If Only She Knew

24. The Snow

"I just asked myself if I am crazy.
We all said No."
~Unknown

One year and two months ago...

Months passed ever since Eugene Barbell's body was parachuted down over Ariana's yard on her birthday, wrapping up the ten Big. B. murders and disappearances in a grim style.

To say they're wrapped up, though, is far fetched. The murderer was still out there and untraceable. He only sent those letters full of personal vainglory, then left. He seemed, from afar, everything but remorseful.

Out of the four victims that survived, only three lived in peace ever after, like the survivors of a Hunger Game but without much memories. Virgo Styles was missing.

He never arrived at Ariana's birthday party but he never returned back home either. He simply vanished, which worried his family so much since he was haunted by epilepsy on top of it all.

The national police forces never ceased looking for him but many doubted he was even still alive.

The murderer must've gotten to him, they thought.

They were somehow resigned to the fact that the killer would send his body in a gruesome way, and they couldn't do nothing. This would start back again.

Ariana, meanwhile, was certain it had something to do with her suspicions. She was sure he remembered everything that happened to him, and the killer.

Christmas arrived. Ariana had been engaged to Joseph for months now and they moved in together in her house a small time prior to snow falling.

And snow fell big time that year, tucking them all inside their homes.

"Damn it, I've always been too short to put the star on top of the tree," Ariana said as she struggled around the Christmas tree they set up in the living room. Joseph was watching her covering his mouth with amusement as he picked up a box from across the room.

She was wearing fuzzy, cozy Christmas socks and a knit oversized sweater and she looked like an angel.

"Oh, you shorty," he came around giving her a playful slap on the rear while he caught her from behind. He put up the star on the top of the tree for her, in the end.

"All done," he breathed in the crook of her neck and she moaned. The TV plasma was on in the living room and the news post sang on the background.

"-UK weather: Snow hits Britain as temperatures plunge to minus 4 degrees. We're going to start seeing temperatures recover during the week but they're still going to be below average," the lady on the news said.

"It's good you're so hot that you're going to keep me warm." Joseph was nibbling Ariana's ear as they were simply making out near the tree.

"We're going to take down the tree Jo, and tomorrow's Christmas." Ariana was letting loose in his arms. Ever since he moved in with her the house had become livable, tolerable. She used to get drowned in the loneliness.

Joseph had been a bit reticent at first to move in with her, despite being addicted to her. It felt strange to him to move in to his rich fiancée's because he was the man, and he didn't want to be taking advantage of her. But she won the debate.

Joseph had a serious job now, though, and he was saving up for when they'll move in to a house to which they'll contribute equally. This house was beautiful but somehow too big and fancy for his comfort. A bit hollow.

He missed having to trot sideways because the hallway was too stuffed or never finding anything at all because of the mess.

"Breaking news: Missing famous mountain climber Derek Brown dies at 27. He was found dead on a Cairngorm Mountain slope at about an elevation of 900 m above sea level, believed to have died in a skying accident. A goodbye note found in his rental cabin says otherwise."