"Come on!" my cousin, Kaylee was obviously impatient, waiting for me to lace up my boots and button my coat. She was already in full gear, including pink, orange and blue striped scarf.

"I'm going as fast as I can, wait." I grabbed my gloves from my coat pocket and started to pull them onto my long fingers. It was so hard to find gloves that actually fit my hands, because those one-size-fits-all gloves didn't fit me. Did they fit anyone? My hands were narrow, with long fingers.

"I've been waiting forever!" Kaylee exaggerated, going all dramatic as she put a hand to her forehead.

I stood up and slung the tied laces of my ice skates over my shoulder. "I'm ready."

"Finally,"Kaylee groaned. "Wait, where did my skates go?"

I looked at her skeptically. Kaylee shrugged at me. "You made me get ready all fast even though you weren't ready yourself. Really Kaylee."

"Sorry."

Kaylee searched through the closet, throwing out jackets, shoes and even a pink sparkly umbrella that belonged to her seven year old sister, Janie. Finally she emerged triumphant. "I got them."

I held open the door for her and she skipped out, her skates nearly hitting me across my nose.
Kaylee waited as I locked the door before she set out a brisk pace. Right toward the woods.

I stopped. The trees surrounding me made me feel scared and claustrophobic. If I could, I went around them. Kaylee didn't notice me standing still. She kept walking, skipping actually.

At last she turned and motioned to me to hurry up. I shook my head fast. She turned and raced back to me. "What's wrong, Amber?"

I pointed toward the sea of trees ahead, trying to make my finger not think. "Can't we go around."

"Oh," Kaylee looked from the trees to me and back to the trees. "No, it opens up and I'll be with you the whole time." She sounded convincing. Reluctantly I nodded.

Taking my hand, Kaylee led me forward. I let her lead, my eyes fixed on the back of her head. On her bobbing blond ponytail. I shivered when the trees blocked out the sunlight; Kaylee squeezed my hand even tighter.

Soon, I was fine, because, like Kaylee had promised, the path widened out and sunlight was glimpsed through the thick cover of branches. I gazed in wonder at the world around me. The bare branches had a faint dusting of powdery snow and beneath the trees, squirrel tracks were clearly visible. The sunlight filtering through made the snow glint like diamonds.

Kaylee noticed my fascination. "Not too bad, is it?"

Speechless, I shook my head. It wasn't bad, not at all. It was wonderful.

Kaylee grinned, showing her white teeth. "And this is the best place to skate ever," she promised.

She led me a little farther, but then unveiled her surprise place to skate. "Tah-dah!" she exclaimed leading me into a wide clearing. The perfectly round pond in the center was covered in thick, virgin ice.

"How did you find it?" I gasped.

Kaylee was already putting on her skates. "I was wandering, now, are you coming?"

I smiled at my cousin and sat in the snow to put on my own skates. Kaylee was already spinning around the pond, laughing, her cheeks pink with cold. I joined her, laughing myself.

Learn more about this author, Menolly White.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Short stories: Winter walk?
We want to hear your view. Write now!