Photo by Trang Pham of Pexels.
Writing inspired by the following Sunday Writers’ Club prompt:
Chionophile
A chionophile is any kind of organism that thrives in the cold (from the Greek chion for snow, and phile for lover). Write a story or a poem about someone or something that loves the winter season.
The Winter Storm
by Michaela Fricek
“It is so cold. I absolutely hate winter. I could sleep until the first flowers in spring wake me up.” Casey heard her alarm clock ring the third time. “Oh no, I do not feel like getting up. My bed simply loves me and it is so cozy”.
Her phone rang: “Hi Casey, what about going for a walk in the Vienna Woods.” It was Chiara. “Look out of the window. The world is covered in white. How fabulous.”
“Oh no, not snowing again. Awful. Tomorrow it will all turn grey.”
“Come on, do not be a spoilsport. We can even build an igloo. Anyway, bring your sleeping bag.”
“No way, I am sleeping outdoors in winter. I am not mad.”
“I will pick you up in half an hour and show you my winter world,’ Chiara said. “I will teach you to see it from my perspective.”
Reluctantly, Casey agreed. Half an hour later, they parked at the entrance of Schwarzenbergpark. “What about a sip of tea?” While Casey drank some tea, she started to feel warm from the inside.
“This is my favourite winter tea,” Chiara said. “I added some lemon, honey and ginger. It makes you feel like a winter elephant. I love winter more than everything else. The coldness makes my brain blossom just like ice flowers on the windows. I always imagine my brain is made from ice flowers, which are interconnected and winter brings them to life. In summer, I kind of go rotten in the heat. It makes me lazy; I could sleep all day.”
Casey admired Chiara’s energy, especially that early in the morning and above all in such a cold weather. Chiara danced in the snow like a polar bear. Her face glistened with joy and anticipation of a great winter adventure. Casey was emotionally torn. On the one hand, she would have liked breakfast in bed or a Sunday brunch in a nice restaurant. On the other hand, Chiara’s behaviour was contagious. Casey, herself, started to feel like a mountain goat. It was as if she had undergone dramatic change. She felt like a chionophile – a person who really loves winter – or she pretended to imagine to be one. What fun it was to discover the wintry park! Surprises were hidden behind every corner and on their way.
“Come on, I will show you a special place.” Chiara took Casey to an elevated spot that was hidden in between white trees. It looked like a mystical place. The branches and twigs were wrapped with white snow. From their position, they could admire the city that was covered in white. Their faces were lit with wintery rays of sunshine and their cheeks sparkled red with winter cold. “This is the ideal place for our igloo”, Chiara beamed with enthusiasm. Equipped with warm clothes, they worked on their task. “Next year we will go to the Ice Hotel in Sweden. I have been dreaming about it for ages.”
Casey was not so sure, if she liked the idea. Scandinavia, long winters and darkness. She remembered when she had been to Iceland and felt like a vampire when she landed in Germany. Just a few hours of daylight. The sun did not have any power to come out, constant twilight.
“Wisdom comes with winter, Oscar Wilde thought”. She heard Chiara say. Casey could not really agree. Their igloo was about to be finished. At that very moment, the weather changed completely and a thunderstorm came down. All Casey could see was a flash that hit the igloo, before she felt her hand in Chiara’s fleeing from the site.
Before she knew what was happening to her, she found herself in a warm restaurant. Casey smelled the aroma of milk cream strudel and warm coffee.
Chiara sat next to her. “Climate change – winters used to be different. It is not the right day to spend in an igloo. It was not meant to be today.”