Sanford Crow

CHAPTER 44

The numbers on the digital clock flashed red. It was 2:50 and Sadie had given up on sleep a while ago. Something inside of her was pounding through her hollow gut, echoes of an inner turmoil warning her that something wasn't right.

She was on the living room couch, close enough to the front door that she could sneak out. Pellets of icy rain shattered against the bay window hanging above her. The weather was the only obstacle, but she knew she'd rather be out there than in here. She got up on her feet and tip-toed to the edge of the stairs. The front door was down on the landing; she could hear the volatile storm pressing against the door. The coat rack was to the left of the door with her blue and pink jacket. Before descending, she stared down the dark hallway; shadows danced off the Christmas tree lights in the shape of leering elves and crooked candy canes. Keeping an eye on the closed bedroom doors, she took each creaking step down slowly. She made it to the landing, strapped on her boots, and zipped up her jacket.

Her gloved hand reached out and turned the knob. The force of wind blew open the door the rest of the way. She caught it before it crashed against the wall. Ice stung her ears. The wind blew sideways, spraying streaks of white through the air in zig-zags.

Her house was a block away. Black ice stretched treacherously across the pavement; she treaded slowly. The wind howled in her face, gunning shards of ice. Her pink and blue jacket was zipped to the top; she wished it could keep going all the way over her face. She pulled her hood over her head and tucked her chin down, only her eyes peeked out from behind the pink hood.

Sadie was going home. Ghosts, the Christmas Spirit, or even God himself would fail to stop her. Her father needed her, and that was all the motivation she needed.