My first Ice Storm (story)

I wish you could have seen it. You know, living in Waxhaw, North Carolina, I don't get to see as much snow as I use to in Wisconsin. Carolinians called it the "Blizzard of 96".

I wish you could have seen it that Saturday night before the storm hit. The wind was cold and held the remembered scent of snow as my mom and I took our walk that evening. I felt invigorated. When we arrived home, I found my brothers laying out their winter clothes in hopes of some serious snow play the next day.

Sunday morning came to find me lying awake in my bed...you know how I am, always waking 5 minutes before the alarm. I was waiting to hear my parent's footsteps upstairs to tell me if it was time to get up for church. I finally heard them, but they didn't have that usual Sunday morning haste. Since we have to drive thirty-five minutes to get to church, I figured we weren't going.

"Are we going to church? I asked anyway as I came upstairs.

"No, the weather report says it's going to get bad." My dad said.

I looked outside and saw the sky was a steely grey, but there wasn't any snow. I know you've seen that before.

During the long day, the clouds began to sift out a few flurries however; the light snow didn't stick to the ground. Gradually this grew heavier, but not too strong. My brothers played outside for a while, but the cold drove even their strong hearts back in. You know how they are.

At last, night fell again. I went to bed a bit early so I could wake up for that new job I told you I was starting the next day. Monday came much too quickly as I pulled myself out of bed. But this morning, the window showed a new sight. The clouds had not only snowed, but also rained ice. I wish you could have seen it. Everything was covered in an envelope of ice. The sky was again gray and held the chill low over the ground.

"No one's going in to work today." Mom said. "The roads are all iced over."

I was a little upset, looking forward to my first day, but only a little upset.

The day passed rapidly as we all worked in the house. Soon the next morning arrived.

When I looked out at the forest around our house, I was astounded! It was like looking into a fairytale land. I wish you could have seen it! The sun cast its bright gleam on the ice-covered trees. Prism of light broke through the branches with startling radiance. A flash of red as a cardinal glided to the ground under our birdfeeder. The woods were alive with birds, chattering with one another.

I grabbed my coat, eager to be out in the brilliance. As my mom and I walked, we became dazed by the splendor of our crystal world. The weight of the ice caused the limbs to bend low over the ground, making them look like crystallite alcoves. I dreamed...you know me...that at any minute a shimmering unicorn might appear. The sky was a cloudless deep blue, the kind I wish I could fly in. When I looked up, I saw the iridescent white of the ice covered trees stab at the sky with startling contrast. The glare reflecting from the ice was too much to gaze at directly. Every time the wind blew, the trees came alive with musical ice pops. A tree fell with a thunderous crash somewhere in the woods. The air tasted sharp, clean and cold. I wish you could have seen the swarm of birds that lit from tree to tree. It was the most beautiful day I had ever seen. I wish so much that you could have seen it too.
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