525,600 Minutes

Chapter 5 - Last Christmas

(Thanks to KeSpiration for more amazing art!)

December 25th 2024

(FLASHBACK)

Brightly lit candles shone enthusiastically around the room, the open fire roared majestically and the large duvet covering me and mom helped to fight off winter's frost and create an atmosphere of total peacefulness. Whilst condensation fogged up the windows, the glistening tinsel laced the monumental tree and my stomach ached with fullness.

There was definitely something magical about Christmas. It's the best time of the year - nothing beats it. The time of family and traditions.

Our traditions meant snuggling on the couch and watching Home Alone 1 and 2, whilst Mya sat gracefully, on the top of the tree.

However, despite all this magic and good tidings, something felt off this year. I mean as charming as it was, watching Macaulay Culkin's childhood antics, somehow this year, things felt different. Colder, almost. And I don't mean the temperature.

This year was the first Christmas without dad.

My mom was trying to make this Christmas as normal as possible but I could see right through her facade. Her smile was smaller, her hair lighter and her eyes more sullen.

Suddenly, she lifted herself from the couch, making a sort of "oof" sound as she did so. (I'm not sure why people do that either). She approached the stairs before ascending them and disappearing. She had probably gone to look at pictures with dad in them again - a recent hobby of hers.

To be honest with you, I'm not really sure when the arguments began. I tried to think back. I just remember that my dad had began working away from home and it caused so much tension between him and mom. Mealtimes became very awkward, doors were being slammed left, right and centre and my dad had begun drinking again. I remember this being the last straw for mom. His drunken antics finally pushed mom to the edge and torn the family apart just a few months ago.

I can't begin to describe to you how hard it was, having the last 16 years of your life ruined in a mere few minutes. Everything I had ever known, gone in an instant. I remember the devastated look in my dad's eyes when my mom told him to leave - he seemed heart broken, I begged and pleaded for my mom to change her mind - but it was no use. He left.

Since then, there's been a few awkward visits but then nothing. It was almost as if I had lost my dad.

I was suddenly snapped out of my thoughts, by the sound of the front door closing.

My jaw dropped. My eyes widened. The beautiful irony.

Stood at the door - was my dad.

His head suddenly snapped towards me at the sound of my gasps and my heart dropped. His once teddy-brown hair, was layered black with grease and had grew to cover his eyes. His eyes. When I caught a glimpse of them, panic rose within me; they were red and bloodshot. His face - dirty, unshaven and covered with deep wrinkles. He was almost unrecognisable. He had deteriorated drastically.

He slowly approached me. He even moved differently - almost shifty. He wiped his face on his sleeve and the poignant smell of whisky almost singed my nostrils. He stared at me strangely. This was not my dad. He was a man possessed. As if someone was living in his body. His eyes were someone else's. This was not him.

He was now a few feet away. His eyes travelled up and down my body.

"You're even more beautiful than I remembered Montana."

I froze.

He leaned towards me.

I shut my eyes in terror. The smell of whisky overpowering. But there was nothing.

Elongated moments of silence.

I dared to open my eyes and my heart totally shattered. My mom was shaking violently, her arm raised, with a metal ornament in her hand. Tears in her eyes.

Lost.

My dad on the other hand lay next to sofa. Still.

Deadly still.

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Unedited - needs improvements and mistakes possible.

Author's notes
Dun dun dun! Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vote and comment! I'm sorry this is late, I've been distracted with my friends party, watching Suicide Squad and reading Harry Potter! But I'm done now and I'm back at it! I'm updating twice tomorrow to make up for the lack of updates. (You lucky lot!) I'm aware the story isn't amazing so far and the description could be better (sad face) but I'll edit it immensely at the the end!
(Happy face)
Thanks for your support!
Skylar xo
Question of the chapter: we're her mother's actions justified?

P.s. If I said I'll read your story, I will eventually get to you! :-)