Okay, so this is Version two of my original story. I hope to make this one a bit better. I really hope you enjoy it.
Like any other time of year, the woods were filled with peacefulness that, long ago, human kind seemed to have lost. Rough pines and pale birches stood tall with age, their arms stretched in all directions and bent all sorts of ways. They reached out, almost shielding both the gray sky from the wondering woman, and the ground from the falling snow, though the ground was already blanketed with it.
The thick canvas of snow was clear and smooth and flawless, or would have been if not for the tracks that fallowed behind me.
It wasn't considered uncommon for me to go roaming through the woods on a whim. This place which had once caused me to cower under the covers at night where the monsters from my dreams always hid, waiting in the shadows for the perfect moment. I have grown, since then, to admire the stillness that now calms my own mind and thoughts. It was peaceful. Detached almost from the rest of the world. The snow made it even more so.
But I couldn't stop my skin from crawling in the night, feeling praying eyes on my back.
I love snow, and perfect snowy scene: the ones that draw the breath from your lungs, and cause your eyes to widen in awe. The moments when you're afraid to move in fear of shattering that moment: where all time has stopped. So often, I wished for the ability to still time, even for a little while.
Snowflakes fell in delicate little puffs, each one unique to itself as the calmly glided to the ground. An animus blue fog masked the distant trees and cast a winery glow over this sanctuary. A frosty chill followed beside it. I huddled deeper into my oversized coat that wasn't quite made for this weather.
I had walked for sometime with little excitement, yet the time past by with the trees and snow fall in a dreamy bluer. At some point, realization struck me that I had wondered deeper then I had ever gone. Panic tightened my chest as thoughts of being hopelessly lost and forgotten raced through my head. Turning around, I sighed in relief, the tracks made by my old boots marked my return trip. The sky didn't seem to have darkened since I last noticed either. Returning to my vacant thoughts, I continued to walk. My mind wondered once again too more interesting things my surroundings.
My mistake.
Within seconds, I found myself half buried in the mound of snow, the cold powder found its way in my boots and down between my shirts. I gasped, and stood quickly. The grace I showed would have made the queen cringe. I leaned against a tree for support as I let myself adapt to the sudden cold, now slowly dying away.
With a sigh, I leaned heavily on the tree as a sudden wave of weariness overtook my body that I wasn't able to defend against. I stood there for a while, listening to the sounds of my own breathing, seemingly echoing through the endless silence of the slumbering trees. How peaceful, I thought, my eyelids becoming heavy. With the combination of my tiredness and the scene around me, I was inspired to sing. Something I don't do often.
Dancing bears, painted wings
Things I almost remember.
And a song, someone sings.
Once upon a December
Humming the rest of the tune as it concluded, a new sound-a soft thud- filled the silence and caught my attention, but I took a moment before lazily turning my head. The bark gently pulled at my hair, but I hardly noticed as my sleepy eyes widened in shock.
A short distance away, laying under a bear tree on the flat ground-where a little layer of snow covered- was a Person. They wore little cloths; a blue hoodie dusted with snow and ripped brown pants. Their feet were bare, showing how pale they were. A long staff lay close by. Seeing this lifeless shape, far from any close house, ill clothed, pale and motionless, it was to be expected to feel fear and horror.
With little more grace then when I fell, I began the short trek thought the snow. "Hey!" I yelled in an attempt to get them to move. Even a simple twitch would have been welcomed. Thankfully, my outburst had done the trick. Turning to face me quickly, he looked as startled as I felt. It was a boy I knew for sure, but I could only glance his features as I stepped on the flatter surface, then felt the ground disappear beneath my, then reappear, slamming against my side and knocking the breath out of me.
Ice. It had to be ice, I thought to myself as I slowly and painfully sat up, trying to regain my pride in the process. I dared to look at him, and my returning breath caught in my throat.
He was quite handsome, and young. I hoped my age, but I pushed the thought aside embarrassingly. His hair was short and tousled, and extremely pale blond, on the verge of white even. His sweater was dusted with a permanent frost that I previously thought to be snow. His skin was unnaturally pale, yet flawless in its way, like the first snowfall of winter. But most of all, his bright, clear blue eyes pierced through mine, emphasized by his other pale features.
I was immediately overwhelmed. Ice blue met warm hazel in a searching gaze, looking for anything that would make sense of the other. His eyes were cold naturally, but there was warmth to them that seemed unexplainable. So was that other layer, hidden deeper, but I only managed to glimpse before it was gone and left me to believe I had imagined it. Time dragged on, long and slow before I had to break contact, but I was consciously aware of the real time that past, quick and brief.
Taking a breath, I meant to ask what he was doing, but it came out as a stuttered, choking whisper. Clearing my throat and taking another breath, I asked again: louder, but still with little force. I was careful to avoid his gaze.
He tilted his head to the side, his eyes wide with curiosity, wonder, and an innocents that reminded me of my brother when he wanted to get out of trouble. I bit my lip and clenched my hand to calm my acing chest.
"What." He stated this so simply that I drew back. "What?" I repeated in disbelief. A list of things grew in my head to say to him; how his attire was unfit for any whether, how he looked like he spent a week in a block of ice and so on. Yet, at the same time, I was at a loss for words. Damn his eyes.
"You can see me!" he exclaimed in doubt, but his eyes were pools of wonder and curiosity. At this, more ideas crammed my mind about this strange boy. I even entertained the thought of him being a man of special talents or abilities. But I pushed it aside, thinking of a more realistic idea. Perhaps it was the cold that was causing him to be delusions. I frowned at the idea and at myself for thinking such a thing of a boy I had just met.
"Yes. Of course I can." I tried to stand, but found myself at the mercy of the ice. I settled on sliding towards him, my gaze lowering a little more as I reverted to another topic. "And I mean what are you doing here, outside in the cold?" His head lowered, his hair shielding his eyes, though I glimpsed a far off sadness in his cold orbs. Perhaps I hadn't imagined it after all. I bit my tongue, regretting his feelings, but not having the will to apologize. I didn't know him after all. But I couldn't push away the feeling of wanting to get him to smile.
Giving him once over, I took off my scarf and gloves, placing them on him instead; the cold bit at my bare hands and neck, but I ignored it. He didn't flinch or push me away, as I had expected, but I felt his even more curious eyes on me. His cold hands pierced my own, and I continued to ignore it. Yet they were soft and as flawless as the rest of him.
"Well," I began, looking up at him to place the white scarf around his neck. He lifted his head to look at me, his eyes filled with the humor of an inside joke that will never die. I was curious about how my action led to what he thought was funny, but I didn't press. "Why-ever you're out here, you can't just go out dressed like this."
"Why not?" he asked defensively, his voice imitating his humorous eyes. My brow furrowed. "Because you could freeze to death."
"The cold never bothered my."
"Your complexion says otherwise." I gestured to both this exposed skin and lack of body heat. He considered my words a moment, and then smiled. It was warm and welcoming, but also mischievous. I was glad to have it directed at me and equally glad the cold had already colored my face. "What's your name?"
I hadn't noticed his voice before, how smooth and clear he sounded, making him seem much older then he might have been. I didn't really want to answer, beginning to feel a little uncomfortable, but his eyes and voice had trapped me. "Emily." His smile widened, if only slightly. "Emily." I hated how much I enjoyed how he said my name. "That's nice. And how old are you, Emily?"
Don't answer, don't answer, I repeated urgently in my head. "Eighteen." Again, his smile widened. "And you? A name for a name, that sounded fair."
"My names Jack, and my age-" he paused, his smile faltering. "-Is debatable." My eyebrow rose, asking for clarification, but before he could answer, I interrupted.
"If you're about to tell me you're over a hundred years old and sparkle in the sun, were going to have a problem." His laugh sang through the trees, and my own lips curved up at my words. "No. I do not sparkle in the sun, thank you very much."
A cold wind blew through the trees then, tousling both our hair, though mine became wilder. Pushing a long lock of brown hair behind my ear, I rubbed my hands together. Jack had obviously token notice of this and motioned to take off the gloves when I stopped him, putting my hands on his. "No. I'm fine. You need them more then I."
"And I really don't need them." Jack said, but made no motion to move from my grip. "I'll be the judge of that."
Once again, we fell into silence. I could see myself beginning to feel that of a love-hate relationship for these moments. Though it was only a second, it felt like an eternity. I had to break the silence or risk going mad.
"You have beautiful eyes."
It was a second before I realized the words I had thought had slipped out. My eyes widened in horror as I withdrew my hands from his, sliding a little away from him. He looked as startled as I was, but his expression soon changed. I glimpsed a growing smile before I lowered my head. "I mean-" God, I really didn't know what I meant. I felt so horrified and ashamed, yet, also satisfied with myself, but it's reasoning's eluded me.
"I mean…I, uh-" I stuttered, feeling shameful heat rise to my face. Unable to stand this boy's presence any longer, I shot to feet. It was a miracle that I stood without any more accidents. " You should be heading home now. You wouldn't want to catch cold." I could feel his cold blue gaze on me, making me feel all the more nervous. My chest pulled and tugged at me in both a pleasant and painful way, if it was possible, that is. I tried to push it down. From the corner of my eye, Jack nodded, his smile a slight curve on his smooth pale lips. "It was nice meeting you Emily. "
I took in a steady breath to calm myself.
"You to." I had meant to sound clear and proud, but it came out just above a whisper. We stared at each other a long moment, our eyes exchanging words of a language I didn't understand. Jack seemed likewise.
Breaking the connection with a blink, I turned my back to him and began walking towards the path I had created. "Emily." I turned at the tree I had been leaning against ages ago to see Jack, now standing tall with staff in hand. I waited patiently for an answer. The silence dragged on. "Can I see you again?"
I reeled back, if not my body, then my soul. I wasn't expecting such a question, and now I found myself, mouth a gap. Not trusting my voice, I nodded, and was rewarded with his smiled and nodded as well.
Once again, I turned from him and began my long walk home. I tried to push him out of my mind, as I could feel his heavy, heart-clenching gaze at my back.
