A Winter's Chill
Nov 4, 2012 18:50:11 GMT -8
Post by Penny Royals on Nov 4, 2012 18:50:11 GMT -8
“I love you…”
The words come out breathless, almost unspoken. The cold faces, flushing underneath heavy woolen beanies and scarves, pressed together closely, searching for some unknown source of heat. Their gloved hands cupped tight, the lovers stood on the frozen lake, on another plane of existence from the world around them. Snow coated the shore, the trees- even the waterfall close by, usually bleeding into the lake, was a solid wall of ice. Scarce a creature moved about the tundric wasteland, the misty mountains and the aquatic hideaway a foreboding world of silence. His hand snaked away from hers, pulling himself away as he caressed her burning cheek. Seconds they stood like that, fog drifting up from their faces as they breathed in time with one another.
Inches below their stiff boots rushed a torrent of motion. Beating futilely against a heavy barrier, the lake stirred. For weeks it had rested a placid, solemn sleep as it waited for spring. Nothing lived in the lake: no fish nor fowl; but plants and humans alike shared the clear, serene water. In this way, it is hard to tell why a lake that had been so peacefully still suddenly swayed.
She whispered a sigh, lifting her eyes from the badges, the stars and the stripes on his chest to meet his own gaze.
“I don’t think I’ll ever find someone else in this world who will love me like you do.” The phrase was perhaps dramatic at first thought.
“I’m not asking you to forget me,” he replied, “I’m asking you to tell me what I should do.”
“How can I,” her words were spat out at him, betraying her contempt, “When both options take you away?”
“I can’t help that!” He groaned, shuffling a bit as he pulled both arms away, crossing them over his chest. “This entire thing is serious, Mary… I thought coming to you, I could find someone who actually knew what I could do. I guess I was wrong.”
“No, you’re not. Martin, I need more time… you can’t just spring a life-or-death question on me and expect me to not freak out!”
“You think I’m not scared?” He asked, glaring now. “It’s not just some person who I can forget in twenty years’ time, Mary. It’s my own life. It’s the only one I’ve got!”
“How can you say that I’ll forget you?” Her voice was quiet, mousy. “Especially if I’m the one who has to make your decision? On one hand I can send you to war- the frontlines, nonetheless, where they’re slaughtering us all by the hundreds; on the other, I can make you run off to another country or to a prison cell. My choices aren’t good here, Martin. They’re horrible.”
Silence fell on the two. After a few seconds, he took her hand again.
“Meredith Caulfield, I pledge that no matter your decision, I will stay safe and I will stay alive. And, if somehow I ever get back to you, I will marry you.”
“Really?” Her eyes grew. “Are you sure?”
“I’m certain. A big wedding- we’ll invite the whole town! Because Mary, if I can come home and you’re still here, there’s no way I’m giving up a chance to stay with the girl of my dreams for the rest of time.”
And that seemed to be it. She let out a satisfied squeak and wrapped her arms around him, jumping up. He smiled, holding her tight.
The ice shifted.
He stopped, looking alarmed, and set her down for a moment. Both had baited breath as they stepped slowly towards shore.
She screamed first, as the brittle ground beneath her gave way, plummeting her into the bitter fathoms below. He grabbed her arm, trying to keep her up, but it was no use. What was only perhaps a second felt like minutes as the icy platform he was on dropped into the lake. He held her tight, trying to swim upwards to the shore.
Something held a steadfast grip on his leg, and it wasn’t letting go.
The words come out breathless, almost unspoken. The cold faces, flushing underneath heavy woolen beanies and scarves, pressed together closely, searching for some unknown source of heat. Their gloved hands cupped tight, the lovers stood on the frozen lake, on another plane of existence from the world around them. Snow coated the shore, the trees- even the waterfall close by, usually bleeding into the lake, was a solid wall of ice. Scarce a creature moved about the tundric wasteland, the misty mountains and the aquatic hideaway a foreboding world of silence. His hand snaked away from hers, pulling himself away as he caressed her burning cheek. Seconds they stood like that, fog drifting up from their faces as they breathed in time with one another.
Inches below their stiff boots rushed a torrent of motion. Beating futilely against a heavy barrier, the lake stirred. For weeks it had rested a placid, solemn sleep as it waited for spring. Nothing lived in the lake: no fish nor fowl; but plants and humans alike shared the clear, serene water. In this way, it is hard to tell why a lake that had been so peacefully still suddenly swayed.
She whispered a sigh, lifting her eyes from the badges, the stars and the stripes on his chest to meet his own gaze.
“I don’t think I’ll ever find someone else in this world who will love me like you do.” The phrase was perhaps dramatic at first thought.
“I’m not asking you to forget me,” he replied, “I’m asking you to tell me what I should do.”
“How can I,” her words were spat out at him, betraying her contempt, “When both options take you away?”
“I can’t help that!” He groaned, shuffling a bit as he pulled both arms away, crossing them over his chest. “This entire thing is serious, Mary… I thought coming to you, I could find someone who actually knew what I could do. I guess I was wrong.”
“No, you’re not. Martin, I need more time… you can’t just spring a life-or-death question on me and expect me to not freak out!”
“You think I’m not scared?” He asked, glaring now. “It’s not just some person who I can forget in twenty years’ time, Mary. It’s my own life. It’s the only one I’ve got!”
“How can you say that I’ll forget you?” Her voice was quiet, mousy. “Especially if I’m the one who has to make your decision? On one hand I can send you to war- the frontlines, nonetheless, where they’re slaughtering us all by the hundreds; on the other, I can make you run off to another country or to a prison cell. My choices aren’t good here, Martin. They’re horrible.”
Silence fell on the two. After a few seconds, he took her hand again.
“Meredith Caulfield, I pledge that no matter your decision, I will stay safe and I will stay alive. And, if somehow I ever get back to you, I will marry you.”
“Really?” Her eyes grew. “Are you sure?”
“I’m certain. A big wedding- we’ll invite the whole town! Because Mary, if I can come home and you’re still here, there’s no way I’m giving up a chance to stay with the girl of my dreams for the rest of time.”
And that seemed to be it. She let out a satisfied squeak and wrapped her arms around him, jumping up. He smiled, holding her tight.
The ice shifted.
He stopped, looking alarmed, and set her down for a moment. Both had baited breath as they stepped slowly towards shore.
She screamed first, as the brittle ground beneath her gave way, plummeting her into the bitter fathoms below. He grabbed her arm, trying to keep her up, but it was no use. What was only perhaps a second felt like minutes as the icy platform he was on dropped into the lake. He held her tight, trying to swim upwards to the shore.
Something held a steadfast grip on his leg, and it wasn’t letting go.
