Dark Snow

• Fatimah Beydoun, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2021

I rolled over, feeling the sting of the cold air biting into my bare skin. I tried to pull the blankets back over me, but the lump near me protested, grumbling. I sighed, sitting up and looking down at my sister. We were twins. Isabella glowed brightly even under the blankets. She was born with snowy white hair, skin that shined like the moon and eyes so bright a blue they looked otherworldly. I was born darker, my hair was as black as coal, my eyes as green as my sisters were blue and our skin the same bright colour. It was strange, we contrasted each other, she was white, and I was black. From the day we were born, she was always thought to be more innocent, and I was marked the mischief maker. But it wasn’t true, it was the opposite. Behind my sister's charming smile and bright little face, was a cunningness known to no one but me. I had never been apart from my sister, we were born together and we stayed together. She started moving and I looked down, watching her stretch as she sat up yawning.

‘Abby,’ she mumbled sleepily. ‘Why are you up?’

‘Someone stole my blankets.’

‘Did not!’

‘Did so.’ She slumped back, then her eyes lit up suddenly. I groaned,

‘Oh no, what are you up to Bells?’

‘Let’s go exploring Abby, I want to try that cave we saw, it’s not far!’ I moaned and buried myself under the blankets.

‘No Bella, we’ll get in trouble, it’s freezing and it’s midnight!’ She peeked her head under the blanket.

‘Pretty please, for your favourite sister.’ I sighed and got up.

‘You’re my only sister Bells, but fine, just rug up.’ She grinned cheekily,

‘Yes mum.’

Very soon we were outside, stumbling along the rocky little pebbles leading into the forest. Our house was on the border, so it was most convenient. I shivered and drew her closer. Soon we got to the entrance of the little cave we discovered a few days ago when playing near it. Bella shivered with excitement, and I moaned in fright.

‘This was a bad idea, let's go back.’

‘Abs, you can’t go now!’ Grumbling, I allowed her to pull me after her. Our flashlights didn’t provide much light, and it was black. All of a sudden, a great flock of black things flew at us. I screamed and dropped to the floor. Bella, fearless as always, squeezed my arm.

‘It’s alright Abby, it was only bats.’ I glared at her,

‘I want to go home.’

‘But we haven't even gone in deep.’ She protested sorrowfully.

‘Bella, I want to go home! With a resigned sigh she turned to head back, then stopped, frowning.

‘Where is home?’ I looked around in the pitch black cave, and knew we were lost. I turned to Bella, and we joined hands and began to glow, a light so bright it lit the cave up, and the darkness disappeared.