FicWad

The Great Disappointment

The sky was a violent black above the streetlamp lit lanes, until out of its freezing void tiny, intricate snowflakes began to gently sweep down, gracing the frozen earth. As if the weather its self is celebrating the day that it brings, the snow begins to fall faster, coating the ice that the moon sits high, smiling down upon. Then, as the tall, towering clock in the very heart of the frozen town begins its solemn chime, greeting the beginning of Christmas day for the town's occupants, lights begin to flicker on in odd houses far and near. Excited children slam off their alarms and spring from bed to wake tired but joyous parents, gleaming with untold secrets and wonders for their children to behold. But behind one curtain, only slightly glowing from the light of a single candle lit in its window, a figure stands, staring out into the swirls and dances of the snow. He sighs slowly and pulls back the curtain, the moonlight shining on his pale features and dark hair as he presses his hand to the freezing glass, his breath misting it up and hiding him from the world outside. No one else in the house is awake to hear him whisper his unspoken Christmas greetings to his family who sleep far away from where he stands now; staring out in the direction he knows they dream. Soon his friends will wake and rush to find him, then he will smile, completing it with childish excitement and happiness that only those near him will ever really see and on this day really only properly. Then he and they will wander downstairs, with cold breath held as they push open the living room door to the lights of the shining Christmas tree that sits in its centre, overshadowing presents of every shape and size, wrapped in shining paper that echoes care. They will all grin at each other, all reflecting the same wonder and boyish pleasure that only Christmas can really bring. They will sit around the tree and exchange gifts and marvel over what they receive but in their hearts they all long the same way he did to be home and to be together at the same time. When they leave that day far behind them they will always wish it back with the same ting of sadness for the joy only family bring that they had lost, they will pile it with happiness and lock it far away with all the other times they shared and bring it out only in the times of direst need. But for now they are men who wish to be boys and on this one day they may be and will be as joyous shrieks echo from their past to that day to the future and the others smile and the balance of emotions is restored once more.

But next Christmas will be the same and after all the months of preparation he will stand again with a single candle lit and his hand pressed to cold glass as perfect snowflakes dance in front of his eyes and wish those he loves and cannot be with another Merry Christmas. For in their dreams they smile as he thinks of them and he knows it, even if it breaks his heart to remember.