I was suddenly outside. I could feel the strong wind blowing snow against me, blinding me.
I could barely see the ghostly orange against the heavy snowfall. I knew it was the fire ravishing what was left of the Dove home.
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I heard a voice, a mere whisper against the driving wind, but it was there.
"Mommy, Mommy. Where are you? Daddy. I'm so scared."
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I listened carefully and then headed toward the voice. I could see little in the blinding snow, but I recognized the voice. At least Jenny had not perished in the fire.
"Jenny, where are you?"
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"Daddy, is that you Daddy?"
There was a hint of hope in her voice.
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My heart was beating quickly. She heard me.
"I'm right here, honey," I yelled, as loudly as I could.
I, still, couldn't see a thing. But I was determined. I kept moving forward, blinded by the wind and snow.
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I kept yelling her name. There was no answer. I was not sure if she had been answering me or actually yelling for her parents.
A sudden cold blast, ran up my body.
I stopped in my tracks, looking down.
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Below me was the cold Atlantic Ocean.
I was standing at the edge of the cliff. The waves, some 100 feet below, beat savagely against the rocks at the base of the cliff, pushed by the raging winds.
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My heart was pounding louder, now, and my breaths were mere gasps.
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The wind died down, for a moment and I saw her. She was no more than ten feet in front of me, also, at the edge of the cliff.
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"Jenny."
I could hear my voice but she obviously couldn't. She stood, arms wrapped around herself, freezing in the cold wind.
I yelled as loud as I could, but I could see that she did not hear me.
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She was trying to see through the blinding snow.
"Daddy? Mommy?"
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I saw something to the left of me.
Whisper.
She was moving toward Jenny, as if being drawn toward her.
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"Whisper?"
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"Daddy. Will. Help me," she yelled, a panic to her voice.
"What is happening?"
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Now I was terrified. What was happening?
I could still see Jenny, but Whisper was quickly moving toward her, as if being pulled by some unknown force.
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"Daddy, help me", she yelled.
"Please."
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Then Jenny yelled. "Mommy, Daddy, where are you?"
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I started toward her, toward them, but no matter how fast I ran, I got nowhere. They were both out of my reach.
Jenny, those ten feet or so from me and Whisper, now only a few feet from her.
I ran harder, pushing against the snow and wind, my arms outstretched, trying to reach them. It was useless. The harder I ran, the further I seemed to be moving away from them.
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Whisper was now only a foot or so from her, still calling my name, her arms reaching out to me.
She was crying.
"Daddy? Please."
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I was lost. I didn't know what to do.
I didn't know what was happening.
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Suddenly Whisper seemed to merge with Jenny.
I saw her arms go up. The two became one. The glow that had always been a part of Whisper now glowed from their combined beings.
As if Whisper's presence was pushing her, Jenny slipped. Her bare foot, lost hold of the edge of the cliff.
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I broke free. I was running as fast as I could, but it was like I was in slow motion.
I could not reach them in time.
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I could hear two distinct screams, as they began to fall.
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"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," I yelled.
As I reached the spot where they had stood, I could only watch in horror.
Down and down they fell, to the brutal waves and the frigid waters, of the North Atlantic Ocean..
"Whisper. Jenny."
I cried out both their names.
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I heard two voices yell, "Daddy," as they disappeared into the darkness below.
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A moment later, I saw what looked like a glow in the water below. I knew it was Whisper.
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"I'm coming," I yelled, as I tried to jump.
I went nowhere. It was as if there were an invisible wall in front of me.
Again and again I tried, with the same result. I pounded on the invisible wall, yelling, "Let me go," to no avail.
The wall held fast.
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I could see the light fading as the current pulled it out into the deeper water.
I fell to my knees.
"Nooooooooooooo", I yelled, again.
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The light flickered and then, it was gone.
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My eyes were filled with tears. I closed them and put my hands to them, trying to brush away the tears, but they were relentless.
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I could feel the wind dying down.
I looked over the cliff. The waves were gone, the wind had died, and the snow had stopped.
I was alone, kneeling at the edge of the cliff, looking to the water below.
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My mind was in turmoil.
What had just happened?
Was it a dream?
I could only hope it was.
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I looked, again, over the cliff and around me. I suddenly began to feel very cold. Colder than I had ever felt in my life.
"Whisper."
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I jumped to my feet and ran back toward my house, yelling her name as I did so. I burst through the front door, continuously yelling her name.
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This had to be a dream. I was sure I would find her somewhere.
I checked every room, every closet, and every cupboard.
I went to her a room at least a dozen times, each time, expecting to see her sitting on her bed watching tv or at her desk, playing on her computer.
But there was nothing.
She was no where to be found.
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Spirit and Ghost followed me around. They too, looked everywhere, seemingly searching for their best friend.
But each time they came to me, they simply stared up at me. There was no dance, from either of them.
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I went back to Whisper's room, once again, sitting on her bed and picking up her favourite pink teddy bear. I hugged it tightly and started crying.
I called her name, over and over and over.
But each time, I was met by silence.
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There was nothing.
She was gone.
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I lay back on her bed, sobbing.
Ghost and Spirit lay on either side of me.
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It was about a half hour later that I got up and walked to the kitchen. I looked outside.
The weather had suddenly changed, as it often did, this close to the Atlantic.
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The wind began howling and snow was quickly blowing in from the ocean.
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I locked the front door of the house and went to the kitchen. I took a bottle of scotch from the cupboard over the sink and started to my room. I turned out all the lights as I walked the hall.
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I stopped for a second, as I could hear my cell phone ringing, from the pocket of my coat, now strewn on the kitchen floor.
I was sure it was Sheila, but I could not talk to her.
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Maybe tomorrow.
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The storm lasted nearly a week.