Sometimes, it truly amazes me that I can find so much warmth in ice. I’m not cold-blooded, just hooded and covered, convincing myself that it’s something I like.

As I lay in the ice, paralyzed with pain, my brain relays something different. It says “Think of Bahrain in the middle of July” and my heart readjusts it’s own rhythm.

And as it picks up its pace, blood rushes to my face, I swear that I’m hugging the sun. But it goes really quick, then my nerves start to quit, and before I know it, I’m numb.

The princess fell to her knees. The snow was cold, but she could not feel it anymore. Her eyelashes were encrusted with snowflakes, not that it would have helped her to see through the blinding blizzard. Shivering, she hugged himself in a vain attempt to warm her freezing body. As she began to lose consciousness, she barely noticed as a pair of arms lifted her up and carried her away.

The princess’s eyes fluttered open. There was a flickering in the corner of her eye, and she heard the faint crackle of a fireplace. Turning her head, she saw a young man sitting in a chair. He perked up when he noticed her sitting and smiled. “It’s good to see you awake.” He scooped some broth into a bowl from the pot that he was watching and gently fed her. “Lie down and rest. You need it.”

The princess closed her eyes in restful sleep, knowing she was now safe and warm.

I finally realized how little my life is compared to the complexity of the world. It all happened suddenly— a split second decision that sealed my fate. Instead of obeying the evil that plagues this world, I had rebelled against it. At that same moment, I felt the sharp sting of a knife pierce my side. I looked up into the eyes of a comrade, someone who I once called a friend. I brought their betrayal upon myself the moment I turned against them. The truth stabbed me like the dagger in my side. One moment I was fighting for a damaging cause, believing I was doing good, and the next I was crawling away from it, torn by my own mutiny. A trail of blood behind me mimics the irreversible blood that stains my hands. I know that this is my end. When I lock eyes with an enemy soldier, time seems to stand still. In that brief moment, I see a flicker of acknowledgement. The roles could have easily been reversed. They left as quickly as they came and spared me the mercy of contemplating my final moments. As my energy gives out and I can no longer move any further, I collapse into the warmth of Mother Nature's embrace, wondering where it all went wrong. I have no family, no mourners, and no hands to place flowers on a makeshift grave. Bitterness rises as I remember that this isolation is of my own doing—fighting for an unforgivable cause that brought more harm than good. Yet, as snowflakes fall, I find solace in their quiet beauty. They offer me one last glimpse of purity as I slowly fade. My final comfort is knowing that I tried to make a difference, even if I was far too late.

The girl ran as fast as she could through the bitter cold. She thought to herself about her younger sister running away into the cold and dark forest. Her sister and their parents had got into an argument and her sister had ran into the forest against everyone’s instructions. Even though she knew she was not responsible for her sister’s disappearance, she felt extremely guilty about it. She felt her knees buckling and her legs shaking and weakening as she ran. She wanted to sit down and rest, but she couldn’t do that without finding her sister. They had always been pretty close. She finally fell down onto the soft snow. She felt very defeated. She felt very warm and hot. She looked up and saw her sister. Her sister sat beside her and began comforting her. Her parents then began to wonder and worry about why they had both been gone for more than an hour.

The icy air consumed everything, I slowly walked around looking for warmth. Each step in the snow felt like stepping through a stack of paper, the wind howled, snow flew around, the fog clouded the whole world. I barely could see a few inches in front of me, at this point I should've just laid down and given up. Not like anyone would save me, everyone was gone. I cupped my hands around my mouth and blew into my hands, hopping to unfreeze my hands. Then I saw it. The small building. I felt like giving up but I forced myself to continue. I quickly twisted the door knob but it wouldn't move. The door froze along with everything else. I quickly threw myself at the door, slowly the door creaked. I pulled at the knob and the door flew open, I rushed inside, the warmth hit me, just like a wave of water hit me. The smell of the warmth felt almost comforting, like a mother tending to her child. I looked around. I was lucky to make it out, yet I failed. I couldn't find anyone. Not even one person in sight. It's like everyone disappeared from the world. I vowed something to myself. Next time I go out I promise to find someone, even if it caused my death.

I’m trapped beneath the ground Six feet deep Someone help me

The walls won’t budge They swallow me Someone help me

No one hears my cries Except my captive Someone help me

Do they hold guilt or pride At holding my heart so deep Someone help me

It’s cold down here The only spark is deep inside of me Someone help me

I can’t call anymore The sparkle is fading Someone help me

I have to stay strong But I can’t hold on Please, someone help me

I stay close to my heart The warmth in the ice Someone protect me

It’s beating like a drum A soft lullaby No one will help me

All caps words are in place of italics :)

I turned around to face my sister. She stood in my bedroom doorway, staring at me angrily.

“I don’t have any reason to help you.” I said, struggling to keep my voice even.

“Fine! I’ll give you a reason!” She exclaimed. “I’m your sister!” She yelled, waving her hands angrily. “I’d hardly call you THAT…” I mumbled. She grumbled and stormed out of the room.

I sighed and sat down on my bed. I watched as my brother slowly walked into my room. “Come on, Ria! You have to help Mia.”

Ok, I know that sounds weird. Rhyming names? Me and Mia are not that type of ‘sibling duo”. Don’t worry. My name isn’t Ria. It’s actually Aneria. Apparently, it means “Much snow”.

That seemed pretty accurate. Everyone always said I was COLD. I’m sure they meant the way that I act, but it matched up with my looks too. My shoulder length hair was almost pure white. No one knew why. My entire family had red frizzy hair. It scared my parents even more when they saw my eyes. Almost everyone we are related to has green or brown eyes. My eyes were a startling light blue.

I refused to help my sister. She got herself into her own mess. My brother gave me another pleading look.

“NO.” I said, with finality this time. His shoulders slumped as he turned and walked away, but it looked like he wasn’t done with me quite yet. He and my sister would both be returning soon.

Take a step As I roll the dice A burble of laughter Warmth in the ice You say you’re near As you always are But never did I dream You’d step away so far I watch your heart As it crystallizes Buried deeper Under layers of vices Frozen over tundra So barren, so cold I reach for your warmth But have nothing to hold But I’ll find you yet I’ll thaw your blackened ice I miss you so much Come inside, dear, it’s nice I wish to close our distance As we once knew so well As concrete as a map The greenery in my dell I’ll try to feed the fireplace But only this once more Hunger never satisfied For the love that I pour This log will be the last And I hope you make it spark Rekindle the light within Or shiver in the dark I assure you I can be cold If I muster courage to try You’ve drained what I have to give So please don’t let my light die

Walls of dark surround me A sea of negativity Responsibility and obligation cloud happiness The world is filled with evil Greed, hate, lust Beaten down by reality I scream in silence My smile is a lie Fabricated to survive Every time to plead for help I’m met with empty apologies Only ever prescribed words, no treatment from friends or family Consume pills to numb myself from the world An empty bottle is my best friend I survived another day.

Blind dates, missed connections I’d given up on love or even friendship Then I meet you And my world changed Genuine conversation and care Positivity, a foreign concept, consumes me I fall asleep smiling as we say our good nights You are the warmth in an icy heart The Yang to my world of Yin You teach me to see beauty in the vast dark of the world Help me claw myself out of the grave I’ve dug myself into Ease the pain and hollowness

I vow myself to do the same for your Always To become your rock that weathers the storm Your ray of light in an overcast sky The person you can be vulnerable with Everything you’ve been for me

If I die tomorrow It will be a life well lived thanks to you You saved me Threw a Life preserver While I was drowning in my own self pity You saw me, flaws and all and accepted me Never tried to change me, simply taught me how to be a better version of myself

She is protected The layers of cold, hard and guarding Layers of hurt over the years collected She once sang out but was met with a hushing. She once smiled even when being tormented.

Layers built up Now nothing could come in. Nothing could escape. Not the warmth tucked away in her heart. While existent it was not enough to thaw It dwindled under the surface, not exstinguishing at all

She couldn’t hear the beauty above Not the fleeting birdsong, Not the breeze upon her face. She knocked on her protection- Asking for a glimpse, But was met with teeth and a sharp embrace— She is trapped.