“I'm gonna get you back for that” my sister gasped as she wipes the bits of snow from her face

“Have to catch me first” I take off running further into the forest bursting with giggles. I hear the crunch of snow under my little sister, Lillian’s feet. I slow down so she can catch up. I weave through the trees glancing behind me to make sure she is still behind me. I come to a sudden stop at the beautiful sight in front of me.

“Gottcha rose” my sister Lillian laughs as she grabs a hold of the back of my jacket.

“what are you looking at?” she says breathlessly as she comes to stand beside me. I hear her suck in a slight breath at the beautiful sight.

We stand at a wooden bridge that crosses a frozen lake. The trees are white from snow and have sickles hanging from them. I step onto the bridge. I almost slip but quickly regain my balance grabbing the rail of the bridge. I move carefully along the bridge my little sister comes to stand beside me. She clutches my jacket to stand up straight.

“Rose it's soooooo pretty we should come back here every year from now on. Can it be our spot ?”

She looks up at me with big eyes. “Yea our spot”

“You promise,” she says tugging on my sleeve

“I promise, now let's get going before mom gets mad”

“Okay,” she says and starts to skip off the bridge but it's slippery so she slips and tumbles over the edge.

I panic and look over she is laying there with her leg twisted most terrifyingly.

“Ow Rose!”

I rush down as best as I can without slipping. I slow to go to the edge of the frozen lake and step carefully to get her.

“Rose!” she is sobbing now. She is saying my name over and over.

“I'm coming just hold on” panic is rising in my voice. I'm concentrating on my feet watching the steps I take. Then I hear the faint sound of cracking. I look up just in time to see the ice give away under my sister. I can't see her anymore. There is a hole where she once sat. I rush over trying to keep my balance. I look in the hole and I see no sign of her.

I sit upright quickly on the sofa. My forehead is covered in sweat and I'm gasping for air. I feel a hand run down my back and I relax.

“Are you okay honey?”

“Yea,” I say still calming my breathing “where are the kids?”

“They just went outside to play in the snow. They were waiting for you to go to the bridge.”

“Okay”

I get up and put my boots and jacket on. I step outside to meet the cold winter air. Little arms wrap around my waist. I look down to see my smiling son and daughter. I pick up my daughter and smile at her beautiful face.

“Ready to go to the bridge?” I ask in my most gleeful tone

“Yeah!” she says busting with sunshine

“Well then let's go” my husband says as he comes to stand beside us with our son in his arms

We stop before the bridge and I look around. Everything is just like it is every year since the first time I saw it 20 years ago. She would be 27 today. I step onto the bridge carefully and look over the edge.

“Are you okay mommy?”

“of course, I'm just thinking about your aunt Lillian”

“Hey, that's my name”

“Yeah and it's a beautiful one too”

I promised I think to myself