The Blizzard of '92

Cool fall air rushed passed the gates and over the headstones of Oak Park cemetery rustling the leaves in the surrounding forest. Two blocks away, Robert Snow was tossing and turning in his bed, trying to get some sleep.
There was a loud crash of thunder that made Robert throw his head under his blankets. He was thirteen and storms such as this still frightened him. The storm, however, was not the only thing keeping Robert Snow awake. Tomorrow was Robert's favorite day of the year. He couldn't stop thinking about it all. All of the candy, all of the surprises, all of the treats. Yes, for Robert Snow, no day was quite .
This year was to be extra special. This year, he could go out without parental supervision. This year he could do whatever he wanted. This year was all about Robert Snow.
Robert had already made plans with three of his friends. They, like most kids on Halloween, were going trick-or-treating. Julie, a girl Robert Snow very much liked, was dressing up as a witch. Kyle, Julie's current boyfriend, was going as a bum. Jake, Robert's best friend, was the Grim Reaper. Robert himself was going as a guy who was just killed by an ax murderer.
After another half hour or so of tossing and turning, Robert Snow finally fell asleep.
He awoke nine hours later with tears running down his face. He had dreamt something horrible.

*****

Later that day, all of the Halloween excitement had pushed the memory of the horrible dream to the back of little Robert Snow's mind.
His mother was busy getting all of the candy ready for what was sure to be a surplus of trick-or-treaters. His father, who had died two years ago, hung silently on the wall encased in a wooden frame. Robert Snow sat on the floor and finished carving out his jack-o-lantern.
"Do you need some help, dear?" his mother asked.
Robert, so engrossed in his work, just nodded a polite no.
When finished, he placed the hollowed out gourd on the porch with a lit candle inside. He went back into the house and began to get in costume.
He'd bought his costume at the local fabric store. They had an abundance of signs that read "Halloween: BOO in '92." They were holding a haunted house inside on Halloween. Robert Snow wasn't going.

*****

Robert's friends showed up ten minutes later all dressed in their respective costumes. Julie looked as beautiful as ever, even with a green face and warts. She entered holding Kyle, the bum's, hand. Jake entered last draped in black and head hung, dragging leaves with him.
"Oh," said Jake in his usual shy voice, "I.I'm sorry Mrs. Sn..er.I mean Miss Snow."
"Don't worry about it Jake. There have been worst things in this house, believe me," replied Robert's mother. "So what are your guy's plans for this evening?"
"Oh, you know," said Julie, "trick-or-treating, a movie if we get bored. Who knows, we might even head on over to the cemetery." She said this in jest. She knew that Robert hated the cemetery. Ever since his father's death he hasn't gone near the place.
Robert said nothing in response. He never did when it regarded Oak Park. He probably never will either.
After few "good-byes" and a handful of "be carefulls", the four friends were off and about. The covered five or six blocks in an hour.
"This is boring," complained Kyle, "let's go to my house and watch a movie. I rented 'The Sound Of Music!'" They all took turns beating him with their candy bags. "Ok ok ok," he said in submission, "it's really 'Night of the Living Dead."
They all agreed that anything, even the "Sound of Music," would be better than collecting candy in the cold.
Julie stopped the group when they were halfway to Kyle's house. "Instead of the movie, why don't we actually go to the cemetery?!"
While the rest of the group talked about this, Robert Snow continued his walk toward Kyle's house in a grave and doleful manner. Their words became blurred to Robert as he thought back to that horrible day.
It was tax day of 1990 when it happened. A cold and rainy day. Robert's father was walking to the street to get the morning mail. In his black rain coat and hood he made a cool looking silhouette Robert Snow thought. His father stepped out into the road, opened the mail box, and was smacked by a cherry red truck. His body flew down the street and the mail scattered the wet pavement. Robert Snow ran from the window from which he was watching. His father's body was mangled beyond all recognition. After the body hit the street, the truck kept driving. The driver of the cherry red truck was never found or prosecuted.
Robert Snow was being shaken by Jake. "Are you all right? You just sort ." Robert Snow shook his head in a very unconvincing yes because he was still to shaken to speak.
"We're all going to the cemetery Robert. You can come if you you can I mean," said Kyle.
At that moment, Robert Snow realized that now was the time to face his fears. If he didn't go to Oak Park and make peace with the tragedy within, he might never see his father's final resting place. Robert Snow needed closer. Robert Snow was going to get closer.
Without waiting for a response, Kyle, Julie, and a reluctant Jake started walking. Robert got up from the ground and followed close after his friends. He was going to the cemetery. He was going to Oak Park.

*****

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the front gate of the dark Oak Park Cemetery. The cast iron gate was swinging in the wind, almost as if it were inviting them inside.
Robert Snow's breath increased as he stared through the gates and into the darkness that was Oak Park at night. His heart beat raised as his once again saw his father fly thorough the air and smack against the pavement. It was a feeling he had never had before. A feeling he didn't want to have again. A feeling that turned his face white, and his knuckles whiter. He was having second thoughts. Maybe now wasn't the time. After all, Oak Park isn't going anywhere.
He felt a hand on his back.
Kyle pushed Robert Snow through the swinging iron gate and followed him in. "You're not whimpping out that fast," said Kyle.
After getting over some initial awkwardness, Julie spoke up. "Well, we're here, we might as well do something." No one said anything. "I suggest a search for the oldest gravestone," said Julie.
"There is only one problem with that Julie," said Kyle, "It's dark out!!!"
"So look close," said Jake. With that, they all split up and went searching. Robert Snow followed Jake because he didn't want to be in Oak Park, much less be there alone. Jake tried to empathize. "I wish I could say I know how you feel, but I honestly don't. What happened to you, back there at the entrance, that scared the hell out of me. I've never seen you like that before. And, to be honest, I don't want to again. I know that it must be hard for you to come in here. I mean, you saw him die. You watched the truck smash into , what I'm trying to say is."
Before Robert could open his mouth to tell Jake that he knew what he was trying to say, a blood curdling scream came from the direction that Julie had run off. Jake and Robert looked at each other, each with a look of horror on their faces, and took off running through the dark cemetery toward the source of the ear splitting bellow. As the swerved in and out of the headstones another scream rattled the body filled ground. They picked up speed and yet another death-wakening scream came from Julie. They tried to run faster but couldn't. All they could hear was the echoing scream from Julie and the wet grass beneath their feet. Jake slipped and fell to the ground. Robert had no idea if he had it a headstone. He turned to help him up but yet another scream issued from the darkness ahead. He kept running, leaving Jake behind.
He reached Julie and her hands were clasped to her face. She was whiter than Robert was earlier. Without looking at or speaking to Robert, she pointed at the gravestone she was transfixed upon. Robert walked to the other side and joined Julie. His eyes grew big and he gasped as he read the inscription. The tombstone said: Robert W. Snow, April 20th 1979- October 31, 1992, may his wonderful spirit live on in our hearts forever.
Tears ran down Robert Snow's face as he said "I dreamt this!"

-End of chapter one