Everything was cold, but the bottle brought me warmth. As I staggered through my large, empty house, my breath emerging as clouds of steam, the bottle remained clasped within my hand, the noise of the liquid sloshing around inside of it painfully loud upon my dully throbbing head. No matter how much I drank, no matter how many times I passed out from the alcohol, getting drunk was something I never got used to. It was just a matter of how long I could last before I vomited all over myself, or collapsed, whichever came first, for there had been times where I had awoken on the floor, choking and gagging on my own sick. But, yet, I regretted nothing, for it brought me warmth.
And now, as the door to my bedroom creaked open, I could feel it - that wonderful burning that began in the pit of my stomach and slowly crawled its way into my throat, eventually resting at the backs of my eyes, where the gentle stinging remained, causing my eyes to become bloodshot. I could never get over it - that searing heat that was always able to bring me to my knees, and bring the bottle crashing to the icy floor. I craved it - tonight more than ever. It was my birthday; that dreaded day that occurred on December 30th of each year. I despised it, for it showed to me that I was still alive, and all my efforts at drinking myself into oblivion had failed. But, that's what the vodka was for - what it would always be for, to stoke the flames within me and turn my body to ash. This was more than just a simple addiction - it was a necessity, especially now.
Slowly, I made my way across the room, the cold permeating through my thick coat and bringing goosebumps. Another birthday was about to come and go, a grim reminder of my ever-continuing life, and I had nothing to celebrate, nothing I could enjoy on this detested night. Except... at that point, I laid eyes upon my bed, upon the wriggling, sweaty form that lay upon it, its wrists and ankles lashed tightly to the bedposts. My vision wavered, the oddly familiar body becoming blurry and drifting in and out of my consciousness. I... I knew who this was.
Taking a step forward, I ran a gloved hand across their cheek, smiling grimly as I felt them shudder beneath my touch. At last, someone else who I could share this painful cold with, so I wouldn't have to suffer alone... I felt the bottle slip carelessly from my other hand as I gently traced my finger along the blurred figure's shoulder, but I did not hear it crash to the floor, sending powdery shards of glass across the wooden boards. I was deaf to the world, the only things that existed now were me and this wonderful birthday present that lay bound to my bed...
By now, my vision had improved only slightly, just allowing me to see the obvious fear etched upon their sweaty face, and I gave the smallest of smiles. They were afraid. Perfect. Let them feel the terror I have to endure every day, wondering if I'll still be alive when I wake up... I noticed goosebumps crawling along their skin, and I ran my finger upon them, the figure flinching beneath me. So, they could feel the cold, too...
The burning within me increased, and I quickly realized it was much too hot to be wearing my thick winter coat, and I quickly discarded of it, and just as swiftly positioned myself above this oddly familiar person, my knees upon either side of their hips, my hands placed similarly by their neck. My gaze upon them wavered, and I dimly registered dark brown hair, green eyes swimming with tears...
'Wonderful,' I thought, shuddering as the cold air suddenly made itself apparent upon the skin of my chest, which was thinly covered by a white cotton shirt. Finally, something warm to drive away the endless winter...
Smiling to myself, I leaned forward, pressing my icy lips to my captive's sweat-streaked forehead, the fire inside me burning brightly. This was a birthday present better than any I could have ever imagined - for once, I actually felt joy at the prospect of life.
Gently, I placed a hand upon gift's cheek, and smiled. My vision was much improved; the fire within me had driven away the mist that had clouded my eyes earlier. I now recognized who it was that lay, unmoving, beneath me, and, leaning forward, I whispered icily into their ear, "You'll do just fine at keeping the cold at bay, won't you, my Lithuania...?"