Stockholm

1

Snow floated lightly onto the freshly cut lawns, resting on top of the dead grass. My footprints were visible on the cement as they melted the frost. I tried to focus on anything other than how cold I was. My fingers were playing with a loose thread that I could barely feel in my coat pocket. Winter around here was always insufferable, every year we struggle with snow storms and an emergency evacuation was not uncommon, most of the natives stuck it out though. No would have it any differently, the weeks we spend locked inside are some of the best memories we have. Old Ashton was an isolated town, we rested in a basin in the jagged mountains of Colorado, it was around a two hour drive to the closest town, Lerwick. Lerwick was currently going through a major snowstorm, even their electricity was quickly fleeting. I felt my toes start to burn as I finished my jaunt home, I removed my hand from my pocket to open the front door. Our small american foursquare house had been in my family for centuries. Its chipping paint on the outside gave it quite a sad demeanor, but on the inside it was well taken care of by my mother.

My father died when I was twelve, he was hit by a drunk driver while going for a bike ride. I never saw how bad it was until the end, in the hospital, where the slow dripping of the IV synchronized with the clicks of the clock. I sat crossed legged by his bed, nervous, trying to talk to let him know I was there. I try to think that in the silence he knew I was with him, that while he slept he could feel my presence. I think I would've preferred him to die instantly rather than suffering in the hospital. The cops never found his killer either, no one did, we all assumed it was some tourist visiting for the summer. We had enough money to fix our house, my grandparents owned quite a bit of estate after both running their own businesses. Me and my mom just never felt up to keeping it pretty after my dad died. She would say, "If someone truly wants to know us they will look past the outside and care for what's on the inside." We haven't repainted the house, we haven't done anything to save the outside appearance. It featured well worn flower pots, now chipped and cracked, with dried dead mountain flowers shoved into them. Our metal gate was dented and broken, serving more of a "a 19th century ghost lives here" look rather than an inviting one. The grass was patchy and brown, brittle to the touch, our trees were overgrown with branches hitting the windows. It wasn't appealing to many, but home is home.

"Charley dear, oh I'm so happy you're home. Have you seen the news?" My mother hugs me as I enter the foyer, the warm light from the chandler already starting to warm my frozen face. Her purple sweater itched my nose, giving me a reason to pull away.

"Mom, of course not, my phone's dead. I told you this before I left Dani's," I pulled off my coat and hung it on the rack, my gloves held their place in the pockets. I bent my fingers a couple of times to get the blood flow and the feeling back to them.

"Yes, sorry, I've been forgetting everything lately. The snowstorm that is in Lerwick is going to hit us, I need you to run to the store and get more supplies. Can you take your bike?" She grabbed her own coat from the hanger and the car keys from the hook by the door.

"Can I take my bike? Mom, I've had my license for a year, I'm 17, almost 18! Why do you need the car?" I asked annoyed, I can't imagine riding in the snow, the ground would be slippery. I stopped untying my boots, looking at her exasperated.

"I know, but please I need the car. I have to go pick up John." John was the new man my mother had been seeing. He was nice, hardworking, a quiet type. He really cared for my mother and I knew she needed that after dad passed. He cared about me too and though sometimes it became awkward when he came around, we were close when it came to movies. The 80's and 90's cinema fascinated us greatly.

"Okay fine, I'll be back in an hour." I checked my watch, when I got back it would be 7, too dark to go out again with a friend.

"Thank you so much, love you." She kissed me on the forehead before walking out the door. I grabbed my bike from the garage and made sure both baskets were on it.I grabbed some extra layers to keep warm, and slipped on an extra pair of gloves. My phone had decided to die in the middle of walking home, so I left it at home to charge. Old Ashton was small, maybe 200 people. Everyone knew everyone, it was never dangerous to be around here. Most people that lived here had for generations like my family. Some newcomers would come and go, some stayed and raised a family. There was nothing too appealing about Old Ashton, beside the sparseness of people.