Once Upon a Christmas Dreary
By: Capwn
AN: This is my story for The Snow Daze writing contest.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible and I make no money from it.
In a snowy Colorado town, on a snowy Colorado Christmas morning, there stood a man in the middle of the deserted, snow covered street. This man however was not going to visit family, nor was he in pursuit of last minute gifts; he was in pursuit of relief.
One year ago his beloved wife of two years died in a terrible car wreck while going to visit her family. But that was not the end of the tragedy, his wife Kim had also been pregnant at the time. The man, named Ron, had never been able to get over the death of his wife and unborn child. He had thrown all his money into the bottle, which only provided temporary relief.
He was now headed to a synagogue; being Jewish he didn't have to celebrate Christmas…especially since his family was no longer around. He walked up to his faith's place of worship, the snow muffling his usually noisy gait.
He looked up at the giant wooden doors, he hadn't entered a temple since the accident. He had lost all of his faith that day. Every ounce of hope, and humanity had been sapped from him the day the heavens took his love away. He didn't want to enter, but he had to, for his soul.
He pushed the door open, the familiar sight of pews lining a velvet carpeted, high ceiling room. Candles lit the room and the rabbi stood at the far end of the room behind the podium. As Ron approached the podium he realized this was not the same rabbi that Ron had known for his entire life. This rabbi had a smaller beard, was thinner, and was much younger.
"Who are you..?" Ron's voice had taken a turn for the worst in one year. It used to hold untold volumes of joy now held a dead air to it, it made any man's spirit run cold.
The rabbi looked up, he looked awfully familiar to Ron. "Oh, hello Ronald. I'm rabbi Nelson." Nelson, Nelson….where did Ron know that name from?
"Walter…?" Could this be Walter Nelson? The guy who Kim locked braces with many years ago.
Rabbi Nelson gave a sad smile. "Yes Ronald."
Wow..Ron never knew Walter was Jewish. Ron slowly approached his old acquaintance. He'd changed so much…well 15 years will change a man. "Walter, it's been so long, how've you been?"
The Rabbi slowly dismounted the pulpit and made his way over to the sullen ex-sidekick. "Today is not about me Ronald, I know what transpired last year. Do not try to lie to me either."
Ron sighed. "Yeah….Today is about Kim." The rabbi ushered Ron into a pew, where they both sat down.
Walter shook his head sadly. "Poor Kimberly, gone before her time." Ron nodded sullenly. "But she's in a better place now, you know.."
Ron closed his eyes tight and clenched his jaw. He hated when people said that. The better place was here, healthy…with him. Not gone. "She's gone Walter…that's not better.."
Nelson stroked his short beard. "Ronald, she is not gone. A wise man once said 'Your legacy lives with those in whose memory you live' and I believe that as long as you remember her, she will never truly be gone. Her physical form may be gone, but her spirit and memory will always live here." He tapped Ron's chest, right where his heart was.
About two hours later, deserted highway outside of Middleton:
Ron and Walter had talked for about thirty minutes, about life, death, and the overall pursuit of happiness. But Ron had one more place to walk to, his final destination, the site where Kim died.
In the middle of a snowy, deserted stretch of highway there stood a three foot high cross and a smaller one next to it. Around the bases flowers, cards and other memorials were strewn. Ron kneeled down next to the base of the smaller cross, there was a plaque that read 'Our Little Angel' Just seeing it made Ron cry, he dared not look at the other cross. He'd been here enough he knew what it said 'A hero for all people, the love of few'
The blonde man collapsed, falling next to his love's cross. "I-I'm sorry Kim…..the one time….I couldn't save you, the one time I really needed to…and I couldn't." To any passerby, his words would be indistinguishable and his movements would seem mad.
Ron rose to his feet, his whole body shaking with sadness. "Don't worry baby.." he reached in his jacket pocket and drew out a pistol. "I'm comin home…merry Christmas love." A shot echoed through the countryside and blood coated the snow and the two crosses on the side of the highway.
AN: There you have it, my holiday tale. In true Capwn fashion it's dark. But I believe it holds a deeper message about being around loved ones.
~Chris Eads