The Canterfiction Tales

The Tale of Two Scourges

(Sorry for the typos)

It's a cold December morning and eleven year old Zephyr awakens to be howl of the wind and white swirls of snow dancing around outside oh is bedroom window. He jumps up from beneath the covers and runs to peer outside. "Woah! That's a lot of snow!" He said out loud. Just then, his mother peeks her head into his room with a chipper smile.

"Hey Zephie beaars guess what!"
"What?"
"You have to guess." She said cheerfully.

"Umm, well it's snow-

Zephy's green eyes grow wide with gleeful realization. "SNOW DAY! NO SCHOOL!" He cried, jumping up and down. He raced passed his mum and down the stairs. He began rummaging through the coat closest pulling out his rust coloured snow pants, boots, gloves, and ski jacket. When Ica finally caught  up to him she stood in the kitchen doorway as he sat on the floor, tugging on his blue and green light up snow boots.

"What are you doing?" She said chuckling.

"I'm getting ready to go snowboarding. I'm gonna call Mav, Cora, and Hunter to see if they want to come. Can you drive us mum?" He asked turning to look up at her. Ica couldn't help but smile at her  innocent look in her son's bright green eyes. She walked over and sat down next to him on the floor, placing a head on his head.

"Zeph, you can't go snowboarding. At least not yet." Zephyr looked at her with a defeated curiosity.
"But...but it's snowing."

"I know, peanut, but it's snowing too hard. The roads won't be safe to drive on until it stops, and they clear it away. We have to be safe. I promise when it stops and the plows have cleared the roads, I'll take you, Mav, and Hunter snowboarding." She gave him a sincere smile. Zephyr smiled back and gave his mum a hug.

"Okay. Hey, since we have to stay inside till the snow stops...and there's no school, dad can read a story from The Great Big Book of Adventures!" Ica chuckled.

"Yeah, that is an option. We just have to wait till he wakes-

Before Ica could even finish her sentence Zephyr was tearing up the stairs into his father's bedroom. "Papá, papá!" He yipped as he jumped on top of him, who woke and gave an audible "oof." "Papá it's snowing and there's no school, and I wanted to go snowboarding but mummy said that I couldn't go snowboarding and-

Claude slowly sat up. "Woah son, slow down. Now, tell me what going on. Slowly this time." His voice was tired but he couldn't help but look at his son, amused at his enthusiasm. Zephyr sucked in a breath.

"Can you read a story from The Great Big Book of Adventures please?" Claude ruffled his son's wave brown hair.

"Okay son, but how about we have some breakfast first. I think mum might have started it because I smell something really good." Zephyr took in a dramatic sniff.

"Yeah me too. Smells like French toast." He said, rubbing his stomach in hungry circles.

When Claude and Zephyr got downstairs and into the kitchen, they saw Ica at the stove flipping golden, cinnamony slices of French toast. She glanced over her shoulder with wry smile. "I tried to tell him to let you sleep but before I knew it he had run upstairs." Zephyr looked down and scuffed his barefoot on the tile floor.

"I'm sorry papá I was just really excited for a story." Claude bent down to look at his son.
"It's okay. It was about time for me to get up anyway." I a just shook her head.

"Okay you two, breakfast is ready." Claude and Zephyr took a seat at the kitchen table and she put the plates down in front of them. "So I hope it taste okay, having a French husband and all I am held at a higher standard." Claude gave his wife a cheeky look and dramatically took a bite of the French toast and chewed slowly pondering the taste. All of a sudden he stiffened and made a face. Zephyr stopped mid chew and glanced up at his father.