Purely Shattered Christmas

The days seemed long lurking my gaze out of the window, the snow just seemed grey this year. Not even children were playing in the streets, building snowmen, having a proper snow ball fight. See I do not get out to much, when I breathe in the fresh air and hear the sounds of people chatting away with one another. It sends a tremble down my spine, my heart beat slows to erupt in a conversion of blood flow, making my chest ache. But, this year just going out to the end of the road to see no one at all around just gives me a anxious and eery feeling.

It's been the fifth day since the snow fell, I wipe the frost from the living room window, no one in sight. I look around at my four walls as they seem to have been consuming my very being. That even now the shadows are bored of my presence. I throw on the hoodie laying on the couch beside me and slip my arms through.

Looking at the walls mocking me that I will not dare leave the confides of my sanctuary, I creep my front door open as if to say 'you can't hold me forever.......'

I walk out into the crisp, cold and wet snow as a flake lands on my face instantly melting to my body heat. I look around the street but no one in sight, not even the sound of a dog barking. I shrug and start to head inside when I looked over at my front window and saw people all in the street through it's reflection. Confused I turn quickly around, still no one in sight.

Rubbing my eyes' I run down the short block to the corner. No one at all, all the cars are there but no one at all. I start thinking I may be sleep deprived so I start my way back home looking at the ground below me. I see footprints all around, even tire marks!

I sprint back to my house and look at the reflection in the window, there is a man pouring water into the road to let it harden for the ones who want to ice skate or play street hockey. I look back towards the road, no one.

My heart pounding, 'am I losing my mind?' I rush back into my house, nervously wondering around. 'there..... no... there... how?' My thoughts running ramped.

I look out my window and there is no one there, just a reflection of a large lite Christmas tree with dozens of presents underneath. But wait, I never put up Christmas decorations. I look behind me and there is my chimney with a bottle ship upon it, a wicker rocking chair close near it with a dusty old desk. I look around baffled because I do not remember anything for the past few days other than sitting at my desk, peering out the window.

I look back towards the window and at the side of the room a candle lite, I could hear people talking but it is so muffled I can't make out the words. I sharply look back at the desk and my front door burst open with a smog of cold snowy air rushing inn.

I hear screaming from inside the house. I can't understand, I am the only person here. I frightenly tighten my fists and walk over to my front door. I peer out and the grey snow was turning a dark black , almost like coal except with burning red embers. I slam the door shut! 'What.... I....?' Not being able to have a single thought.

The room starts to glow a bright and vibrant blue, almost like a funnel in the middle of the room. I jump backwards onto the couch, unsure what is happening. I hear muffled words again as I look over at the window and the room starts turning grey as the Christmas tree slowly decays. The lights on it dimly flickering a light dark red.

I see the candle moving in the window's reflection, headed towards where that weird funnel sprung up from. "Hear me all whom may, let the souls here be free from that faithful night." I hear a young woman pleading to something.

Who is this woman, why is her voice so familiar to me? My mind races through every face I can recall but.... I can't see anyone, I see no faces. My memory seems to be gone. I run for the front door reaching out for the handle but the knob is hot enough to burn away part of my skin. Clutching my hand to my chest in immense pain, I fall to my knees.

"No....! It.... No!" I can hear muffled voices again as I scream out with memories flooding my brain. 'It was that night before Christmas I used the candles as lights for the tree. I forgot to blow them out before heading to bed after putting the children's gifts under the tree. I remember waking up to my children screaming in terror as the fire alarm went off."

I look at the frosted window as it shows the Christmas tree fume into a blaze, melting the delicate bulbs and art decorations upon it. The wax from the bulbs dripping on the wrapping paper of the presents beginning to spread widely. '"Daddy! ..... Daddy!" I can hear them screaming for me, I leap from my bed to the smell of smoke. "Daddy!!!!!" They scream in unison as I scoop them in my arms. I grab my sons blanket and toss it over us to head to the bathroom where I wet it down. Draping it and wrapping it around my sons I dash straight for the front door. The ceiling collapsing around us, I grab the handle and burn my hand severely.'

Tears rolling over my cheeks, I remember it all now. I got them outside and that's when they cried out for their dog who was in his kennel in the laundry room. My neighbors already rushed outside to the enormous blaze. I couldn't not get my boys dog, that was the last gift their mother gave to them before she past a few years back.

'I smiled "boys, I will go get Kevin, I promise he'll be okay." Hoping my lie is true as I run head on back through the flames. I turn down the small hallway to the laundry room. Thankfully, the dog was still breathing able to bark and move around. I unlatch the kennel as Kevin makes a B-line towards the front door. I turned to follow and.... and....'

I fall completely down from my kneeling position, to barely holding myself up with my arms. "My boys, my boys....." I wept, thrusting my fist against the hard ground. Again I hear muffled voices, I can make out some words.

A soft woman's voice calmly says, "this spirit has too much unresolved issues, I...." and then is muffles again.

I look at the window, to see the burnt debris, to look back around me as the room now matches the windows reflection. 'I never made it out that Christmas night, I never made it.....' My mind rushes, I wail at the top of my lungs!

The blue funnel light dissipates as I hear a strong masculine voice say, "I only hoped I could tell him thank you, for making sure we got our dog back. I wish I could have told him how much he was my hero, that my father wouldn't break his promise even if it cost his own life."

The light shines brightly through the window, the most beautiful light I have ever seen. I walk over to it and place my hand on it as a reflection of a young twenty year old man stood where my hand touched. 'My boy, one of my boys. I whispered to the reflection on the window and said, "I'd do it a thousand times over, if I could. Daddy would never break his promise."

That's when I saw all the people in the snow waving me to come to them, singing carols and joyful laughter. I looked behind me, hoping my boy heard me with a wailed up tear in my eye, as I walked outside.