**Diary Entry 18th December**
They left her there to freeze. “Just leave herlet her die!” they said, tossing the old woman into the snow. The fools didnt realise the boomerang would soon come swinging back.
Margaret Whitaker walked towards her block of flats. The ladies on the bench were gossiping about the fancy car parked nearby.
“Whose is it?” Margaret asked.
“No idea,” one replied. “Probably belongs to that Emily up in flat four. Folk round here dont drive cars like that.”
“The only vehicles we get are ambulances,” another chimed in.
They carried on, dissecting the neighbourhood rumours, when out came Emily herselfthe one with the posh motor. She breezed past without so much as a glance at them or the car parked on the grass verge. Margaret hurried inside.
“Margaret Whitaker?” A man stood in the stairwell. “Remember me? We spoke a few days back. Im your nephewDaniel.”
“Oh, Daniel!” Margaret gasped. “Why didnt you tell me you were visiting? Is that your car on the lawn?”
“Yeah, mine.”
“Well, move it before someone keys it! What were you thinking, parking on my flowerbed?”
Daniel rushed out to shift the car while Margaret went to put the kettle on. Shed been meaning to sell the flatdidnt fancy leaving the neighbours a ruined garden.
Years ago, her uncle used to visit with his son. Then the family drifted apart. And now, out of the blue, the lad shows up. Something about him didnt sit right, though. He smoked too much. Young, but his teeth were already yellow. Still, at least hed come. Shed rather hand the flat sale to family than some estate agent. But when she offered him a cut, he refused.
Margaret had no husband left, no children. She fancied moving closer to nature. Fresh air had to be better than traipsing up and down four flights of stairs. A little village had a nursery schoolshe could grow her own veg while she still had the strength. By autumn, a buyer emerged.
“Winters coming. Lets wait till spring,” Margaret decided, postponing the sale.
“But pricesll shoot up by then!” Daniel argued. “Cold weathers the best time to check the heating. Besides, weve got a buyer nowwhat if they back out later?”
“And where will I live? Find me a house first, *then* well sell.”
He agreed. Soon enough, Daniel lined up a few cottages. They drove out to see them, but Margarets heart sank. Every place needed work. Still, the flat sale would cover a decent home and the repairs. Daniel knew a bit about buildingpromised to help her budget it.
But the old woman fretted. “Winters at the door. I dont want the hassle of renovationsjust a proper roof over my head.”
“Ill handle it,” he insisted.
Something nagged at her. Daniel was in too much of a hurrypushing the sale, steering her towards any old shack. But what could he gain? She thanked him anyway. Once shed picked a place, they set the date.
The buyer and solicitor arrived on time. Daniel served tea. Margarets chest achedthis was her home. A lifetime of memories. No turning back now. Boxes packed, papers signed.
“Right, time to move!” Daniel announced.
“Today? Ive still got china in the cabinet!”
“No, today. Buyers need the keys.”
Grudgingly, she agreed. The van ride was a blur. She dozed off, waking in fragmentsglimpses of the road, muffled voices.
“Margaret, you awake?” Daniels voice echoed faintly. She couldnt respond.
“Leave her here,” she heard later, through the fog. Then cold. Snow biting her cheeks.
“Let nature take her,” he added.
The realisation hithed drugged the tea. Tricked her into signing. Now he was dumping her like rubbish. She shut her eyes, ready for the end.
But someone saw. A young woman driving past spotted the parked van, then figures hauling something into the woods. Odd, in this weather. She noted the licence plate, waited till theyd gone, then crept closer. An old womanalive, but barely. She called her husband, and together they bundled Margaret into their car.
“Where am I?” Margaret croaked as she came to.
“We found you in the snow,” the girlLouisesaid. “Do you remember how you got there?”
“Yes. My nephew… the tea. Then the van. He left me to die.”
“Lets get you warm.” Louise rubbed cream into her hands.
“Youre kind,” Margaret whispered. “Id have been gone without you.”
They reported it. Police arrested Daniel and his mate for fraud. By spring, Margaret sold the flat properly and bought her cottage. No repairs neededjust a garden waiting for seeds. That summer, she invited Louise and her husband for tea. Some peoples goodness sticks with you.
**Lesson:** Blood doesnt always run thicker. Sometimes its strangers who pull you from the snow.
