Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : YoungAdult

Cess exhaled deeply as she looked out the window. Her neighborhood had just been hit with two feet of snow last night, and she wanted to play. Even though she was in ninth grade, she still enjoyed playing in the snow just like any other kid. Cess grinned as she saw her friend Kayo Chai coming up the street in a brand new red winter jacket with a matching scarf around her neck. Cess quickly got up from the window and got on her blue winter jacket and yellow scarf.

She then tip toed past the couch where her dad had passed out, a beer bottle layed in his hand and his breath smelled of alcohol. Cess went to the kitchen where her mother was preparing lunch. "Mom?" Cassie turned towards her daughter, "be back by 6." Cess sighed and gave her mother a pleading look. Cassie met her daughter's look with a look of her own, it was blank, unexpressionless, her blue eyes where glazed over with a silent anger. She raised an eyebrow. Cess lowered her eyes and nodded, "ok." Casie patted her daughter's shoulder.

"Good girl. Go on." Cassie shooed Cess with a wave and went  back to fixing lunch. Cess ran out the door towards Kayo. "Hey. " Kayo grinned, "Cess, hey how's it going?" Cess shrugged, "usual. "
Kayo nodded. "Wanna go sledding? Harold has a sled that can fit four people on it."
Cess smiled. "Sure." Kayo and Cess spent the rest of the afternoon sledding with Harold. 
Then Cess lost track of time. 
It was 6:30 and Cess quickly ran back to her house. She lost her balance and tripped face first on a cold bed of snow, but Cess didn't care and got up and ran the rest of the way home. Cess opened the front door and stepped inside. She braced herself and was met with a slap in the face. Cess fell on the ground,  but was picked up by her brown hair.

"Let's go." Cassie said with no expression in her voice as she let go of Cess's hair and grabbed her wrist, taking her into the shed out back. 
                             *****
School was in session the next day and there was no sign of Cess. Kayo looked and waited, but there was no sign of her. Kayo and her cousin walked home together. Suddenly, a small whimpering sound came from an abandoned shack they passed. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up." Kayo said, looking at the shack. Her cousin shrugged and