Forgotten Faces

Lumini

  Snow gently drifted to the ground outside. The cold nip it brought was safely shut out by the walls of Lumini's home. She sat in her window seat, pillow held close to her chest, staring wistfully at the puffs of white collecting in the frame of her window. Lumini had never hibernated through the winter. Growing up in Topkia, where no one did, she didn't feel the need even now that she had been living in Moominvalley for some years now.

Typically, she had no problem with being just about the only one awake, but this winter she was feeling restless. Her thoughts wandered to Snufkin. He was out having his little adventures during this time of rest for others. Granted, he followed the spring, so it's warm wherever he is. Still, why couldn't Lumini go out to explore? Winter never bothered her much. She put her pillow aside and stood. Yes, she would go outside and enjoy a lovely stroll in the snow frosted forest. She put on her warmer clothing and left the safety and warmth of her little home built into a hill.

Lumini made her way to the forest, the snow crunching beneath her feet. The way white powder sat on the bare tree branches was beautiful in its own way. A smile graced her lips as she took in the winter wonderland. If only she could share it with a friend. Though, perhaps she could emulate the feeling? A tree with dry vines hanging from it caught her eye. Grabbing onto an especially long vine, she pulled herself up onto a branch. As she stood with one hand against the trunk, looking out over the blanket of frost.

She leaned forward to feel the wind. Snowflakes weaved into her long hair. Her foot shifted and the snowy branch proved to be poor stability. She felt herself slip, panic stab her chest like a knife. Eyes wide, Lumini wildly grabbed for a vine, and only managed to throw one around her neck. She was abruptly caught by another vine, forming a loop, by her throat. The dry plants pulled tight around her neck, making it impossible to breathe. Tears began to sting her eyes. Her mind was racing for a solution. Get free! Need air! Make the pain stop! Her hands desperately clawed at the vines choking her. Small fingers couldn't manage to break the skin. The tears began to slip down her cheeks in fat drops. This couldn't be it. Her breath had stopped puffing out in white clouds a while ago. How sad. She'd never get to see Snufkin return this spring.

Her body went limp. The desperate clutching, clawing, and crying had ceased. The fight had been lost, and the girl with it. As her lifeless body swung from the tree, winter's cold heart began to melt. Spring coaxed her frozen lover aside and took out her paintbrush. As the land was painted green and warm, the residents of Moominvalley began to stir from their slumber.

Moomin, ever the exited one to see his friends again, especially a certain mumrik tramp, left Moominhouse as soon as possible. He ran over to the bridge, where Snufkin was sitting. Typically he'd be playing his harmonica with Lumini by his side. Today, both were absent. Instead, he sat quietly with a worried expression etched into his features. "Snufkin, where's Lumini?" Moomin asked him. Snufkin looked to him. "I don't know. She didn't come to greet me and she wasn't home." He explained. Moomin hummed in thought. "Oh! She must be picking flowers in the forest." Moomin proposed. The girl had always loved flowers and collecting them to make crowns out of. It wouldn't be much of a surprise to find her wrist-deep in them already.

The boys set off into the forest to find Lumini. Feeling his worry start to lift, Snufkin began to tell Moomin of his adventures as they walked down the freshly blooming path. The smell of new blooms filled the air with their sweetness. A different scent began to mingle with the fragrance of flowers. A sickening scent, worse than the aroma Stinky would flaunt. This was the stomach-churning stench of death. Why would the forest smell so strongly of death? The boys were certainly confused and concerned. Eventually, the stink hit its peak. That's when they saw the source of the smell. From the lush green branches of a tree hung the corpse of their dear, sweet, Lumini.

Moomin's eyes widened in shock and fear. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Snufkin stared on with sad eyes. Tears were already threatening to spill over, but he tried to look on stoically. This was going to be the year. He was going to propose to her this year, but how fate had so tragically snatched his beloved Lumini. His expression cracked. Tears flowed freely down his face as a sob escaped his lips. He couldn't bring himself to look at the lifeless thing anymore as he sunk to the ground. Moomin joined him and held him close. Wet faced, and breathing raggedly, they mourned the late girl with flowers.