This story doesn’t begin with a once upon a time or a long long time ago. It doesn’t end with a happily ever after or the hero saving the day and getting the girl. No, this is life, the harsh reality of it. There is no fairy tale in real life, no dreams, no fantasy, nothing. While you sit there reading this in the comforts of your warm toasty home, with your little modern day décor, just know one thing. Just know that I’m outside watching you in the blistering wind, the cold nipping at my skin, hanging onto life by a mere thread. I struggle for survival. However, I have my freedom, no rules to abide by and no one telling me what I can and cannot do. Honestly, I have to say, it sure beats the hell out of obeying the way of society. What, you thought I was complaining earlier? You think I was asking for your pity? Think again. If anything, you should be asking for my mine. Who do you think has it better? You and your rules, or me and my freedom? Huh, not so compassionate now are you?

Silence. Nothing but the bitter wind scraping along the ghostly pale skin of my face. The last sign of actual life was a long way back, past the horizon. Whiteness all around blinded my vision and made it difficult to trek along in the knee deep frozen substance. As the wind died down for the moment, the crunching sound of my feet in the snow made itself present. This was true silence, the wintery eeriness of it. Alone in a vast wilderness of nothing, it was unnerving. Vapor from my breath puffed out in its own little cloud in front of me as I huffed along, leaving its own little trail behind me. My moss colored eyes darted around, taking in the signs of night fall. Shadows grew long against the white snow, the sun falling below the horizon. As it fell, it portrayed vast warm colors onto the empty whiteness of the ground, like paint swirling on a canvas. I took in the last few rays of warmth that spread through me, savoring it. Soon the wind whipped up again as dark took over; the cold slips in, slithering and wrapping around my tired, fatigued body. As it disappeared, the day sun still tried to last as the day transformed to twilight, rays of light still trying to last. But sadly, the light vanishes with the sun and dies away, taking the warmth with it, as well as the hope in my heart as I continue on, still alone.

Morning came and instantly I awoke. My body was frozen in place, ice holding it in a lifeless sculpture. With an inward groan, I twisted out of my bodily prison and stood up. Panic shot up in my chest as I realized something was missing. Searching and calling out a name that seemed foreign to me, something hard struck me in my chest. Right. I was alone. Sighing, the memory faded away.

“She’s gone, Milo.” I reminded myself.
Leading myself onward before I could think back, I fought my way through the newest layer of snow. Needing a distraction, my mind drifted elsewhere as it took in every detail of my surroundings, ignoring the ache that soon rose inside me. Then I saw an old oak tree, and I was reminded of her. Swallowing back sorrow, I didn’t allow myself to remember and I pushed myself into a run. The pounding of my feet echoed in the emptiness around me, my breathing harsh and ragged. The pain inside my chest increased and I felt myself drop to my knees without my command. Every essence in my body told me to scream, to punch the ground, to sob. But nothing happened. I only stared off into the distance. No tears came, just silence.