The forgotten Letter (Christmas project)

Chapter three: Choose a song

 They dragged her out the door into the streets, glad she had taken to keeping her boots and scarf on from sitting so close to the window everyday. The boys did take notice of her lack of gloves though, they'd have to lend her a pair...if she stayed, the grimaced at the shared thought glancing down at the small girl between them tripping over herself to keep whilst trying to watch the surroundings at the same time. Joshua grinned and Westly winked as they, pulling Alice in tow, speed up as fast as they could with her tripping between them. 

 Alice tried to mentally keep track of their path but they must have noticed speeding up so suddenly so she had to focus everything on not trpping and knocking them all over and the snow, as beautiful as it was, wasnt really helping. They kept on for another ten minutes at least before slowing, Alice was glad for the chance to catch her breath. It was short lived though as the started darting down twisting pathways and back alleys eventually coming to an old seemingly abandoned cobblestone road twisting through a forest of  ice coated tree's. They let go of her hands but she wasn't quite ready wobbling a bit almost falling over onto Joshua before the caught her standing her upright again.

"You okay?" Westly asked hesitantly, watching to make sure she didn't fall when he pulled his hands away. Alice looked at him opening then closing her mouth nodding at the older boy, he smiled. 

"Are you sure? We can keep you up if not, its no problem really" Joshua said still keeping a stead hand under her elbow watching to catch her again, he smiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile.  

Alice blushed a slight pink nodding again and taking her elbow back gently "T-thank you.." she said quietly pulling her sleeves over her hands and shrinking on herself, wondering why they'd even brought her here. Not to say she didn't like it she loved it the way the light glinted off the ice, the quite fall of snow around them, the deafening silence that filled the air. She stepped out to get a better look at the tree's failing to notice the two grinning boys behind her. 

"Come on!" Westly called skipping past Alice down the path "This way!" He yelled before dashing ahead. Alice went to follow the redhead but slipping on some ice was caught by Joshua again "Careful there," he smiled lifting her back to her feet and walking with her slowly down the twisting path keeping one hand raised behind her in case she slipped again but she didn't, she walked across the icy stones easily and almost effortlessly. Joshua watched her from the corner of his eye the entire walk, the way her hair bounced with her step, the glint in her eyes as she took in everything around them, icy tree's and piling snow, blue shadows and sparkling icicles. Alice adored it all, this tranquil and frozen beauty. She still didn't know why they had brought her here but was happy they had, the scene past her window was wonderful yes, but it would never compare to this, it was as if time had frozen preserving this one moment. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

 It wasn't long before the path ended opening up to an old stone bridge curving over a frozen river, it didn't take more than a second to pin point the bright red-head sitting on the ledge, nor did it take him long to notice them "Took ya long enough~ Come on!" he called hopping onto the bank and under the bridge Alice hesitated and Joshua laughed "Don't worry, there's some solid land underneath it to walk on" he reassured her stepping down the little dip in the path and extending his hand for her to take. She paused for a moment but took his hand nonetheless letting him lead her down under the bridge. At first she didn't see anything, not even Westly only the few feet of frozen ground at the bank of the river. Joshua walked ahead of Alice over to the wall of the bridge and tapped it seven times grinning at Alice beckoning her over with his free hand, she came and just as she did the stone wall opened like a door from the inside and Westly stood in it laughing to himself "Well come in then we haven't got all day" Joshua laughed walking in leading Alice with him "Of course we do" he responded leaning on his best friend playfully as they both laughed. Alice hovered beside the still open door looking around the room awkwardly, she noticed Chester sitting in a Green armchair by a small fireplace tending to the orange flames, he glanced at her smiling kindly before returning to his work.  Amanda was there as well looking through a shelf of records and as Alice decided she must be looking for a song to play on the nearby phonograph.