Mom

The frigid air shocked her system as she pushed forward through the roaring wind. The blizzard had struck unexpectedly midday, and though she knew it was dangerous to continue on, she also knew that there was no way of knowing when it would end. She had a child waiting for her at home. She had no intentions of leaving it alone. 

However, in the twisting onslaught of snow, it was quickly becoming difficult to maintain her path, or have any inkling of an idea of where she was going. She did her best to keep her feet going straight, knowing that if she did she would hit home eventually. But she could only pray that she was successful in that venture. If she wasn't she didn't know that she would ever manage to hit home. And she didn't want to think about what would happen to her child in that scenario. 

Her clothes had become soaked through and frozen nearly the instant she had set out. She could barely feel her body anymore. Everything was stiff and cold, and her feet hardly felt as though they were even still attached to her legs. Her strength was sapped from her body, her throat was dry, and her eyelids were heavy. Her determination to see to her child was the only thing that pushed her forward. 

She prayed deeply that she be allowed to reach her home. There was little reason for her to be cast aside, she thought, though she had also hardly gone out of her way to act in good will. She swore that if only she could make it home, she would give her everything to bettering the world in any way she possibly could.

As she pressed onward, thoughts of her child, alone and afraid filled her mind. If she didn't return home, she could only imagine the panic that would soon encapsulate him. He was far too young to be alone in the world.

She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, and desperately tried to blink them away before they could freeze. In the distance, she could see the dull shapes of houses beginning to come into form. She could only hope that they were the correct houses. She dragged her legs forward, one after the other, only barely managing to stay on her feet. 

And then, suddenly, she was on her porch. She could only assume that she had blacked out and continued onward, blind and unthinking. She fumbled in her pockets, and struggled to get the key in the lock. The moment she opened the door, a large gust of winf slammed into her back, pushing her indoors and closing the door behind her. 

The silence after so long in the storm was abrupt and deafening. There was suddenly calm and peaceful ess where previously there had been none. She considered laying there for some time, letting her body relax after all that had happened. 

And then. 

"Mommy!"