World's Apart

As The Snow Falls

"Ali you'll catch a chill out here," her mother came to the front door again. She rubbed the bare skin on her arms as the winter air chilled her.

"I'm fine mother, stop fussing me," Ali replied. 

"Why don't you come back inside, it's going to snow again," her mother looked up at the blank white sky that loomed over them.

"I'm fine out here," Ali says again "I have my coat," she hugs the woollen material close to her.

Her mother sighs but says nothing else as she retreats back inside the house. Ali sits waiting on the stone wall in front of her house. The hard stone is cold against her legs and her breath fogs in front of her as she breathes. Her eyes flick down the road, hoping that at any moment she'd see him strolling up the snow covered lane towards her.

It was Christmas eve already; today was the day Jack would be arriving home.

Ali idly swings her legs back and forth against the wall. She hums a faint tune breaking the silence around her. The snow was falling heavier now. Thick white flurries float down and land silently around her. As she sits waiting she can feel herself become colder. The moisture of the melting snow on her hair sends chills down her spine and the tip of her nose shines red. Flexing her hands, she tries to shake the cold that is beginning to set in her muscles.

"Where are you Jack?" She chatters quietly to herself.

It was already the afternoon and Ali had expected him to be here by now. She'd been outside waiting for him since breakfast. Her mother had pestered her multiple times to come back inside and each time Ali had refused.

She heard the front door creak open again.

"Mother I'm ok-"

"It's me," Katie hopped up onto the wall beside Ali.

Ali smiled at her and the two of them fell into a comfortable silence as Ali watched the horizon of the lane, hoping to see his familiar blonde hair sooner rather than later.

"He'll be here," Katie reassures.

"I know he will," Ali agrees, still watching the road.

After several long minutes Katie shudders beside Ali.

"I'm going back in," she jumps down off the wall "You coming?"

Ali bites her lip as her eyes glance between the road and her sister. Her teeth chatter together and Katie chuckles.

"Just give it up already. You'll be no good to him frozen!" She exclaims.

"I wanted to see him coming up the lane," Ali protests.

Katie rolls her eyes "You've been out here all morning. A few hours inside won't kill you,"

Ali sighs. There was no use is arguing with her, she knew Katie was right. As she slides off the wall her cold muscles ache. She trudged behind Katie, following her into the house.

The heat inside the house is wonderful against her snow kissed skin and the tip of her nose tingles as the heat from the fire thaws her skin. She shivers in delights as she moves to sit in front of the flames. Katie and her mother sit in the armchairs, they too revel in the warmth of the fire.

Ali leans her back against her mothers legs and her mother stokes her hand across her head, running her fingers through Ali's hair. Ali closes her eyes contently.

"Ten minutes, then I'll go back outside," she mumbles, her eyes still closed.

"Ali?"