Happy New Year, Mia!!!

 As the year draws to a close, many gather around the table, sharing spirits and good cheer, while the ticking clock marks the approach of a new beginning, shadowed by the weight of unspoken struggles.

On this night, a troubled female named Mia, by her loving father, a fragile soul struggling with internal darkness and feelings of worthlessness, fights to accept the warmth of those who cherish her, haunted by her own silent burdens. Spending the last several hours alone, wandering aimlessly throughout the surprisingly empty streets of New York, she feels an overwhelming sense of loneliness and despair that she cannot escape. Typically, for this magical time of year, many would spend their festivities out in the winter's icy touch beneath an illumination of tiny lights that match the majestic orbs that take residence in our faraway skies, but not on this night. For the night's mischievous nature brought a brutal, biting wind that seizes any warmth within its icy fingers, forcing the simple-minded sheep to huddle close to fires, while the children of the night crawl from their shadowed tombs. Despite the risk of illness, Mia Rain walks alone in the darkness, her figure swallowed by the cold's relentless grip, feeling the weight of her emotional pain pressing down on her.

Drowning in an unshakable state of misery, as a childish fear of her own shadow has forced Mia away from her family's embrace and into a primal isolation that doom does seek when death selects her for another's desire. Crashed by the ever-present weight of an oncoming storm that towers over Mia from a dark, unreadable night sky as her rather poorly clothed person shivers within the cold wind's intrusive whispers. Traveling down a narrow, oddly cast alley, Mia was surrounded by hills upon hills of rotting trash, a stark contrast to the city's polite elegance. She gagged as a repulsive odor crawled up her nostrils as she walked deeper into the disgusting realm. High above this maze, hundreds of dirty laundry lines dance and swing back and forth in the icy air, their disarray mirroring her inner turmoil, with the silhouettes of homeless individuals nearby embodying her feelings of abandonment and despair.

Feeling her fears of abandonment and unworthiness racing through her troubled mind, Mia wonders if she can find the strength to confront her overwhelming fears or if they will continue to control her life.

" God Damn It!!!" Mia yells, her voice cracking with raw frustration as she sharply kicks a trash bag, pulling her jet-black hair in a desperate attempt to release her mounting emotions. An overwhelming surge of sadness, anger, and helplessness pours out, revealing her internal turmoil and longing for relief.

For a moment, all time froze as Mia's better nature urged her to go home. Yet, her fearful spirit was captivated by a mass of toxic steam from a sewer drain, echoing her inner chaos. She waits with a terrified heart, feeling trapped in her nightmare, as she weeps tears down her cheeks, repeatedly whispering, " I wanna go home..."

Collecting her person as she steadies her breath, Mia turns back and races out of the alleyway without any thought of her surroundings. But unbeknownst to the girl, a small figure no taller than three feet watches her flee with curiosity and hatred.

Dozens of uncomfortable and tiring minutes slipped away as Mia recklessly ran over the slippery snowy street, her vision blurring as she tried hard to hold back those childish tears that always wanted to leave her pretty green eyes. Almost tripping on her unstable feet, Mia slides to an obnoxious halt and painfully lands on her hands and knees; she is struck by a cruel burning sensation that chokes her hands as they dive into the healthy pile of freezing snow. 

Jerking her hands back as she awkwardly shakes and rubs the snow off her fingers, Mia scans her sides to see if anyone was taking notice of her rather embarrassing sequence. To her relief, one seems to be around. 

" Fuck..." Mia whispers as she stands up, dusting the snow from her now wet pants. 

Taking notice of a well-aged phone booth resting alone on the opposite side of the street, Mia sighs with acceptance as she swallows her pride and decides to call her family, watching the now-busy road, fire cars from left to right.

Ignoring the traffic, Mia takes a chance and dashes across the busy street. Car horns blare at random as each annoyed driver shouts foul obscenities at Mia, who doesn't mind sharing a few offensive remarks and finger gestures back. As she approaches the booth, a tiny boy, no older than four, giggles joyously as he's amused by the comical scene playing out before his innocent eyes; Mia doesn't pay any attention to the cheeky boy.

Struggling to jerk open the rusted door, Mia aggressively slips into the booth with a loud groan. The walls were tight and narrow, with the glass unhappily showing its age, heavy with stains from years of bad weather, and dirty, sweaty bodies had pressed their unflattering shapes against it. Posed in the center of the booth was an old, bulky phone with a handle corroded by fresh, warm human sweat. Disgusted, Mia rolled up her sleeve and wiped off the bodily fluid with an unhappy groan.

" Uh... Son of a bitch!!!" the obscenity shot of Mia's mouth as she searches her pockets of quarters with awkward movements; she short finds one.

Sliding the tiny bit of metal into the phone's narrow mouth, Mia listened to a faint mechanical tune as the phone slowly awoke back to life. Drawing Mia in with a soft hum as she waits, ten seconds before the operator answers. In what could only be described as a bored, disinterested voice, the operator agrees to connect Mia with her family's home. The line then raced and dived as Mia waited impatiently for them to answer. The line breaks with a sudden crack.

" Daddy?!" Mia cries with hope in her throat, but she receives no response; she asks again in a more desperate voice." Dad?!"

Proceeded by a comical out-of-place slide whistle jumping wildly, jumps down Mia's cold ear; before...

" Hiya, pumpkin!!!" A high-pitched giggle greets Mia with such delight: "Are you ready to ring in the new year?!"

" Y... your...you're not..." Mia chokes as her tears hop down in her cheeks once again.

" What?!" The voice inquires with a droopy lip, "Were you hoping to spend the holidays with someone else?!"

The voice paused as its master tried to think up another line of deceit.

"Ooohhh," the voice mocks devilishly, "Did you want to speak with your sweat daddy, pumpkin?!"

" Please..." Mia cries with quivering lips.

A loud crunch cracks sharply into Mia's ear as she listens to an uncomfortable smacking of hungry lips and teeth arguing for satisfaction, confirming the fate of her beloved father and her family.

" Don't cry, my pretty little pumpkin," The voice falsely reassured," For now on, you and I can spend every year without having to share our time with others..." The voice cackles.

 

Slamming the phone back on the cradle, Mia drowns in tears as she forcefully exits the booth and stands back out in the cold winter night. Rubbing the face with effort to see clearly, Mia wasn't sure what to do. Suddenly, she felt a gentle pull on her pant leg.

Peeking over her shoulder, Mia was surprised to see the tiny child who had found amusement in her earlier standing next to her. Locking her tearful eyes onto the child, Mia had noticed the first bloody scars that tattooed over the boy's innocent face. He smiles brightly at her, then says...

" Happy New Year, Mia!!!"

Initially, I had planned for my short story, In Death, We Shall Find Peace, to be the last of 2025. But as all creatives know, any plan shall lead to the unexpected. Have a Happy New Year, boils and ghouls!!!