Frozen: prologue

Prologue

​The trees whispered softly of cold. Fat white snowflakes fell eagerly from the sky. Leaves were already frosted over and trees began to still. The ground was crisp with frost that crunched underfoot. The river, frozen now, was crystalline and cold, but it was thin, glazed, the slightest bit of pressure on the frozen surface would make it crack with protest. The waterfall was magnificent in structure and size; cascades of frozen ice fell, but never moved. I dare not move. Even the humans standing before me were petrified as they stood in awe of the painting they were now standing in. Picturesque in stature form, frozen to the scene yet, beyond the paint, the world swayed with a frozen breeze. People stood, glance, came, went never seeming to stop and treasure the divine beauty that hung lonely in the corner. Until that one gazer decided to stick a finger, touch to painting, admire its enticing allure, he gasped and brought his hand swiftly back to its original resting place. Startled, he looked at his hand, the cold beginning to melt away, as the inside heat pushed the cold away. As the heat did this so did his mind.

​"Mama..." the child's voice was a whisper, the words falling from his open mouth, "Mama!" a shout this time.

"Yes?" she said with an irritated look, it was time for them to move on. They had spent nearly an hour in this gallery.

"Mama, can you feel paintings?" the child cooed.

"Don't be silly." The woman laid a hand on his small shoulder.

The child began to protest, "But mama, I felt it, snow on my hand." He held up his hand to the woman.

But she saw nothing. She grabbed the hand he held up to her. "I guess you could feel emotions from a painting, but that one is worthless. Come on we need to head home." The woman pulled the child away, but the boy looked back, blue eyes intent. He protested until the lights dimmed, signaling the end of the day.

They left, and the lights flickered off and the frozen masterpiece resumed where it left off. The girl in the corner, only half painted, turned to her companion. "Did you see that? The first person in years to finally touch our world."

The man chuckled slightly, "Of course I was watching right next to you." His voice light with humor, eyes playful, snow falling around them. "Finally."