There was snow. Everywhere. Small, white crystals joining together in a chilly waltz through the winter breeze. They shimmied past the long-deceased oak trees that surrounded the clearing. The sky was grey, nothing but a darkened abyss above the Earth. The horizon was invisible, hidden by the white-capped mountains in the distance.
The gentle breeze sped into a rough wind, plastering the snowflakes against the scraggly tree trunks. From behind one tree stepped a rather sorry-looking creature. His jersey was tattered and dirty with mud and dead leaves. There were holes in it, and it unraveled in some parts. The weary chipmunk shivered and did his best to keep the jersey around himself. He trudged to the middle of the clearing, then sank to his knees and lifted his head to the dark sky.
Snowflakes kissed his nose with frosty lips. The chipmunk closed his eyes and sighed. From behind him the crunch-crunch of another living being walking in the snow could be heard. The chipmunk kept his eyes closed, but his heart pounded as fear gripped it. A small trickle of sweat appeared on his brow. Those footsteps he knew all too well. He wanted to get away, but he found himself unable to stand, his strength gone.
The footsteps came up behind him, and then stopped. The chipmunk found the strength again, and turned to face this newcomer. He met his own face instead. This face, however, showed no kindness, no mercy – it was as cold as the biting wind now whipping around them. This chipmunk smirked evilly, and his eyes shone with mischief. The newcomer was also grey, except for his eyes, which gleamed red.
Soon the whole landscape turned grey, and the snow melted, and the other chipmunk disappeared. The chipmunk still on the ground noticed that, despite the lack of snow or ice, the ground was freezing and hard. It was also completely dry. Then he found himself falling, and staring at a swirling abyss of all shades of grey. It grew hot, then cold again, then hot again. And there was laughter, all around, echoing and going on forever and ever…
And there was cold…
Cold and grey…