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When we were little my brother Carlos and I used to fight to win the battle of the wishbone. My mother would cook chicken and he and I would be on the lookout for the bone. But my brother who was the oldest grabbed the thicker end and of course... he always won and could make a wish. Today that memory came to my mind when we were waiting for news about his disappearance three days ago in the mountain.
My mother and I were consoling each other. Sitting in the ranger's office, we watched white flakes fall through the window as the cold made us hold each other close for warmth.
"Carlos has always been very strong and I am sure that with God's help they will be able to find him". My mother clings to her faith to keep hope.
"Yes, mother, let's trust in his strength and the good luck he has always had," I said, hugging her. "I'll get you some hot chocolate, it's getting very cold".
I handed her the steaming, aromatic cup.
"How tasty chocolate is", I thought and said to my mother. "Remember when we went with my dad and Carlos to the mountain by the cable car and they gave us a very hot chocolate and I spilled it on Carlos. But he didn't get burned, it fell on his clothes, but he got very angry with me because it was his favorite jacket".
"Of course I remember, daughter. You were always going around like cat and dog, but you loved each other very much and Carlos always protected you. How I miss those days, childrens grow up so fast".
Suddenly the door opened and an icy breeze blew in and ruffled the papers on a desk. Three snow-covered men entered and the atmosphere became even colder.
They took off their jackets, hung them on the wall and walked over to the fire burning in the fireplace. There they were warming themselves for a while until one of them approached us.
source"The storm is very strong as you can see. We have called off the search until tomorrow, hopefully the weather will improve. We will take them to the hotel so they can rest".
We want to stay here, no matter how uncomfortable it is if my son is out in the cold... please." My mother with tears in her eyes moved the guard and they let us stay. They offered us a bed to sleep on and the food they were preparing.
And there in the warmth of the fire, gathered at a table with people until recently unknown to us, we shared a meal.
That night I dreamed of my brother. I saw him smiling, in a beautiful place where the rays of light pierced the treetops.
"I came to say goodbye dear sister. Tell my mother that I love her very much. That I am at peace".
I watched him go down an endless road. I woke up with my heart pounding and in spite of the cold my hands were sweating.
The next day in the morning they found my brother under some rocks where he had hidden to protect himself from the cold. He was frozen but his face had the peaceful expression I had seen in my dream.
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So he died in the cold? 😳 Oh dear! So sad and to think that she saw it in her dreams before he was found.
Just from the story, I could tell the cold was really something else and a little boy was in it all by himself.
Nice story @popurri
Hello @merito.ahama. She was remembering from when she and her brother were children.
Thank you so much for your comment.
Happy day!💕
The cold is so “real” in your story that you make us shiver. Brrrrrr.
So sad that the Carlos died of exposure, but it’s heartwarming that his sister had a premonition that he was not suffering - sometimes these “visitations” bring peace to the living. Thank you for sharing this heartbreaking tale with us on The Ink Well, and remember to comment on other writer’s stories in the community.
Hello @theinkwell. Very kind of you to comment. That premonition can occur through dreams and is a way of saying goodbye to loved ones.
Greetings and happy day
I already made my support to other writers in the community 😊
Well sheesh @popurri you made me cry a bit! I'm visiting your post from the comment section of The Ink Well's weekly fiction prompt, and I began to read a sweet story of sibling love... One that comes to a grinding and painful halt when you learn Carlos is missing! I can absolutely appreciate the tough work it must have taken to write such a gut wrenching tale. I am grateful they got to say goodbye at least, but the image of Carlos frozen but peaceful breaks my heart! A very well written, emotionally compelling story, thank you for sharing!
Hello @grindan. I was very touched by your comment. When I was writing it I didn't know how it would end, because I don't like sad endings but as it happens when we are making a story I thought that the love relationship between the brothers was so strong that they could say goodbye after death.
Thank you very much for your comment.
Greetings and blessings 😊💕
Reading this while it's raining and I'm shivering inside made it surreal for me. It's almost sad to lose a loved one especially one as close as Carlos was to the sister.
But I guess she'll take solace in the fact that he's at peace. Quite an emotional story there!
Hello @diikaan. Your comment impressed me. Sometimes when we read we feel for some reason, we empathize with the places, the environment or the characters.
Thank you very much for your comment.
Greetings and blessings
I live in a place with a lot of snowy mountains. One can easily get into trouble like the kid in the story. It's a tragic story with a slight element of the supernatural that let's the reader know that the child is no longer suffering. A sad but entertaining story.
Hello @litguru . Thank you for your comment. It must be very beautiful where you live but as you say, it is not easy to survive in those conditions.
I think some people people can say goodbye when they die.
Greetings and happy day😊