Aboveground

Chapter Two

2.

I watch the snow fall outside the window, holding my great-grandmother Abigail's book to my chest. I haven't read it yet. It's sort of intimidating, in a way. I've only read the first page. I'm about to debate continuing from the point of Abigail's first rant.

Our house's largest window is suddenly obliterated by wet snow. It makes a sound, almost as if the snow's about to penetrate the glass. Through the icy glass, I can see a figure waving at me three floors below.

Damn, what time is it? I check my watch in a hurry.

So, apparently 17 minutes early is acceptable now?

I run downstairs in my socks, flinging the door open before he can throw another snowball.

"Ezekiel! What the hell?" I step onto the doormat and grasp as much snow as I can with my bare hand, aiming it right at his face.

It hits his boot, but at least he notices me standing in the doorway. "Get dressed, stupid!" he says, acknowledging my indoor attire.

"You're seventeen minutes early!" I yell, putting on my black snow-boots. I pull open the closet doors, slip on my jacket, and run outside.

I notice the absence of Ezekiel's car. "Did you walk here?"

"Look around!"

I hadn't realized the magnitude of the snow. My ankles are fully buried.

"We shall travel like the pilgrims of Old Earth!" Ezekiel jokes. "Except, the rink's two blocks away."

I slip my hands in my pocket. They're already starting to numb from the stinging cold.

Ezekiel notices my foolish attempt at warming up my hands with movement within the pockets of my jacket. "I've got those hand-warming things," he says. "Actually, I've only got one... I've been alternating hands..." Ezekiel drones on about his pitiful situation as the city bus passes us. I watch it continue up the street in a flash of (quite noisy) white light. Soon it reaches the next stop, two dozen houses up the inclining street. The bus track has already been cleared of snow, and buses are functioning normally today... I make a point to jab my finger in the direction of the bus ahead. "When's the next bus? We could wait... there's that new rink downtown..."

"Downtown? So many people."

"But there's live music!"

"And criminals..."

"Come on."

"I guess I'll have to give you your Christmas present on the bus."

"Christmas present?"

"Yes."

"Ezekiel, every year you get me a couple packs of gum. And we agreed we wouldn't do gift exchanges! I don't even like gum. Last year, some of the pieces were m-"

"I wasn't going to tell you until the rink, but this year I actually-"

The digits on the hexagonal bus sign across the street flashes with new yellow lettering, and I can't help but interrupt Ezekiel.

"If we want to catch the next bus," I know I'm being rude, "it's in five minutes... you can explain while we walk."

He follows my quick stride up the street. "I actually got you something else this year," he finishes.

"Jellybeans?" I guess. "Tic Tacs?"

"No- I swear, you won't want to consume it."

"Okay, so... a real gift?"