THE valley looked like a scene from a Christmas card, quilted with snow, a drifting curtain of new flakes obscuring the tiny houses with their golden window lights, and blurring the dark line of the trees that followed the frozen river. It was charming but for Simon, shivering alone in the dark cave which shrank back into the cold rock of the mountain, the valley, and everyone in it, seemed a world away.

Why had he left? Why did he have to be so angry with his family that he left his warm, cosy home? With all these thoughts rushing in his head he couldn’t think straight. He ruffled his gelled up hair and pushed up his glasses. As he stared longingly towards his home he began to wonder if he had done the right thing.

His little sister Edie had been the start of, what was to her brother, a horrifying nightmare. If she had not kept him up he would not have heard it. As usual she had pestered her mother to let her stay up by using her big blue eyes and shimmering long black hair to beg until her mother gave in. Even on Christmas eve she was allowed to stay up.This had always bothered Simon for he was not allowed to stay up after eight until he was ten and Edie was only six.

That night Edie was slowly drifting off while Simon heard shouting coming from the kitchen, which was very odd for fights were very scarce in their home for it was full of family love. “My babies don’t want anything to do with you anymore. You have left them to many times.” one screeched, leaving Simon nearly deaf from standing by the door. ”These kids love me plenty!” raved the other. “They are just sick of you!” Simon wasn’t sure but he thought the voices were his parents.

His heart thumped. The remote fell from his hands, which were shaking like leaves. He sat. He gasped. He cried. He cried harder than any injury would make him. As he cried the shouting quietened. The door slowly opened but he did not hear it. He lay there shaking until he could move. Once he started he could not stop. He ran and ran and ran, with nowhere to go.

Now he sat there, all alone with no one to comfort him, no one to say it was going to be okay. Suddenly he felt a hole pierce into his heart.

What would Edie be thinking seeing her brother rush off like that. He felt horrid. But what else could he do?

As he began to settle in for the night he could not help but wonder, would they be looking for him or did they not care? Would they come after him?

After what seemed hours, he gently went to sleep. Meanwhile his parents, Robert and Jill fern, were frantically searching outside for their son Simon.

Edie’s eyes were aching from all the tears she wept for her brother.

“There, there sweetheart. We will find him.” Her mother tried to comfort her but nobody could, except her brother. Then she heard a groan. She let go of her mothers grasp and rushed towards the cave where the noise had come from. Hope fell into her heart and tears were trickling down her face, only to find what she had hoped.

For a moment she stood still, not knowing how to react. All of a sudden an urge came to her, so she flung her arms around Simons neck (which nearly choked Simon.) Simon awoke with a shock. All his family were gathered around him hugging and crying.

Strangely his Uncle David was with them. He tried to hold his tears back but the emotion was to strong for him to control. After the reunion Simon was bursting with questions. ”What happened last night? Why were you yelling at each other?” he went on. ”Well …..” began his uncle, but his mother pushed him away. “I’ll tell him.” she muttered. ”Your uncle and I had a fight about, stuff, but it wasn’t me and your father. Even if it was you must never run away like that.”

Simon felt guilty for leaving like that. “Who cares anymore, merry Christmas!!” he shouted, and the stars began to shine.