Eternal Winter

Cold Beginnings: Part II

I tossed the covers off my legs and swung them over the side. Once I placed my full support on them, I collapsed to the floor. With the bed as a crutch and guide, I shuffled my way to the corner. The doorway Teacher would always disappear behind. I clenched my teeth together and mentally kicked myself for denying his earlier offers to help me walk again. I managed it, regardless.

Out of breath with the hat tightly clenched in my fist, I leaned my full weight on the doorframe. There was an open space that sat before me. Teacher wasn't anywhere in my line of sight. I huffed heavily and struggled to make my way forward. My bony feet were bare against the freezing, wooden floors. I followed the wall and moved passed an unlit fireplace, passed a pair of frosted windows, passed cushions and seats that decorated the room.

I made my way through a small doorway and into a stifling kitchen. A fire blazed in the corner on the opposite side of the room. An overwhelming scent of pine and mint filled the space. I continued after seeing the, otherwise empty, space.

Through the next door, my feet stumbled under my weakened muscles and I fell to the floor. My knees and hands fell against the hard floor roughly. I struggled to push myself into an upright position when I heard a set of footsteps followed by a gasp. The footsteps hurried to me and stronger arms lifted me up. Teacher looked at me sternly. "By god, what are you doing, child?"

I grasped his shirt and used him to stay upright. "My name! I remembered my name!"

His eyebrows lifted and his mouth hung slightly ajar. "How has this come to be?"

"The hat!" I explained, giddy and overwhelmed. I waved it around like a flag, still impossibly gripped in my knobby, weak fingers. "I...it was like I could see pictures as they flashed by. There were voices, too. Mostly, they were garbled, and I couldn't hear clearly...but I could hear a name! I could hear Lyra." I rested my head against Teacher and pulled him tight. A small groan emitted from the elderly man. I grinned up at him once more. "I have a name."

His eyes were glassy as he brushed aside a strand of my hair. "And what a fitting name it is, child."

Teacher lifted me into his arms and carried me back to the bed. I was grateful, but I no longer wanted to remain in my confided position. I frowned for a moment as I foresaw a difficult future that would emphasize my weakness. Yet, there was some hope planted in my chest. I looked to Teacher as he rubbed at his muscles.

"I suppose I'm getting a bit rusty in the hinges," he commented with half a smile. He took his seat beside me and gave attention to the excitement in my expression.

A wide grin spread on my face. "What else do you think I'll remember next? Oh! What if I knew my birthday! Or—or if I have magic." My hands waved wildly. I felt exhaustion sink in, but I was too happy to let it get the better of me.

Teacher let me have my moment, and then it was back to reality. He gently gripped one of my gaunt hands in his. He looked down where my bones and veins could easily be seen through my skin. "Child..." he began. He let out a long sigh and met my eyes. "You don't know if this will continue."

"But, Teacher," I argued, clenching my free hand into a fist. "You don't know that."

"Of course, but neither do you," he whispered.

I stiffened at his words. I could feel my body begin to deflate. "Then, what have I waited for all this time?" I asked. My voice growing watery. "If I'm supposed to sit here and wither away, listening to stories about the world beyond, then why didn't I just freeze in that snow?!" Silent tears trickled down my face. "What should I do?"

He placed his other hand over the one already gripping mine. "We will learn. I will not let you travel along this burdened path alone."

He slowly pulled his hands away from mine. Where one of my hands had a small gash from my falls, I noticed it was now gone. A small bit of skin stitched back together as I watched. My sadness cleared up at his display. Then, my brows came together, and I picked up my hat with the fine stitching. "Why...didn't you use magic on my hat?"

"It was not mine to interfere with. If I had done so, who's to say you wouldn't have seen what you had?" he replied. I remained staring at it, still perplexed. He stood and patted me on my newly healed hand. "We shall begin training tomorrow."

My head perked up straightaway. "Training? Training for what?"

He tilted his head to the side for a moment. "I suppose we will find out why soon enough." He gave a sly grin, his eyes crinkling in the corners. "Besides, I don't believe you are one that will manage to remain in that bed for much longer." I gave him a long stare and said nothing. He kept the smile and rounded the corner out of sight.

That night, I fell asleep contentedly. The warmth of the small fire drifted over me as the last thing I remembered.