Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 63214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
“Our souls are in our brains. Everybody knows that.”
I held my head and massaged the temples. “I give up.”
“You should.”
Regardless of my thoughts on where her true magic came from, Mom’s conjuring helped us financially survive. We never had to beg, borrow, or steal. Mom kept clean clothes on our bodies and good shoes on our feet. No matter how late she stayed up at night, writing down spells and dream workings in her grimoire, she’d jump back up in the morning, fix an amazing breakfast, walk me to school, say hello to all my teachers, and be on time to pick us up in the afternoon.
Her conjuring had paid my tuition for art school. When my ex and I split, Mom gave me the money to go back and work on my graduate degree in art history.
So, whether I believed in her hoodoo or not, I had a great respect for it, so much so, I wore the silly bag on my neck and touched it constantly.
More than I was comfortable with, in fact.
This morning, I woke up, gripping that bag and mumbling about love. Sweat covered my face. Heat swelled in my chest. Between my legs a hunger so strong pulsed inside of me.
I really need to get laid.
“Mommy?” Rose brought me back to reality.
“Yes, sweetie?”
“What else are we going to do with the snowman?”
“You mean Remy?” I picked up the torch next to me.
“Yes.”
“Well, we’re going to heat things up.” I turned on the torch.
Buzzing sounded.
Rose shrieked, “Don’t melt the snowman!”
I slipped the flame along his broad shoulders. “I won’t.”
Fire danced along solid ice—gold yellow twirling around a melting blueish white. Heat battled the cold. Both would win, as the elements mingled and merged into a slick surface of art that even diamonds would envy.
“See, Rose.” I shut off the torch. “The fire liquefies the outer layers and gives the ice a clean look. Okay?”
She said nothing. I turned around. Rose no longer stood behind me. Just like Meadow, she’d disappeared.
“Rose?” I set the torch down. “Meadow?”
The deep voice whispered, “Watch out.”
I saw no one around me. “What?”
The voice came again. “Watch out.”
A snowball crashed into the back of my head. Cold stung my skin. Off in the distance, my daughters chuckled.
Did someone say something to me or am I imagining this? I have to call Mom.
Another snowball slammed into my arm. Stumbling back, I hid my unease and decided to get revenge on the snow attackers. “It’s on, ladies! You couldn’t wait until I finished?”
Giggling shifted into silence.
Where are those two?
“Alright my Winter Rose and Icy Meadow. It’s on!” Smoke left my lips. “You better hide!”
One of them laughed.
The other shushed her.
“It’s war.” I took off my gloves. “Prepare to witness Mommy’s wrath!”
Roaring, I formed my hands into fists and stomped around.
I glanced at my ice god. “Do you have any idea where they are?”
He didn’t move his full lips. His cheeks didn’t twitch, but wind whipped by and someone whispered, “Car.”
Holy shit. That was real. I swear on everything that someone said something.
I looked around to make sure no one had sneaked up on us.
Someone had definitely spoken. I felt it in my bones, snaking up my spine and bubbling deep within my soul. I spun around, listening, staring, searching for the noise or any sign of where it could’ve come from.
I’m going crazy.
All around, my ice people lounged as if they owned the property. The snow looked more like sugar than bits of ice. Whimsical and bright. Flakes fell around them.
Four elves stood frozen along the walkway stacking presents.
Two mermaids swam together on the front lawn. I’d spent an entire day on their tails, whittling a design of tiny scales and attaching blue pieces of glass to their fins. Swirly icicles formed their hair.
A frozen Santa stood next to the mailbox. He pointed to the mermaids and laughed.
Is this how it starts when a person goes crazy? The voices come first.
In the center of it all, my snowman beamed in the sunlight. No one else was there. Just the girls and me.
“Watch out.”
“What?” I spun around. Another snow ball slammed into my leg and brought my mind back to reality.
Forget about voices and stuff. I just need to relax. I’m fine. Everything is going to be okay.
I sighed.
Where are those crazy girls?
I thought of a new plan and didn’t rush off to search for them. Instead, I leaned my head back and caught snowflakes with my tongue. After a minute of doing this, one of the girls spoke out.
“What are you doing, Mommy?” Meadow whispered from somewhere behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, but didn’t see her.
Hmmm. Maybe, she is near the car.
“What am I doing?” I said. “I’m eating snowflakes. Of course.”
The girls giggled.
Yeah. They’re by the car.
I backed in that direction, but didn’t turn around. “When I was young, I would lay in the snow and look at the sky.”