Umbrella

No Turning Back

On your world, the arrival of snowfall was a rare and was always a big event. As a curious reader, you immersed yourself in stories that painted vivid scenes of children your age frolicking in expansive snowy fields, their laughter echoing as they molded goofy snowmen under the crisp, wintry sky. In the sanctuary of your dreams, you often found yourself among them, playing with unbridled joy alongside Sophrona, your beloved siblings, and cherished cousins, your breath visible in the frigid air, forming a tangible connection with the magical white landscape.

But your life took a starkly different trajectory, one that set you apart from the idyllic scenes in those books. Unbeknownst to others, you were chosen or perhaps cursed to be an unwilling vessel for a restless spirit, a destiny that forever separated you from the others. As each snowy occasion came and went, they unfolded like monotonous repetitions of the last. You found yourself confined within the walls of your home, the icy beauty beyond your reach. Your mother would always tirelessly attempted to provide comfort in the face of your burden.

Her efforts, while well-intentioned, seemed futile in the face of the unyielding reality you faced. Her words and gestures, however comforting, couldn't bridge the gap between you and the world outside.

As your head rested gently on a woman's lap, her comforting touch sending a soothing shiver down your spine. With a wistful sigh, your eyes fixated on the sprawling snowy plains beyond the diminutive window, a winter wonderland that seemed both enchanting and distant. "Mama..." you whispered, your voice barely above a breath. Your mother, her expression tinged with a subtle tilt of curiosity, met your gaze with those eyes so similar to your own, yet markedly different—less life, as if burdened by an unspoken misery.

With each passing day spent trapped within the confines of this house, a peculiar transformation had overtaken you too. Slowly but noticeably, the vibrant light in your eyes had begun to dim, mirroring the growing gloom that had settled over your existence almost like your mother's.

"Why can't I... go out in the village anymore?" Your words hung in the air, the question a desperate plea for understanding. Your mother's eyes slightly widened before she softened them with a mixture of sympathy and resignation. "[Name]... We've discussed this many times already." she whispered, her voice laced with the weariness of countless prior conversations.

Your gaze, heavy with a touch of sorrow, fell back to the frost-kissed window. There, in the distance, your heart ached at the sight of your siblings, their laughter echoing through the cold air as they engaged in a snowball fight. "I know, but..." Your voice trailed off, lost in the swirling emotions within you. You watched as your siblings reveled in their innocence and freedom while you were stuck inside of your own home.

"It doesn't make sense. Sophrona won't hurt anybody." The words escaped your lips, it was obvious that you were tired...tired from sitting all alone in the house- it was almost as if you were trapped in a small cage.

Your mother's words carried both a sense of warmth and an air of solemnity as she gently shook her head, her eyes filled with a tender understanding. "Come here..." Her arms opened wide, a silent invitation for you to seek refuge in her embrace. Without hesitation, you moved closer, nestling into the comforting sanctuary of her hug. Her voice, soft and laced with a hint of sadness, murmured into your ear, "You're still too young."

As her arms enfolded you, her embrace served as a haven from the complexities of the world beyond. She continued, her words a quiet revelation of the hidden truths that lay beneath the surface, "Still young to experience the outside world, still too young to ever know the consequences." Lowering her gaze to meet your eyes, she shared a small, wistful smile. "When you grow older," she began, "you'll soon realize the reasons why. For now, it's the best for you, okay?"