First few lines of Story 4 ...

“Oh. My. God. The Wailers are here. Why do they have to be here today, of all days? They give me the creeps.”

Jake’s words hit me as hard as the winter wind that is still haunting us. This season has been cruel, with record cold temperatures and more snow than we’ve seen in a decade. Through the fog and light snowfall, Jake and I walk across our suburb’s main square. It’s so dark at this early hour that the blue streetlights are still illuminated, casting a watery glow over everything.

I’m sure everyone is proud of their suburb, but I really love Cerulean. Even in this season, our city square is beautiful. Gardens that during the spring and summer are filled with flowers now rely on the bare trees for beauty, but there are so many of them that it looks like a winter wonderland. Each branch glistens in the cool light of morning. The cleaning crews do a good job of clearing the snow off the walkways, which lead to small, secluded nooks decorated with benches and art -- places where people can find a few moments of peace and privacy.

Although our neighborhoods and units might be somewhat drab and gray, our sparkling city center brings all of us together. Even the Wailers are welcome here.