World on Ice

Chapter 2

After we finished lunch, we both went and packed for the skating rink. We were going to "Let's Skate", the local family owned skating rink my family has been going to ever since Anthony was born. My brother has always been the favorite. The first born, the smartest, the most handsome. He was just like my dad. I can't say I was jealous but I had my own way of doing things.

I walked up the grey carpeted stairs up to my room on the left to change for the rink. I kept on my favorite pair of jeans and threw on a Panic! At the Disco sweatshirt, I got at a thrift store weeks before. I grabbed my purple woolen mittens and my green fleece jacket and put those on. I stopped to take a look in the mirror at myself. Sandy blonde hair askew with freckles littering my face. I took a closer look at my eyes. Emerald green twinkling in the natural light, shining through the windows.

A second later I heard my brother call' "Jasmine! Come on!" I quickly threw my brand new skates into my duffel bag and raced down the stairs, two steps at a time. I met Anthony at the front door and my mom called after us' "Have a good time! Stay safe, I will see y'all in a few hours!" And like that, mom tossed us the keys and we rushed out of the door to the rink.

Anthony and I unpacked our brown duffel bags containing our ice skates after we had arrived at the skating rink. Our parents let Anthony drive, even though he got his license only three weeks ago. The coldness from outside kept my nose and fingers red and numb, and I rubbed my hands together to keep them warm while Anthony laced up his skates.

Anthony was using my dad's skates that used to be a vibrant shade of white, but was so worn down the laces were brown and the white leather was now grey. We both hobbled our way into the rink, still covered in layers of wooly mittens and fleece jackets. Considering it was Christmas Day, we were the only people here so we had the rink to ourselves.

Since I have never ice skated before I was sure I was going to fall. Surprisingly, I glided along the ice with ease. Anthony, on the other hand, was still standing but every time he moved, his legs would flail all over the place. After a few minutes of me being surprised, I haven't fallen yet and Anthony awkwardly skating around he suggested we race.

"We start at the back end of the rink and skate our fastest to the opposite side." He instructed me. "Winner gets 10 bucks."

We both made our way to the far back end of the rink. I was skating so well I thought my skates were ingested with some magical powers. Yea right, I thought. As I looked down I saw the silver pattern on the heel gleam as the light hit it.

Anthony and I met in the middle and shook hands, confirming our bet. "Racers ready," I said,"Three, two, one, GO!"

We both took off at the speed of lightning. I glanced over at him and it looked like we were neck and neck. Time seemed to slow down. We were getting closer, and closer to the edge. Even closer! I leaned forward on my toes to slow me down. It wasn't working. I looked down, there were no ice grips. How did I not notice before! I couldn't stop, I was going to hit the wall at full force. I was getting closer and as I looked over I saw Anthony stop and peel off to the left. I scrunched up and closed my eyes. I am about to make contact. I peered through my right eye, the wall is right there. I closed my eyes as tight as I could and I whispered to myself; Contact in Three, two, one. Everything went black.

I opened my eyes. I thought I just hit the metal wall of the rink. But I didn't. Am I dreaming? I thought. No. I looked around. I was in a forest. I looked up and saw towering trees creating an arc like a pathway with snow and icicles attached to their many limbs. There was a purple gleam filling every nook and cranny of the snow-covered forest, and purple and blue trees were all around me. I had to be dreaming. I rubbed my eyes. Nothing. "Okay," I said to myself, "I'm obviously not dreaming."

I start to get to my feet, but I'm cold and shaking like crazy. The ice skates were still on my feet, the silver design was sparkling like crazy. I couldn't take them off or I would freeze to death, so I made the hesitant decision to keep them on. I need all the warmth I can get.

I hobbled on, with the ice skates still attached to my feet, for what I thought was about an hour or two. I eventually got tired and sat down under a tree, with purple bark and blue leaves covered in icicles and snow. The coldness in the air kept me shivering and my nose and fingers were still numb. I wanted to sleep but I had the feeling it would be too dangerous, so I just sat.

I had to get up soon because my butt was going to freeze off by sitting on the pile of snow I was so, unfortunately, sitting on. As I quietly observe my surroundings further I noticed it was almost sunset. I tried to breathe on my hands to keep them warm but nothing helped.

A moment after, I heard a rustle in a near bush. My heart skipped a beat. Out pranced a deer-like animal but with white and silver fur antlers like branches with blue flowers growing off them. I made no sudden movements. He sniffed the icy air and moved along into the foliage until he or his shadow was no longer seen.

After I was sure he was gone I started running as fast as I could (not that fast considering I was still in my ice skates). I ran through the clearest path I could find in the overgrown forest. I whacked silver, blue, and purple branches and leaves out of my way with my arms, the snow flying off them like fireworks. I kept slipping because of the sleek skates still attached to my feet, but I had to keep going. The deer creature gave me a bad feeling about this place. It's eyes were such an icy blue that it looked like they were staring right into my soul. I shivered at the thought.

After a few minutes, I slowed down and I was sure nothing else was following me.

Ahead I saw a light. Brighter than the purple hues that shone throughout the forest. I decided to make my way towards it, and as I did, I saw a huge clearing. I ran through my exhaustion to the edge of the forest and looked out, and I saw it.