Five: Snow
"What's that, Pa?" Hamish was staring out the prison window at the white flakes floating down from the sky.
"Eh?" Moss looked up from his work at his desk to look over at the window. "That there is snow, son... I've read to you about it before, remember? It ain't that common here on Zartacla..."
"What's it doin' comin' here, then?" The boy's eyes widened in wonder as the white began dusting the ground. His mind began racing with stories he had been read about snow. "Can I go build a snowman, Pa? Can I?"
"There ain't enough snow for that," he replied. "That snow out there ain't goin' ta last long either..."
"Nuh-uh, Pa! I'll build a snowman! Jus' you watch!" With that, the six year old stomped from the room, an air of determination hanging about him.
"Put on a sweater! It's gonna be cold out there!" Moss shouted after him. Shaking his head, he went back to filling out paperwork on his desk. After a few minutes however, curiosity got the better of him and he got up to look out the window.
Hamish was there, scooping the light layer of snow into a bucket, revealing the brown earth underneath. He continued the process with a different bucket until all the snow in the area had disappeared into a container. "Now what is that boy doin'?"
Looking determined as ever, the boy began digging at the ground, which was wet from melted snowflakes. Sticking his tongue out in concentration, he began molding the dirt into a sphere, grabbing snow from the bucket to mix with the earth.
"Now I can't believe it," Moss breathed, amazed. "They boy actually went and done it." He watched as his son crafted a man from snow and dirt. The boy dumped the remaining snow onto the snowman, making it look as if it were entirely made of snow. Blinking, the prison warden made his way outside where Hamish was using rocks as eyes and a mouth.
"Look Pa! I told you I could do it!" Hamish proclaimed proudly.
"Yeah, son. You sure did... Course, this snowman's missin' somethin'."
The boy frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What's it missin'?"
"A hat." Moss took the hat off his own head, putting in on the snowman's. He stood back and clapped a hand on the boy's shoulder, admiring his handiwork. That boy could sure be clever when it came to goofing off, that was sure...
A/N This was inspired by a scene from To Kill a Mocking Bird. I figure that it doesn't snow much on Zartacla... I wonder if they would let the prisoners play out in the snow? :p