Winter Skies

My cheek pressed against the cold window I was forced to be against. The smell of cigars and mold filled the small train. People only got money by playing games of poker and gambling. No one was satisfied. The dread of discomfort and the never ending tracks felt weaker as we road across the winter mountains.

I tried to keep warm with the thick sweater I had. It was a soft olive colored sweater from Sweden. It wasn't enough to keep me warm while we road on the snowy mountains. I used to steal others' thin fabrics , but as more people started going on board I couldn't fulfill my greed. Could I really survive these never-ending mountains with only a sweater? As we got higher, in the no name mountains, I got dizzier and felt like I could freeze at any time.

"Ai blondie you got a cigar, you look sick," an Irish lady that looked like a mess asked me. She had purple circles under her eyes and her hair was brown and messy. Her clothes were ripped and she had a scar across her neck. I could only infer it was caused by a knife.

"Ai blondie I don't have all day," she said after I didn't answer.

"No, no cigars," I said while my voice cracked.

"Hell, don't lie you look like you smoke for a living."

"Sorry, I ran out of cigars," I lied.

The Irish lady walked away upset.

The worst part of this train wasn't the cold, but the cigars. The cigars reminded me of darkness and gloom. My sister, my twin soul, my life died because of the long brown cigars she smoked. After her death, I became depressed and decided drinking would help. Drinking made me more depressed, so the only thing I could think of the night I drank many bottles of bourbon was to go onto a train and find life somewhere else. The taste of the bourbon has never left my mouth. It was like a permanent mark reminding me of the horrid decision I made. Though leaving London was a bad decision, the worst decision I made was not bringing bourbon with me. I missed the liquid that would go smoothly down my throat and ease my nerves. If only this were a high class train..

I let my thoughts roam around my mind and found myself asleep when a young girl tapped my shoulder. She was tiny and you can see her cheek bones popping out. The girl looked starved. Her dress was long, but extremely dirty. It was a dirty coral pink and the ruffles on the sides were tired. Her face was extremely thin with big brown eyes and dark brown hair. She had no shoes on and her legs had bruises on them. For some reason she looked so familiar.

"Hello," the small girl said to me in a small voice.

"Hi."

"Are you cold?" she asked.

"I'm afraid so."

"I'm cold too, I found a place in the train where it is hot."

"Show me."

I got up from the window and I followed her to the "place". We squeezed in passing through handfuls of people. The train floors were extremely unpleasant with rats roaming around. The rats were an advantage to many people on the train. They used them to fulfill their deep desire of hunger.

We got to a tired brown wall and I was utterly confused. Is her place a disgusting brown wall? She slapped the wall hard and I heard a knock. I was absolutely startled (and mostly confused) that my mouth was open. She knocked a few times, but her knock had a rhythm.

The brown wall had a secret door on the bottom that opened. The little girl squirmed her way in and I did the same. I stood up and saw a beige colored wall that had a bed, fireplace, and a small rusty chair. A man sat in the rusty chair. He had a big coat, long grey beard, a hat, mud covered baggy pants, and huge black shoes. He could barley fit on the chair, but he somehow managed to.

"Hello John," she said.

"Ay there Iris, you brought a guest with yah?" a man with a rusty Scottish accent said.

"Yes."

"How do we know she can be trusted?"

"I know we can trust her."

"If ya say so."

"Here is the fire place Julia," the young girl said as she pointed to the small fireplace built inside the wall. It was smaller than the fireplaces I had in my house back home, but it looked cozier and better.

I sat down in front of the fire place and stuck my arm out to feel the top of the fire. The warmth felt so good that I found myself a half an inch away from the fireplace.

"Watch it ya can get burnt," the man named John said.

I moved back and the young girl sat next to me.

"I'm gonna go get some food, any requests?" John asked.

"No," the young girl said.

He left the room and went out through the small door that was planted in the wall.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"Do you trust me?" Iris asked.

"I, um, I don't know."

"You should, I am going to end your misery."

"What?"

She stood up and grabbed a torch that was lying next to the small chair. She used the fire from the fireplace and lit the torch on fire.

"I am not happy," those words she said out loud were heavy.

"Neither am I."

"I know why you aren't happy."

"Okay."

"Follow me," she commanded.

I followed her out the door and she opened the door from the side.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Get out from the door and jump on the snow when I scream now, do I make myself clear?"

"Seriously what is-," before I can finish that sentence she threw the torch on the floor and the flames expanded.

"NOW!" Iris screamed.

I couldn't object. I couldn't think. I couldn't ask. I ran to the door and jumped to the snow. I fell on the cold fluffy snow and my whole body ached. It was dark out and I could hear the screams of the people on the train. I could also hear a close muffle next to me. Iris.

"What just happened!?" I tried to ask.

"I'm sorry aunt, I had to."

"Aunt?" I took a moment and let what she said sink in. Aunt? Was she joking.

"Iris Lee Cary," I said laughing. It was my sisters daughter. It was her daughter she said that didn't make it. I could see it now. Her face was so close to my sisters. Tears filled my eyes as I reached out and touched the little girls face. She didn't deserve the life given to her. She was too young.

After we felt better, we got up and walked to a rock. The snow was too many inches to count and the weather was awfully cold, but I didn't care. I was with the only thing that was left of my sister.

We both sat on the wide and long grey rock. The stars were alive, the full moon awoke, and the cries of wolves echoed the large mountains. Green filled the beautiful sky and I held my beautiful niece. All the bad fled away and I was left with happiness and joy. The feeling of being satisfied.

"I will never let you go."