I'm starting up another one. Wonder if I'll finish it…
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN SOUTH PARK.
Snowflakes
Every snowflake has a unique pattern, each different from the other ones, fluttering in the sky. Well, at least, that's what I heard, and so far, I found it to be true. I actually made a habit of checking all the snowflakes I could see, making sure that I memorized their patterns. I took pride in my dedication to the snowflakes, often dreaming of their twirling white crystals.
But one night, I had dreamed of the crystals, but something miraculous had happened. I saw two identical snowflakes in my dream. They were shaped like steering wheels, spinning left and right, both taking residence in my palm. They didn't melt, but began to glow, morphing into one snowflake. I felt like God, holding the impossible in my hands. I looked up over my hand, and I saw Stark's Pond laid out in front of me. The snowflakes didn't melt as they hit the water. Instead, all the different designs seemed to swim. The snowflake in my hand floated down to join them, taking center stage, splitting into two once again, spinning, dancing.
I never thought about my dreams after they happened, but this one struck me with a different feeling. I had never seen two of the same snowflake before in a dream. No matter how wild it got, never did any two snowflakes look alike. For the longest time, I couldn't figure out why that specific dream was chosen to reveal the twins, but it's clear now when I look back.
I had awoken with a start, still hazy from my perfect wonderland dream. I looked towards my windows, looking out the glass. My mind could just picture the pond in a dense snow. I threw on my coat, desperate to look at the snowflakes. My hopes were high as I ran down the street. I still observed all the snowflakes, looking for a steering wheel pattern. I didn't see one. My mind was screaming at me, telling me to go home. It seemed to say that this was totally and utterly pointless, that I'd die of hypothermia for nothing. My gut instinct was to keep going, that maybe, just maybe, I would see my snowflakes.
Ask anyone in South Park, Stark's Pond is the place where everything happens. First kisses, money, virginity…just name it, it's been lost there. Also, on top of that and the fact just about anything HAS happened there, every single person in our small mountain town had a story to go with the place. I've heard people say that they found something they lost as a kid, floating aimlessly in the water. I've heard it healed a kid's sores on his feet. Everyone had a story but me it seemed. I thought that, maybe this could be my story. However, it turned out to be so much more.
I did make it to the pond, sitting on its small creaky dock. I could barely make out a campfire across the lake, in the ancient pine forest. The flames burnt brighter against the snowy backdrop, and I thought I could hear silly campfire songs. After all this time, I think it was my imagination, just filling my head with ideas. I didn't know that back then, so I kept swinging my feet to the rhythm. The dock groaned in protest, each kick bringing it closer to the breaking point. I was so wrapped up in my soundless tunes; I almost didn't catch the green hat I could see from over here. My eyes sought it out, the color catching their attention. Then they shifted to the bright orange jacket, slowly being unbuttoned. That's when it hit me.
Kyle.
He was up awfully late. The straight A student wouldn't be caught dead up past 9 o'clock. Why was he here so late? In all the years I've known Kyle, his persona let off an assertive aroma. He never pushed, but sometimes he did pry, but he knew when to stop. Kyle had self control, keeping all his thoughts locked away so that no one could hear them. He was one of the few people I deemed my best friend. We weren't super best friends, like he and Stan were, but we were close enough.
While pondering, I hadn't noticed Kyle's jacket had finally been taken off. His body shivered, and I knew he was freezing. He shouldn't have taken off his coat, but he didn't care, and I was about to find out why.
SPLASH
Kyle had jumped in. It took three seconds to register the fact that he had. What the hell was he thinking? I was going to yell, but I found that he already knew he shouldn't have jumped. This did not, however, stop him from diving under. I saw his body go down, hat still attached. And although the winds were fierce, I found my ears had focused on a single sound.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
Kyle was still breathing, but the longer I listened, the more I worried that he wouldn't come up. As we approached the 2 minute mark, it finally hit me that he might not want to come back up at all. I strained to find the noise I had so easily found before.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
…
It stopped.
In a matter of ten seconds, I must have gone from completely calm to totally insane. My mind raced, and I found myself standing up. I jogged t the end of the dock, barely reaching the land, and my body spun. I sprinted to the end of the docks, almost over-running it, barely jumping off the end. I prepared to dive while I was in air, mind set on rescuing Kyle. Then something caught my eye. Just before I hit the surface of the pond, my eyes shot up for a split second, a split second only, but in that instant, I realized why I kept running. I found out why I my body kept telling me to run. In just that one instant, I saw a single snowflake.
With a steering wheel design.
The image in my brain didn't distract me once I hit the water though. My eyes searched left and right, algae and germs causing my eyes to sting. The water was so clear down underneath, and once again, I thought of the snowflakes. Those thoughts were tossed aside once I saw the green hat at the bottom of the pond. Already covered in pond muck, Kyle lay motionless at the bottom, already unconscious from the lack of oxygen. I wanted to yell out his name, maybe in worry or concern. But underwater on a cold winter day…that would have signed my death warrant. I swam fast, adrenaline kicking in as my body almost gave out from the cold.
I snatched his wrist, as it was the closest thing to grab, and my mind yelled out in jubilation when I found I could still feel a faint pulse from under my fingers. He was turning blue fast though. I didn't have much time.
My body went even faster, if possible. I started swimming at a slant, approaching the surface, but heading towards the shore at the same time. I thank god that my body can take this kind of abuse. For once in my life, I was happy I used to die all the time. It toughened me up in a way you wouldn't believe. I felt my eyes blur, recognizing my first warning sign of death. I was too close to shore to give up though. I couldn't die, or Kyle would to. I could come back.
He could not.
I think the shore never felt so good beneath my feet, but that didn't stop me. I had Kyle's coat back on him in an instant. I kept at it, trying to warm him up, and move my cold ass to the woods. It was very difficult, but at long last, I made it to the old embers of the campfire. The campers must have left just before Kyle arrived. I set the old embers aflame again, feeding it slowly, almost pushing Kyle into the flames to warm him up.
His breaths started to be stronger, and his face was red that morning. I had stayed up all night, just to watch over him. My friend almost DIED. Not passed out, not hurt, but DIED. The overwhelming surge to make sure he didn't die kept me up, and boy, did I feel like death warmed over. That's pretty much what I was at this point. I couldn't stand up, my legs were so numb. And finally I heard a noise I had been searching for all night.
"Ugh…"Kyle groaned as he tried to open his eyes. I don't know where he thought he was, but it sure wasn't the Pond.
"My head…" Well, almost dieing will do that to you. Trust me, I know from experience.
"Well, nice to see you've joined the living." Kyle flinched and looked over at me. He was surprised to see me here.
"Kenny?" No, it was Mel Gibson.
"Yes?" He looked over nervously at me. I'd be nervous too. After what he put me through, I must have been giving him one hell of a look.
"What are you doing here?" What am I doing here?!
"Well, what are you doing here?" I wasn't going to bleat around the bush.
"Well, I went for a walk. Pretty stupid considering how tired I was huh?" He gave me a forced smile, hoping I'd take it. I just couldn't though. I had known him for too long.
"Bullshit." His smile faltered, turning into a frown.
"Kind of knew I couldn't pull that." Damn right.
"Want to not lie?" Now he was looking at the ground, guilt and shame plaguing his features, suspicion on mine.
"So, you saw…huh?"
"No, I just took a random guess that you were at the bottom of the lake and went to get you." Not a hint of humor was there, no matter how hard Kyle looked. This was not funny.
"I'm sorry…" Sorry?
"That's not going to cut it Kyle! What would have happened if I didn't show up?! What would your parents think when they got the news? And even more so, what would Stan think?!"
"I'm not friends with him anymore." I think I stared at him for over five minutes. The daring duo weren't together? That was scary, and shocking.
"Why?"
"I don't want to talk about it…" I could only stare at Kyle. This child had such a bright future. My life was in the shitter, and I still held onto hope that tomorrow would be better. But the great Kyle Brovflowski gave up? Then I was as good as fucked.
"Fine." No, it wasn't fine, but what choice did I have? I needed to get him home.
"Whatever, Kyle. Come on, let's get you home."
"My parents kicked me out." Great, this just got better and better with every new plot twist. What the hell did he do?
"Jesus Kyle, you're making this difficult…"Kyle saw me lost in thought, and looked back over at the lake. He thought I couldn't see, but I was still watching.
"Kyle, if you even make a move towards that lake, I will beat you into the ground." Needless to say, he stopped looking at the lake. Now I get the guilty face again. God, it sucked.
"Come on. I'm not leaving you here, and I'm not leaving you alone. You're coming over to my house." Kyle reluctantly nodded. I saw a look of longing at the lake. What the hell had happened to Kyle?
I had let Kyle to my small apartment. I had asked for a Stark's Pond story, but this was more than I bargained for. It had taken us forever to get to my apartment. My muscles were all cramped, and Kyle had almost no energy to move, so I had to also half-drag him. I have to say, he was shocked to discover that I owned an apartment. It wasn't much, but it got me through. One bed and one bath, exactly what I needed, except add on a living room and a kitchen, was what I had. I sat Kyle on the couch, and I fell to the floor.
"Are you okay?!"
"Fine, I'm fine." I sat up at least. My blue sofa was new looking, and so was my table. The bed and the dresser were old though. That's all the furniture I really had. The rest were small toiletries in closets. My life was one full fucking oyster.
"Do you want anything?" I asked politely, hoping to make him feel safe and comfortable here.
"Can I use your bathroom please?" I pointed to the appropriate door. He made it over. I, however, got up and started macaroni, well, almost. My gut said not to make food, and my gut is pretty knowledgeable in the food department. I heard running water in the bathroom, but I could also hear gulping. I knocked on the door, hoping to god he answered. When he didn't, I kicked in the door.
Kyle had swallowed a whole bottle of my sleeping pills. My insomnia was really bad. I swear I never thought that this would be how I spent my weekend off. I picked up my cell and had dialed 9-1-1 first. They were on their way, which left me to try to keep Kyle awake. After the medics arrived, I told them exactly what he had swallowed about 10 pills of. Now here I was, in the waiting room of the ER, wondering who to call. Kyle's parents disowned him, and Stan wasn't his friend. If I were someone else, I would have called me, but I can't call myself. Not another name popped up, except one, and I'd never call that one.
Cartman.
I just didn't need hi jackass presence right now, but lucky me, god sent him anyway.
"Hey Kenneh!" I saw the fatass from here. He had thinned out a tad, but he was still a fat ass.
"Waiting for you girlfriend? I told ya not to kill yo hoes." Cartman liked to think I was a bad guy. At least I didn't try to end the Jews.
"Go away fatass."
"Mr. McCormick?" The doctor showed up, thankfully.
"Yes."
"Kyle's condition has stabilized. We'll be moving him to a room shortly."
"Thank you." I sat down and pinched my nose, something I picked up from Stan.
"Oh Jew boy is in there huh?" I kind of blocked him out, as it was getting old and my mind couldn't process anything else right now. The next woman who came out gave me a slip of paper, only three numbers scrawled on it. Then I went to the elevators.
Cartman followed me to Kyle's room. I truly didn't want him to, but I found myself not even attempting to stop him. I think that, somewhere in my mind, I wanted Eric to come with me to visit Kyle. A loud, annoying fatass like him might be just what Kyle needs. I guess I was hoping that Cartman could bring out the old Kyle that had disappeared in the young Jewish boy.
As the elevator 'dinged' open, I felt that urge again. I started off by walking a bit fast, but broke into a run down the hall. Patients were staring at me like a madman, but I kept going. Cartman was complaining; he wanted to buy snacks. Kyle could be dead right now, so snacks can wait. I found his door locked. Figures, but I didn't care that I was in a hospital. I kicked the door in, breaking the locking mechanism. Over across the room, I saw Kyle lifting a syringe out of a drawer, his tube of whatever medicine he needed held in his right hand. Kyle started to fill the syringe with air, and I took the opportunity. I ran so fast, and barely managed to stop him. The syringe flew to the ground, shattering on contact. Patients and doctors by the door just stared at Kyle. Cartman almost gasped, but he stopped himself. If I asked, he'd probably say he didn't want to be a pussy in public, or something like that.
The doctors rushed in a few minutes later. They put Kyle to sleep, preventing him from worrying me. The doctors assured me that I wouldn't be charged for the broken lock, seeing as I saved Kyle's life for the third time in 24 hours.
Cartman had left during the escapade, and when Kyle watched him go, I saw his face twist in torment. Had he wanted Cartman to stay? I couldn't tell. For his sake, I wanted to find out.
I ran over to the highest mountain top in the city. Cartman liked to be here, as it made him feel 'higher than the infidels' so to speak. It hung just above a forest; tallest trees in South Park grew in it. I felt that I should hang back, try not to be seen. Cartman seemed to want to be alone.
"Kyle was trying to kill himself…" Cartman started to talk to himself. He was pondering why Kyle attempted suicide too. I decided to listen; maybe he'd give me some ideas.
"I never wanted to make him hate himself…I just wanted to-to get a rise out of him. Is that so wrong?" My mind went blank. Was Cartman…blaming himself?
"I always hurt the people I care about. Why? WHY? WHY?!" He kicked a rock off the cliff, watching it go down, I hear it shatter seconds later. I walked up the craggily peak, hoping to give him some sort of support. I thought I had time to just walk on up, but I feel it again.
That urge to run over, and seeing as it hadn't been wrong those 3 times, I trusted in fully right now. I saw him go to the edge, just before I could reach him. He closed his eyes, and I saw him hold his breath. His face went blue, and he went unconscious, which also sent him toppling of the cliff.
I picked up my pace, running up the hill, making it precious seconds after he fell. I leapt off after him, thinking that I was just a lucky guy, catching all my friends before they died, but as I fell, pinpointing myself to go faster, it happened for the second time. My eyes went up for a split second, just one only. In that single second, I saw it again.
A snowflake with a steering wheel design.
I caught him at the wrist again, but that wasn't going to stop us from falling. We were falling towards the trees fast, and I got an idea. I somehow managed to curl my legs around a thick branch as we went down. Damn near killed my legs, but we landed safely. I guess I can confirm that I wasn't lucky. I just saw my impossible second snowflake.
Cartman was hard to drag back to South Park. I almost didn't make it again. I swear these guys owe me, big time. I did manage to get some quiet thinking time while dragging him though. Cartman and Kyle both were obviously upset because of the other. When it came down to the inside, Kyle and Cartman were essentially the same, the same snowflake.
Kyle didn't act up often, but when he did, his drive, genius, and pure power resembled Cartman's. Cartman has only been calm and reserved enough times to count on one hand, but I was lucky enough to see it on the hill. He was caring, in this case about Kyle, and he honestly felt guilty for what he thought he had done. The same strong outside, the same insecure inside made them the same suicidal person. I guess they were like snowflakes. In their fury, a blizzard seems to hit you, unswerving and unafraid. But call them out individually, and then they break and melt.
Making it to the hospital, Cartman finally woke up.
"Where am I?"
"Hospital dumbass. I dragged your ass here from the cliff."
"What the hell Kenneh?!"
"Don't start with my Eric; I am not in a good mood." Cartman only silenced because I had used his first name, which I NEVER do. I made it to the elevator, not really caring about the second scene I was causing today.
The ride had been quicker since no one got on my elevator. I dragged Cartman's ass down the hall until we reached Kyle's room. I opened it correctly, letting myself in. We arrived just after Kyle had woken up.
"Kenny?"
"What the hell Kenneh? Why did you drag me to the Jew's room?!"
"Shut up fatass."
"HEY! I am not FAT. I'm big-boned!"
"SHUT UP!" They stopped. I know I wanted Kyle to be back to normal, but that's not why I dragged a tub of lard over two miles.
"I want answers, and I want them now. In the past 24 hours, I witnessed 4 suicide attempts, and almost died twice. What the hell are your problems?!" I was letting them think I was thoroughly upset, but really, I was just concerned. Cartman looked over at Kyle, mouth agape at hearing he tried suicide 3 times. Kyle looked just as shocked at Cartman's one time flirting with death.
"Kyle, Cartman thinks he's responsible for your behavior. Cartman, whatever is wrong with Kyle is partly due to you, but I don't think you did it intentionally." They both kind of looked away, and I guess I hit the mark.
"Kyle, why did you cut off your friend ship with Stan?" Cartman almost had his eyes pop out of his head. I just stopped caring about how they reacted.
"I didn't want him to suffer, missing me." My eyes softened. Even in his almost final moments, he still was thinking about his friends the whole time. Cartman seemed to be letting this info sink in, so I asked him next.
"Why in God's name did you think this was your fault?" Kyle looked up.
"No one makes him feel crappy; infact, everyone in this town worships the ground he walks on. No one else upsets him…" That made sense too.
"That's why I pissed off mom and dad…so they wouldn't miss me either." Cartman looked over.
"Everyone would miss you Kyle, no matter how much you pissed them off." Kyle's eyes watered when he heard it. In joy or sadness, I haven't a clue, he started to cry.
"I just couldn't live like this. I…would get up, and try so hard to hide it. I couldn't take it…" What? Kyle just about went hysterical, and I saw Cartman stand, almost like contemplating what to do.
"I couldn't stop the images in my head. All the scenes of rejection just playing over and over on my eyelids, it haunted my every dream, my every thought…" Rejection? What was he getting at? Then, that look of longing and torment came up in my head. Did he…
"What do you mean Kyle?" That surprisingly came from Eric, not me. Taking matters into his own hands, he stepped forwards.
"I-I-I…"
"Its okay, no one's going to hate you for what you have to say." This human side to Cartman was totally new.
"I love you Eric…" His voice was small. Eric seemed to be shocked to hear it from Kyle.
"I knew you wouldn't love me back, and I just wanted…" Kyle stopped from the soft lips on his. His look was one of utter confusion, and he almost jumped when Cartman took him into his arms.
"That's why I was upset. I thought I hurt the one thing I treasured more than anything…" Kyle was shaking in shock, but he cried again in happiness, tightly hugging Eric, like he they were going to fly away.
I felt so out of place in this perfect moment. Cartman was gently holding Kyle, while Kyle was leaning lightly on Eric's chest. Cartman pulled him in for another kiss, this one more loving than the last. He pulled Kyle close, and whispered into his ear, but I heard it.
"Let's get you out of here." Kyle smiled through his tears and let himself be led out.
I stood behind them as they left the building. My part in this plan was done. Now I could sit and watch them kiss passionately in the snowflakes. My eyes could see the perfect picture, and then it happened once more. My dream had made sense in that moment. Eric had swung Kyle around, dancing it the middle of all the twirling snowflakes. I sat watching the beautiful sight once again, just like the snowflakes' dance in my dream. I got up to leave, but not before spotting the final piece of the picture. My prize for my job well done…
I glanced at the two for the final time, looking to the sky, seeing the light. Their love was endless and pure, much like the snow that fell that day. I almost walked away, but my body stopped me. Directly overheard, I saw the impossible incident.
I had always thought that I was lucky to see my two identical snowflakes. I was lucky to be the one chosen to bring Eric and Kyle together. I was lucky my whole life. As I saw my reward, it blessed the scene before me, and I knew it was God.
Upwards in the sky rested a single snowflake.
A snowflake with a steering wheel design.
Hope you liked it.
POWERPUFFS621