Memories in the snow

687 words





  Esmeralda stood at the edge of the loft of her cabin in the mountains of Michigan. She closed her eyes with her face lifted up with glittering snowflakes lighting on skin. She breathed in savoring the blissful wind entering her lungs while her golden blond hair blew in her face.  She was brought from her nostalgia by a voice behind her.

  “I knew I’d find you here.”

Esmeralda was silent for a space before speaking.  “It always makes me think of him,” she said in a doleful voice.

    “Things change Esmeralda; like the four seasons. When one has ended you must embrace the next,” chided the deep voice gently.

  She turned about to face speaker.  “Father, I Felt like he knew me the best.  He was my brother but he was my best friend.”

  Her father stood motionless in his thick winter coat and snow pants. “The days you spent laughing  and talking on the loft were special.  He lives in your heart now. Come inside for lunch,” her father said stepping back inside the cabin.       

  The young woman paused than followed her father inside. Esmeralda sat down at the table with her father, mother, and little sister.  Their meal was silent except for a few words spoken from her mother.

  “Have you been outside Esmeralda? While taking in a few things to the cabin a saw a beautiful chrysalis hanging on a vine.  I know how your brother loved bugs.”

  Instead of smiling, she looked down and stared into a blank sadness. 

  “Mary please,” Esmeralda’s father said with a raised voice.

  “Henry, it’s been three years since Brian died in the skiing accident. If she does not get over it, she’ll be depressed and miserable for the rest of her young life.”

  “May I be excused?,” asked Esmeralda.

  “Of course you can dear.” Henry said.

  Esmeralda went up to the attic full of old furniture, out of date clothes, and boxes full of trinkets.  She remembered the times when she and her brother Brian would search through the items like looking for lost treasure.  It brought back the exuberant days of childhood.  She sat on a wooden chair lost in thought about what it would be like to talk to Brian one more time.  Then something caught her eye; a half opened box with a camera picture in it. She did not know what drew her to it but felt though the picture was beckoning to her.  With delicate care she removed it from the box.  It was a picture of Brian. Esmeralda tilted her head and frowned then blinked her eyes.  She did not recognize the picture. Turning it over, she read message written in Brian’s hand writing. It read-go to the usual place at midnight.”

  She felt an essence wash over her that had the familiarity of Brian. She trembled slightly.  It was like she was whisked away into the old days when her brother was alive. It was now three ours past noon.  Esmeralda smiled and laughed like she had not done in three years. She ran down the attic steps glowing. She ran to her room and told her parents that she was going to bed early. Midnight came slowly. Then the hour came. She dressed in her snow coat and pants and quietly went to the loft. It was cold and snowing but there on the ground was letter untouched by any snowfall. She picked it up and opened it.  It was from her brother!  She read it out loud to herself.  “My dear sister, I now your sad for me but please don’t be.  I know you miss our times together and so do I.  You must leave me behind. Live for the future, you have a great destiny ahead of you.  Press on with life and know that we will be together again someday.  To my dear sister; I love you.”

  Esmeralda’s tears froze on her face yet a smile of contentment came over her.  At last she had closure and most of all her brother knew her suffering all these years. Now her days of mourning were over.