Seeing Through the Fog

On Monday, she got the call that they were being shut down.
She stood, speechless, unable to speak.
Falling to the floor, she wept.
A puddle formed beneath her.

The days went by
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Wednesday.
She was lost,
Unable to see herself tomorrow.

The door rattled.
Sitting up from her bed, she stared.
A dark figure emerged from the doorframe.

Outside, a thick haze formed from the bitterness of the cold,
The chickens in the neighbor’s yard retreated into their coop,
Terrified of the black clouds forming above.

The figure grew larger, the darkness spreading,
Wrapping around the bedroom.
Overwhelmed, she tucked her knees into her chest and closed her eyes.
“Just leave me alone,” she begged.

Just as she believed that there would be no end,
The darkness, cursing the room and the objects inside,
It vanished, and the sun came out from the clouds.
And feeling a pair of arms tightly around her, and tears on her chest,
She heard:
“Thank God you’re okay, we were so worried.”