Saturday, October 29th 2022

December 24th, 2008

It was snowing.

Night was falling and anyone who was anyone was bundled up inside, making merry with family and friends. The blustery frigid weather outside only made them feel that much more safe and warm.

A lone figure with a black bomber hat, grey fur-trim encrusted with snow and ice, shuffled listlessly through the snow covered sidewalks, shoulders hunched, face bare, nose red and dripping with cold.

The streets were empty and soulless, and the solitary person out in such conditions and on such a day spoke volumes about a troubled mind, a worn-out spirit.

If anyone were watching, they would notice the figure stop many times and stand stock-still on the snow blown street, as if hesitating as to whether to go further or not. Street after snow-enclosed street the figure traversed, its wanderings almost seeming to have no end.

From all around were the sounds of quiet laughter and merry voices, clinking classes and boisterous mirth…all behind closed doors and walls.

The world was celebrating.

…

…

…

Finally, the figure stopped in front of a small white-paneled house; a simple unassuming abode that gave off a soft glow of tranquility and humble tender love.

The windows were fogged up and frosted over, but even then, the scene of a peaceful loving family in the midst of joyous, quiet, and simple celebration was heart wrenchingly blatant for all who cared to know.

A mother.

A father.

And two lively and spirited children.

…

…

…

The world was right in this household.

It was loving and right.

…

…

…

The unknown person stood watching as the mother lifted up her younger child, a daughter, perhaps no older than three. Watched as the women pressed three loving kisses onto the burbling toddler’s face, tickling the tot before lifting her up to blow playfully into the little girl’s belly.

The figure bent over slowly to grab two fistfuls of snow, compacting the fluffy flakes into ice, numbing whatever emotional pain they were feeling.

The ice melted in slow, languid drips of frigid water, running down bright red deadened fingers and dripping down like silent unshed tears.

The person stood in disquiet unease, its form so still one could mistake it for a marble statue. Shape outlined and covered in intricate flakes that enveloped any discernable color with blinding white.

Isolated from the world even as it stood right in the middle of it.

It was unknown how long the figure stood there, but someone had deemed it long enough.

Bare frozen hands cupped in mittened palms.

Hot air blown into icy still clasped hands.

Scarf wound around feverish sickened pale face.

Body pressed in tight to ward of the chill of a bruised heart more than the physical body.

Lips…sealed over pale, bloodless, wind-chapped mouth.

Tears shed where the other could not.

“Why didn’t you come to me…you should have come to me…” came a hushed tearful whisper.

Black boots crunched uncertainly along unshoveled concrete sidewalks, packing snow and ice.

Uneven strides breaking into a run.

A cry.

Immobile form hoisted into a fatherly embrace and bundled into loving warmth.

And then…

…nothingness.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jessica was in hysterics.

She had made her father drive her back to the dorm to see if she could make one last desperate attempt to bring Stephanie home with her to spend Christmas with her family.

But she had only arrived to find an empty dorm.

The thermostat turned down.

The entire apartment cold and unlived in.

The bed unslept in.

She tried to call Tiffany’s cell but after the sixteenth call, she had to settle on the fact that the girl either didn’t have her phone on her or just wasn’t picking up.

Her father, having seen his daughter’s mounting hysteria and panic, quickly moved to take control.

“Where would she go honey? Any place she likes to frequent?”

And so father and daughter drove around Seoul, looking into gyms, which were closed, alleyways, which were uninhabited, streets, which were empty, restaurants, which were unopened to customers, and everywhere else Jessica could think of.

“Perhaps there’s something she wanted to do during Christmas. Did she tell you anything princess?”

“N-n-no appa…”Jessica tried to bite back her sob, but unable to keep her tears at bay.

‘Why didn’t she want me Jessi?’

And then Jessica knew.

…

…

…

Their car was stuck.

They had hit a patch of particularly thick snow and their tires were spinning and churning out snow and ice like a snowcone machine.

Jessica couldn’t wait any lon