The other day, when yet another snowstorm began to cover the ground, I heard Lunagirl shriek and hiss at something unseen. I've never heard her react that way, not even with other cats. I looked outside and saw her, with a white dusting on her black coat and ear in her little eyes. She meowed and ran off. I followed her immediately to try and calm her down.
The snow became heavier as I followed her and suddenly the fear I felt weeks ago returned. Even though I wanted to get back in the house, I knew I couldn't leave my cat behind, not in this weather, not when she needed help.
I suddenly felt a hot heaviness in my ribs and throat that knocked me to the ground. My head bowed and my hair falling around my face, three drops of blood fell from my nose onto the snow. Seconds later I coughed up more of the sticky substance.
My anxiety was choking me more than the blood was. I scrambled to my feet and called out for her, begging her to come back. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw it again.
Standing there. Watching me struggle against nature.
Fear Dubh was as real as the sky was blue. Catherine wasn't crazy.
I couldn't run, not in this cold and the snow preventing me. I sobbed a bit, looking over my shoulder once or twice to see it still there, still watching. As if it were waiting for something.
I found Lunagirl under a tree, shaking with cold and fear. I grabbed and held her tightly to my chest as more blood flowed from my nose.
"Leave her be," I hissed out. Lunagirl cried into my arm and I snarled at the thing. I must have been crazy, with the snow and the blood and everything happening. I just wanted to protect my little girl more than anything.
It kept standing there, and I coughed up more blood.
I walked back as fast as I could, more scared than I've ever been as I begged Catherine to guide me back to the house safely. She must have heard me, my darling, because I did indeed get back there. Lunagirl wriggled from my arms and ran to my room as I went to the nearest mirror.
The blood coated my mouth in a sick parody of lipstick. I washed it off, threw away my nightshirt and cried long and hard. Lunagirl was safe with me and she made a nest for herself on my bed.
I took a nap then, but even still I felt it watching.
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Blinding
On January 21st, as most of you know, was the first true snowstorm of the year. It was also the day my girls and I returned to school. At first the snow came down slowly, then it became so thick you couldn't see anything. The college was let out early and we quickly headed to our cars.
I, unfortunately, had parked too far from the building and had to brave walking through the icy winds. Also unfortunately, I forgot my gloves.
I walked slowly, though the soft mounds of snow that covered the sidewalks and streets, tripping more than once and getting my knees wet. I put my hand out to cat myself if I fell again, and when I looked up I saw a strange, tall figure in the distance.
Whatever it was, I could not see it clearly; the snow in my teary eyes and in the howling wind made in almost impossible. Though I now felt watched and vulnerable, I kept walking towards my car. The figure did not move an inch.
The closer I got the more the dread increased. I slipped on a patch of ice and was cushioned by a large pile of snow that had accumulated. I looked at my hands and much to my horror, the flakes did not melt when they landed on my trembling flesh. The figure seemed to get closer.
I didn't wait for another second. I grabbed my backpack and ran as fast as I possibly could to my car. The whole way the snow got thicker, the winds got more vicious and I could have sworn the temperature dropped even more. I thought I was going to freeze to death.
I made it to my car, threw open the doors and turned the heat way, way up. Slowly but surly, my hands began to feel again and the snow that stuck to them so eagerly morphed back into cold water. I felt surrounded by something dark and deep, something that observed me.
It took me almost three hours to get back home, and all the while I knew I was being followed. I didn't need to look in my mirrors to know that it was there. Pulling into my driveway and exiting my car was difficult--I shuffled through the snow and looked all around for the thing. Nothing. Nothing at all.
Catherine wasn't insane.
I, unfortunately, had parked too far from the building and had to brave walking through the icy winds. Also unfortunately, I forgot my gloves.
I walked slowly, though the soft mounds of snow that covered the sidewalks and streets, tripping more than once and getting my knees wet. I put my hand out to cat myself if I fell again, and when I looked up I saw a strange, tall figure in the distance.
Whatever it was, I could not see it clearly; the snow in my teary eyes and in the howling wind made in almost impossible. Though I now felt watched and vulnerable, I kept walking towards my car. The figure did not move an inch.
The closer I got the more the dread increased. I slipped on a patch of ice and was cushioned by a large pile of snow that had accumulated. I looked at my hands and much to my horror, the flakes did not melt when they landed on my trembling flesh. The figure seemed to get closer.
I didn't wait for another second. I grabbed my backpack and ran as fast as I possibly could to my car. The whole way the snow got thicker, the winds got more vicious and I could have sworn the temperature dropped even more. I thought I was going to freeze to death.
I made it to my car, threw open the doors and turned the heat way, way up. Slowly but surly, my hands began to feel again and the snow that stuck to them so eagerly morphed back into cold water. I felt surrounded by something dark and deep, something that observed me.
It took me almost three hours to get back home, and all the while I knew I was being followed. I didn't need to look in my mirrors to know that it was there. Pulling into my driveway and exiting my car was difficult--I shuffled through the snow and looked all around for the thing. Nothing. Nothing at all.
Catherine wasn't insane.
Monday, May 28, 2012
White Out
Months went by, and life continued as normal. Catherine and I proudly wore our engagement rings for the world to see, continuing to make plans and saving up. But she still avoided forests (and any wooded area) and playgrounds like the plague with no real reason.
Sometimes Catherine would not return home for long hours after her shift at work without explaination, and Mr. Moore called more than once to see if she was with me or anyone else, as he could not reach Catherine by phone. But each time she would come home as if nothing happened, confused as to why we were all nervous. She told us that we had absolutely nothing to worry about. One thing you should know about Catherine: she never lied. Ever. So we all believed her.
One cold night we decided to go somewhere nice to eat, since we thought that it would be good to get out of our respective houses. We decided on a new German restaurant that opened up near us.
An old woman, so old we thought she would fall apart at any second, gently grabbed Catherine's sleeve and asked politely if she could have a sip of water. The poor woman was without any money, and she had been thirsty all day. With a smile Catherine gave her the entire water bottle. She drank it down in what seemed like a single gulp. The old woman tossed the bottle into the nearest garbage can and thanked my fiance many, many times as she hobbled away. We never saw that woman again.
That Christmas my family came over to our house to celebrate. Nothing unusual happened at all that night, but I did see Catherine look through the windows once or twice. My gift to her that year was a purple floral headband, her gift to me was a necklace.
The day after a heavy blizzard came in and covered our world with pure white. That was pretty much the sign that the time had come for an epic snowball fight. The roads, however, were far too dangerous for any of my friends to come by, so I instead played with my brother. He won, in case you were wondering.
Later in the week, Catherine texted me to go take a walk with her in the snow, which I of course agreed to. As we walked down the street, we talked about where she had been and what she had been doing. Catherine confessed that she had been looking for an apartment for us to rent out and had been doing research on where we could go for our honeymoon. It was supposed to be a surprise, she said.
That still doesn't explain why she hated forests and playgrounds. And not soon after our walk she began to dislike snow. No matter how much I tried to get her to open up and talk to me about these new fears, she refused. Even when I told her that I wouldn't judge or make rash assumptions. Catherine's parents, when they questioned her, had the same amount of luck as I did. I don't know what else I could've done to ease her fears. If she was nervous about the upcoming wedding, she never said anything. Catherine was never the one to hold feelings in.
Sometimes Catherine would not return home for long hours after her shift at work without explaination, and Mr. Moore called more than once to see if she was with me or anyone else, as he could not reach Catherine by phone. But each time she would come home as if nothing happened, confused as to why we were all nervous. She told us that we had absolutely nothing to worry about. One thing you should know about Catherine: she never lied. Ever. So we all believed her.
One cold night we decided to go somewhere nice to eat, since we thought that it would be good to get out of our respective houses. We decided on a new German restaurant that opened up near us.
An old woman, so old we thought she would fall apart at any second, gently grabbed Catherine's sleeve and asked politely if she could have a sip of water. The poor woman was without any money, and she had been thirsty all day. With a smile Catherine gave her the entire water bottle. She drank it down in what seemed like a single gulp. The old woman tossed the bottle into the nearest garbage can and thanked my fiance many, many times as she hobbled away. We never saw that woman again.
That Christmas my family came over to our house to celebrate. Nothing unusual happened at all that night, but I did see Catherine look through the windows once or twice. My gift to her that year was a purple floral headband, her gift to me was a necklace.
The day after a heavy blizzard came in and covered our world with pure white. That was pretty much the sign that the time had come for an epic snowball fight. The roads, however, were far too dangerous for any of my friends to come by, so I instead played with my brother. He won, in case you were wondering.
Later in the week, Catherine texted me to go take a walk with her in the snow, which I of course agreed to. As we walked down the street, we talked about where she had been and what she had been doing. Catherine confessed that she had been looking for an apartment for us to rent out and had been doing research on where we could go for our honeymoon. It was supposed to be a surprise, she said.
That still doesn't explain why she hated forests and playgrounds. And not soon after our walk she began to dislike snow. No matter how much I tried to get her to open up and talk to me about these new fears, she refused. Even when I told her that I wouldn't judge or make rash assumptions. Catherine's parents, when they questioned her, had the same amount of luck as I did. I don't know what else I could've done to ease her fears. If she was nervous about the upcoming wedding, she never said anything. Catherine was never the one to hold feelings in.
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