Episode 6: Winter in My Heart
January 23rd – 29th
(BLOG Post in italics)
Winter has always been that special time of year for me. I don't know why, maybe it was because I was born in the summer. Or maybe because I'm from the south and the snow is a rarity for us. But winter always had a special place in my heart, especially on those rare times when it snows. Not every snow storm brings good memories though, but this most recent one did for me. You should see the house in the snow. Tell me your favorite snow related story, or even your sad ones below.
RavenHussar
T3 Collective
Chapter 226: Beaulieu in Winter
Monday, January 23rd, Morning
During the night of the 22nd/23rd of January, a storm front rolled into the Cape Fear Region. The temperature, which had been holding near freezing, dropped, and the storm front's moist air did what storms did, and precipitate. In a rare occurrence for an area used to precipitation, the droplets of water crystalized into flakes instead of rain. In short, in the city of Tree Hill, North Carolina, it snowed.
Initially, the snow didn't "stick" to the ground. There existed enough stored energy that caused the snowflakes to melt on contact. After an hour or so, the snow started to remain on the ground. Slowly, over the next few hours, the snow began to accumulate on the ground. This weather isn't a good thing for a city that generally didn't get snow.
In the great complex known as Beaulieu Manor, an alarm went off. The occupant of the bed reached out with a single hand, shutting off the alarm. The occupant of the bed threw the covers off their body. The occupant, a curly blonde haired fifteen-year-old girl, slipped out of bed. Wearing just shorts, a tank top, and thick shocks in the chilly air, she shivered. Looking around the bedroom, she bent down and picked up a well-worn stuffed husky dog.
She carefully stroked it a few times and kissed it. She set the plushy on the nightstand, and she slipped on a robe that hung from a bedpost of her four-poster bed. The thin robe, not usually worn, fought off the cold, just slightly.
Walking across the room, she came upon the bay window that dominated the room. Pulling back the curtains, she could look out onto the East Range Garden. A blanket of white snow covers the winter pale green of the garden.
A smile spread across her face, remote classes today. Almost jumping up and down, she rushed to her bathroom to do her morning routine. After a brisk shower, Sawyer Scott, dressed in sweats and a baggy Tree Hill High School hoodie. She rushed a few doors down and threw the door open.
The brownish-brunette-haired girl looked up from her pillow and shook her head.
"Get up! It snowed, and the garden's covered it," Sawyer said.
"Sawyer, it's too early for this," Kendall "Keni" Stafford said.
"I'm serious, Keni, it snowed, just like four years ago," Sawyer said.
"That means Zoom Classes, so that means I can sleep more," Keni said.
Sawyer crossed the room and grabbed the covers that laid over Keni. With practiced grace, Sawyer threw the covers off her friend. Sawyer's reward was getting a pillow upside the head when Keni threw it at her.
"Hey! What's that for?" Sawyer asked.
"You know what that's for," Keni said.
"C'mon, before we have to spend all day in the same room on our laptops, let's get some food and enjoy the snow," Sawyer said, "Before the snow disappears."
Keni sighed, "Fine! If you put it that way, I'll see you downstairs for breakfast," she said.
"Yay!" Sawyer said, bounced up and down, clapping her hands.
"Who's older, you or Nomi?" Keni asked.
"Leave our niece out of this," Sawyer said.
"Get out! I need to get ready," Keni said.
"Okay! Okay!" Sawyer said and left the bedroom. Sawyer made her way through the galleries to the family dining room. Entering the room, she found Brooke at the head of the table.
"Morning, Sawyer, you seem comfortable," Brooke said.
"It's snowing, Aunt Brooke," Sawyer said.
"I know, you have Zoom Classes today," Brooke said.
Sawyer was making her breakfast, "Which room?" she asked.
"The four of you will be in the library," Brooke said.
Sawyer nodded as she walked up to the table carrying her plate. Taking a spot at the table, she carefully situated herself and started eating.
"Where's Keni?" Brooke asked.
Sawyer swallowed her mouthful of food. "She's getting ready," she said, "Where's my dad?"
"I'm surprised since you two are inseparable," Brooke said.
"I was ready, and she sent me ahead. Anyway, where's my dad?" Sawyer said.
"He's in his office setting up for his classes," Brooke said.
Sawyer nodded, and Keni walked into the room. Keni walked right over to the buffet table. Keni went for yoga pants and a baggy sweatshirt, which had on it the words Mulder it's me.
"You're in reserve today," Brooke said.
"Not going anywhere, I thought I could sleep in," Keni said, "But a hyperactive someone woke me up."
"Well, you do have classes today," Brooke said.
"What room?" Keni asked as she took a seat at the table.
"The library," Brooke said.
"Do we have time to go outside before classes?" Sawyer asked.
"That depends on you," Brooke said.
Sawyer nodded and finished her breakfast. Getting up from the table, she tapped Keni to remind her to hurry up.
"Where will you be?" Brooke asked.
"The inner courtyard," Sawyer said. Brooke nodded, and Sawyer left the room.
Sawyer pulled her hair back and quickly made a bun. She held it with a hair tie and went to a closet. Digging through the closet, she found her boots, a coat, gloves, and a watch cap. The last thing she did was pull on the black watch cap, making sure all her hair was in it, and it covered her ears.
Outside in the inner courtyard, she looked over the three ranges, coming out of the north range. Looking up at the clock tower that separated the inner and outer courtyards, she sighed and let out a stream of steam. Turning, she looked over to the chapel, shrugged, and found a spot. Lying down, Sawyer started to make a snow angel. Once she finished, she got up and looked it over.
Turning around, she was thinking about what she was going to do next. Bam! That's when she felt the impact between her shoulder blades. There's pressure from the hit and just a bit of a sting. Ducking down, Sawyer felt another snowball whizzed by, passing through the air she once inhabited.
Turning around, her hands were in the snow collecting some. Sawyer saw Keni standing over by the corner, where the north range met the east range. Sawyer ducked and rolled as a third snowball came her way.
Popping up, she finished making her snowball. Keni is a smaller target than herself, but Sawyer was going to give it her all. A fourth snowball came her way; Sawyer ducked, dodged, and fired, striking Keni in the hip.
"Och!" Keni yelled, to Sawyer's satisfaction. Sawyer smiled, but that was when she felt a sharp pain, and her right arm came up to her left breast.
"Sawyer!" Keni yelled and ran across the courtyard.
Sawyer's eye got wide for a moment and then returned to their normal size. She took a few deep breaths and counted to ten.
"Sawyer!" Keni yelled and stopped before her, "Do you need my mom or Uncle Lucas?"
Sawyer shook her head, "No, I think I just overthrow," she said.
"Don't bullshit me, Sawyer, I'm not wearing black for you," Keni asked.
"I'm pretty sure it's on the surface, not the big one," Sawyer said, fear tinged her voice. In her mind, all she could hear was her inner voice, not again.
"No, more snowball fights," Keni said.
Sawyer nodded and started to breathe, "Seems reasonable," she said and laughed.
"Keni! Sawyer! Snowman!" Ellis Scott yelled as he ran out of the building.
Keni and Sawyer smiled and turned to their nephew. His sister Naomi "Nomi" Scott followed behind. "I think we have a request," Keni said.
"I can't sing like Kat," Sawyer said.
Keni slapped the back of Sawyer's head. "To make one, not sing about one, dummy," Keni said.
"Hey, I'm hurt!" Sawyer said.
"Whatever, let's make a snowman," Keni said.
"Do you want to build a snowman? Come on, let's go and play!" Sawyer started to sing.
"No, Frozen!" Keni and Nomi yelled at the same time.
"It's a great song," Sawyer said.
"You're right; you can't sing like Kat," Keni said.
The four children that lived at Beaulieu spent the rest of their time before class building a snowman in the inner court. They were finishing up as Brooke called them in to get ready for their Zoom Classes. They left the snowman, nearly finished, sitting by the Clock Tower. They didn't mention a word was about what happened to Sawyer.
