Lacuna

Chapter 27

The trees were bare and the air was frigid, but the arrival of winter did not bring snow as Kahli had hoped. In truth, it seemed rather plain and depressing. Despite their warnings, Kahli was still unprepared for the cold that accompanied this new season. The morning chores around the barn that she had once enjoyed had become a nuisance. She couldn't seem to get warm enough, no matter how many layers she wore. Emily teased her every time she ventured out into the cold, looking, as she described, like a giant marshmallow waddling her way to the barn. She supposed she would get used to it eventually.

But Arlo was warm. She looked forward to his warm embrace and his passionate kisses. No matter how cold and dark the day was, Arlo was a warm, bright presence in her life, at her side day after day, as often as he could be. And when he wasn't patrolling at night, she snuggled up close to him, shoving her feet between his legs in an attempt to soak up every ounce of his body heat as she could.

The mornings were much darker than they had been, and she allowed herself to sleep in later than she was used to. And though Arlo was almost always up before her, she only woke enough to wish him a sleepy good morning before promptly dozing off again.

So when he actually woke her up one morning, she nearly jumped out of the bed, blinking in the morning light, alert, but groggy.

"Wha-what's wrong?" She struggled to throw the blankets off of her. "Are the hen's alright? I told you they would freeze. I'm going to freeze!"

Arlo laughed. "Sh, everything's fine."

Kahli blinked at him, slightly annoyed. "What? Then why are you waking me up?"

Arlo smiled. "Get dressed and come outside."

Kahli frowned. "But it's so cold," she whined. "It's always cold. When will this end?"

Arlo took her hands and kissed them. "Please? For me?"

"Oh, fine," Kahli said with a sigh. "But only because I like you."

She dressed, putting on extra layers and her jacket on top. She had learned to dress a little less like a marshmallow, opting for fleece long johns under her layers instead to help retain some heat. Arlo was already outside, and she trotted down the steps, already feeling slightly overheated. She opened the door and was immediately greeted by the cold, winter air.

But there was something different. Though it was day, the sun was not there to offer her a bit of warmth. She stepped out and let her eyes adjust to the daylight. The world was blanketed in white. A few inches of snow had coated the ground overnight, covering the landscape, the trees, the rooftops. It fell lightly from the grey sky, drifting and falling and landing delicately on her gloved hands and eyelashes. She held her hand up close, carefully inspecting the snowflake, noticing then the tiny, intricate details that seemed impossible.

She turned her gaze to the sky and watched as it fell softly around her. The world seemed still and silent. Time had stopped. She stared at the sky, stared at the snow around her, watched as her feet packed the snow together, leaving footsteps behind her as she walked to Arlo's side. She didn't notice the cold anymore. She simply stood and listened to the snow falling on bare branches. It seemed the only sound in the entire world.

She let out a breath, and it billowed away from her mouth in wispy steam. She held her breath for a moment, startled by this, then breathed out forcefully. She watched in awe as her breath was visible for a moment before disappearing. She squatted down and ran her hand through the snow. It was light and fluffy. She gathered it together in her hands. Most of it slipped through her fingers, but she was able to pack a small amount together to form a small ball.