Chapter 4

Christmas morning started with the sound of the doorbell ringing off the hook and people shouting.

But I didn't wake up.

My family did.

Dad pushed open the front door, ready to go wish the neighbors a merry Christmas.

He was wearing his new wool coat, with his hair slicked back, shiny as a mirror.

"For crying out loud," he muttered, stumbling over a pile of snow right at the doorstep.

He gave the snow pile an annoyed kick, but it didn't move.

Frowning, he bent down and wiped the snow off.

And that was when he saw my face.