On a frosted night

Written for a contest. I hope you enjoy it!

Frost clung to the silent landscape.

 

She turned her eyes away from that icy beauty, turning them instead to the point where land met horizon. Her breath hung like puffs of smoke on the still air. Sighing softly, the girl drew her cloak more tightly across her body and watched a dark shape skim steadily across the clear sky, not yet lit by the white light that heralded dawn.

 

The only light that touched the landscape came from a single lantern, and a thin crescent moon hanging in the sky. In the gentle glow of the lantern’s candle, the girl could be seen to move her gaze once more, green eyes becoming unfocused as she sank into thought.

 

She was like a statue, that child. So quiet and still that flakes of frost started to gather on her clothes, patterning the dark material with streaks of white. Even her hair, drawn back into a bundle of brightest ginger, gradually seemed to grow white, like an old woman’s.

 

“You!”

The girl looked back quickly, her eyes falling on the man standing by the lamp. He looked more nervous than angry, but in his hand he held a gun. And a gun is a gun, regardless of who wields it.

“I told you to clear off,” he continued, taking a step forward.

 

That was enough for the girl-child. Sweeping her cloak away from her feet, she darted away into the trees. For a moment, the crunching of her feet on icy branches could be heard clearly. Then the sound faded, and the man lowered his gun.

 

Slowly, with one eye on the forest, he backed away towards his house. Cautiously, he latched the gate, and hurried back out of the cold.

 

On the other side of the forest, a dark shape emerged from the trees. Her cloak falling back into place, the girl gazed silently up at the point where land met sky.

 

Reviews

[r]

That is soooo amazing!!! I absolutely love it!! I love the imagery and wow. Just beautiful!

[deeps]

Oh My Goodness! This is quite the chilling write. Very suspenseful I must say. But so very well written.