...

Jonah woke up but refused to open his eyes. He was terrified to see where he was.

"He woke up already. Strangely, he did not open his eyes. He heard a soft voice say, then added, "He must be unhappy with his reality.

That voice was right, Jonah had never felt conformed to his reality, too cruel to him. There were very few happy memories he had. The snowy days when from the heat of his house, he looked out the window at the people passing by. The warmth of the fireplace reached his soul, for he imagined himself to be part of that world to which he would never belong.

It was one of those days when Jonah looked out the window of the living room, taking advantage of the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Caraballo was not at home. A girl who was playing alone in the snow came to the window through which Jonah was looking, stayed looking at him for a few moments, and then smiled happily.

"Why don't you go out and play?" Asked the little girl. Jonah said nothing, for he was not used to people talking to him.

"The mice ate your tongue? Why don't you say anything?" The little girl insisted, looking very worried because Jonah wasn't playing with the other children.

"I'm going to come in your house," the girl said resolutely and headed for the front door. The poor boy stood at the window, trying to process what was happening. But a few loud knocks on the door brought him back. He quickly walked to the entrance and opened the door for the little girl.

"If you don't want to play with the other kids, we can do it here.

"We can play in the backyard," Jonah said shyly.

"Come on," the excited girl replied, and took Jonah by the hand.

Jonah let himself be dragged by the unknown girl, and they went out the kitchen door into the yard. Being there, he didn't know how to act. What should he say? What should he do? As he was immersed in these thoughts, a snowball fell on his head, and as he turned his face, the unknown girl looked at him with a mischievous smile. A second snowball fell on his face, but he was confused. The girl noticed his confusion and approached him.

"You must make a ball out of the snow and throw it to me, do you understand?

Shyly, he picked up snow from the ground and threw it to the unknown girl as he made a ball. Just then, the girl was about to say something, and the ball fell into her mouth. Jonas was scared and was going to apologize, but the girl started laughing out loud.

"You know how to play. Snowball fight!" She shouted energetically and began to bombard him. At first, the poor boy stood motionless and protected himself with his arms, but as time passed, he began to play freely.

The children played and jumped with joy. Jonah had never experienced wellness, he thought this was what happiness felt like. Laughing non-stop for hours, giving no space to bad thoughts. Sharing with people who can appreciate your company. To feel your heart racing and your eyes getting smaller as you smile. For him, that evening, happiness made sense and meant feeling loved, needed, welcomed.

Lying on the floor, trying to make snow angels, Jonah was curious about this little girl who had been able to see beyond her horrible appearance. The children had always been too cruel to him. Many times they did it without bad intention because the fear took hold of them, and it was impossible for them not to cry. However, other children were not afraid to see him, and they made fun of him by shouting merciless words, accompanied by mocking laughter.

"Why have I never seen you?" Jonah finally asked in a low voice.

"My family recently moved away," and then added, "My brother has been very sick, my parents thought the cold weather in this town would help him.

"Is he getting better?

"No, he's getting worse every day."

"A doctor can help him," Jonah said, for he had always heard that when someone was sick, he should be taken to a doctor to be cured. Aware of his innocence and ignorance of the world, the girl looked at him tenderly.

"They say that only a miracle could save him," whispered the little girl and then added. "My parents would do anything for my brother. I know that at night they ask God to take me in his place. The little girl couldn't take it anymore, and a crystalline tear came out of one of her eyes. The little girl was going to lick it with her tongue, but before it reached her lips, it was frozen on her cheek.

Jonah realized that not only was his life full of misfortunes. He understood that each person carries a hell inside that takes care of consuming their souls. Not only was his life destined for suffering. He wanted to help his new friend to ease her pain.

"What can I do to help you," he asked anxiously for the answer he would receive.

"My conscience won't leave me alone. I feel guilty for laughing with you so long before, for the air, I can breathe at this moment, and for the life, I have the opportunity to enjoy it. Do you know how I can stop feeling that?"

Jonah said nothing, just nodded his head, as he had no answer to that question.

"Don't worry, I know there is no answer to that question," said the girl, only to add later. "I'll have to get used to seeing death sitting up in my brother's bed every night.

Lying on the ground, the children talked about their misfortunes, until their bodies began to be numbed by the snow.

They arranged to meet the next day, for this time they would make a snowman. Jonah had never seen one, so he was very excited. All that afternoon had been like a dream for that poor boy, sadly the next day, the girl did not appear.

Jonah took advantage of the nights to walk around the town, hidden in the dark. However, that night he did not plan to do so, as it was snowing heavily. Despite that, he decided to go out, hoping to see his new friend wandering around. He did not find her, but he was found by Alfredo and his friends, who kidnapped him and beat him to death.

The next day the girl stood in front of Jonas' window and waited for hours. The cold began to numb her bones, but she still stood firm, waiting for her new friend.

"He died," Mr. Caraballo told the poor girl as he walked into the house with a box over his shoulder. The girl wanted to ask more, but the gentleman did not allow her to speak as he entered the house immediately. Among the crowd in the cemetery who were falsely crying over Jonah's death, there was she, who with frozen tears, was lamenting the departure of her friend.