missed texts from my mom and thirty missed calls from her as well.

"How is it already nine thirty? I slept for like five minutes!"

I texted her back:

Mom, I'll catch a later flight! I'm so sorry I'll explain later! xo

I rushed to the coat rack and seemed to forget about my head pain until I stopped and it felt like someone threw a brick at my head.

I put my coat and boots on along with my scarf before grabbing my phone and heading out.

Cold- was the first word that came to mind the second I stepped outside.

I locked the door behind me and shoved my key in my pocket.

The naked trees of winter lined the avenue and my breath was rising in visible puffs. There's a freezing cold in the air- and I mean like, cold.

Eighteen degrees kind of cold.

The freezing chill brings a crispness to the leaves that are everyone bejeweled with frost that crunch at every step I took near the side walk.

My teeth chattered as the cold sweeps through my coat pockets and numbed my fingers until they were stiffened and frigid.

I shoved the bottom half of my face into my scarf and started walking down the sidewalk.

Kicking the snow out of my way, I walked down the sidewalk, past the houses and cars that were basically covered in snow.

"Come on in guys!" A mother called to her children from the front porch.

Three lumpy, uneven balls of snow were stacked on top of eachother, buttons going down the middle ball. A carrot shoved in the middle of the top ball in between button eyes and a button mouth.

The two children wrapped in coats and scarves and gloves waddled up the front steps being careful not to slip as they walked past their mother and into the cozy house.

I pictured the warmth of the house and it somehow warmed me up a bit.

I continued walking until I made it to where all the traffic was. Cars were stopped at the stop light and people were crossing the streets in their heavy coats.