Winter

Chapter 02

   We made our way to Tinsel's igloo since his igloo was the closest. We come up to the door and Tinsel jumps through the window he left open. Typical Tinsel for you. He opens the door and opens his arm as if he was my butler. 

      "I've already got paper and pencils on the table," he tells me, "Let's get to work." 

   We both take a seat and start the escape plan.  It might actually work. We really only need the white cloak the Elves wear and whatever else we need to break out Baubles.

     "I could probably get a couple cloaks from Icicle's closet," I say. 

       Tinsel ponders the thought, but then says, "Or, I could seduce that female Elf that works at the front desk for Winter's side in The Center."

    I give him a look that says, "Really?" 

          He takes in that look and changes his mind for me, "But you can do it your way. When's the next time you're going to see your cousin anyway?"  

     When is the next time I'm going to see my cousin? I scratch my head for a couple seconds 'till I realized that Icicle asked me to go out to dinner tonight! 

          "Tinsel, what time is it?" I ask him.

      He gives me a strange look since I didn't answer his question, but answers me, "It's about twelve minutes to five. Why?" 

            "I need to get to my igloo, pronto. I told Icicle I'd probably go out to dinner with him tonight!" I panick. 

        "Ivy, chill, won't you? It only takes about ten minutes to get to your igloo if we hurry. Let's just calmly leave and get to your house. There's only," he pauses, "nine minutes left?! Race you there!" 

      Only Tinsel would purposely waste time and then turn the whole thing into a competition. By this time, Tinsel's has a good twenty feet start. I start running, knowing he'd probably lock me out of my own house. 

        I look at my watch on my wrist. Only six more minutes and I still have to go across the bridge to get to the other side of the town. Tinsel's already there, waiting anxiously to get across before me. 

        I finally make it and stand next to Tinsel, who seems to be taking to this race a little too seriously. The Elf working gives us a weird look and opens her window, "This bridge won't be open for another three minutes."

         I look over at Tinsel who mirrors my same facial expression: worried. We get in ready stances when the Elf tells us only one more minute. 

        We expected the bridge to pop up in about a second, but with our luck, it's going up a half an inch a second. We back up, and run towards the bridge and slide underneath it. After that, it's all running. 

     "How many more minutes 'till five?" I yell at Tinsel who's beginning to get ahead. I didn't want to look at my watch or it'd slow me down.

        He looks over his shoulder and replies, "About two more minutes!" 

   At this point, we could see my igloo. Tinsel, of course, gets there before me without me knowing it. The door's open, so I'm even more motivated. I run faster and faster. I start to slow down when I get there with time to spare. 

    I step where a 'welcome' carpet would be if I had one and keep jogging quickly. I basically set off a booby trap because ice was basically the welcoming I got when I stepped there. I slipped and slided across my igloo and land into a pile of snow. 

     Tinsel's laughter fills up the room. I pick myself up and dust myself off. I glare at the boy hanging off my bed, looking at me upside down. I was about to scold him until there was a knock at the door.