Discovering

The wind whistled round the ancient house, like a banshee's scream tormenting some lonely traveler, caught abroad in the dark of night. Boards creaked, and shutters fluttered, slapping against the sides of the dwelling, frail and wounded in the enveloping shroud of twilight. The building, once a place of mirth, and great laughter now stood, giant and empty. Flickering lights cast gaunt shadows long and lonely upon the wood paneled walls. Dark knots, perceived imperfections dotting the walls made leering faces at me, as I walked through the emptiness of memory. My footfalls sounded hollow on the floorboards, echoing through the vast cavern of the study.

Outside, I could see the onset of the storm, dark clouds gathering on the edge of heaven, blocking the sun, it's light drifting lazily down upon the earth. Curious, I peered through the great bay window that sat like a portal to another world, at the boundary of that sepulcher catacomb of knowledge. Curling my stockinged feet beneath me, I sat upon the soft velour cushions, dark red like so much wine drank giggling between two friends reminiscing of the times long since past. Sipping the cocoa, steam tickling my nose I gathered a blanket to me then, shivering against the chill seeping in through the drafts in the window. It was an aged window, and had it's fair share of cracks, and I soon found myself building a fire in the hearth, it's steady warmth filling the room, beating back the onset of winter.

The snow fell thick, coating the orchard in a soft, white blanket, it's beauty like the grace of a ballerina, dancing and spinning into infinity. The imprint of the storm was magical upon me, capturing my attention and holding it's gaze tight. I bundled deeply into the blanket then, and drifted off to sleep soon enough, watching the dancing snowflakes outside, secured by the heat of the crackling embers behind me.

I awoke in the morning, cold and shivering, stiffness causing my joints to protest all movement. During the night I had shifted and found myself pressed against the chill pane of the window, huddled into the blanket for what warmth was to be had. Squinting my eyes, as they adjusted to the light streaming into the room, I searched out the fire and found that it had burnt itself out in the night, as I slumbered fitfully in the dream of snow.

Snow! I dressed quickly, putting on my warmest clothes and bustled myself to the doorway, where I stood entranced for many long moments, simply breathing the awe that was the tempest's leaving. Trees everywhere carried the glimmer of ice, like so many diamonds sparkling in the morning sun. Wasting little time I stepped from the house then, my boots crunching softly in the newly fallen snow, a carpet of white decorating the world abound.

Spinning round in a gay circle, my senses leapt with joy at the change. The world had it's own sounds now, new voices carrying on every intimate breeze. The fragile creak of ice, covering branches here and there, played their own melody, adding to that of a warm stream's trickle, running undaunted beneath that coffin shell of ice. A simplicity of life was here, and I drank it greedily, savoring the immaculate taste so fair.

Everywhere I turned, the sights and freshness assailed me, and I partook of a virginal feeling, that of purity untampered. Crossing that last hill, I came to the valley, where barely a year before, I had laid my true love to rest, and planted memories forevermore. And there, in that lonesome vale bloomed the most beautiful sight I had e'er seen.

A flower, it's stem strong and unaffected by the chill, the blossom open to the bitter cold of that day. Pure alabaster it was, frosted with a blue undercoat along the petals, braved the onslaught of winter and the frigid night. It grew defiant, reaching forward, pressing with insistence through the white cap covering the rest of the land. My mouth dropped open, gaping even as I considered such implication, that any such thing could thrive, living heartily in the mouth of despair. Truly, a symbol of our forever promise....

I smiled that day, laughing even as I danced among the orchard's grove, for I knew with unfailing certainty that you were there, in that land, within the house, always and forevermore, in my heart...where you had always belonged.....