In the late month of October, the snowflakes continued to fall, hitting the dead tree branches and then splitting up unto the ground. I silently watched the children in my neighbourhood make snow balls and throw it at each other.

From the scene, I could tell how much I missed my childhood days. Dad and I always use to go skating on the ice, obviously when things were going on well for us but then after both mum and dad lost their job one dark night, we had to relocate to a rented house so far away from the city.

I wanted to go out there to play with the kids but then, mum was definitely going to complain when she saw me. The dishes were not done and neither had I finished with my homework. It was the noon of Sunday and dad as usual had gone fishing with my brother leaving mum and I to ourselves.

"Mama! могу я выйти," ("Mum! could I go out to Katina's") 

"хорошо" ("alright")

"сначала помойте посуду" ("do the dishes first")

"да мама"("yes, mom!")

Katina is our neighbor. We have literally been friends since my family moved here.

I loved her more like the sister I never had because she never judged me for my family's current situation.

Comparing my class to hers, she was way higher, but neither she nor her parents ever made me feel like some loser.

Her parents let her sleepover in our not so nice house and on my so not nice bed but in all, she never once complained. I mean, she loved it.

I got into the kitchen, did the dishes, dried them and then packed them into the shelves. After that, I rushed upstairs, hoped on my bed, and began to do my homework knowing I will end up spending the rest of the day at Kat's watching movies.

It was an Arithmetic project so I was pretty quick with it. With the help of my calculator on the internet, I was sure to get a good grade.

"мама, я ухожу" ("Mum! I'm off.") I said loudly.

I got to Katina's place and realized it wasn't as peaceful as I always knew it to be. I could hear arguments going on and predicted it to be Katina's parents but I wasn't so sure.

They were a very lovely couple just like my parents were. Was this the right moment for me to go in? Should I go back home? I guess so.

I turned my back to the door, ready to leave to my home when the door screaked open. I looked behind only to find a sobbing Katina.

"Katina!" I called out. She looked up at me and run to hug me sobbing uncontrollably.

I rubbed her back soothingly.

"в чем дело?почему твои родители спорят" ("What's the matter? Why are your parents arguing?")

Анника мы уезжаем из" страны" ("Annika, we are leaving the country.")

My heart stopped beating for a moment when she said those words.

что? почему? как? когда("What? Why? How? When?")

  Не знаю когда, но, наверное, скоро. Однако я тоже не могу сказать, куда мы идем. Мама хочет поехать в Штаты, а папа, он хочет отвезти нас в Германию. Я не знаю, что мне теперь делать "   ("I do not know when but it's probably soon. However, I can't tell where we will be going either. Mum wants to go to the States and dad, he wants to take us to Germany. I don't know what to do now") she said.

Катина, садись!(Katina! Get in now.)  Her dad screamed.

She quickly rushed inside leaving me to my thoughts. I sat myself on the ground imagining my life without Katina.

It was not until I was freezing to death that I got up and went to my home and up into my room. Hopefully, I will see Katina tomorrow and then she could explain everything better to me.

But that was not the case. I woke up only to realize that Katina's dad's car was no longer in the parking lot.

I only convinced myself that he might have gone to work but after a walk to their house, ready to call Kat so that we could walk to school together, I realized that the house was empty. Katina was gone. She had left. I was never going to see her again.

I walked silently to my school feeling chill despitethe thick cardigan I wore.

My dad didn't have a car like other dad's did but that didn't stop me from being cheerful. I knew eventually, a day will come when things will go back to how they used to be.

The bell rang for English class, my favorite subject. I just loved it when it came to learning new languages.

"сегодня мы изучим предметный глагол согласование." (Today we will study subject verb agreement)

I was so happy and began to jot down some stuff. When it came to English class, I made sure to jot down all my notes in English though our communication was mostly done in Russian.

Soon,class was over and it was time for lunch. Mum was ill and hence could not pack lunch for me today so I had nothing at all to eat. Not that I was hungry anyways. I walked to the library, hoping to get myself occupied with any English novel.

To my surprise, the entire place was full. After I had found what I wanted to read,I quickly spotted a seat at the far end of the room. I wouldn't have wanted to sit but I really had no choice.

I walked over to the seat and realized that there was a bag on it. Firstly, I had wanted to walk away but then again I thought against it and decided to ask if the seat was occupied.

The guy sitting nearby was too involved in his book to even notice me standing right there.

I cleared my throat but he hadn't seemed to hear with those devices connected to his ears. I did it again and louder this time only got him to give me an irritated smile.

Cocky much! He raised his left brow as if questioning me as to what I wanted.

"Yo bro! I know that you're reading a book. I'm here to do same," I silently thought.

"Извините меня? это место занято?" (Excuse me, is this seat taken?)

He raised his brow again, this time both, signalling that he hadn't heard me.

"можешь снять наушник??"(can you remove your earpiece please) I said pointing to my own ears.

это место занято( is this seat taken?) I asked again.

Without saying a word, he just pulled his bag off the seat and returned to his book.

"Such a rude piece of shit," I thought to myself.

I sat down anyways not caring about who sat behind or beside me. I became so engrossed in the book that I didn't hear the bell ring.

I was done with the novel finally but realised that school had just ended. The libarian was almost about to close the library.

How didn't I realise that it had been time for my next class. "Annika its time to shut the door" the libarian said to me.

I loved it when she communicated to me in English. At least i could get someone who readily wanted to speak the English language with me thus, making me more fluent.

Mrs James was English. She was born and bred in the states but work had her to be here in Russia. She would always call me and say how much she loved  my enthusiasm to study the language as a Russian.

I packed my books,picked my bag, bid Mrs.James goodbye and headed back home.

The jorney was quite short because I was eager to get some sleep for myself.

I was stressed out. I missed Katina and I'm sure she did miss me too. Maybe she had called home whilst I was away in school.

When I got home,the entrance door was ajar. Hah! That's wierd.The flower pot in front was broken. It looked like it had been smashed and I was began to have a strange feeling.

I entered the living room and everything was a mess.

мама папа! Я дома (Mum!Dad! I'm home!) But there was no response.

I walked up the stairs and saw spilled blood everywhere. I was shaking in fear. What was going on? Was this some kind off nightmare?

It  was when I got to my parents room that I saw them lay lifeless on the ground. They had been murdered in cold blood. "Ann...Annika..." Dad said with the bit of life he had in him. he  coughed.

I quickly rushed to his side.

"papa!papa! Podozhdi" (Dad! Dad hang on!)I cried.

"Anni...бежать" ("Anni... run!")he choked on his blood and gave up his ghost.