My heart was racing. It pounded hard in my chest, pressing against my ribcage as the frosty snow bit at my nose. The stinging cold was no longer there as I continued to run through the snowy fields. Beside me icy water flowed through broken patches of a frozen river. My footsteps crunched into the ground, leaving the boot prints behind me in a frantic pathway. In front of me I pushed past the dead branches, breaking them away in a frenzied pattern. They fell to the ground, almost a float compared to the pounding of my own feet. The light from the sun reflected brightly off the untouched snow in front of me, blinding my path as I continued to run. I could still hear him behind me.
As I ran, my hair whipped past my face. My cheeks were a rosy pink and my fingers stiff with cold. My pants clung to my skin as the snow melted from my body heat. The river’s running water began to slow as I continued down farther, the ice growing thicker and offering an opportunity that I needed. My feet suddenly brought me to a sharp left, running across the thickening ice without much caution. My boots crushed through the layer of drifting snow as well as cracking through part of the ice. Despite the effort to create a barricade, the footsteps behind me continued. My breathing was at its peak, small wisps of white smoke escaped past my lips, floating off up into the air before disappearing completely.
My feet touched solid ground again. I had made it across the river, but so had he. I whip my head to the side, making the mistake to look behind me. He was only feet away, closing the distance as I took the chance to turn around. With my panic, I crashed through tree branches, cutting my face and slowing me down. It only slowed me down to worry about my face, arms, and just my body in general.
I felt his hand on my shoulder now. So close. His breath hit the back of my neck as I was forced backward, my arms flailing up and my legs kicking forward. Even with my struggling, I did not scream. My voice was gone and my face grew more pink with the sudden scramble for myself.
I was not sure what happened, but I stood in front of him, taking small baby steps backwards, as he did the same moving forward. His expression cut deep into my memory. His expression of remorse, anguish, and most of all, one that wanted to be forgiven. My breathing was quick, my shoulders squared as I prepared to run once more, but to where? I was quickly losing energy and I was not sure how much more of this I could handle. The harsh conditions took over of my body as I took a few more steps back, his lengthening as he moved forward. His hand reached out for my face, which I instantly denied and turned away,, giving him a side glare that screamed for him to simply go away. The silent signal was missed as touched my face. My bleeding face that stung in the cold.
Memories flooded back of the times we had spent together. Standing by this very river during the summer, kicking both our feet in the cool stream. Running through the shallow waters and splashing one another. We laid by the bank, soaking up the sun till it fell behind the hills and then continued laying to watch the stars appear overhead. How we always held hands, our fingers laced together tightly as we promised to never let one another go. How we laid there till the sun came up to greet our peaceful faces once more.
With the moment right, my memories clearing, I had brought my hand up, quickly smacking away the gloved fingers reaching to caress my face. I turned to leap through the thick branches, but as I moved forward in a lunging motion, my waist was grabbed and I was pulled close once more. This time I did scream. My hands flew to his arms around my waist and I kicked and screamed, my voice echoing throughout the frozen woods. My voice that would never be heard as the cries were easily muffled by his hand over my mouth. The more I screamed, the more force was applied to my mouth. My frantic motions did not affect him as he pulled me away from the thick build of trees and into a clearing. My wide distressed eyes searched the clear blue sky for answers.
I felt the turn, my body turning in a circle as you spun me around, your hand no longer around my mouth as he faced me towards you, spinning me near the icy river. What we had always done, our arms crossed and hands held tight together as we spun like children, laughing excitedly. It was not innocent this time and I did not feel like a child. I cried for you to stop, but you did not listen. I screamed and you did not listen. I mixed both together and yet again, you did not listen.
It seemed my frightened expression was enough for you to finally let me go,, but not enough to slow yourself down. My hands slipped from your grip and my body flew backwards away from yours, towards the frozen river. The already cracked ice broke against the pressure applied to it and my final scream filled my lungs with frozen water.
