D. N. Angel Fan Fiction ❯ Ice Angels ❯ Memories ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Ice Angels
Bitter Memories

Krad did not enjoy the holidays one bit. The merry songs that rang through the streets. The warm fires that crackled warmly within homes, keeping children and family warm as they gathered around their Christmas trees, hanging up brightly colored decorations. The stockings that hung above those fireplaces, empty and daunting, waiting to be stuffed to the brim with toys of different kinds. But the thing he hated most was the snow. His hands were dug deep within his pocket as he trudged through it. The various colored lit decorations that hung from chimney's and roofs and porches made the snow glint in the nightime, giving it variously different colors.It was only a small layer of snow that covered the sidewalk he walked on. The snow glinted amazingly in the soft lights of the moon that hung in the sky.

"So cold..." Krad shivered, watching as his breath appeared before him in one white cloud of crystals. He grumbled, wrapping his white scarf around his face until it covered his ears and up to his mouth. He walked past stores with open windows, working trains and dolls sitting about on red and green cloth. Children's faces were pressed eagerly against the glass, and they begged their mothers, tugging at their skirts, for this, or that. Krad walked past them, nearly knocking a child over as he walked on. He had left Satoshi alone for the holidays yes, but neither of them cared. He suspected the boy was out himself, trying to clear his thoughts of lonliness. Both of them had been left alone after their mother died years ago. On Christmas none the less. Only a few days later, their father had left them, leaving Krad to take care of his younger brother, Satoshi.

It was only a few weeks before Christmas, yet the streets seemed so festive and alive with cheerful Christmas spirit. Krad flinched. Another Christmas song echoed through the streets, and he reconized it as Jingle Bells. He pulled his coat closer, and walked by fake Santa's Claus's ringing their bells joyfully. Ahead of him, a large group had gathered and stood in silence as a small band played the various Christmas songs that echoed through the streets. Krad stopped for a moment, watching as snow nestled on children's hair and they brushed it off, holding their mother's hand tightly and watched with wide eyes at the large Christmas tree that stood behind the band. Krad too, noticed it. It was quite large, reaching up with beautiful lights sprinkled across green branches. Snow snuggled closely to the branches, making the sight glisten in heavenly beauty. Beauty--of course for those gathered around, their hearts warm and frantic with the coming holiday. Krad only frowned at the brightly lit tree, and saw it as a bother. The lights were to bright.

Krad simply stood, glaring at the tree and walked forward. The group was taking a break, and several jumbles of people walked on, much more on their list for the next few weeks. Children skipped away happily with their parents, one arm holding on to each side of the large coats they wore. Krad glanced over as the crowd slowly vanished and saw a small boy carefully adding a final touch to a snowman he was making. The boy giggled happily as he wrapped a bright red sweater around the white snowman and Krad noticed the strange contrast. Before he could think of it anymore, the band started another song and he froze in his place. His lips parted slightly letting out cold breaths as he listened to the song. His golden eyes wandered back to where the band stood, on a small platform with snow gently falling onto them. They didn't seem to mind it. They didn't seem to mind the horrible memories they were putting on the boy as he stood and listened.

It was almost Christmas time
There I stood in another line
Try to buy that last give or two
I'm really in Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me
Was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing around like little boys do
And in his hands he had
A pair of shoes
And his clothes were worn and old
He was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't believe what I heard him say

A young boy, around the age of nine ran along snow ridden streets, pulling along another boy, about three years younger than him. Both boys faces were flushed with a red glow. They did not stop to gaze in the window full of toys. They ran off quickly, coins jingling in their pockets. The younger boy called out to the older infront of him, golden hair flying everywhere in the soft wind of winter. The boy called out his brother's name again.

"Krad!"

The blonde looked back at the boy with icy blue hair. It fit the weather so nicely, and snow melted into that sapphire hair as the boy contiued to run down streets. But the blonde didn't answer and they both knew why. He turned, still clutching onto the younger boy's hand. Both wore mittens that had puffs of white fur around the edges. They were messily stitched, as if they were home-made...

Sir I wanna buy these shoes for my Momma please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry Sir?
Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes will make her smile
And I want it to look beautiful
If Momma meets Jesus tonight

Tears gathered in the blonde's eyes and they rushed along, the songs that were nothing but a soft murmur in their ears. The blue-haired boys glasses fell off, but he didn't seem to notice or care. Children stared at these two boys, wrapped in tattered old coats as they rushed along. They turned a corner and silently entered a small shop with green and red hanging from the door and roof. Bells rang softly as the two entered. They stomped their boots on the rug and walked tentatively up to the counter. An old man came to them, his eyes warm and brown, behind thin bifocals. He asked them what they wanted.

The blonde's face was bright red, his nose especially crimson as he breathed deeply, pointing to a pair of white shoes with bows tied on the end just behind the man on a counter decorated with Christmas lights. He took them down, and set them down in front of the boy. He smiled, his lips giving a slight blue tint as he reached into his pocket and spilled out silver coins onto the counter. He kept scooping money from his pocket until he had nothing left. Now, the younger of the two stepped forward, placing a large jar of pennies on the glass counter. The man adjusted his glasses and scooped the money closer, counting it one by one.

They counted pennies for what seems like years
And cashier says son there's not enough here
He searches is pockets franticly
And he turned and he looked at me
And he said Momma made Christmas good in our house
Most years she just did without
Tell me Sir
What am I gonna do?
Some how I gotta buy her these Christmas shoes

The man stopped counting. He looked over the piles of pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters and balled out pieces of green money. He shook his head solemnly and slowly pulled the shoes back. Krad reached out desperately, tears forming in his eyes again.

"W-Wait!" he cried. He dug in his pockets and searched hopefully, pulling nothing but peices of lint. When the blunette had come up with nothing they both sighed, looking down. Suddenly, a soft tap on the blonde's shoulder made him jump and turn around to see an amethyst eyed boy holding out a small pile of quarters. Beside him, a jolly redhead wrapped in scarves and coats and gloves held out a few pennies. Krad stared at it for a while before snatching it and shoving it onto the counter. The old man counted the money again and then looked down at the four younger boys now standing there, smiling.

So I lend the money down
I just had to help him out
And I'll never forget
The look on his face
When he said Momma's gonna look so great

The old man carefully wrapped the white shoes in bright red paper. By now the two other boys were pulled away by their parents and they waved at the other two as they vanished in the on going gentle snow that fell from Heaven. Krad and Satoshi, his younger brother, turned back to the man. Carefully Krad took the bag wrapped with a bright red bow on the top. They both smiled, looking at the bag and then outside. They waved, and turned to go, now running back even more quickly the way they came. The old man watched them for a while and then walked to the door, turning the sign so it showed clearly in gold letters, 'Closed.'

I know I won't regret some help as he thanked me and ran out
I know that God sent that little boy to remind me
What Christmas is all about

The two rushed home, red bag pulled close to their soft beating hearts. They entered quietly, setting their boots full of snow next to the fire on a warm rug. They looked around, just the fire providing the two light to move over to the tree where nothing lay. Carefully, Krad pushed the bag beneath the small tree. On top was a white angel, arms spread out, wings expanded into the air around it. It's dress was a light blue, just like his little brothers hair. Icy, the color of snow when it fell in the sky. Four stockings were nailed clumsily over that warm fireplace at which both boys then sat down to stare at. Slowly, they dozed off next to each other, warm blankets wrapped around thir small forms while outside, the snow continued to fall...

Sir I wanna buy these shoes for my Momma please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry Sir?
Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes will make her smile
And I want it to look beautiful
If Momma meets Jesus tonight

Both boys awoke to find their feet had been gently warmed by the fire, and their cheeks were flushed from the heat. They stumbled to their feet, running to a door at the end of the hall. It was creaked open, oh so slightly. They stopped when they saw darkness inside. The older slowly pulled the door open and entered. Behind him, the blunette clutched the red bag with the words, 'To Mommy' scribbled on the front.

"Momma?" Krad gently tugged at the sheets as he slowly approached the bed. A harsh cough echoed through the room and the boys flinched. Next to his mother, a man stirred, but did not wake. Golden eyes fluttered open weakly, staring weakly at the child before them. A smile split on the boys faces as they huddled closely, shyly holding out the bag. The woman pulled herself up, covers slipping from her frail figure. She took the bag with shaking hands, unwrapped it and looked at the shoes. She pulled the two boys closely, and she whispered weakly, "Thank you."

They watched as she moved from the bed slowly, slipping on the white shoes. The shoes matched nicely with the white night gown that she wore, sun colored hair resting just above her chest. She took their hands as she pulled herself up and the three walked into the living room to be greeted with a lush tree, glowing brightly. The boys giggled softly. There were just three presents placed on underneath the tree. They ran forward as their mother sat on the sofa, watching them eagerly unwrap the presents with names written neatly over both.

The blonde held up a snow white sweater stitched carefully with the hands of silk. The younger held a small hat, crimson in color, with a puff of red on the top as well. Both of them pulled their clothes made by their own mother on and rushed over. Their faces paled. She swayed dangerously, white shoes still firmly on her feet. Her face was red with not warmth from around her, but inside her. One hand rested on each of their heads, running fingers through their hair. Tears came to their eyes, threatening to break and run down pale skin. And then, she swayed one last time and collasped on the floor.

I want it to look good

"Mommy!"

If Momma meet's Jesus tonight

Krad was plunged from his memories as an ice cold orb of snow met with the back of his head and he stumbled forward. He looked behind him, lips turned down to see who had decided to bring him back to his senses. A boy, probably about his age stood, one hand raised a snowball still in his hand. He blinked and then ran off. Krad blinked and watched as the boy disappeared, locks of violet vanishing in the crowd. Strange. He looked familiar...

IIiiII
Ah, hello? Sorry for this extra comment (not even sure if I'm allowed to do this XD) but anyway, I wanted to say if anyone likes this, and wants to continue reading it, just poke in at: www.fanfiction.net/~peachiex and look for the title. Among others...My computer goes slow on this site, so I probably won't update a lot.