Blizzard

A girl, 23 years old, went hiking with her family they do it often but this time would be the last.

Beginnings

The storm is picking up faster and faster. It's cold. So cold... You were on a hunting trip with your family before the blizzard hit. It was the middle of winter, so this was expected. However, you got separated from your family and now you are simply wandering through the snow in the middle of the blizzard.

That's when you see it... A cabin with a single lit candle on the window sill.

I gasp and my eyes widen I quickly rush over with the weakness in my knees. As you approach the cabin, you notice how warm the light of the candle is. It's the warmest thing you have ever felt in your life. You are so cold. So so cold. And so so very tired... When you reach the cabin's porch and peer in the window, you see a man in a rocking chair by the fireplace. He is reading a book. A cat is sitting in his lap. Before I can knock I feel a sharp pain in my chest making me fall into the feet of snow, I let out a sharp yelp as it happens.

You fall into the snow with a thud. The wind is howling. The cold is biting at your skin. Your entire body is throbbing in pain. You can barely move. You're starting to feel drowsy... so so drowsy...I pick my head out of the snow and I try to search around for my glasses. With the pain in your chest, it's difficult to focus your vision enough to find your glasses.

Your hands are cold and shaky and your fingers are numb. You're starting to slip in and out of consciousness. I let out a fatal scream, a hard one to choke out. Your scream echoes out through the forest. But with the wind and the noise of the blizzard, it's doubtful that anyone could hear it. You slip deeper and deeper into unconsciousness.

The last thing you see before you pass out is the man in the rocking chair. He is staring at you with a blank expression.

You feel so alone...

so so very alone...

I feel my eyes close and I pass out into the snow…As consciousness slips away from you, the cold is the only thing you can feel. The snow starts to stick to your skin. You're going to die out here... it's so unfair. How could this happen to you? You're only 23. A young and promising life was cut short by a careless mistake that you made. You've lived such a boring life. You didn't even get to explore much. Now you will die alone, in the middle of the snow...I quickly gasp and I open my eyes and I notice I’m in the cabin. As you awake, you find yourself inside the cabin in a soft bed with covers pulled tightly around your body. A fire crackles cheerfully in the fireplace, giving off a pleasant warm glow. There is a tray of food and water set on the table next to the bed.

A cat jumps up onto the bed and snuggles up next to you. You feel safe and warm.

I quickly sit up and I huff, huff, huff...

The cat purrs softly and rubs against your arm as you sit up. You feel a sudden rush of warmth spread through your body and the pain in your chest is gone. All the fatigue and dizziness from earlier are gone too. You feel refreshed and energized. You glance down at the tray of food and see freshly cooked eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee. this is all too hard to process after I almost just died. am I dead?

No, You are not dead. You are very much alive and well. As the realization sets in, you feel relief wash over you. You are no longer going to die out in the bitter cold. You are here, safe and warm. The cat purrs and rubs against you again. You can't help but smile. The room is cozy and small, but very comfortable and inviting. The walls are lined with bookshelves filled with old books. The wallpaper is a soft blue dotted with tiny white flowers. The carpet is thick and soft, a dark blue with a silver border. There is a desk in the corner with a lamp on top of it, casting a calming light over the room. The cat continues to snuggle against you and purr.

I hear noise coming from another room, is it the man?

You hear a faint, rustling sound coming from the next room over. It's difficult to tell what it is, but it sounds like someone moving around. You hear the faint sound of footsteps, followed by a creaking door opening.

“Hm..”

The footsteps get increasingly louder until the man you saw earlier appears in the doorway. He is not wearing the same clothes as before, but there is no mistaking him. His face looks kind, but there is an emptiness and detachment in his eyes. He is carrying a mug of tea and he walks over and sets it on the bedside table. I look at him with my mouth slightly open.

“Don't be afraid. You're safe here. You don't need to worry. I will treat you kindly. You can stay here as long as you like." He says to me in an assuring tone.

“I-Okay..” I try not to expand my response out of curiosity. The man smiles, but there is still that detachment about him. He sits down in the chair next to the bed and sips his tea. The cat jumps off the bed and into his lap. I study his features, his old face, his white hair, someone you would expect to live in a small cabin in the middle of nowhere.

“How old are you?” I ask trying not to make it seem like an offense to him.

The man takes another sip of tea and you notice a few wrinkles near the corners of his eyes. They are deep-set and etched into his skin. His expression doesn't change when you ask him his age. He simply looks at you and replies.

“I’m 64.”

I look down…”Ah..well uhm, I got separated from my family..by the blizzard.”

The man nods his head in understanding, but he doesn't say anything. He is still drinking his tea. The cat starts to nuzzle against his chin and the man scratches the cat's head with his free hand. “I..don’t know where they are but..I hope they are alive..” The man finishes his tea and sets the mug down on the table next to the bed. He looks at you with a kind, yet detached expression, but it's obvious that he heard you. He doesn't say anything, but you can see the sadness in his eyes. After a few moments of silence, he rises to his feet and moves over to the door. “Hm..”

The man pauses in the doorway and looks back at you. He's still wearing that same, detached expression. But there is a slight hint of empathy in his dark eyes. He gives you one last nod of acknowledgment before stepping out and shutting the door behind him.

“Huh..” I lay back down and I think. Think about all this chaos.

You lie down and think about everything that has happened in the last few hours. You were so close to dying out there in the storm. The thought sends a chill down your spine. You're going to be here for who knows how long now. Is your family going to be able to find you? Or will they just assume you're dead and move on? You can't help but feel a wave of helplessness and despair come over you. The tears flow freely down your face as the gravity of the situation hits you. You're trapped here in this cabin with a man you've never met before. He seems kind and trustworthy enough, but he's so odd and distant. You don't know what to make of him. You miss your family. You want to see them again. You want to go home... but you know that might never happen...

Bare

I make a plan, tomorrow morning that I will search my way back to my family.

You feel the warmth of the covers around you comfort you and your mind becomes more clear. You make a plan to search your way back to your family tomorrow morning. The thought lifts your spirits and you feel a sense of hope flood into your body. You can do this. You can find your way home. It won't be easy, but you're determined to try. You close your eyes and take a deep breath. You're going to try to get some rest so that you're well-rested and strong for your journey in the morning.

The only thing you can think about at the moment is sleep..sleep until it’s time.

After what seems like ages, you slowly open your eyes. The light of the rising sun filters through the curtains and fills the room with a soft, warm glow. You feel refreshed and rejuvenated. You're well-rested and your body feels strong and invigorated. You jump out of bed and stretch the kinks out of your body. A feeling of excitement takes over as you remember your plan to escape this cabin and search for your family. You eat a light breakfast of freshly cooked eggs and toast. It's so much better than the food you had out in the woods earlier. You feel the energy flood into your body as you chew and swallow. When you finish eating, you start stuffing some clothes into your bag... as well as some food from the tray. The cat approaches you and rubs against your leg, as if saying goodbye.

“Bye kitty”…I open the door.

You feel the chilly morning breeze as the door opens. You step out of the cabin and look around at the snowy landscape. The storm has subsided and there is a bright, sunny sky above you. You feel a sudden wave of relief and optimism as you realize the weather is perfect for traveling.

I start heading off in the direction I came from.

You set out on your journey. The snow is still deep in some places, but the terrain is generally pretty flat. It's a lot easier to walk now that the storm has passed and the wind has died down. The snow crunches under your feet as you follow the trail that you followed into the woods yesterday. The sun shines bright and the sky is clear, blue.

after several hours of walking, I see coats and stuff.. matches scattered.

You have been walking for a little over three hours when you come across a strange discovery. You see dozens of coats and other items of clothing scattered all over the ground. Some are piled together and some have been discarded separately. The clothing is covered in snow, but it's clear that someone has been here recently. Your heart skips a beat as you look at the coats. The thought of coming upon the remnants of your family fills you with hope and fear. You start to approach the clothing.

I pick up some of the matches and I pick up a jacket that’s laying oddly on the snow. Once I picked it up there was a frozen face in the snow, I quickly gasped and stared then I threw myself to the side. “no no no..”

Your heart stops as you notice a face lying in the snow. The frozen figure looks familiar. The face reminds you of someone but... you don't want to believe it. You drop the matchbox and back away from the body in the snow. Then you let out a horrified scream when you recognize the face. It's your mother. You stumble away from the body and you can't help but sob as the reality of the situation sets in.

Your mother is dead.

I feel crunching underneath me and I look under and I see my dad and I stare.

I quickly back off of him and scream and cry and I look around relentlessly and I see my brother and sister piled up by a tree, dead and cold. The reality is too much for you to bear. Your brother and your sister... they're both here in the snow. Dead and cold. The tears stream down your face and your screams shatter the quiet of the morning air. You feel so alone. You want to scream and cry until you are completely exhausted and have nothing left to give.

I quickly get up and start running as fast as I can in this snow, I'm running nowhere, somewhere, hopefully, someplace, a town or..something.

You run through the snow as fast as you can, sobbing the entire time. The cold and deep layers of snow make your progress slow and grueling. Your eyes are red and runny from the cold and your breaths are heavy and short. You keep running as fast as you can and your heart pounds out of your chest. You don't know where you're headed, you just want to get away... get away from everything… You force yourself to look ahead despite the urge to stop and look back. To look back at your family, so far behind. You can't stop. You have to keep going. To get as far from this place as possible. Your lungs burn and your legs ache with exhaustion, but you keep pushing forward. The terrain starts to become more and more hilly as you travel. The snow starts to get deeper. You feel lost and alone. The tears keep flowing and your body shudders from the fatigue.

The snow is deep and the terrain is hilly and uneven. You trip and fall to the ground on your hands and knees. The snow is freezing and your breath fogs in front of your face. You feel exhausted and weak. In the distance, you can hear something... shouting? The shouting is getting louder. It's almost like someone is calling your name. But that doesn't make sense. How could someone be out here in this blizzard?

“W-What?..”I whisper

The sound of the shouting gets louder. It's someone saying your name. But it's not possible. You're out here in the wilderness, miles from anyone. There's no way anyone could know that you're out here. The shouting gets louder and you start to shiver. You cover your ears and look around frantically for the source of the sound. The shouts get louder the more you look around. It's someone calling out your name, and it feels like the shouts are coming from everywhere. You scan the horizon as far as you can see, but you can't see anyone. Just the snow and the trees and the hills in the distance. You curl up in a ball and try to block out the sound, but the shouts just keep coming.

“S-Stop! Stop!!” I scream and sob

The shouting continues as you scream in frustration and despair. The snow piles around you from the wind. It's all getting too much. The shouting and the cold and the sadness. Everything's just too much. You can't take it anymore. Your breathing gets deeper and heavier and the shouting gets louder. You put your hands over your ears and curl into a ball. You close your eyes and cry and cry and hope that it will all just stop. Please... make it stop...

“I gotta keep going..”I get up and I keep walking

You push yourself to get back up and keep walking. Your limbs are growing numb and cold. It's hard to keep your balance. Your breath comes in shallow, ragged breaths. You force yourself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. The snow is knee-deep and the hills keep getting steeper. You are so tired. Your body is so weak. It's like the entire world is against you. But you have to keep going... for your family. You have to keep going no matter what...

the scenes of them are playing in my head over and over again.

The images of your family are burned into your mind. The dead faces in the snow. The coats piled on the ground. The cries and the screams. It's too much. You want to stop thinking about it. You want to just push the images out of your head and forget about them... but you can't. The images keep playing over and over again. It's like a movie playing on a loop. You can't turn it off.

Despaired

I look up from the snow and I look ahead, I see a village. “Oh thank you, Jesus Christ.”

Your prayers have been answered. In the distance, you can see a tiny village nestled between two steep hills. You feel a wave of relief flow through you and you break into a run. The images of your family start to fade away as you see the village drawing closer. You see houses and farms and people moving about the streets. You're almost there. Almost there.

I quickly get to the village and I roam it

The village is a lovely sight. It's a small, quaint place with cobblestoned streets and two-story houses. The main highway runs right through the center of the village and you can already see people going about their daily routines. It's a beautiful sight after the nightmare you've just been through. There's a sense of peace and order and everything feels so normal. It's wonderful.

“Uh, does anyone know where a..uh, hotel is?” I say nervously to the people.

You wander through the streets and people seem friendly enough. Many of them give you a wave a smile or a nod. You don't get the sense that anyone's going to be rude or unfriendly. You approach a couple of locals and you ask them about a hotel. They point you in the right direction and you thank them for their help. You walk a little further and you see a sign in front of a small, cozy-looking building. It reads, "The Willow Inn." You approach the door and you go inside.

I smile with sadness behind the happiness...”I would like to use your telephone..” I say gently to the Innkeeper trying to keep my appearance, okay looking.

The interior of the inn is welcoming and warm. The floor is covered in thick rugs and the walls are draped in soft, welcoming fabric. A few tables are scattered throughout the room and a cozy armchair sits in the corner. You see the innkeeper, a friendly-looking older woman, behind the front counter. She smiles warmly at you and she nods her head in greeting. "Oh, hello there dear. Yes, you're more than welcome to use our telephone. Would you like a room for the night?"

“No..thank you.” I pick up the phone and start dialing my stepfather.

The line picks up. You hear a familiar voice on the other end of the line. It's your step-father. The relief washes over you as you hear his voice. The innkeeper keeps watching you anxiously, waiting for your reaction. She can see that something's wrong and she's concerned. You're glad to hear your stepfather's voice, but now comes the hard part. You have to give him the news...

I turn to the side away from the innkeeper for privacy and I mumble, “Hey Nathan..”

Your step-father immediately picks up the tone of your voice and his tone becomes concerned. "Are you alright, Melissa? What's wrong?" The innkeeper's gaze remains on you, watching your every movement.

“Uh..I- you know the blizzard?”

Your stepfather's tone immediately shifts to dread as he listens.

He knows where this is going.

You can hear his voice crack as he swallows hard. "Yes... I know the one. What about it?"

I mumble..”I managed to live..”

Your step-father's breath catches in his throat as he listens. He knows what you're about to say. His voice shakes as he asks the question. “And... the rest of them?" I stay silent, I don’t even have to say anything for him to already know.

There is a long pause over the phone. You are both silent as the reality of the situation begins to sink in. Your step-father is trying to process this news... to make sense of all that he just heard. The innkeeper is still watching you anxiously, waiting for a positive response. Her eyes are fixed on you, watching your reaction with concern. She's afraid of what she'll hear next.

“Let grandpa and grandma know..and yeah.” I look down at the wooden floor while I choke those words out. Your stepfather is silent for a long moment. You can hear the faint sound of him taking a deep breath over the phone. He's trying to stay strong and hold it together, but it's clear his emotions are getting the best of him. The innkeeper remains focused on you, watching anxiously. She still hasn't taken her eyes off of you and she seems reluctant to look away. The innkeeper can sense the emotional tension.

Your stepfather is silent for another moment. Then he finally speaks, his voice weak and shaking. He knows the hard part is done, but it's too much for him to handle. "Thank God you're safe... We were so worried about you... I'm so sorry..." The innkeeper is watching your reaction with concern... she also hears your step-father's response. She's holding her breath...

“I-I don’t even feel like I deserve this”

There's just silence over the line. Your stepfather doesn't even know how to respond to what you said. It's all just so much. The innkeeper is also silent, waiting for the line to be disconnected. Your stepfather's voice cracks as he tries to respond. “You don't deserve this. None of you did. I'm just... I'm so glad you made it... that you're safe..."

“No, I don’t deserve to be alive,” I say sternly.

Your step-father stops, taken aback by what you just said. The innkeeper's eyes get wider with shock and the expression on her face softens with empathy. Your stepfather doesn't have a response for you. He's still trying to make sense of everything. The innkeeper looks away from you.

“I should have died with them.”

Your stepfather is in disbelief. He's speechless for a moment as he tries to process what you're saying.

I sigh and I hold my keys in my hand I’m..gonna drive back to my house.. mama's house.

Your stepfather doesn't try to stop you. The innkeeper continues to listen, her eyes on you with concern. Your step-father isn't surprised by your decision. It is almost as if he was expecting it. He seems defeated. "Okay... Okay, you just.. drive safe... okay?"

“I’ll try..” I hang up the phone.

You hang up the phone and the innkeeper watches you for a moment. She looks worried as if she's not sure if you're okay or not. You look over at her and she smiles faintly at you. Your stepfather's voice and how he tried to remain strong just a moment ago are still lingering in your mind. As you walk out of the inn, you feel the cold wind blowing on your face... that familiar feeling begins to seep back in. The car seems so warm after the cold blast of wind from outside. You sit in the driver's seat and you get comfortable. You take a few moments to calm down and collect your thoughts. The car is filled with your mama's and papa's things just as you remember them. The scent of their cologne or perfume fills your senses. Every inch of the car is a reminder of who isn't there... and who is. The car feels both warm and familiar and lonely and... empty...

I start the car and I drive I overthink the whole way

It takes a little while for the car to warm up. The engine chugs and the heat starts to blow. You try to focus on the road, but your mind is busy processing everything.

You keep thinking about your family... about what happened... about the nightmare you just lived through.

You can't seem to get the images out of your mind... the sight of your parents' bodies lying in the snow... the shouts and cries of your siblings... the feeling of the cold and the exhaustion... the sound of your step-parent's tears over the phone...The memories and the grief come crashing down on you like a wave. You can't stop the tears from flowing and you can't stop the memories from flashing through your head. The car is too quiet and you start missing their voices. The silence is deafening...

I let out a frustrated sigh and I hold onto the wheel tightly.

Final Endings

The silence hangs in the car. You can feel the weight of it, the heaviness of it. All the noise and the chaos of the past hour is now dead... You feel exhausted and drained, empty. The silence in the car seems to be mocking you, a constant reminder of what isn't there. The tears keep on rolling down your cheeks and you can't seem to stop them. You have nothing left inside...I'm driving down a mountain and I wipe my tears.

As you continue to drive, the darkness starts to creep in. The sun is setting quickly and the landscape starts to grow darker and darker. The trees are black silhouettes against the sky and the road winds through the mountain. That same haunting feeling of isolation and loneliness hangs over the car once again. The mountain is steep and the road is very curvy. The landscape feels almost claustrophobic as the trees tower over the road on both sides. The dark clouds fill the sky and the wind starts to blow harder.

I look over the ledge of the mountain and I quickly know what I’m going to do..

As soon as the thought enters your mind, you can't seem to shake it. You look over the ledge of the mountain and you have a sudden vision of yourself being pulled over the edge and into the darkness below. The abyss calls to you as you wonder if it would be the right thing to do. It would be just so easy... so permanent... just a split second and the pain would all be over... The wind picks up, pushing against you, blowing you toward the edge. The trees blow in the wind... they lean towards the ledge.

I mumble Something’s have to happen. I quickly swerve off the edge and I let go of the wheel.

Your words hang in the air for a moment like the lingering echo of an echo. The car swerves off the edge of the mountain and you let go of the wheel. The car flies through the air as if it's weightless. You are completely at the mercy of gravity. It feels like slow motion as the car somersaults over and over again, spinning faster and faster. You can see the trees and the landscape coming up to the windshield as you plummet towards the ground... The car spins and spins and spins... It seems like an eternity as it rotates in the air. Finally... you hit the ground...Your eyes close as your body hits the ground, the car crashing to pieces. Your body is thrown forward violently and your head strikes the steering wheel, the impact making a loud "thonk" sound. You are instantly unconscious. The car continues to flip violently, crashing down the mountainside. The car lands in a heap of twisted metal at the bottom of the mountain. The engine catches fire and the flames quickly spread... and that's when the explosion happens. The car explodes into a huge fireball, the flames spiraling higher and higher into the air. You are still inside the car as the flames burn brighter and brighter, scorching everything in their path. The car is unrecognizable, a mere shell of its original form. The flames are hot and intense, filling everything with smoke and ash. The heat is suffocating and the air becomes hard to breath when the gasoline explodes and the air is filled with the scent of burning metal and rubber. The car continues to burn and it's hard to see through the smoke and ash... There is no way to see if you're still inside the car or not... And that's when the sirens begin to wail…

blood drips from my body and head and I sit back and relax.

The smoke and ash fill the car and you can't see a thing. The heat from the fire is burning into your skin and it's difficult to breath. The blood from your head wound keeps dripping down your face and down your body. The car continues to burn for what seems like an eternity, the heat and the smoke becoming unbearable. The sirens grow louder and louder. The sounds of emergency vehicles echo through the valley below you... You've caused this. You've caused this fire and this damage... You're feeling light headed now... Your breathing is starting to slow down... As the darkness begins to seep in...A moment of silence. Your body falls motionless. Your limbs have no feeling and your body lies still in the wreckage of the car. Your soul has passed on to the next realm. There can be no return now... your fate has been determined. The sirens from the emergency vehicles continue to wail from below. They echo through the valley, the chilling sounds of sirens in the cold night air. Your journey has reached its end... All that remains now is a lifeless body.

I open my eyes to see the vehicles rushing to the fire but..I see it from outside of the car and I don’t feel, in pain. You open your eyes to a different world. The scene is almost unrecognizable now. The car is nothing more than a shell of its former self, completely mutilated and destroyed by the explosion. The entire area is engulfed in flame and smoke, and the vehicles of the emergency service crews are rushing to the scene. The sounds of the sirens are deafening but you don't feel anything at all. You feel no pain, no discomfort, no fear. You feel nothing. You're not even breathing... You're just an observer now - a bystander to the chaos that you've caused...the firefighters quickly rush over to the car.

I see my lifeless body leaning in the car.

The firefighters rush over to the car, their flashlights cutting through the darkness as they come close to the car. They immediately see your lifeless body leaning inside the car. They see the flames and the smoke and the twisted metal of the car. They can see the blood oozing from your head. They know there is nothing they can do. They know there can be no survivors... You can still see everything clearly, but you are emotionless and detached. When the fire is finally put out, all that's left is the burnt car and your body. The car lays in a heap of twisted metal and ash. The smoke rises in the air from the heat of the fire, drifting up into the sky. Your body lies lifeless and motionless. The silence is deafening now... But you can still see everything. You can see the looks of horror on the faces of the firefighters who are staring at you in disbelief. The fear and the panic are palpable in the air...

I hear footsteps behind me and I turn around and it’s mama

At the sound of footsteps, you turn around and see your mama approaching. She's hurrying towards the car, trying desperately to get another look at you as she gets closer. She is hoping for the best but she can see the car is completely destroyed and there's no possible way anyone could have survived. She stares at the car in disbelief and her eyes well up with tears as she gets closer... That's when she sees you. Her eyes widen with shock and fear when she sees your body lying in the car...

“Mama..”

Your mama's eyes are filled with shock as she sees your body lying in the car. It's a sight that no parent should ever have to witness. She rushes over to your side and she drops to her knees, clutching your lifeless body in her arms... She holds you close to her but her eyes are wide with fear and tears. She cannot bear the sight of you... She's trying so hard to hold herself together but she's about to fall apart...

“Mama..!”

Your mama's voice is filled with tears, crying out, "Melissa..” She's unable to control her emotions. She's holding on to your lifeless body so tightly, desperate to keep you close to her. As she holds you, she tries to shake you or move you or get you to wake up... but you don't move. She kisses your forehead and she strokes your hair... but you don't respond. Your body lies there silently, lifelessly, unresponsive. The sight is too much for her and she finally breaks down.

She can't control her emotions any longer...

“Mama turn around!!?” I look at her holding my lifeless body.

the rest of my family comes rushing over “papa?”

As your mama breaks down, the rest of your family comes rushing over. Your papa is there along with your siblings. They all see your lifeless body in your mama's arms and their faces go pale as they realize what has happened. They are all shocked and horrified, unable to believe what they are seeing. Your papa rushes over and he drops to his knees next to you and your mama. He is at a lose for words as he stares at your

body... Your siblings are also shocked and stunned, unable to comprehend your death.

I gasp “w-what? They are alive?..” I turn around and I see the old man in the distance, rocking in his chair with the cat in his lap.

As you turn around, you see the old man from the inn rocking in his chair with the cat in his lap. He's completely indifferent to the chaos that's unfolding below him. He seems oblivious to everything, just rocking and stroking the cat. Your eyes are drawn to him again and suddenly he looks over and he's staring directly at you... His eyes are piercing and they seem to be able to see through you...*