I'm…dreaming…
It's weird. I'm standing right in the snow. It swallows my feet and I see more of it clothing the bare trees that surround the clearing. There's the white, the brown, and then the gray overhead. Clouds, clouds, and more clouds; I wish I could see the brilliant blue that usually comes with snowy days around here. But it's all just dull, uninviting, dead.
I turn my head to the right, and I see the same white of the frost around me partially covering that stump. I start to run away from it, or at least I try to, pumping my legs as hard as I can just to sink down into the frozen surface again. It's been so long, but I'll never get used to seeing what's left of that old tree. Never.
But what's weird is that I'm warm. It's like I'm all nice and snug in a thick blanket. I gasp and keep trudging along into the thickness of the spiny trees. I push branch after branch after branch away, but there's nothing but more wood, so dark it looks like I'm just stepping into a black hole or something.
That's when the warmth ebbs away. And that's when a little glint of light pokes through, making me jolt my head back. I see a bright, golden twinkle, but when I narrow my eyes, I think I see red, blue, green…
And then it all fades into a gray, liquid-like blob, and then a harsh chill sweeps over my arms and legs.
Cool air hits my face, and I slowly open my eyes to see moonlight escape through my window blinds. Yawning, I wipe my eyes and slowly rotate in bed, breathing deep when I see the overhead fan whirling around; it's a good thing we got those installed since summer will be here before we know. That coldness from my dream is not so oppressive now, but it's still a little chilly.
Two more second of turning around, and there she is. Ayu's asleep on her side, her left arm and leg draped over my bunched-up, dark blue blanket. Though it's probably the middle of the night, her newly-cut blonde hair still stands out.
I smile just a little bit. Though so many great things have happened, she's the best thing I could possibly associate with that stump, heck, that whole clearing.
Ayu starts to frown, and a small groan comes from her throat. I bet she'd be saying, "Uguuu…" if she were awake. Then, her eyes flutter open somewhat, and another tired groan escapes her as I slide up next to her. I pull the blanket over both of us, and I wrap my right arm around her while she tightens her grip around me with her left.
The familiar warmth comes back, and I close my eyes again.
Author Note: Like I said, I'm thinking of doing just a straight, bigger story, but I like the idea of little vignettes as well. This is a story where I'll play with things a bit, but we'll see where it goes! Responses and comments more than welcome!