(no subject)
the wind roared past with the speeding tires that kicked up big drops of runoff and sand. three black heads bobbed and ducked, but they made no noise. across a wide stretch of fluffy and crispy white snow, there was little life except these three figures who left large wide footprints trailing behind them. plodding farther away from the wet black road, the three partners looked very similar. one stretched its slightly longer neck, graceful and remote. the shortest of the threesome bent to scratch it's leg, reeling a little from the cold of dusk that was settling like a wave over the white open field. they hopped over the damp and rotting log of a felled fence, saying nothing to one another, but making sure each made it into the forest-ringed expanse. it wasn't a pleasant day to be wandering idly through the wilderness, one thought, remembering other long hikes through tranquil fall leaves, when the sun shone brightly in a last attempt to hold back winter. she liked feeling the crunchy leaves sift around her thin ankles, tickling dryly. she would have even preferred a bright crisp winter day, when the snow sparkled magically, and the bare branches of trees looked sleeping and mellow. this evening they held a more suspicious air.
the sky was deep grey-blue, and one could not distinguish separate clouds, as though everything above them had unified to protect the frigid winter air from escaping. into the woods now, one friend led the way amongst both stately and dangerously thin tree trunks that rounded in a bend from the heavy snow. a large wilting mushroom pushed desperately through the snow and one friend picked at it hungrily, but knew better than to eat it. the leader of the group, with her round shining eyes, hesitated in her next step. she heard something and stopped, her heart beating in over-time. the two friends who followed watched her tense and ducked carefully behind the sagging needles of a pine tree. out in the open, she froze nervously, as what she had sensed tromped straight into view. he was an sturdy man, thick and grey with age. his head angled up to the caps of the trees, and breathed out a deep visible breath from his gnarled grey beard. he rubbed his bare hands for warmth and stuffed them deep into his pockets, his feet kicking up tufts of snow both before and behind him as he walked. out in the open, she was sure he saw her, but as her head swiveled to follow his walk, he didn't slow or turn his head.
three abreast once again, the friends jostled each other good-heartedly, their dark round insulated bodies bumping end to end. they hadn't particularly noticed when night fell swiftly and the shortest friend worried that they were irreparably lost and let out quick puffs of breath in tension. the leader paid no attention, because really, what could she do? they had to keep moving or they would never find their group. they came upon a muddy wisp of a stream, icy and slow moving. they stopped to watch it for a moment, their eyes seeing the bubbles of the flowing water, but thinking of their growing hunger and thirst. the water looked clean enough, and as one decided to step forward, the other two joined, scooping up a little water into their mouths and tipping their heads back as the frigid water slid down their throats. the air was black now, no twinge of blue left in the sky. the shortest now led the way across two stones jutting out of the water-filled crevice, her friends following. they slowly climbed a shallow hill, one began to grouse about the hour and cold, but drew silent realizing the peace she was disturbing. the surroundings didn't accommodate the noise of conversation and even seemed to swallow the argument she had launched. the leader nodded and shook in a shiver. as they reached the crest of the hill they looked out over another horizon-encompassing field. from below, the threesome was silhouetted by the brightness of snow and depth of sky, but what they saw was more than a clear outline. some how their leader recognized their presence without even a glance, and stood up, shaking snow off of his down. dozens followed suit, the only sound to be heard, a uniform rustling.
the threesome knew they wouldn't have time to make it to their group, which shifted uncomfortably below them. with a final glance at the otherwise uninhabited space, the three friends launched themselves into flight, spurring their leader to push upwards as well. dozens of dark, solemn geese took flight, the three fitting themselves into the gaggle, no longer side by side. they had found their place, and moved with their group as one liquid body through the black starless sky.
the sky was deep grey-blue, and one could not distinguish separate clouds, as though everything above them had unified to protect the frigid winter air from escaping. into the woods now, one friend led the way amongst both stately and dangerously thin tree trunks that rounded in a bend from the heavy snow. a large wilting mushroom pushed desperately through the snow and one friend picked at it hungrily, but knew better than to eat it. the leader of the group, with her round shining eyes, hesitated in her next step. she heard something and stopped, her heart beating in over-time. the two friends who followed watched her tense and ducked carefully behind the sagging needles of a pine tree. out in the open, she froze nervously, as what she had sensed tromped straight into view. he was an sturdy man, thick and grey with age. his head angled up to the caps of the trees, and breathed out a deep visible breath from his gnarled grey beard. he rubbed his bare hands for warmth and stuffed them deep into his pockets, his feet kicking up tufts of snow both before and behind him as he walked. out in the open, she was sure he saw her, but as her head swiveled to follow his walk, he didn't slow or turn his head.
three abreast once again, the friends jostled each other good-heartedly, their dark round insulated bodies bumping end to end. they hadn't particularly noticed when night fell swiftly and the shortest friend worried that they were irreparably lost and let out quick puffs of breath in tension. the leader paid no attention, because really, what could she do? they had to keep moving or they would never find their group. they came upon a muddy wisp of a stream, icy and slow moving. they stopped to watch it for a moment, their eyes seeing the bubbles of the flowing water, but thinking of their growing hunger and thirst. the water looked clean enough, and as one decided to step forward, the other two joined, scooping up a little water into their mouths and tipping their heads back as the frigid water slid down their throats. the air was black now, no twinge of blue left in the sky. the shortest now led the way across two stones jutting out of the water-filled crevice, her friends following. they slowly climbed a shallow hill, one began to grouse about the hour and cold, but drew silent realizing the peace she was disturbing. the surroundings didn't accommodate the noise of conversation and even seemed to swallow the argument she had launched. the leader nodded and shook in a shiver. as they reached the crest of the hill they looked out over another horizon-encompassing field. from below, the threesome was silhouetted by the brightness of snow and depth of sky, but what they saw was more than a clear outline. some how their leader recognized their presence without even a glance, and stood up, shaking snow off of his down. dozens followed suit, the only sound to be heard, a uniform rustling.
the threesome knew they wouldn't have time to make it to their group, which shifted uncomfortably below them. with a final glance at the otherwise uninhabited space, the three friends launched themselves into flight, spurring their leader to push upwards as well. dozens of dark, solemn geese took flight, the three fitting themselves into the gaggle, no longer side by side. they had found their place, and moved with their group as one liquid body through the black starless sky.