Let it Snow

The dark winter night, the cold brush of icy snow against m y boots. I clutched my sled tightly, glancing up at Charlotte as she stomped in front of me- I had to squint through the shadows of the bare, snow-topped trees and the dark clouds to see her. She stared gloomily into the shadows, stumbling around stupidly as I followed her tracks while she searched quickly. She mumbled something about the mountain as he trudged through the snow, only to realize we were going aimlessly in circles. Frustrated, she slammed her blue boot into a tree, opening her mouth in a silent scream. A pile of snow tumbled from the branches and crashed into my own head giving me a sharp sting of pain. I brushed it off softly, pulling my pale hand through my dark, black hair. Charlotte glanced at me with an upset frown. "Sorry, Ryan..."1

"It's okay Charlie..." I muttered, staring up at my older sister. "Didn't hurt." I added.2

"That's a lie."3

"Is not!" I lied.4

Charlotte sighed and leaned backwards against the tree. She pulled out a cigarette and quickly lit it, pulling it into her mouth. "Charlie, you said you wouldn't smoke anymore." I said softly.5

Charlotte pulled the cigarette out of her mouth to speak. "I know. I lied... sorry Ryan." she shrugged and put it back between her teeth. 6

I opened my mouth to argue, but she shot a glare at me, her brown eyes glaring through the light of the now uncovered moon. "Well, when are we leaving? Looks like you can't find the hill."7

"No, no... I'll find it, Ryan." Charlotte hissed. She hated it when she was wrong, I knew that- and both of us knew she was wrong. She wouldn't let us go back until we found it and sledded a bit. I stared up at her worriedly, watching as she continued smoking in an eerie silence.8

I glanced at my digital watch. "Charlie, it's 9 o' clock! I wanna go! Mom said we couldn't be out long! Charlie I'm scared!" I cried out, trying not to be too my age.9

"Be your age Charlie." The irony of Charlotte's words hit me hard. "Be brave!"10

"I'm only five..." I murmured softly, tears beginning to roll down my cheeks. "Charlie..." I sobbed.11

"Shut up, brat!" she flung the cigarette into the snow and slapped me across my face angrily. I shrieked and jumped backwards, my head hitting the ground hard. "Get over it and get up! Let's go!" she let the cigarette crunch under her boot and disappear in a lump of snow, then she began walking.12

I let my hand rub along my cheek in a quiet fear, trying hard to ignore the sharp pain. "I'm sorry, Ryan." Charlotte murmured. "I didn't mean to..."13

"It's okay, Charlie... I know." I leaned over to hug her, knowing well that she did mean it. She'd become so violent in the past year, the year I adored, spent completely with my sister- she had changed just a bit before my fifth birthday. I began to cry again, though I made sure Charlotte didn't notice- I couldn't bear to know what would happen then.14

We began to walk. Time passed, and we continued to wander around, me continuing to feel lost. "Charlotte." I was crying a lot now, and I couldn't bear to keep back the sobs. It was 9:30- half an hour had past.15

She spun around, her eyes glaring into mine. I shrieked in sudden fear, and Charlotte shoved me so hard that I flew a few feet back. I started screaming. Charlotte walked up to me.16

Some snow landed on my face. It was snowing, I soon realized.17

Charlotte had lit another cigarette, and it was clenched firmly in her teeth. "Do you need to be a damn idiot, Ryan?" she screamed. "Do you?"18

"No!" I screamed. "I'm not an idiot!" I was crying hard now, and my face felt sticky. There was suddenly a sharp pain in my side. Charlotte was kicking me, hard.19

I couldn't breathe. She kicked snow onto me, then slowly threw more on me. It flew into my mouth. "Leave my life, Ryan. YOU ARE NOT IN CHARGE! I am!"20

I stopped breathing, and slowly blacked out. 21