Snow & Tea

The cold seeps deep into her skin. It chills her fingers and makes them turn to icicles. She breathes and the air is white, crisp, like it has been colour dyed, or shown in its pure form for the first time. The pure form it takes is evil. There is nothing warm about it, nothing pleasant, and nothing safe.

The cold is set on taking over her body and controlling her every move, sending shivers down her spine and raising the tiny hairs on her arms and back of her neck. She hurries toward the silver speck in the distance, Simon struggling to keep up and yelling at her to wait, to slow down.

The cold makes her jumpy though, bouncy, and she keeps running, skipping, prancing almost, through the snow. They reach Serenity in far too long a time, and there, River slows, wrapping her arms around her middle and enjoying the warmer conditions inside the ship.

The cold has slowed Simon. He is out of breath when he catches up. "River," he says.

"Warmer now," she replies quickly, and before he can say anything else she hurries toward the mess. "Tea to warm the body."

Simon studies her a moment, and then smiles and follows. "Tea would be perfect," he agrees.

fin.