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Winter still lingered in the air and along the breeze, though hints of spring began to sprout from the frostbitten earth. The world was defrosting, and so was her heart. Winter here is cold and long. It chills through the bone straight to the spirit. Naturally, the coming of spring is a much-awaited and celebrated event, especially here, where the snow is light, but, because of the freezing, starless nights, and shortened, hardly-existent days, it accumulates into a never-ending pile of frozen desperation. People here are as cold as the weather, and as few as the sun�s rays. Perhaps that is why she came to this desolate snow-desert, to get away from the searing heat and passion of the lives lived there. Whatever her reasons, the outcome was perfect�she�d wanted to get away from life. Not a single breath, aside from her own, was drawn for miles around her. Such solitude. Complete isolation is exactly what she�d had in mind. She found it: isolation from the world and her own troublesome thoughts. And here the wind whistling and howling is loud enough to drown out the thoughts in even the most brilliant of thinkers� minds. Since the land appeared brighter, in spirits as well as light, she decided to take a short drive around the countryside. Light-hearted, she set off into the chill and grinned at the sound of the sparrow�s sweet song. It wouldn�t be much longer till the darkness of winter fully released its grasp on the world. Already she could smell the scent of fresh earth, ripe for new life. After the past months of desperation, she felt content. As she climbed into her car, she was still smiling, despite the looming clouds that promised one last snow. After all, it would be the last�she was sure of it. Before the darkness had fallen and the snow had descended upon the land, when the leaves of the tall oaks were still a medley of brilliant colors, such as a kaleidoscope turning, showing for all to see, she had spotted a dirt road that ran along a small cliff above a raging river. Though then the water was rapid and high, she imagined that during the freezing season, the river would not have been spared. Now as she drove, she noticed that a majority of the previous snow had melted away, leaving little muddy pools of slush in the dips of the road. Still grinning from ear to ear, she came upon the ridge where the river was at last visible. Feeling as at peace with herself as she�d never felt before, she pulled to the side of the road, just next to the sudden drop that came before the rampant river, to look out upon the water. She stood, stunned, gazing at the rushing river and the giant chunks of ice floating down with the swiftly flowing current. For sure, she thought, the water should not be so high! Shrugging away the thought, she looked up to the sky and saw the darkness creeping back. Though it was no matter for her; nothing could spoil this mood. However, she did not wish to be stuck out there when the snow began falling, so she rushed back to her car, which she�d left running and parked only a few feet from the ridge. As she began to back up and turn around, a wheel dug into one of the dips in the road. Startled, she threw her car into reverse, and skid on a frozen pool of slush. She tried to steer her way to safety, but the car went careening off the cliff into the murky depths of the rising river. There was no time to think, but if she could, whatever came to mind would have been wiped away just as quickly as her car was swept down river. Spring came along and coerced the flowers into blooming. Summer followed and wilted the beautiful petals. She never saw the green leaves grow, or the sun glint on the dew after a morning rain. And when autumn came, her car was pulled from the river, miles away from here. No one could say they knew her, and no one really cared. Her body was found in the driver�s seat, partially preserved by the freezing season�s cold. She had a frozen smile on her lips and an icy ring of fear around her eyes. |
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