READ PARTS ONE AND TWO FIRST: One: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/89807185/ Two: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/93029863/ Flash Fic version: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/95732740/*WARNING* *WARNING* This story is very sad, so please be cautious when reading. ================================================== Instructions Use the right arrow key to go forwards and the left arrow key to go backwards. ================================================== Story ARIANA'S POV It was at the beginning of winter was when things started happening, and only after Winter died did they stop. Or at least that's what it seemed like to me. I didn't mention it to anyone but Winter was acting rather odd before she drowned. She was more wild and unexpected every single day. One day she'd be extremely cautious and the next she would be sledding down the steepest hill possible head-first . And it wasn't just Winter. Mom was also acting rather odd recently, which really worried me. Normally she wasn't so protective, but ever since the first sheet of snow fell this year, she was hovering around Winter a lot and making sure she was alright. Not like how she normally was at all. I think Zack noticed too. He was always extremely observant. And when he stayed with Winter before he left the lake, he seemed really worried. I walk towards the house, my shoes becoming muddy as I walk through the plain with Zack. I'm worried about how Mom is going to take this. With her overprotective personality, it's probably not going to be good. I look over at Zack. It seems like he's thinking the same thing. "So...um..." I say. "What are we going to tell Mom?" I ask. "The truth," he replies, his head down and his voice suppressing emotions. "But what if she-" "Whatever lie we tell her, she's not going to believe it. And besides, she'll just get more upset if she finds out we're lying." I sigh and look down at my shoes. One of them is untied but I don't care. "WHERE IS WINTER?" Mom's yell snaps me back to reality as we come near the porch. "She's dead," Zack whispers. "What do you mean, 'she's dead'?" she snaps. "She drowned in the lake. It became really warm somehow and the ice cracked or something and she must have fallen in and drowned. By the time we got there, the lake was completely unfrozen," I say quietly. Mom looks at me with disbelief. "How did the ice and snow melt so quickly?" she asks. "I don't know. Giant mirrors? Heat wave? Global warming? It doesn't matter how she died, she's dead," I respond. Mom looks at us, first furious, then her face melts into a look of extreme sadness. She begins to cry. "I-I'm sorry," I say quietly. Mom sobs. I look at Zack and see tears streaming down his cheeks. My lip wobbles. "Why..." Mom whispers. "Why?!" My nose stings and tears begin to trickle down my cheek. Mom sits down on the porch and puts her head in her hands. I walk over to her and sit down, putting my hand on her shoulder. Zack comes over and sits on her other side. "Why?!" Mom bawls. I bite my lips, my cheeks wet. Zack look at me. "I think we should go inside," he says quietly. I nod. Together, we help Mom get up and walk her to her room. She sits down on the bed looking down, her mouth slightly open from shock. And then she falls back. "Mom!" I scream. I run over to her and shake her. She doesn't move. Zack just stands there, staring at the scene. I put my head onto her chest and sob. Zack walks over to me and puts his hand onto my back. I cry and cry, for how long I don't know. Eventually, I stand up straight and look at him. "What will we do now?" I ask. "Mom's dead, Winter's body is stuck at the bottom of the lake and we don't even know our own dad." "We stick together," Zack says, taking my hands in his. "You, and me, we'll stay together. Help each other find a new home. It's the only thing we can do right now." I lower my head. "We'll get through this. Together." "Together," I repeat, like an echo. I look at him. "Where do we start?" "Follow me," he says, leading me out of Mom's room, out of the house, away from our last life. He leads me into a new world, a dangerous world, where anything can happen. But that doesn't scare me. We're together. And we'll get through this. Together. ================================================== Credits Coding - Me Art - for the snowflakes Music - ================================================== Notes Yes I know I keep on telling you that I'm not going to write another part, this is the last part, no more Winter. I broke that promise. Again. So anytime I decide to enter a contest about winter or with a prompt about winter, you have a 50/50 chance that I'm going to write another part. Also, I'm writing a chapter book abut Winter! 2-21-16: Edited story a bit.
