The Blue Berry Effect

..--..

There was a picture on the wall behind her... the poster of a small kitten dozing off inside a waterless goldfish bowl. The caption said "Sshh. Predator at Work." It almost made me laugh out aloud. I could write a thesis on that picture if someone asked me to. It was such a trivial thing and yet, there I was... staring at it so contemplatively. My thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing on her desk.

"We'll give you a call if the boss likes it. Just place the papers on the table and you may leave," she said nonchalantly as she shushed me and picked up the receiver.

The word 'leave' felt so synonymous with 'scram and stop bothering me'. But in times like this, every man learns to swallow his pride and stand for what he believed in. And that is exactly what I did.

I just stood there hopelessly on that cold, damp carpet... like a dog lost in the woods in search of a fresh scent. The secretary treated me like a torn piece of a discarded rag. Though there were two empty chairs before her desk, the gold digger didn't even have the courtesy to ask me to sit. Not that I minded too much anyway. She was much kinder compared to the ones who had slammed the door on my face.

Ignoring me, she continued chatting to the person on the other end of the line, "Hello... Yeah, yeah. I'm back... So, Maggie, you conniving fiend... are you telling me that you actually went back to the store and bought that turtle neck sweater behind my back?... You should 'ave told me... What? You can't expect me to take a Monday off for shopping, do you?"

My feet were getting tired of the cold floor and my eyes were getting tired of the sight before me. The woman in blue was clearly getting on my nerves. And to top that, I was being treated to a very one-sided conversation whose central theme shifted at a whim from shopping to preferences of men. Oh, joy.

"Er-Excuse me for a second," I called, hoping to draw her attention. But she was too enwrapped in her own little world of gossip to notice me. A sigh of annoyance escaped my lips and I shoved my freezing hands into the depths of my pocket.

The secretary leaned back into her swiveling cushion chair, crossed her denim-clad legs and began giggling into the receiver. She was a very weird woman with an even stranger fashion sense. She wore this awful pair of spectacles... you know, the broad rimmed ones that could even make Miss. Shopping Mall '07 look like a geek in a bikini. It was the middle of winter and all she was dressed in was a blue strapless top and jeans. Her red sweater was lying on one side of the table, resting over a discarded pile of papers... possibly, similar manuscripts from other hapless fools like me. The only other accessory that she wore was the phone receiver which seemed to be forever glued to her ears.

She was now biting the end of her pen. And she had this typical look on her face... you know... the kind of look that women put on before they ask their husbands to buy that costly leather jacket on display over a mannequin. Thank God I never got married. Of course, no girl in her right mind would marry someone like me- a twenty two year old drop out from the community arts college... No money, no goddam inheritance, no permanent job... I was officially broke and had no future... or so my landlady proclaimed. Oh, God had blessed me with a terrible luck when it came to women.

Not surprisingly, the chatter-box changed gears faster than a Ferrari could.

"Listen. Can you lend me that pair of stilettos you got from La Viera?... Yes, yes, those gorgeous red ones... What? What do you mean you can't lend it?... Maggie, come on, I thought wewere friends... Friends are supposed to help each other out... What are you talking about? I've never insulted you... Hey now, I never said anything about your scarf... All I said was that your pink scarf accentuates your large nose... Of course, that was a compliment!... Barbara Streisand had a great nose, mind ya."

"Hey lady..." I called.

She didn't bat an eye and continued ranting. "I am not really free this Saturday either... It's tough being the paper girl for the editorials and the pay sucks big time!... I know... I know... I really ought to look for a better job. Maybe I oughta move to Illinois like Michelle did."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Though I did agree with her to some extent. She'd be doing the world a favor if she moved. If not the world, then atleast me. But wouldn't an igloo in Greenland be a better destination for Her Highness?

My frustration was climbing to its peak. I decided to try the oldest trick in the book of human psychology. Just as the annoying secretary from hell began ranting on her gynecological problems, I cleared my throat and pointed towards the window at the far side of the small office. The woman finally noticed me from the corner of her eyes. She cocked up an eyebrow and detached herself from the receiver after a long pause. "Why are you still here?" she asked me in a pained tone.

I pointed hard at the window, putting on a fearful expression. My act would have been a failure had I been a novice. But those tardy hours spent in drama class finally seemed to have lent me an easy hand.

"L-Look there. Did you see that?" I stammered in a fake tone.

She didn't end the call. Instead, she slowly let the receiver rest on the table. Sitting up straight, she tried to see what I was pointing at. Her gaze flitted past my index finger, towards the closed glass windows. It was snowing lightly... which was a pretty normal sight since we were well into January now. Her eyebrows furrowed into a thin crease and after a long pause, she asked, "See what? I don't see anything.".

"I think I saw something dreadful..." I trailed off, creating a melancholic atmosphere with due effect.

"Saw what?"

"A pale face in the window..."

A brief silence followed. The naive secretary was visibly unnerved by my words. She picked up the receiver again, took a deep breath and told her friend, Maggie that she'd call her back later. After ending the call, she looked at me wide-eyed.

"You saw a face?... You're kidding me."

"No, I am not. Trust me, I saw it... just a moment ago. Th-The face. It looked just like the Scream."

"Oh my God... The Scream? You... you mean that '96 blockbuster Scream?"

For the second time that evening, I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Why was it that everyone knew about the movie but had never heard of the expressionist painting that Edvard Munch painted in 1893?

"No, I was actually referring to an old painting. Don't worry. I bet you've never even heard of it. But I think I saw the exact face in the glass... Anyone giving the exterior a second coat?" I asked her, trying to act my part of an unsuspecting victim.

"Not really. Atleast I am not aware of it... We are two floors up from the street. You do realize that, don't ya?"

"Yeah... but I am darn sure about it. It was too livid to be just my imagination. I did see that face. Trust me," I told her, straightening my spectacles while looking at her curiously. This was too easy. I would never have guessed that she'd buy my story without a single speck of suspicion.

"You think it was a gh-ghost?" her voice quivered as she spoke. I hadn't realized it but she had unscrupulously scooted away to the other end of the room. She was rummaging through her coat for something... perhaps, a pack of cigarettes to calm her nerves down.

"Maybe... Maybe not. I can't get the image out of my head. It had these black, bloodshot eyes and was letting out a moan."

"Oh my God... Tell me more... They say, there used to be a haunted house on this spot before this complex was constructed."

I tried hard to keep myself from chortling with laughter. The truth about talkative people is... They'd believe anything even if it's against the wishes of the logical part of their brains. They were so darn gullible. Feeding a gossiper a supernatural tell tale was like tempting the gulls with a tuna.

Turning to her, I flashed a toothy smile. "This reminds me of my grandfather's winter house. Boy, that had a misty tale attached to it too."

She pushed her spectacles up her crooked nose and returned my smile. "Oh, really? Please have a seat and tell me all about it. It might be a while before the editor returns."

I didn't refuse her oh-so generous offer. My guesses were that the woman was too afraid to be left all alone without any company... especially with a mysterious entity out on the loose. Of course, let's leave aside the fact that the so-called mysterious entity was a figment of my imagination. Clearing my throat, I curtsied "Uh, are you sure? I don't want to waste your time..."

She was quick to take the bait. "Oh, no problem at all. Shall I make some tea for ya?"

I grinned as I leaned into my comfy chair. "Why, that would be wonderful."

..--..

The night was getting colder and yet, here I was... strolling around the house with nothing but my work clothes on. My feet got some respite from the icy floor since I had these nice pair of comfortable woolen socks on. It was probably one of the few items that had lasted since I dropped out of college.

It was a good thing that my father disowned me. I wouldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't atleast tried to make it on my own. Or maybe, I was just consoling myself with that thought.

How depressing.

I sat down cross-legged on my bed and began opening the bento box I had bought at a local Japanese restaurant. The chef was the father of an old friend of mine and often let me eat there for free on one condition... as long as I fed him the heroic tales of his son's adventures in college. Like the good ol' time when Kenichi walked into the girls dressing room by mistaking it to be the 'literary' club. In spite of the bruises he received to his male ego, good ol' Kenichi was now working in a big electronics company... earning some huge bucks. Sad thing was, he forgot all about his old man. Though Kenichi was a younger version of his father, I had come to realize that they were poles apart. Unlike his indifferent son, old Takemoto was one of those rare souls who'd feed hungry art students of a nearby university... without any second thoughts.

"Itadakimasu," I said aloud and was ready with my chopsticks to devour the food... that is, until the food-snatcher came along. He jumped onto the bed and began sniffing at the food.

"Hey now..." I warned. "You already had dinner. How about letting me enjoy mine?"

He whimpered and began drooling with his tongue stuck out of his mouth. He continued basking in the scent of my dinner while I tried with futile efforts to push him the other way. I let out a long sigh. For an adopted stray dog, Cole was pretty adamant. "Fine, we'll share half and half," I mumbled with a sober smile and ruffled the white fur under his ears. "Atleast one of us should be able to attract the ladies."

Before I could even divide our shares, Cole had already started devouring my meal. My eyes watched in horror as the meat, the fish and the cooked vegetables disappeared one by one.

"STOP! I said half and half. Not the whole goddam thing," I screamed in sorrow as I tried to retrieve the roasted fish hanging from his mouth. Unfortunately, unlike me, Cole wasn't in the mood to share the last bite.

Dinner was over in an instant and having filled his tummy to the brim, my mangy dog curled up on my bed, snoring away on my white sheets. Feeling a little annoyed, I tried pushing him down but he remained rooted to his spot.

"You are one pesky dog, Cole..." I muttered out aloud.

I couldn't provoke any kind of reaction from the sleeping beast. He sunk deeper into the thin mattress and let out a sleepy growl.

..--..

I had been a freelance writer... for the past one year. I still didn't know whether writing was a hobby or a talent. I just wrote whatever came to mind, be it something ridiculous or even philosophical. Getting an editor to accept my works was the most difficult of tasks... Most turned me down saying that they couldn't publish 'this sort of crap'. Some said that my works ought to be down-to-earth and more realistic. Like Mr. Todd Wilson from Crosswords who went as far as to shove the papers back in my face.

Oh, I was living the high life alright.

But even though my life really seemed to be going astray, I remained sane... by the grace of someone out there. A few months ago, before I started living in this run down shack, I didn't even have the money to buy a decent meal, let alone live in a house. I was spending my nights on a park bench in second avenue, running away every time I spotted a policeman. And whenever I showed up for any job interviews, my unshaved face would alert the guards and they wouldn't let me go past the front door itself.

My grip on my pen tightened and I stopped writing. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes in reminiscence.

I wonder what my mother would say if she knew of my desolate state. She'd probably book the fastest train from heaven and would knock on my door with a bowl of chicken soup in her hand... not without that oh-so-familiar healing smile of hers. I loved that woman to pieces. The biggest irony is... even as cancer tore her apart seven years ago, I used to keep hoping that maybe God would fix her and make her well again. Though I had never prayed in my life before, I put aside my pride and knelt down before Him... asking for a miracle... begging for my mother to be put back together as if she was just a precious, broken vase. But the truth was... I was the one shattered into a zillion pieces and no glue in the world could put me back again.

She died in her sleep one day... coincidentally the same day, I had bought Norwegian blue berries as a get-well-soon present for her. I could still remember walking into that sordid white room and to find her eyes closed with a graceful smile on her lips. I hated that room. It was so white that my eyes hurt because of the brightness. And even when you tried crying, everything was just a blurry mixture of white.

In the end, those blueberries rotted away and so did I.

That's when I was forced to stop writing. My article was still incomplete when my fountain pen ran out of ink.

"Oh, shit... "

Running my fingers through my brown hair, I mumbled a few more colorful curses out of sheer frustration. My eyes wandered over to the clock and I found its fluorescent hands pointed at eleven. Not the best time to go out in search of a convenience store now, was it?

Cole was still cuddled on my bed, shivering against the cold at times. The only change that had occurred was in his position. After a lapse of three hours, he now lay sprawled with all his four paws stretched out over my bed protectively. I would probably have to sleep on the couch again.

Letting out a sigh, I removed my glasses and looked up at the wooden boards that comprised my ceiling. The house that I had rented was more like a warehouse. Located in the outskirts of the city, it came off at a worthwhile price. Maybe I was the one who got suckered by the low rent but it wasn't too bad... minus some creaking boards, a leaking tap and a broken down heater. On the outside, the color of the tiles was fading, making the house look more dilapidated than it already was.

Damn, I did get suckered by that son of a gun.

I gazed at the flames burning in the fireplace, my head overwhelming with bittersweet thoughts on this winter night. It was at that moment when I heard it. The sound of a distant bell. I probably would have never heard it if the sound hadn't echoed through my empty home. But a bell in the middle of the night? Christmas had long gone by.

Or did I just hear it out of my ludicrous imagination?

Maybe, my brain had got a tad bit too hyperventilated from over-working.

I decided to get up and take a quiet stroll around the house. Wearing a pair of maroon socks, I walked towards the closed window and pulled up the shutters. The glass was covered with mist, hindering my view of the outside world. I opened the window with a puff and leaned across the colorless ledge. One of the hinges stuck out dangerously and I moved aside, wary of its sharpness. A small wind bristled inside uninvited and a snowflake gently floated down and sat on my nose. I blew it away with a soft grunt.

I looked around and found the whole alley underneath enveloped under a sheet of white. When I looked down, I knew I would regret not having my glasses on. The snow resting on the lids of the garbage cans glistened against the yellow streetlights. But that wasn't the peculiarity that caught my attention. It was something else... or rather, someone else. At first I thought it was just a blot in my vision. But the more I squinted, the more real it seemed.

Taking in a heavy breath, I scurried back inside and went to my desk to fetch my glasses. After putting them on, I hurried back to the window and looked out again. My pulse was racing, less with excitement but more with worry. Somewhere deep down, I didn't want that vision to come true. For once, I wanted my eyes to be at fault.

Yet, there she was... no mistake about it. Under the shadow of my protruding roof, surrounded by trash cans half buried in the snow, a girl lay on the ground... sleeping so peacefully that I was afraid she might be dead. All she wore was a thin white dress, leaving her legs to remain exposed to the chill.

I scampered back in... scooting far from the window, rubbing my hands to warm myself. I was trying to recover from my own shock. When my senses returned, I rushed to my closet, pulled out a scarf and wrapped it around my own neck before hurrying out. Cole was still sleeping like a log and didn't notice the noise that I was making. And I thought his breed were good watch dogs. Boy, was I wrong.

Jumping over the stairs two at a time, I ran through the double doors. When I turned around the corner of the house, I got an awful feeling that she might just disappear. Trudging through the heavy snow, my heart skipped a few beats and I was quickly short of breath.

When I arrived at the spot right underneath my window, I was relieved to see that she was there... still quite motionless.

"Hey, you! Wake up!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

No response.

"You are going to freeze yourself, damn it. Do you have a death wish?"

She didn't even wake up when I nudged her feet. Panting slightly because of my long run, I knelt beside her and caught her wrist. Much to my relief, I could feel her pulse. Her skin was cold and yet, she didn't shiver in spite of her scanty clothes. I took off my coat and wrapped her with it. There was no sign of life in her though I could still feel the heartbeat in her chest.

"Damn," I muttered out aloud. "What am I supposed to do now?" I asked myself.

I stood up and ran to the street. All the stores were closed and there wasn't a single light on in any of the residences. The road was empty except for a truck parked at one corner. All my vision could pick up... was the sight of two burly men having a booze inside the truck in the middle of the night.

"Uh, hello... " I called out.

No response yet again.

"There's a girl here who needs help urgently. Hello? Anyone there?"

It seemed as if the whole city was asleep... except for me, that is.

Mumbling out curses again, I scurried through the snow and walked back to the spot where I left her. She remained motionless. I was caught on a crossroad, not knowing which one to take. I should take her to a hospital but I didn't even have a bike. Calling 911 would be inviting trouble for a property encroacher like me. I hated making decisions. I'd always regret them later in life. Since I really didn't have a choice, I decided to follow my instincts.

Heaving a huge breath, I bent down and picked her up in my arms. She was surprisingly heavy... Perhaps, all those muscles I had built in the school days had weakened or maybe, the winter air was just scarce of oxygen. My pride blamed the climate. Whatever the reason was, carrying the girl upstairs was the most uphill task I had ever carried out. Her body hung loosely on my arms and her face looked even paler in the dark... I was pretty scared that she might freeze to death at any given time. It wasn't long before I reached the door and kicked it open.

I laid her down on the couch beside the fireplace.

With my breath heaving, I dropped onto my carpet and took a long moment to regain my composure. I made a mental check to hit the local gym next week. I'd probably be able to sneak in for a free work-out.

I looked at the girl and she was still goddam asleep. Boy, she'd even sleep through a tornado. Her red tresses were ruffled across the cushions. Seams of her thin white dress glowed against the fire. I would be lying if I said that she wasn't a pretty girl.

With a worried face, I caught her wrist again and there it was... the slow and steady rhythm of her heart.

Well, atleast she was still alive. But what was I to do with her? Should I call an ambulance? But she seemed alright... Her breathing was regular though she did seem a bit pale. I decided to let her rest until morning and then, send her packing to her home. For now, she did seem content to be sleeping under the warmth of my coat.

I caught her shoulder gently and shook her. "Hey you. Are you feeling alright? Wake up!" I called.

Somewhere in the vicinity, I heard a loud bark. Soon enough, Cole trampled into the living room uninvited and gently sat down on his hind legs, looking at me expectantly.

"I wasn't calling you, ol' mutt," I answered, glaring accusatively at the mangy dog as if he was the one at fault.

He let out a loud whimper. Sometimes, I had the uncanny feeling that he could actually understand my words.

"This is all your fault, Cole. Unlike what most people believe, you are not a man's best friend. In fact, you are a guy's worst enemy. If you had not eaten my dinner, I wouldn't be an insomniac now. If you had not slept on my bed, I'd be dozing off unaware of what's happening outside. But oh no, thanks to you, now I am stuck giving shelter to homeless people. It's all your fault... cos' you are one selfish dog who can't even let me sleep on my own bed."

I didn't realize that my hand was still on her shoulder. My yelling must have startled her. In fact, the one who was most startled was me... when she suddenly started stirring out of the blue. When her hazel eyes opened, I almost felt an electric jolt. Pulling myself away, I stood up and glanced at her as she awoke.

The strange girl sat up and leaned against the back of my worn couch. She squinted her eyes against the bright light in the room.

"Uh... where am I?" she asked me, looking around fearfully.

I let out a goofy smile. "Nowhere special. Besides, I am the one who should be asking questions since I am the one who saved your butt. What the hell were you doing out there in this freezing weather? Trying to kill yourself?"

"... No. I was just... sleeping."

Just sleeping? If she was trying to joke, she was not being very funny.

"Kid, the temperature is minus ten degrees right now. Normal people don't sleep outside wearing that thin scrap of a cloth that you call a 'dress'!"

She suddenly became very self-conscious and huddled herself protectively under my large coat. Pulling her knees to her chest, she lowered her head and remained silent. A long moment passed and my guilt deepened. There was a tight knot in my throat and the cold weather had nothing to do with it. I was afraid that I had frightened her. Maybe the girl had nowhere to go. Maybe she was a runaway. Maybe she had been trying to commit suicide... Well, even if she was... there were easier ways to die than freezing yourself to death.

"Uh- I didn't mean to scare you. You don't have to cry. Besides, I don't want my couch getting slobbered with your tears. One dog's drool is bad enough to clean..." I mumbled while resting my hand on her shoulder supportively.

"I wasn't crying... " she emphasized.

"... right. So, let me guess. You ran away from home because of an abusive father. You decided to come to the city to become a movie star or whatever. But when luck finally ran out, you ended up here, in this hell hole... and decided to kill yourself. Am I right?"

She shook her head and muttered a 'no' in a small voice.

"Hmm. Okay, let me try that again. You are the daughter of a very rich entrepreneur and wanted to escape your savvy life. That's why, you decided to hop on the last bus of the night and hitchhiked your way down here to mingle with us... petty commoners."

She shook her head again.

"So, who the hell are you then?"

She finally mustered the courage by tilting her head up to look at me. Her hazel eyes locked into my blue ones. The awkward silence that we shared was an intimidating one. It felt like she was someone from just another world, who had accidentally tripped into mine. It was as if we were sharing a scene from 'My Fair Lady'. Her lips parted but she stopped before she could utter a single word. All I heard was a whimper rumble from the redhead's stomach.

"I am sorry... " she apologized, her face red with embarrassment.

I let out a playful grin and shook my head sideways. "Boy, you must be really hungry. But I don't think I have anything at all to offer you... unless you mind eating a stale loaf of bread and some cereal..."

Her eyes lit up at the mention of food. As she rocked herself in the glow of the fire, I headed to the kitchen and decided to whip up a decent meal. My gas was running low and the bulb in the kitchen was fused for the past week... all I could prepare in the dark was a bowl of cornflakes, a few slices of toast and some radish soup. It wasn't the best of meals but I felt that it might give her the essential warmth in this cold weather.

I wasn't wrong by a long shot. The girl must have been really hungry. She gobbled up the food as if she hadn't eaten in a week or so. I watched her intently as she ate her meager dinner. She was a strange one, alright... The girl had this peculiar way of holding her cutlery. She let all her fingers wrap around the handle of the spoon like a little infant would. And her eyes had such dark circles under them, I began to wonder whether she had been getting enough sleep. My coat that had been warming her body had slid off her shoulders, exposing her thin frame. The more I observed her, the more guilty I felt for not being able to give her a sufficient meal. She finished the food within a few minutes and I was afraid she might ask for a second serving. But she didn't.

Instead, she stared back at me with an unreadable expression.

"Are you still hungry?"

"No," she replied and curled into a small ball again. She reminded me of the caterpillar I had once seen in my grandfather's house. Every time, you tried poking the insect with a stick, it would curl into a small ball... blissfully unaware that I could stamp it any minute. I was quite a sadistic boy in my teens. No doubt.

"Do you have a name?"

"...Yes."

She never answered any of my questions with more than a few words. I guessed that she didn't trust me still. I did want to know who she was and where she came from. But I didn't want her to reveal anything about herself against her wishes. A small glance at the window revealed that it was snowing harder in the outside world. Heaving a sigh, I decided to let her stay for the night.

"Well, alright..." I said, standing up straight. "You can sleep on the couch tonight. Cole will keep you company. Is that fine with you?"

My dog barked in approval. I glared at him and remarked, "I wasn't talking to you, mutt... " When I turned to the girl, she gave me a grateful smile and nodded gently.

I let out a yawn and decided to get some sleep myself. If the girl was a runaway like I had assumed her to be, I'd be knocking the doors of a lot of people tomorrow. I decided to save my energy for the next day. A scowl escaped my lips. I really should learn to stop picking up strays from the street. I guess I never learnt from my previous lessons.

"Will you be alright?" I asked her, a strange feeling stringing in me.

She replied immediately, "I will be fine. Please don't worry about me. You've been too kind to me already."

I looked at her one last time. That strange feeling wouldn't go away. It was as if I might never see her again.

..--..

I had been drifting into the wonders of the subconscious mind when I was suddenly awoken by the sound of a chair being pulled against the creaky, wooden floor. A little annoyed at being awoken so rudely, I sat up straight and grazed around for my glasses. I finally found them under the bedside lamp. After putting them on, I squinted at the bright light peeking through from the living room. I pulled back the covers and stepped onto the cold, hard floor. Opening the door of my bedroom by a small arc, I peeked at the living room to find the flames in the fireplace alight again and the only occupant being my dog, Cole... who was napping on the carpet, cuddled at the foot of the empty couch. There was no sign of the girl.

Pulling myself together, I walked into the living room and looked around. The girl was nowhere to be found. It was as if she had disappeared. The front door was still locked and so were the bathrooms and the windows. I turned to the couch again, in hope that the girl might miraculously appear but no such luck.

I looked at the desk on the far corner of the room. Something on it looked out of the ordinary. I walked towards it warily, looking around for signs of her at the same time.

When I reached the desk, I found a blue berry resting on the wooden top. At first, I thought I was seeing things. But when I picked up the small fruit and squeezed its soft texture, it felt so real. When I turned to my manuscript, I was surprised to find it neatly ordered and stacked according to the page numbers. I had left all my papers shuffled all over the place previously. As I scuffled through, I found that everything was the same except for the last page. Right after the last line I had written, someone had inscribed-

"Thank you."

My heart beat furiously as I stood on my spot, feeling dazed.

Who was that girl I had found in the trash?

Was she even human?

I smiled ruefully as I put down the manuscript and walked to the window. I never knew who was that strange girl in white. Part of me believed that she could have been an angel. Yes, that's right. An angel in the trash. Cole whimpered somewhere in the vicinity, almost in approval of my thoughts.

When I walked down to throw the thrash away the next day, the impression of her body where I had found her the night before still remained miraculously... in spite of the night's snow fall.

In a strange way, real or not, she had mended my bruised heart... and I'd always remember her for it.

..--..