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The snow began to fall slowly from the gray skies. Frank sat in his chair and watched the snow begin to accumulate on the grass in front of his window. The lake just beyond had been frozen for a short while now and was also covered in snow. Not safe enough yet for the ice fishermen that dotted it once the freeze set in deep. A blanket of white lay before his eyes. He knew with the new storm that is would soon be nothing but white beyond his window. Frank loved sitting there and just looking out at the snow in the winter and the activity on the lake in the summer. He remembered the days when he used to be a little younger and a lot more active. He loved being out on the lake. His wife Betsy had passed not so long ago and now he was lonely and old he told himself. Nothing but a burden on society was how he put it to his daughter when she came to visit. She always gave him a frown when he said that to her as she said she just preferred him to be happy and enjoy life. He laughed at the thought of it. He was enjoying life but what could he do but stare out the window? He was in a wheelchair and there was not much he could do in the winter with the snow. He just looked at the snow and almost thought he could count the flakes as they fell today in front of him.  He started to doze off while counting the flakes. Finally his eyes closing and his head resting on his chest.

Kristen was headed home to see her mother for the weekend and was not aware that it was supposed to snow. She never had time for that sort of thing, listening to the weather. It was time to change channels. She would see what it was when it came and usually everyone else knew anyway so what did it matter to her. She was a little late already but Mom would not be surprised as she had made it a pattern in her life to be a bit late and a dollar short. She loved to party and sometime the priorities of life just kind of slipped by her to fast. She was coming up on the crest of the hill which always had a good view of the lake below. She loved to speed up before the top and feel her stomach fill with butterflies that seemed to tickle her with their wings as she came back to Earth on the other side of the crest. She hit the gas and sped towards the crest.

Frank began to dream or so he thought it was a dream at least. A woman in the distance came towards him and as she neared the woman became clearer to him. It was a younger Betsy. He felt warm all of the sudden as he stood face to face with his beautiful wife. Oh how he missed her and how wonderful to dream of her right now. He always loved the memories of life with Betsy as they were the best times of his life. They were perfect for one another in everyway. There love was true and unconditional over the 55 years they were together. She smiled warmly and so did Frank. He reached his hand towards her but it went right through her. Tears came to his face as he longed to touch his beloved Betsy once last time. Oh how he missed her love and tender touch. He tried to speak but simply could not. Betsy looked into Frank’s eyes and smiled in her loving way. She opened her mouth and began to form a word.

Betsy was interrupted by a loud noise and Frank awoke from his wonderful dream. He saw a red sports car streak past his window towards the lake. His heart raced as there were no brake lights from the car before it hit the ice and broke through. Frank tried to move but felt frozen until he heard Betsy’s voice in his head. “Go save her Frank. You can do it. Do not be afraid. I am here waiting for you. We will be together again. Go save her young life. Come home to me Frank.” Frank shook his head but the voice kept talking and encouraging him. He turned he wheelchair and headed for the door. Through the door he went quickly and then down the ramp and towards the hill leading to the lake. He paused at the top of the hill and was afraid he could not make it down without his wheelchair tumbling out of control. Thoughts of doubt began to creep into his head. Could he make it down the hill? Even if he could then what would he do? Go on the ice? Would it hold him and his chair? Then what could he in a wheelchair do with a car sinking into the water? Frank just looked down towards where the car was disappearing in the water.

Kristen crested the hill and had the wonderful tumbling tingling feeling she had hoped for after speeding over the top of the hill. She then got the view of the lake below and was completely happy. She applied the brake to slow now that she was going down the hill but she did not slow. Kristen hit the brakes again and again but the car did not slow and only seemed to pick up speed as she headed down the hill. She knew she could not make the turn at the bottom and there was nowhere to turn off. She knew if she couldn’t stop she was either going to hit the house at the bottom or head towards the lake. She hoped it was frozen already. It didn’t really matter because she was headed towards it no matter what. She tried to think of what to do and then remembered the emergency brake. This seemed like an emergency so she grabbed it and tried to pull it up but it did not budge. She tried and tried but it was frozen in place. Nothing to stop her now and she knew it. She began to pray and knew it would take a miracle for her to walk away from this ride. She began to promise to be a better person. A better daughter and a better worker and the list went on as the car left the road and thudded as it landed on the frozen lawn before hitting the ice with a loud crack. The car stopped and slowly began to fall through the ice. Kristen tried to get out but she could not open the doors. She was stuck and thought she was about to drown to death in the icy water as the cars front end began to go under the water.

Frank was still in shock at the top of the hill and the car was fading away now. Suddenly his hand pushed forward on the knob in his hand and down the hill he went. The wheelchair was picking up speed along the way. He wanted to smile for some strange reason as he knew he would not tip over and he would make it to the car. He felt like Betsy was guiding him right to the car. He hit the ice and the momentum seemed to carry him right to the edge of the whole in the ice before his wheelchair hit a bump and flipped over. It hit the ice hard and so did Frank.  He shook his head to try and regain his composure and the doubt began to creep back in. Then he noticed his chair had broken and a piece of metal lay beside him on the ice. His char had slid away from him and away from the hole in the ice. He smiled as he knew Betsy had made that happen. The chair was no longer needed but he did need a piece of metal to bust the window open to free whoever was in the car. He grabbed the metal and slid into the water. He dove straight down and his legs felt good in the cold water and had a life left in them. The car seemed to glow to him and he headed towards it. He reached the door and tried to open it. He couldn’t get it to budge at all. The woman inside looked back at him with fear in her eyes.

Kristen could not believe that there was someone down there banging on her window. She had given up hope she would make it out of the car alive. Now this old man with gray hair and a gray beard was pounding on her window, trying to break it. She would be saved if he could break it she thought. She felt relieved as a voice told her to relax and it would all be alright. The voice told her to take deep breaths and to hold it when the window cracked. The woman’s voice told her to swim hard to the surface when she was out and get to the house to stay warm. She thought she was hallucinating but it also all made perfect sense to her and calmed her.

Frank was struggling to hold his breath and felt his strength slipping from him. He told himself he could do it and in his mind said this one is for you Betsy as he smashed the metal with all his remaining strength into the glass of the car. It shattered and the window was now gone. Frank reached in and grabbed a hold of the young woman inside and pulled her out the window. He saw her heading towards the surface and knew she would be okay. Betsy began to talk to him again as he began to fade form the cold water and his breath gave out. The air now replaced by ice cold water. Frank was slipping away to another place and he knew it. He knew though that place was where his beloved Betsy was and he had no fear.  

Kristen was headed towards the surface like a hand was pulling her upwards. She made it to the surface and then tried to scramble onto the ice. She would swear tot his day that someone pushed her from below onto the ice. She turned and looked for the man who had broken the window. She did not see him. She waited a few moments and then got to her feet. She saw the wheelchair and her heart sunk. She ran towards the house but knew it was already too late for him. She still needed to try to get him help. She made it inside the open door and called 911.

The divers found Frank’s body and pulled him to the surface. He had a smile on his face and seemed at piece to the divers. Frank had saved Kristen but gave his life in the effort was how the story was written in the papers. Frank was a hero. Kristen had a lot of guilt at first and struggled. Frank though set her mind a ease. He visited her in a dream one night and told her to live life. To be happy and live each day the best she could. To try and make the World a better place. He told her not to feel sad for him as he was with his beloved Betsy. The next day Kristen awoke feeling at ease and had a sense of direction. She would become a doctor and saved many lives over the years. Frank and Betsy often look down on her from their happy place above.