North Snow Life

NORTH SNOW LIFE

The snow made everything so quiet.  Coupled with the mist it gave the morning a surreal feeling.  Like I was the only one alive.  No sounds.  No lights. Nothing.  Just my breath escaping from my blue lips in a cloud of dancing steam that rose, performed, then quickly disappeared from sight awaiting the next act.

How long had I been sitting here?  I forget.  Hours?  I think anyway.  The morning seemed to last forever out here.  So far from the city I was accustomed to.  So far from anything.  Anyone.  I wasn’t cold, though I should be.  I hadn’t felt like this before.

I stood up.  Walking made a quiet crumpling sound under every step.  Muffled thumps in the snow that died as quickly as they broke free from their white resting place.  It had to be safe now.  I hoped so.  Being caught in the open was not what I wanted.  I had to get up.  I had to get help.  Not sure from where though, but somehow I had to.

The small plane I left held the only shelter for miles.  I couldn’t be gone long.  If I didn’t find something soon I needed to get back.  Night fell so fast out here.  Almost like the morning gave way directly to the night without a day.  The sun just revealing its existence for a fleeting moment to remind me it’s there, but offering little help.  Daylight was nearly nonexistent.

I knew I was headed south.  The only way something could be.  North was just more ice and dead land.Nothing.  I remember hearing a call from someone on the radio just before the crash.  Said they were ten miles south.  Maybe twelve or fifteen miles from where the plane came to its final snowy resting place, forever to be encased in a bitter cold coffin of snow. 

The flat terrain made for easy walking but the snow, so deep and unforgiving.  Snowshoes would be nice but alas, not planning to crash in this place so nothing to help.  I was going slow but making good time and could make the distance if the day was strong and I wasn’t wrong about the distance.

The mist and fog burned off some.  I could finally see a ways ahead now.  Hope was something far from my mind until now.  What was it?  A shed, a barn?  Not sure yet, too far away, just keep walking. 

But don’t be careless, they are still out there, somewhere.