One Cold Night

One Cold Night
It was dark that night, dark as dark gets. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. The moon was covered by the thick clouds of the storm that swirled around me. All I could do was feel it, the cold, the snow, the wind. Consuming my entire body. Lost.

Would I live to see the end of this terrific storm? Would I find shelter to hide from this cold? Will I ever see the ones I love again? Questions raced through my mind, as my legs plunged deep through the snow. Every step seemed harder than the last. Forward.

After a time it wasn't that cold anymore. I was starting to lose the feeling in my body. First it was my fingers and toes. They hurt so bad, then it stopped. I assumed the damage was done. I was sure the end was near. I wouldn't give up, I mustn't. Again forward.

After what seemed forever, my legs gave up. Taken by the cold. I couldn't feel them anymore. I just fell. An endless fall, one that seemed to feel like 1000 feet. Splash in the lake of frozen water. What little feeling I had left, could feel the needles that were snowflakes falling on my face. The snow consumed by body. This is it I thought. This is the end. Dark. Cold. Alone.

What happened after that I could not explain. The stormed passed, and the morning came. The sun warmed the air, the sky was clear. If you weren't there, you wouldn't know the hell that was that forest the night before. I opened my eyes. I could see the sun, smell the air. I was lying there on top of the snow. Warm. Safe.

I should be dead. How am I alive? Should I even care? I jumped to my feet. Did someone save me? What just happened? my mind raced. I looked around. Birds, squirrels, but no one else. Confused I sat and thought. Tried to piece it together. I don't get it, I thought. I must return to my family, they must be worried. Forward. Home.

The rest of the hike was easy. I wasn't cold anymore, my hand weren't numb anymore. I smiled, it didn't hurt. I made it home by mid day. My family was so relieved to see me. I was relieved to see them. Happy.

I went to bed that night wondering if what I experienced even happened. What was I doing that night if the storm didn't happen? Why am I not dead if it did? Sleep.