{"id":456,"date":"2009-12-18T05:01:19","date_gmt":"2009-12-18T11:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/annetylerlord.com\/?p=456"},"modified":"2009-12-18T05:01:19","modified_gmt":"2009-12-18T11:01:19","slug":"frostbite-a-mafia-family-christmas-pt-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/2009\/12\/18\/frostbite-a-mafia-family-christmas-pt-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Fiction: Frostbite: A Mafia Family Christmas (pt.2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Mafia\"This is Part 2 of a series, if you haven’t read the beginning, you can go to Part 1.<\/a><\/p>\n

Episode – \u00a0Frostbite: A Mafia Family Christmas (pt.2)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tasha frantically trudged through the knee-deep snow oblivious to her scant clothing of slippers and pajamas. \u00a0She dropped to the ground next to Great Aunt Urola’s frozen body trying to free her from the snowbank. \u00a0 The kids were running around joyfully playing. \u00a0 They started throwing snowballs at her and Great Aunt Urola.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnock it off! \u00a0Get in the house!\u201d \u00a0Tasha’s bare hands were growing numb as she revealed the frozen legs.<\/p>\n

\u201cTasha! \u00a0Get back in here! \u00a0You’ll freeze to death!\u201d \u00a0Mama tightly held her robe closed in the kitchen doorway.<\/p>\n

A creepy sensation took over Tasha’s numb fingertips as she dug at the stiff legs. She suddenly stopped digging, realizing she had no idea what to do with the dead body. \u00a0She stood up and clumsily walked towards the house, dragging her half-frozen legs.<\/p>\n

Grabbing her at the doorway, Mama quickly flung her robe around Tasha. \u201cWhat are you thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, gee!… I, don’t, know! Maybe that a BODY was out in the snowbank! And, maybe I should DO something!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTasha, you’re over-reacting.\u201d Mama started the tea kettle on the stove.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a DEAD BODY outside and the children are playing with it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes, Anna dear, could you tell the children to come in now. I don’t want them to get too cold.\u201d Mama motions as Anna steps towards the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold it! No one is going anywhere until you explain what happened!\u201d Tasha’s eyes shot frigid daggers towards Mama and Papa.<\/p>\n

\u201cTasha, it’s no big deal. Aunt Urola had a heart attack and died in her sleep. Just ask Uncle Marek.\u201d \u00a0 The doctor in the family poked his head out of the crowd of relatives now gathering in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, it’s true. \u00a0She had heart trouble for many years. You know she was eighty-five years old.\u201d \u00a0Uncle Marek walked towards Tasha as she backed away.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah? \u00a0Then why is she in a SNOWBANK!\u201d \u00a0Tasha thrust her trembling finger towards the door.<\/p>\n

Papa joined in the conversation. \u201cThere is another storm coming, we may be stuck here all week. \u00a0I’m sure you heard the old Hungarian custom…ah…. Ya’ know, putting bodies out in the snow when they die in the middle of winter… because you can’t bury ’em until the thaw.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don’t live in the good ‘ol days! \u00a0Has anyone even called the police?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTasha, that’s enough! \u00a0 We didn’t want her stinking up the place with all these people here!\u201d Papa abruptly walked out of the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow get out of those wet clothes.\u201d \u00a0Mama poured tea for her sisters.<\/p>\n

Tasha saw no point trying to reason with them and gave up hope of getting a truthful answer. \u00a0She drug her freezing wet body upstairs and took a long hot bath. Outrage ignited her sense of justice. \u00a0Family or not, these people will not get away with this.<\/em><\/p>\n

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n

Mid-afternoon, Tasha walked downstairs in time for the gift exchange. \u00a0 Huge piles of presents surrounded the fifteen foot tree. \u00a0 Tasha slumped in a chair to watch the spectacle. \u00a0Kids wildly ripped open presents tossing paper until it was two feet deep. \u00a0 Adults licked their lips and opened their gifts like rabid dogs. \u00a0Numerous electronic gadgets, expensive pens, exotic guns, rare books, and several pieces of antique jewelery spilled out of perfectly wrapped boxes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I remember this one, she didn’t wear it very often, only for fancy parties.\u201d Aunt Nadya admired the diamond necklace.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is beautiful, look at those stones! \u00a0She used to buy the most expensive jewels, I never would have believed it.\u201d Aunt Grusha giggled as she and the all of Tasha’s aunts placed the antique jewelery around their necks.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me see that!\u201d \u00a0Tasha ran across the room. \u201cI’ve seen that necklace before! \u00a0It’s Aunt Urola’s!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all know that! \u00a0Don’t make a scene!\u201d \u00a0Mama stomped through the wrapping paper, tripping over toys, yelling at Tasha in a loud whisper.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could you give away her jewelery when she is still in the snowbank?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell…SHE doesn’t need that stuff anymore! \u00a0Now be quiet and open your presents!\u201d \u00a0Mama stood with her arms crossed until Tasha sat down.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that’s fine! \u00a0We can really use one ‘a those out here.\u201d Oblivious to Tasha’s outburst, Papa was admiring a photo of a helicopter.<\/p>\n

Great Uncle Ermil leaned in close to Papa. \u00a0“Oh yeah, its a beauty, and it’s parked out back, the crew is livin’ with the Boys, they’re ready when you are!”<\/p>\n

Tasha pretended to not overhear their conversation and opened her present from Mama and Papa. She pulled out computer-printed receipts and a picture of an expensive sports car waiting for her in Chicago. \u00a0She noticed the date and time stamp on the the receipt. \u00a0 It was purchased three hours ago.<\/p>\n

Tasha began to rise from her chair to give Mama a few more choice words, but a few red dots on the cuff of Uncle Marek’s pants caught her eye. \u00a0Upon examining the clothes of the other men, she noticed red dots on Papa’s and Great Uncle Ermil’s shoes.<\/p>\n

She ran to the kitchen. \u00a0Her body was gone! \u00a0That was it! \u00a0They have gone too far! <\/em> The gift exchange gave her a flash of inspiration. \u00a0She launched her new plan into high gear.<\/p>\n

Strange screaming erupted from the livingroom. \u00a0Tasha raced back to find her aunts writhing in pain and frantically grabbing at their necks. \u00a0 Their husbands were screaming just as loudly, \u201cHold STILL! I can’t get it off!\u201d \u00a0They erratically jiggled the clasps, trying to remove Aunt Urola’s necklaces.<\/p>\n

Mama grabbed ice from the bar and pushed it at her sisters. \u00a0But, in their desperate state, they refused help. Ugly red blotches and blisters erupted on their necks.<\/p>\n

Blotches, and boils, and blisters! Oh my!<\/em><\/p>\n

Tasha smiled and bursted into gut-wrenching laughter.<\/p>\n

Why you cunning old bird, you must have seen this coming! \u00a0Just wait until I add the finale…<\/em><\/p>\n

You can continue this tale in, <\/em>Part 3<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n


\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\"12\"<\/em><\/p>\n

“The Boys” Christmas 2009<\/strong><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is Part 2 of a series, if you haven’t read the beginning, you can go to Part 1. Episode – \u00a0Frostbite: A Mafia Family Christmas (pt.2) Tasha frantically trudged through the knee-deep snow oblivious to her scant clothing of slippers and pajamas. \u00a0She dropped to the ground next to Great Aunt Urola’s frozen body […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,20,48],"tags":[83,96,103,105,122,154],"class_list":["post-456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fiction","category-fridayflash","category-short-story","tag-christmas","tag-dark-humor","tag-flash-fiction","tag-fridayflash","tag-mafia","tag-short-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=456"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livingwithlivewires.com\/annetylerlord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}