Dreamer in the Ice
Cold
Cold.
Releasing the breath of air that she had held in her lungs in a sudden rush, she watched as her breath turned to steam, dancing in the air, only to be carried. Her blue eyes lingered on the twirling streams for only a second, before glancing down at her hands. Hands encased in soft woolen mitts.
She closed her eyes, head leaning against the cool, slippery wall behind her. She couldn’t remember a time when she was so cold. She didn’t believe that she ever had been so cold. Despite the many layers of thick woolen clothing, she could still feel the arctic slivers creeping through the very fiber of her being, feeling as though they froze her very core.
Her legs were numb, as were her fingers. She rubbed her nose, desperate to feel some warmth, any. Her attempts though were in vain – she had lost feeling in her nose long ago.
In the distance she could hear the howling of the wind, the very force that had driven her to escape to this barren wonderland. Her head lolled to the side, looking at her lap. Her body lay motionless, the only sign that she still lived was the constant rise and fall of her chest, her breaths coming out in steam, reminding her just how cold it was.
Her long red hair, left out for reasons she had forgotten what seemed an age ago, even seemed dull. Ice crystals had begun to form, clinging to her hair as though it would provide shelter.
Ice, beautiful but deadly. Unique. Something she loved. How did she not see the deadliness of it before this very eve? She had heard the stories of hikers getting lost in these very mountains. She was lucky she had found a cave in the first place. If she hadn’t, surely she would’ve been dead hours ago.
The cave suddenly was entombed in darkness. She held her breath, waiting. Seconds seemed to drag into hours before the light once again returned. She glanced down beside her, noticing the torch that had saved her life, dying, slowly. Just as she was herself.
Did she want to die too? Did she want to waste away in a cave where no one would find her? No. Definitely not.
Climbing onto her hands and knees, she pulled herself forward, crawling till she reached the mouth of the cave. Her arms grew week, numbing before finally collapsing. In the distance, she was almost positive she heard voices.
“Eira!”
The voices repeated, again and again until suddenly, they faded to the background. Eira opened her eyes, staring at the ice crystals clutching her hair, nature’s display of unbeatable power.
For her name meant snow, it was fitting that she too, ended with snow. Her eyes slid closed, unable to hold them open any longer. Bright lights flashed behind her eyelids, the crunching of boots next to her ears.
She prayed that she’d live to see the next day.
Releasing the breath of air that she had held in her lungs in a sudden rush, she watched as her breath turned to steam, dancing in the air, only to be carried. Her blue eyes lingered on the twirling streams for only a second, before glancing down at her hands. Hands encased in soft woolen mitts.
She closed her eyes, head leaning against the cool, slippery wall behind her. She couldn’t remember a time when she was so cold. She didn’t believe that she ever had been so cold. Despite the many layers of thick woolen clothing, she could still feel the arctic slivers creeping through the very fiber of her being, feeling as though they froze her very core.
Her legs were numb, as were her fingers. She rubbed her nose, desperate to feel some warmth, any. Her attempts though were in vain – she had lost feeling in her nose long ago.
In the distance she could hear the howling of the wind, the very force that had driven her to escape to this barren wonderland. Her head lolled to the side, looking at her lap. Her body lay motionless, the only sign that she still lived was the constant rise and fall of her chest, her breaths coming out in steam, reminding her just how cold it was.
Her long red hair, left out for reasons she had forgotten what seemed an age ago, even seemed dull. Ice crystals had begun to form, clinging to her hair as though it would provide shelter.
Ice, beautiful but deadly. Unique. Something she loved. How did she not see the deadliness of it before this very eve? She had heard the stories of hikers getting lost in these very mountains. She was lucky she had found a cave in the first place. If she hadn’t, surely she would’ve been dead hours ago.
The cave suddenly was entombed in darkness. She held her breath, waiting. Seconds seemed to drag into hours before the light once again returned. She glanced down beside her, noticing the torch that had saved her life, dying, slowly. Just as she was herself.
Did she want to die too? Did she want to waste away in a cave where no one would find her? No. Definitely not.
Climbing onto her hands and knees, she pulled herself forward, crawling till she reached the mouth of the cave. Her arms grew week, numbing before finally collapsing. In the distance, she was almost positive she heard voices.
“Eira!”
The voices repeated, again and again until suddenly, they faded to the background. Eira opened her eyes, staring at the ice crystals clutching her hair, nature’s display of unbeatable power.
For her name meant snow, it was fitting that she too, ended with snow. Her eyes slid closed, unable to hold them open any longer. Bright lights flashed behind her eyelids, the crunching of boots next to her ears.
She prayed that she’d live to see the next day.