That One Time I Died

Breaking News: Teenager Discovers Her Actions May Have Negative Consequences

I did not exactly know how to approach my parents with all this new information but I knew they had to know. Even though their belief in the Ghost of Frost had shaped them as individuals, I was sure they'd understand, or at least believe, what I had to say. That is why, at noon the next day, I awkwardly approached my mother, who had returned from her friends house to get her stuff so that she could move in with them for a little while. 

She was in her room, folding the few clothes she was going to wear in a horrifically outdated bag, which looked like it was about to collapse and give way to the luggage tearing at its insides at any moment. The dark circles under her eyes indicated a very peaceless night. 

I stood at the doorway, looking at her for at least a few painfully silent seconds until I finally got the courage to say,

"Hey mom, there's something I'd like to talk to you about."  

She didn't bother looking up as she continued folding her clothes. I cleared my throat.

"Mom, there's something I want to talk to you about." 

She sighed, yawned and looked at me.

 "Yes, Rosalie, what is it?" 

"Well, last night, this woman visited me and she told me about the... you know, the accident in more detail..." I began, trying, and failing, to sound like I'm not crazy. 

"What woman? What are you on about? Is there something we don't already know about what happened to Robin?" 

She gave me an accusatory glance, as if assuming what had happened to Robin was somehow my fault. That pissed me off. 

"Yes mom," I finally replied, after taking a deep breath, "The woman I saw yesterday, introduced herself as the goddess Winter, would you happen to know anything about that?" 

My mom sighed in exasperation.

"Yes, Rosalie, as you know, the goddess Winter is the sister of our great leader the Ghost of Frost. She willingly resigned from her position as a ruling deity, since everyone, her included, believed that he was better suited for the job. Does that clear stuff up for you?" 

"Well, no, since when I met her, she seemed to look down on her brother a lot and also mentioned that she was part of an 'upper circle of divinity'," I started, "Do you know anything about that?"

"No she's not. That's a lie. Hillwood's only ruling deity is the Ghost of Frost, anyone who says otherwise has been either misinformed or a malicious heretic. Don't lie to me, Rosalie." 

I sighed and cleared my throat. 

"Mother, that was not the only thing she said." 

"Rosalie, do not speak of that witch again. That is not the true goddess but a vile fraud and shameless heathen! If you dare to mention such blasphemy to me again I will-"

"That's not the only thing she said. She also said the Ghost of Frost was the one who caused the avalanche because he was using his Reliquiae Divinitatis while drunk!" I blurted out, before I got too intimidated by the consequences she was about to mention. 

She was so taken aback by my statement she simply blankly stared at me, unable to utter a word. However, the way her stare intensified into a glare spoke more than she ever could. The mix of indignancy, rage and shame was even more intense than the judgement of the aforementioned goddess herself. 

Finally, after an eternity of silent seething, she slowly walked up to me. For a brief moment, we exchanged glances. She raised her hand...

𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐩.