Welcoming Warmth 0.5

So cold..

It's so cold..

Mommy, Daddy, where are you? Why did you leave me?

The snow- so cold yet beautiful- was falling down ever so slowly, covering the frail and petite girl. The worst winter of the season was yet to come. She doesn't know how long she would survive. Until tomorrow? A week? Definitely not a month, that she knew. Home shelters were packed with many who are just like her- lost, abandoned, homeless- so she couldn't get at least one night of warmth.

How long has it been since she's been out on the streets? She lost count. At first, she was waiting patiently for her parents' return, but as days go by, she began to worry. What if she never finds them? The warmth of her parents completely dissipated before the winter even came.

Luckily, she was just close to a church that opens up during breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours to feed those who can't afford food. She had learnt of the place by following a kind elder that was just like her. Unfortunately, he died not long after due to having a weak heart.

Alright, all she needs to do is find somewhere less cold to sleep the night and breakfast will come. Easy as that sounds, she could barely walk- let alone stand for a few seconds. However, she fought through the cold in seek of a warm place to stay- whether it was in a box in some nameless alleyway or not. She was chased out of the previous alleyways by either angry adults, mean children, or hostile animals.

The snow started to fall heavily and fewer and fewer carriages were to be seen. Every so often, people would walk by-- wanting to go home for the night. None acknowledged her existence and if they did, they would have a look of disgust. Not even pity was to be seen in the light of their eyes.

She wondered if it was too late. At first, many wanted to help her; take her home or help find her parents. She wasn't always so dressed in torn-up clothing. Her once neat clothes were nothing but rags now. She declined those who want to take her and those who agreed to help her find her parents would always take her back to the police station once tired of searching. "They will help you, sweetie," they'd always say. At the first couple of times, she believed that they would help, but then would say that they will still continue searching and put her in an orphanage. She'd leave, of course. She wasn't going to wait; she has been waiting for too long.

Oh how she'd wish to be back in the orphanage-- where it was nice and warm than the cold, gloomy winter outside on the streets, but she had poor navigation skills so she couldn't even return there and she is unsure if there are any nearby.

Ah, how hungry she was. Her stomach grumbled and breakfast was still a far way to go. Her sleep, however, was far more needed than food. She felt in slowing creeping it's way to her. She needed a warm place to sleep or she'd die out in the snow.

*Come on, keep going! Don't you dare give up on me now!* She pushed her tired legs to go on further. Just a bit more. She was bound to find an alleyway soon. She dragged her box along, slowly getting wet from the snow seeping onto the cardboard. It wasn't a really good box and would happily switch it if she could find a better one. But right now, it was more than satisfactory as a home.

Hungry, cold, and tired. Such would be her downfall. Soon, her already weak legs couldn't carry her body any longer and so she collapsed on the cold ground. Darting her eyes at her surroundings, she can see an alleyway not too far from her. She tried to push herself up, but even her arms couldn't support her anymore and so her body collapsed once more.

Giving up, she felt her life being drained. The snow even felt so nice compared to her body that was slowly getting cold-- not from the snow but for the other reason. She felt numb and frostbitten. When will her parents take her home? She still wanted to live.

Knowing of what was to come, her eyes fluttered shut and wait for the harbinger to take her to the father of all creations, but not before letting a single tear escaped, trickling down her cheek. Her breathing became less and less. She could feel no longer. A single tear was visible even in the white snow.

~♡~