ThunderSnow

CHAPTER NINETEEN: Did I Catch You?

Eli placed one hand on the handle of the back door, then reached out his other hand and wrapped it securely around Lyn's. She looked up at him and smiled. He responded with a gentle squeeze as he opened the door and they stepped outside the cabin into the brilliant world of white.

They walked and walked along the trails that wound through the woods beside the lake. The fresh snow draped luxuriantly on the trees above them was breathtakingly beautiful. The air was still and calm; not a single sound in the sparkling whiteness around them except the crunch of their boots.

The trail led them to the edge of the lake. As they stood looking out over the wide open pure white canvas in front of them, a smile spread across Lyn's face.

"Have you ever made a snow angel?" she asked.

Eli raised an eyebrow. "A what?"

"A snow angel. I'll take that as a no."

She dropped his hand, took a few steps out onto the lake, then turned and faced Eli. She spread her arms open wide, then smiled widely and fell backward. She laughed as she landed with a soft thump in the deep snow. She began moving her arms and legs up and down, pushing the snow with each sweep of her limbs and creating a pattern in the snow resembling an angel.

"Come on, Colton. Get in here."

Eli laughed and shook his head as he stepped out onto the lake. He took a few steps to the side of Lyn, then turned around and spread his arms out wide.

"Now just fall back. Trust me, Eli. Just let go and fall."

A smirk tugged at Eli's lips before he tipped himself back, falling into the snow beside Lyn. She laughed and wiped her face as a cloud of soft, powdery flakes covered her. The two of them moved their arms up and down in unison, creating side-by-side angels. Lyn stopped and looked over at Eli.

"Now comes the tricky part ... getting up without destroying your angel."

Eli pushed off with one hand, effortlessly lifting himself up out of the snow, then turned to smile at Lyn.

Lyn shook her head. Of course he makes it look easy. "Show off," she groaned at him, wrinkling her nose.

He laughed and stepped over to her, careful not to step on her angelic creation. He spread his legs apart for balance and bent forward extending his hand.

"Take my hand, Lyn."

Lyn smiled and reached up, grasping his hand. He gripped her tightly and pulled her toward him. She stood then fell forward, landing against his chest.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"I'm not," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. He bent down and pressed his lips to hers, then lifted his head and smiled at her. The fog of their breath enveloped them in a soft, white mist.

Lyn turned and looked at their angel shapes in the snow, then smiled. "You make a pretty good snow angel," she said, nudging him lightly.

"You're my real angel," he whispered, kissing her softly again before taking her hand. "Come on, let's head back."

As they walked across the yard approaching the cabin, Lyn dropped back and nonchalantly grabbed a handful of snow. She grinned as she formed it into a snowball and threw it at Eli. It landed squarely on the back of the neck, causing him to yell in surprise and turn around.

Lyn doubled over in laughter. Hearing a menacing growl, she looked up and saw Eli coming after her, a retaliatory snowball in his hand. Lyn screamed and took off at a sprint, dodging behind a tree as she and Eli exchanged a barrage of snowballs. Then, suddenly, Eli charged directly at her. Lyn turned to run toward the cabin, but her speed was no match for his.