Winter Skye
Summary: Summer will never forget the time she found Skye unconscious in the snow. She'll never forget her icy hands and the way the whiteness covered her body. She'll never forget how lifeless her twin looked.
This idea will just not go away. I know this is a small fandom but I'm determined to write and publish this.
Disclaimer: The Chocolate Box Girls series is not mine. I'm just an avid reader.
Skye is gone from the party.
I push through the crowds of people, desperately searching for a blonde girl in a green dress. She's not here. Why is she not here?
"Summer," It's mum's voice that grabs my attention. "Have you lost something sweetie?" She asks, her face one of happiness. She's enjoying the party. It hurts me that I'm about to cause the smile to slip away.
"I can't find Skye," I whisper, biting my lip as I catch a flash of green only to have to hopes dashed when I see it's just a brown haired girl laughing with Cherry.
"Surely she's here somewhere." Mum laughs nervously, her eyes already mirroring mine, scanning the room for green, pausing on Cherry's friend, hesitating on another girl.
"I've checked everywhere." I get out. "She's gone. No one knows where."
Cherry has pushed her way up to us by now, her friend who crushed my hopes hovering behind her.
"What's wrong?" My soon to be official step sister asks. I've noticed Cherry is very good at reading emotions. That's probably why she noticed something was up.
"I can't find Skye!" I burst out before mum can say anything. "She's not in the hall or the toilets or just outside and the people I've asked haven't seen her."
"I'll tell Shay to cut the music and make an announcement." Cherry offers and mum nods her agreement, her face white and mouth firmly closed. This could be an overreaction but somehow, I don't think so. I follow behind them as they make their way to the stage. Cherry's friend is still hovering nearby to my annoyance but at least she has enough sense to stay quiet. She probably thins the whole thing is entertaining.
Cherry scrambles onto the stage along with mum and I follow. The pretty Asian teen whispers something to Shay who looks shocked and fiddles with some buttons. The music cuts out right in the middle of Brave and for a moment the room is silent. Then protests break out.
"Quiet please!" Mum says into the microphone that was hooked up for speeches later. "Has anyone seen Skye? Or does anyone know where she is? We can't find her." Mum's voice is light and free of concern but that will probably change soon especially since no one is stepping forward. People shuffle their feet and look around but no one volunteers any information.
But then Alfie steps forward and even though he's an idiot, right now he's my favourite person bar Skye.
"I don't know where she is but when we were outside before, she seemed really disorientated and she was really hot. Perhaps she wandered off."
Those four words send panic coursing through my body, sweeping up like a giant wave and crashing over me, drowning me. I look over at mum and Cherry who look just as sick as I feel. Already Paddy, Coco and Honey are making their way towards us. People are whispering but the noise is rising as more and more people add their input.
"Mum," I whisper, tugging on her sleeve. "Mum we need to find her." Mum's eyes meet mine and I see the fear present there. She's shaking as well and I know she's panicking inwardly much like I am. Luckily Paddy is calm. He takes the microphone from mum and puts an arm around her. I cluster around my mum and soon to be step father with the rest of my family.
"I want everyone older than fifteen to join us in a search outside if that's possible," He says firmly. "Do not go off alone however, stay with one or more people. Anyone younger please stay here."
"I'm coming." I say because I am absolutely not staying in the hall when my precious twin is lost in the snow."
"Summer please," Mum whispers, her voice tight with fear and I know she intends for me to stay behind.
"No!" I cry and I jump off the stage, pushing through people and finally making it the doors which I push open.
I stumbled out into the snow, the harsh wind pushing against me, trying to force me back inside. But I won't let it. Skye is missing and she needs me.
My dress does little to protect me from the snow and my arms are rising in little goose bumps. I shiver and take a step, my foot sinking into white slush. This does not deter me however and I wade forward. I hear mum and Paddy and Cherry and Coco and even Honey yelling at me to come back but I keep walking, letting the winter claim me like it claimed Skye.
"I'm coming Skye!" I yell, reaching the trees and entering them, stumbling as roots tug at my feet, begging me to fall.
And then I'm falling over something else and as I clamber to my feet, I look down to see what sent me crashing into the ground. My heart drops and the world seems to stand still.
There, lying in front of me is my motionless twin.
Her body is partially covered in snow like a white fluffy blanket only it offers her no warmth. Her green dress is spread out beneath her and her legs and arms are turning blue. One of her hands is closed in a fist. Her eyes are closed and her hair fans out like a halo.
She looks dead.
I can't see her chest rising or falling. The snow is too thick now, it's building up on Skye. Soon she'll be covered, a white grave for a frozen girl.
NO!
No! I refuse to believe the winter has sucked my sister's life away. I refuse to believe that she's left us on our birthday. I won't believe it, can't believe it.
I will never believe it!
"Mum!" I shout. "Mum, Paddy, Cherry, Coco, Honey!" I scream over and over. "Daddy!"
I'm scared. I'm cold. My tears are freezing on my cheeks. I want to curl up around my twin and keep her warm but I'm frozen in place.
"Don't die Skye!" I beg her even though she's so close to being nothing but a lump in the snow. I fall to my knees, pushing the snow away desperately, my hands moving frantically. "Don't leave me!"
Warm arms encircle me and a tall figure scoops my sister out of the snow as if she weighs nothing.
"Mum," I whisper. "Skye left me."
()
She still looks dead now.
I'm watching from the door, staring at her as she sleeps.
Sleeps…
She's not dead.
But still, her skin is still deathly pale and with all the blankets heaped over her, it's hard to see if she's breathing. The mound is too heavy for her frail body to move.
"Skye," I whisper, wishing with all my heart that I could step into the room but knowing I can't. She's weak right now, my twin and she can't afford to get even sicker. "Skye don't leave me. We've been drifting apart but please, don't go. I'll be lost without you. I need you. Skye please…" I trail off, my feet shuffling as I struggle not the move forward and snuggle into bed with my sleeping twin.
"You looked dead out there." I say finally. "But I know now…looks can be deceiving. But I'll never forget, understand. I'll take this memory to my grave. I'll never forget the moment I thought you were dead Skye."
Please review xxxxxxx