Winter's Light

Winter was his favourite time of the year.

It was beautiful and gorgeous, stunning and glorious; from the way the light shone off the iridescent icicles that descended downwards, to the impossibly white snow that fully encased the once concrete ground with beauty that had been sorely absent. He loved to watch the snow fall down from the heavens with the gentle grace of what he supposed an angel may possess. He wasn’t religious by any means, but there was something about that time of year that captured his imagination, fully and wholly.

Despite the cold, nothing seemed more perfect than being in the midst of a blizzard. To feel the numbing of his fingers through barely thick enough gloves, to the quiet hum of the wind blowing past his reddened ears as it travelled through the empty streets and barren fields of ice and snow. It was peaceful, with no one around to tell him who he should be or how he should hurry along now and grow up before he got a reputation. Now, none of that mattered. It was only him with his house and little sister in that moment.

As much as he loved the weather for his own personal reasons it was his little sister, Paige that made these months so enchanting. She was always over-exuberant and bright – nothing could ever get past her, so, when he brought out the sledge he kept behind the house, in an old rickety shed, well, he could already sense the ten-year-old bounding round the corner in excitement.

“Danny! Danny! Danny! Are we going sledging? Please tell me we are? Please, please, please?” Paige begged whilst skidding round the corner, earning an amused chuckle from her brother in response. He however, didn’t manage to get a word in edge ways as, as soon as he opened his mouth to reply, Danny was cut short by a sequel so loud he half expected the windows to shatter in response. His face shrivelled up at the shrill noise, but still, a smile was playing on his lips, happy to see her so excited.

“Are you just gonna stand there screaming? Or are you gonna race me to the top of the hill?” Danny said, opening one eye in fear of yet another vocal screech attack. Once he saw her eyes light up however, he knew it was only a matter of time before she’d be pelting out of the house to beat him at all costs.

Admittedly, he was happy enough letting her win, but, honestly, he had lost to her whilst giving his all to win.

“Last one to the hill is a rotten egg!” Paige declared with spirit, before grabbing her jacket, whilst seamlessly tossing her brothers backwards towards him. It hit him square in the face. An indignant sound of disapproval erupted from his lips as he removed the jacket from his head and looked for his sister – only to find the door wide open and a gale billowing through the opening. Danny smiled running out of the door – one arm through his jacket sleeve.

Hauling his coat all the way on, he picked up speed – sledge under arm – and ran down the empty streets of white and crystal. His footprints crunched beneath him as his feet landed on the frost. Danny loved the sound, it relaxed and exited him, truly making him feel like a child once more. No more responsibilities, all there was in those months was light and laughter. He twisted down the street towards the park, following the smaller footprints that led a direct trail to the foot of the hill. The snow was deeper there and he found his shoes sinking downwards towards the heavily concealed greenery that was present during the summer.

He smiled and looked upwards, seeing his sister look down at him in amusement.

She cupped her hands together in front of her face; “Look who’s the egg again!” Paige shouted loudly from the top of the hill, taunting and mocking.

“I’m never gonna win am I?” Was Danny’s reply, humour seeping through his every word.

“Nah,” Paige waved off, “you are and always will be the Mega, Ultra Supreme Egg.” She finished in all the seriousness a ten-year-old could possibly procure.

Danny rubbed his chin in mock thought, “That may be true but, what you fail to see is that I – Mega, Ultra Supreme Egg – have the sledge,” he shrugged his shoulders, “I might just keep it down here until you stop being mean to me.” Danny finished and waited. It worked every time without fail. Five seconds and she’d be begging forgiveness, if only to ride the sledge.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Here it comes.

“Danny, you don’t mean that do you?” Paige shifted uncomfortably, “Sorry for being mean. Can I use the sledge now?” She asked as a massive grin spread across her face.

Every time.

Danny shook his head and ran up the hill towards his little sister. He dropped the sledge at the top of the hill and gestures to it for Paige to get in. The young girl let out a squeal of excitement and ran over towards it, giving Danny a quick and brief hug before barrelling into the sledge.

Paige saluted, “See you on the other side.” She said in all seriousness before sliding herself haphazardly down the hill, her speed increasing like a greyhound on the run. Then she hit the snow drift at the bottom, the minuscule white tundra spraying out either side of her.

“HELL YEAH!” She exclaimed loudly, throwing up her arms, before getting out and jumping upwards in excitement. Danny laughed at her antics and made his way down the hill knowing she’d struggle to get the hefty, wooden sledge back up the hill. She had already begun to drag it in all of its fruitlessness. Pages face lit up upon seeing her brother coming to help her. She pulled the sledge over towards him and dumped it at his feet before promptly dashing back up the hill – not even taking the time to ask Danny, knowing he’d do it anyway, since he could barely ever say no to her.

Danny shook his head in disbelief, but still not in the slightest shocked at her rude and demanding behaviour. He’d get her back though. So, when she was no longer looking, he began to fill up the sledge with snow in all the places that nobody – not ever – wanted the frozen, white liquid. He grinned menacingly as he reach the top of the hill and gestures towards the sledge once more. Paige didn’t notice, or if she did, she simply did not care. Plummeting once more into the sledge, she immediately noticed something was off; but, when the time had passed for her to react and her head had whipped around, she barely had enough seconds to comprehend her bothers evil grin and small wave before he kicked the sledge harshly, sending it rocketing down the hill. Feeling her clothes dampen and soak from the snow her brother had piled in the sledge, she screamed, blaringly loud – loud enough for what Danny assumed was the whole neighbourhood to hear.

“I hate you, Danny!!!”

But Danny was too busy laughing and pointing at his disgruntled and livid sister to care. She would try and one up him, no doubt, but in that moment he had won and my god, was it a funny spectacle to behold. Paige emerged from the sledge dripping wet and scowling as she crossed her arms in a huff – this action only causing her brother to laugh louder.

“I’ll get you for this!”

“Oh yeah? Prove it!”

Oh yes, winter was truly the most wonderful season or the year, Danny thought, a grin on his face as his sister stomped up the hill; a menacing smile playing at the corners of her own lips.

It truly was the most magical season of all.