SHORT STORY: "Frozen Nights" By Zachary Velarde

 "Frozen Nights

By Zachary Velarde

 

            All was silent in the public park of Chicago, Illinois, on January 7th, 2004. The sun had set and the moon had rose and now hung in the sky, projecting its faint light for all to gaze in awe of. The snow had fallen already and it left the park covered in a fresh layer of snow, the type of fresh that was only found in zones without human contact. The park had many trails the led through it and a giant park near the end. the park had many all the average equipment; a seesaw, a swing set, some chairs, a bike rack, a play ground with mulch flooring. The only sound that could be hear, as faint as it was, was the shivering of the young boy who sat alone on the seesaw.


            The boy was young, maybe six or seven, he was a pale white, made only paler through the moon’s light. He was thin, too thin for a boy his age. His face, sunken, his cheek bones as prominent as the tears welling up in his eyes. He wore only thin rubber sole shoes, a pair of worn out jeans, two shirts, one long sleeve, the other short both black with red stripes, and a small blue scarf that had been wrapped around his entire face, save the eyes. He was staring at the sky, the moon, the stars, anything out there that could help him survive the night.

            The boy, who couldn’t remember his own name, didn’t know much of what happened or where he came from, or how he got there... not even how he gained the clothes that he wore. All he knew compromised of the deep, searing, mind numbing cold, the forest that was now his home, and the lady who comes by.
    

            The lady looked neither young or old. She was clothed heavily, wrapped in many layers of clothes. She had known of him for many years now, or at least as far as he could remember. Every once and awhile, when he was at the end of his rope, when he had no food or water, she would appear randomly, bringing the life preserving water, and enough food to feed a family,  and disappearing just as quickly. He had tried many times to follow her, but something would get in his way every time, and he would lose her. This lady  had saved his life many times before.

  

 He remembered once, when he was roughly 3, when he first met the lady. 
       

            It was February, and snow still fell. He was younger then, happier, even though every step reminded him of the pains all over his body, of the splitting headache that ravaged his soul, even of his ankle which he limped on. Soon he fell, from pain or exhaustion he wouldn’t know, as he passed out not long after.
    

            He had woken up in an abandoned house. His body was wrapped in a warm dark green blanket and his head lay on a soft pillow, that felt as if it was made of clouds. He opened his eyes to see the women who had saved him sitting on a couch not to far away.

            “Hello lady, can you tell me where I am, and who you are, and whether you have any food I could have?” He had asked her trying to sit up only to be held back as the lady rushed forward.

            “Shhh, little child. We are in my old house, and there’s a lot of food for you she said, gesturing to the bowl full of soup that lay on the table.
            “Thanks lady!” he had said cheerfully before proceeding to devour the meal. Not long afterwards he looked up from his meal to see the house empty, losing the warm homely feeling it once had. It scared him.
            Where’d the lady go? He thought before going back to sleep. When he woke up again he was still alone, the bowl full of soup again, but the nice lady was still out of sight. After eating again he decided to get up and venture outward, intent on finding out what happened to the nice lady.

            Barely year later she found him again, again, at the bottom of his rope searching for food in a trash can. He looked up and saw her standing there, looking to him, like an angel framed by the winter landscape around her. She picked him up and he fell asleep, knowing he was safe.
When he awoke he saw the lady sitting next to him. He smiled knowing she had saved him again.
            “Hey lady! Where’d you go last time?” He had asked, that confused but happy look on his face
            “It doesn’t matter child. Relax and eat. You are safe” She had said in the safe comforting tone as before.
            “Ok lady, but what’s your name, and where’re you fr-“ he was interrupted again by her putting a spoon into his mouth.
            “Eat child! You will feel better.” She said and after force feeding him till the bowl was empty he was sleepy once again. But he thought he owed the lady, for all she did for him, for feeding and nurturing him back to health.
            “Listen lady. Thank you for all of this. You’ve been the only person to care for me since… well since I could remember things! Thanks for taking care of me!” He said brightly flashing a smile, only an innocent child could give. Before closing his eyes he managed to ask one question. One that would haunt him till his dying breath.
            “Can I go with you to where ever you stay lady!” He’d said, desperate for a shelter that would protect him. That would love him.
            Her response was so cold, so heartless, he couldn’t recognize her “Sorry child, but no."
 

            He hated the lady. Every time she saved him, he would beg for safety for a shelter in the ice world he lived in. A thousand times he said yes... a thousand times she said no. The last time he saw her had been violent.
            He wasn’t three or four anymore. He was five or six. Every day he eyed the world with broken eyes. He was no longer a child; he was a scavenger, hell-bent on survival; on making in to the next day and the day after. His once innocent smile, that would warm even the coldest of hearts, was gone, lost in the snow that lay behind him. Now he walked so blankly, aiming only for food and shelter. It became his mantra, these thoughts pushed him more than anyone or anything else could. All he remembered was food and shelter.
            He had gone two weeks without food now. Every movement hurt, his small limp, that would send sharp pains into his core was fueled by the cold freezing air, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was food and shelter.  He fell, straight into the snow and straight into unconsciousness
            He couldn’t move, not anymore. He felt totally submerged, and he didn’t have the energy to attempt his escape from the snow.
            ‘This is it.’  He said not truly caring anymore, not about his pains or his dreams, because his pains would end and he wouldn’t need his dreams of food any longer. He remembered, a voice, ever so softly, whispering to him telling him “When you feel yourself slipping away, know that the angels will pick you up, and help you on your way, baby. And you just keep on walking kay? Don't let nothing this world can throw at you, keep you down.”

            He failed the voice. All was in vain. He wasn’t strong enough to hold himself under the weight of hunger and loneliness. He couldn’t handle it anymore.
            As these thoughts swirled in his fainting mind he realized he was happy. Happy! Finally it would be over! Finally he could leave it all behind. He smiled once more before sinking into the grasp of sleep.
            When he woke up he was angry. He knew he was at the Angel’s place. He opened his eyes to see her gazing at him, Her face unchanged in the years they knew each other, Her smile still the same small smile that spoke of dreams that came true, He hated that smile.
            He bolted up, ignoring both the pain in his ankle and the gasp from the Angel. He tried, with all his might to run away from the home, but fell, just short of the wooden door.
            “What do you thing your doing!” Exclaimed the angel lady, as she picked him up and placed him on her lap, trying to feed him the same, god forsaken, soup she’d been giving him for yours. He, had finally, had enough.

            “Let go of me! It almost worked! I was almost gone and happy and would never have to worry about getting food, or finding a bridge to live under” He continued screaming his rage at his unwanted savior and she sat, in horror, at the words that escaped his heart through his mouth. He fell asleep soon after, knowing she would feed him and leave, as always.

            The boy, who was still staring upwards, had nothing left to give. No bursts of energy to push him under cover. He saw the snow falling again, it was beautiful. He felt the snowflakes coat him. He felt the warm blanket the earth was giving him. Every second he stayed there he knew his death was guaranteed. He just didn’t care. Not anymore.
  

            Now the snow, the loving tender snow, was up to his eyes. He closed his eyes, and smiled. He smiled at sky, the moon, the stars, anything out there that could help him survive the night. He was smiling in spite of the wretched beasts that kept him alive to this point. He gave one dry chuckle and faded out thinking only of lost dreams of paradise.