Manjari Thapa
The fire crackled as the two sisters took in its warmth. The wind was howling outside. “This winter is harsher than any other winter we’ve ever had. Julie, at this rate our little cottage will fly away, taking us with it. Oh, how I wish I could have explored the world more,” the younger sister, Lilianne said, restlessly. “Calm down Lili. Stop being overdramatic. Our house cannot be blown away so easily,” Julie, the older sister said without lifting her eyes from her book. Lilianna could not stay still, she was the adventurous, dramatic type while Julie was the polar opposite, she preferred staying inside and reading, she was the calm and mature type.
Julie was lost in the book she was reading. She didn't even want to move but a strong gust of wind snapped her back. The fire almost went out, “Lili! Close the door! The fire’s going to go out!” Silence. “...Lili? Where are you, this isn’t funny.” Julie took an oil lamp and lit it. Julie and Lili were orphans who stuck together for everything, since they had no one else. “LILI?
LILIANNE?” Nothing. Her heart dropped. She went further and further trying to hear even the slightest noise of Lili but the only sounds she heard were the howling winds. She went further and further to try to find traces of Lili. Only when she bumped into an old tree did she realize she’d gone too far; she turned back to try to see where her cottage was but the snow made it impossible to see anything. No matter how smart she was, Julie was terrible with directions. She felt her heart thumping. It felt as though it was going to jump out of her chest. Her only leads to Julie were the footsteps right in front of her. She took a deep breath and took a step to where the footprints led.
She’d walked for what felt like eternity. She was out of breath; her lungs and hands felt frozen. The more breaths she took the more pain she was in. Her legs were going to give out on her. She felt as though she was about to pass out. She felt like she was going around in circles. God, she felt dizzy. She’d never walked this much before. Her head was spinning, was it stress?
Exhaustion? She was staring at her feet and walking blindly hoping to find Lili. When she walked staring at the footprints she noticed something off about it but brushed it off. It was the only lead to Lili after all.
As she walked, she thought about how no matter what they did, even if they were polar opposites they always did it together. Was she alone now? They didn’t have any relatives she could rely on. “Julie… Julie!” She heard Lili’s voice. “Am I hallucinating her voice now? Goodness, my head’s about to split in half.” She held her head in pain. She was so exhausted everything was spinning.
“BOO!” Julie flinched, she turned quickly to find Lili wrapped warmly in her favorite scarf. “Am… Am I in the afterlife?” “...What? Were you that scared?” It took Julie awhile to come to her senses but when she did she forgot all of her pain and exhaustion. She didn’t even feel cold anymore even if she was standing in heavy snowfall. “Oh Lili!” Julie threw her arms around her sister. “Goodness Lili! Where were you? You scared the life out of me!” Julie exclaimed. “I was in the stables. I was scared for Stella, you know! How could I let my favorite horse freeze to death?” “You went out to the stables in this freezing cold? Do you think I’m irresponsible enough to let our horses freeze to death? Wait no, that's not important. Your footprints though.. They did not lead to the stables.” “What footprints?” “These ones Lili…” “Julie… I know I’m taller than you but god my footprints are not that huge.” Lili laughed.
“Then who…?” “Probably Mr. Bill. He came to check on us when you were reading to make sure we were okay. What a nice guy, did you really not notice?” Julie let out a long sigh, “God, Lili at least tell me when you’re going to leave the house especially when the weather’s this dangerous. I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest.” “Hehe, let’s put that aside and go home now” “Alright Lili, you better do all the cooking and cleaning for a whole week now. That’s your punishment” “Wha-?! I’m an adult though? I’m not a child, Julie. I've grown up and I’m independent now. I can do that much..can’t I?” “It’s not for going to check on Stella, it's for scaring me.” “Julie...” Lili held Julie’s hand the whole way back. “Lili’s hands are larger than mine, she’s even taller than me, I have to jog to keep up with her when she walks fast. She really has grown up. She’s not the sister I have to take care of anymore. I feel happy but sad at the same time.” Julie thought. She felt a warmth she’d never felt before. A warmth not even the coziest of fires could give her. A bittersweet feeling of love for her not so young sister that would never go away even in the afterlife.
