The Ice Storm

Flashbacks

You ever heard people say that when they die, supposedly their life flashes in front of their eyes? I never understood it. How could someone's entire life be summed up in one moment? How could years and years of memories be fit into one cinematic experience? I never got it. 

Now I do. 

It's truly a humbling experience, I'll tell you. It changes my life, at least what's left of it. 

Images flash through my brain. Memories. Some old, some recent. Some painful, some happy. All the moments that changed my life. Made me who I am. 

I see my first memory - my mother holding me, three years old, in her arms and smiling down. 

I see when my father told me she'd left for good. 

I see myself hiding from him under the table. 

I see the moment he left me, now nine, and feel the pain as much as I did that day. 

I see April, my old baker friend, tucking me in one night and telling me everything would be okay. 

I see myself, older now, hiding in the bathroom from school bullies like Marilyn White and Toby Sullivan. 

I see Crystal smiling at me as she announced she'd be my foster mom - one who wouldn't let me down. And she was right. 

I see the moment I thought she'd left me, and now feel relieved that it was all a trick. 

I see the day I was skating, and Lenae found me and took me to Shadow. 

I see myself meeting Jake, Raina, Peter, Alex, and Myria. 

I see us rescuing Agent Dudley and Crystal, along with me and Jake's separate kidnappings. 

I see the long days spent on the examination table. 

I see Jake rescuing me, and us holding hands. The way he smiles at me, his green eyes shining. The way he protected me from danger all those countless times. 

And lastly, I see me, laying on the ground, finally defeated. After many battles, they finally got me. At least this is a noble way to go - everyone would know I died trying to stop Goodwin from enslaving the world and hurting my family. I sacrificed myself for them. My family. Both new and old. 

I have no idea where my mother and father are now. I have no idea what they're doing, or if they're even alive. But if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have known the people who shaped my life and made me a better person. I don't know what'll happen to them. But in this moment, I forgive them. I forgive them for all the wrong things they did to me, for leaving me, for abusing me. I forgive them. 

A feeling of peace floods over me. I immediately know that was the right thing to do. It was time to let go. 

A smile crosses my face. 

I hope that wherever they are, they know.