Emma gazed miserably out the window, watching delicate flakes of snow drift to the ground. It was a perfect day for playing outside; the snow was soft and powdery, and the pond's surface was frozen over. But she'd never think of stepping out onto the icy pond. At least, not since the accident.
She could still see the whole thing clear as day: her older brother's reassuring smile, the rush she had felt when he'd pushed her off the cracking ice, and the scream he'd let out just before plunging into the freezing waters, never to be seen again. Emma squeezed her eyes shut, but the tears came anyway. Though it had been a year since Jack's death, she could still feel the pain prick at her heart.
Her mother gave her a sympathetic look, her eyes reflecting Emma's own sadness. "You should go out and play, Emma. I know it's not the same without Jack…but he wouldn't want you to waste a fine snow day such as this."
Glancing back out the window again, Emma knew she was right. Reluctantly, she slipped on her coat and mittens, and pulled the sled out from under her bed.
"Just don't go out onto the pond!" her mother warned as Emma slipped outside.
"I know," she replied softly.
As she stepped outside, the snow crunched under her boots. She had forgotten how fun that feeling was. Dragging a small sled behind her, she walked further, relishing the crackly sound that came from each step. She wandered up one of the snow-covered hills, admiring the layers of frost coating the tree branches, and tilting her head back to let a few snowflakes sting her face with cold.
It was pretty, but there wasn't much to do without someone to play with. She couldn't have a snowball fight by herself, and Jack had always helped her make the best snowmen every year. She could sled, but she knew the thrill of the ride would be dulled without her brother there.
Emma plopped herself down on the sled dejectedly, fighting back tears.
Jack Frost stared at the clearing from above, admiring his handiwork. He was perched in the highest branches of a frozen tree, taking a moment to look at the winter wonderland he had just created.
Peering closer, he spotted a young girl sitting on a sled. He leaped from the tree and hovered just above her. She was close to crying, and looked vaguely familiar.
"Huh…looks like someone could use a little cheering up," he said aloud, knowing she couldn't hear him. He knew it was pointless speaking at all, but talking to himself was better than talking to no one at all.
Jack lifted his staff with a mischievous grin, guiding the snowflakes with every motion. They began to swirl around the girl, who looked up in surprise as they brushed her face. She let out a small giggle as they tickled her skin.
He willed the freezing wind to give her a gentle push, and slowly the sled began to move. The girl's face lit up in delight as the sled tipped downhill and began to glide across the snow. Her eyes grew wide with excitement as the sled picked up speed.
Flying alongside her, Jack continued to guide the sled's movements, using the wind to speed it up and turn it slightly to avoid hitting rocks or roots.
The sled carried Emma across the sparkling hills with an almost unnatural amount of speed. She squealed happily as the runners hissed beneath her. This was the most exhilarating sled ride she had ever experienced, and she hadn't even meant for it to happen. The wind and snow seemed to have just suddenly propelled her forward. It was a magical feeling, racing downhill with the wind whistling in her ears.
For a moment, she thought she glimpsed someone gliding next to her, grinning at her in a familiar way. But it was gone in an instant, perhaps just a flash of a memory tricking her brain.
Once the sled finally slowed and came to a stop, Emma was breathless with excitement. She felt that what had just happened was pure magic, and it brightened her spirits.
Her head spun as she stood up, and she grasped the sled's handle with a shaky mitten. Her cheeks were rosy from smiling.
As Emma turned to head for home, she felt a sudden pinprick of cold nip at her nose. It reminded her of the way Jack would always kiss her there when she was sad or scared.
This time, the thought of her brother made her happy instead of sad. Even if Jack was gone, there were still memories of him everywhere; hidden treasures to find in the snow and hold close to her heart. She felt a warm glow deep inside her, and she craned her neck to look up at the sky.
"Thanks, Jack," she murmured. Somehow, she hoped he could hear her…