Pippa skips in front of me, her brown, pigtail braids bouncing up and down behind her as we wind our way through the half-mile long trail to the pond. She swings her skates at her side by their laces, her woolen socks sticking out of the top. In two weeks, this trail will be overrun with people from town. They always put up the booths, stands, and tables around the pond. That's the real attraction; the pond. Christmas time is the only time of year that the ice is thick enough to hold up big amounts of people. Our family is one of the few that use the pond for skating at any other time.

"Come on you slow-poke!" Pippa teases from a tree stump down the trail. When she turns around to look at a snow rabbit, I bend over a snow pile and scoop up a handful of snow to make a snowball behind my back.

I reach her stump and she hops down, taking off towards the now visible lake. I take this opportunity to launch the wad of snow at her back. It explodes in a fine white powder and when she turns around, some of it settles on her winter hat.

She grins mischievously (mimicking my own smirk) as she bends down to collect her own ball of snow. She hurtles it towards my stomach and slips doing so, landing in a snow bank. Instead of it exploding into powder, it simply falls to my feet, with some of it sticking to the front of my shawl. Her big, brown eyes sadden as she looks at the snow clumps. "I can never make it like you." She whispers, frustrated.

I step over the ball and stand in front of Pippa. She looks up so that our brown eyes meet. (Brown eyes run in the family.) I sprinkle some snow in her face, which makes her smile instantly. "Don't worry, someday I'll teach you." I offer my hand to help her up. She ignores it and darts up, taking off in a run to the pond. "Race ya!" She yells over her shoulder. I take her up on the challenge and race for the pond myself, running beside her through the leaf-ridden trees.

I decide to let her win this race and slow down my pace, feigning exhaustion. Once we reach the shore I slow to a stop and put my hands on my knees as a part of the act. "Aw man! You beat me." I say in-between fake gasps. She jokingly flips a braid behind her shoulder, "Naturally. Girls always beat boys." She points out. I roll my eyes, laugh and walk over to one of the many trees bordering the pond.

I sit down and lean against it as Pippa slides on her socks and skates. She pulls her hat around her ears and slides onto the ice. She begins her regular routine of practice jumps and twirls then she starts with the festival routine. I can't help but grin at her talent.

I watch as the last rays of sun penetrate the pine trees and shine on the ice, making different shapes developing all the colors of the rainbow, mostly blue and orange. Then the sun slips past the horizon, disappearing to God-knows-where, taking its rays with it. I can vaguely make out the outline of the moon. It's full tonight.

"Jack, watch this!" Pippa calls, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turn to watch her as she launches into the air, does a mid-air split and lands gracefully on the ice and slides away. I clap and whistle and she proudly curtsies while skating in a wide circle. She shows me many more tricks; some she even claims to have invented herself. I applaud each one, that's what big brothers are for right?

I notice that the skies are getting darker and the moon is getting brighter, announcing our time to go. "Great job, Ice Ballerina." I cheer as she finishes up one of her demonstrations. "Come on, we need to start heading back." I say as I stand up and stand by the trail.

She skates over to the shore with a pouty face. "Just one more jump, Jack?" She begs. I playfully cross my arms "Ah, I don't know. What do I get in return?" I prod. "You get to watch me skate!" She cheerfully offers. I pretend to think about it, stroking an invisible beard. "I think that I just might have to take you up on that offer." She squeals and starts off around the pond, picking up speed.

Once she reaches the middle, she launches herself into a spinning jump, making me dizzy just watching her. I turn around and start walking off towards a stump so I can wait on her to get ready, but a sickening cracking sound stops me in my tracks, followed by a desperate cry/scream that turns me around. My heart lurches as I turn to see water taking the place of the ice and splashes lapping up around my flailing sister. The worst thing about it is that she can't swim.