Snow Day Emotions; A Short Story

Everyone has a certain feeling inside when they look out their window first thing in the morning and see the white shining powder covering the world. Maybe it's the way the sight of a familiar place is changed by something so simple. Perhaps it's the lingering memories of long-ago winter fun. It might even be something unexplainable.

Regardless, everyone feels something at the sight of a snow day.

***

Charles wasn't at all thrilled to see the snow when he woke up. He drummed his fingers on the window sill and sighed. So much for his plans to go volunteer at the local animal shelter. With that much snow on the road, there was no way he was going anywhere.

He turned and got dressed anyway. It was tempting to go back to sleep but once he was awake, he was up. He wasn't a morning person though so he groggily shuffled his way down the stairs to the kitchen to get a pot of coffee started.

As the water heated up, he scrolled through his phone, bored. What was he supposed to do today now that all his plans were scrapped? Maybe one of his friends would be open to hanging out.

He straightened as the rapid sound of footsteps pounded down the stairs. Oh no. That could only be one person.

"IT'S SNOWING!" Still wearing her Hogwarts themed pajamas, his little sister streaked into the kitchen and dashed for the door that led to their backyard.

Repressing a groan, Charles snagged her arm before she could pass him and forced her to a halt. "Sue, what are you doing?"

She tilted her head at him, flashing a large grin through the tangled curly mess of her red hair. "What do you think? I'm going to go outside into the snow!"

They were only around two years apart, with Charles being 14 and Sue being 12, but it was times like this that made him wonder if she'd ever actually grown older than ten. It certainly didn't feel like it right now.

"One, you're not dressed; two, I can see your bare feet, and three, I haven't had my morning coffee yet, which translates into 'I don't have the energy to deal with you right now,'" said Charles.

Without a beat of hesitation, Sue replied, "One, I'm wearing pajamas; that counts as clothes. Two, bare feet feel awesome in the snow; you should try it sometime if you don't believe me. Three, coffee is gross and I don't care anyway. And finally, number four..."—the gleam of mischief in her determined eyes gave him a split-second warning, but he was too slow to react as she freed her arm and sprinted to the door. "YOU CAN'T STOP ME!" Cackling, she yanked it open and leapt out into the frozen backyard.

"Sue!" This time he couldn't hold back the exasperated groan and followed her to the door, although he stayed inside where it was nice and warm, thank you very much.

"Freedom is mine! MINE I SAY!" With a squeal of delight, Sue flopped backward on top of the snow and started making a snow-angel.

Just the sight of her doing that sent shivers down Charles's body. He crossed his arms and called out, "You're crazy, you know that?"

Laughing, she propped herself up onto her elbows. A covering of white powder adorned her messy curls and her face was flushed pink. "Of course, I know that. But because I know that I'm crazy, that means I'm not actually crazy, because if I really was crazy, I wouldn't know I was crazy. I would think I was perfectly sane."

Charles blinked, trying to wrap his mind around what had just come out of his sister's mouth. His own mouth opened and closed a few times, but the only words that came out were, "What?"