Cold Oblivion

I don’t have much time left. I must recount my tale before my time is up; before I fade out of existence.

The first thing I remember is waking up outside. It was snowing out and I was naked. I felt dozens of children's’ hands about my head and body, rubbing my skin back and forth.

I tried to run away, but my legs and feet were firmly planted under the snow, deep into the ground. I tried to flail my arms, but they, too, were frozen, immovable. I was trapped. I had no way of escape, and could only hope that one of these children would soon, set me free.

The children stood back and glared at me with awe and wonderment. They whispered things to each other as they continued to gape at my raw, naked form. I wanted to shout at them, beg for them to release me, but none heard my plea. One small boy approached me and looked with a wide, evil grin upon his cherub-like face. He got down on the ground on his hands and knees as another little boy quickly climbed on his back and met me face to face.

His look was quizzical and contemplative, as if he wanted to do more to me, but could not decide on what to do. I closed my eyes in hopes that I could concentrate on a happy place while he performed his dastardly deed.

He grabbed my nose and twisted it around and jammed it back into my skull, but careful enough not to break it. The pain surged through my body as he twisted and shoved for what seemed to be an eternity.

The boy then plucked out each of my eyes and placed them back onto my face in different locations. Miraculously, I could still see, but my vision has been permanently skewed.

He turned to his cohorts and reached for what I thought would be my undoing. But, surprisingly, he presented me with a wool scarf, and delicately wrapped it around my neck. It wasn’t much, but the warmth was lovely. It was enough for me to concentrate on while I remained out in the vile blizzard.

He turned back to his fellow children and placed a tall black hat on my head, as if to mock me. He jumped down and rejoined his comrades as they gazed at me once more. They jumped in jubilation as they finished their physical torture of my body. And just as quickly as it had ended, they simply left me. All of the children vanished into the blinding white of the snow. They have yet to return.

Week after week, month after month, I stood there in my frozen solitude. The snow eventually cleared and I saw the children passing by, not giving me any notice. I saw other people casually walking past me. I tried to call for help, but just like my captors, they could not hear me either; they could only see me. Soon, it began to grow warm.

The scarf was no longer needed, but it was not removed, it only slid off of my neck, down my shoulders and onto the ground. My nose, battered and bruised slowly slid out of my skull and rolled down my chest; plopping onto the slushy mix that slowly began to rise around my feet and ankles. My eyes stayed firm, but now, they are showing signs of fatigue. My spine has become deformed as I now slump over to my right side. The chilling pool of ice and water continues to rise. It looks as if it may consume the rest of me and I will slowly drown.

It has been months since I first remembered my incarceration, my left eye has completely fallen out, the scarf swims around the pool that has reached up to my ears, and I have come to terms with my fate. I calmly wait for my end and can only pray that the hereafter is much more forgiving than my short frozen life.

Thumpity... thump... thump.