me and the dog out on a walk at 7.00 in the morning. |
The glowing moon had the light enough to breathe life in to the whole of town. The crescent circle in the sky behind wispy cloud and fog was bright in the dark morning. Winter. The dog rushed up behind me scaring me in to movement along the frost covered path. I glanced up at the moon again wondering how something so beautiful could not be seen by half the world as they were holed up in their beds cosy and warm but dreading when they have to get up and go to school and work, by that time the cold white glow of the moon would be gone. As to why I was up at this time, well, the dog shits in the house if we don’t take him out in the morning. Not that I would even call it morning the sun isn’t even up yet. My frost bitten fingers protested against the cold as I put them to my mouth and whistled the dog. I checked my phone, 7:15, time to go. I sighed watching my breath blow out and crystallize in front of my eyes. I hooked the dog on his lead and shoved my freezing hands in to my pockets. We trudged home, quiet companions in a world of sparkling white frost and a black sky. A rush of warmth greeted me as I opened the front door. I called to my sister so that she knew I was home. I let the dog off of the lead and kicked my wellies to the side of the hall way. My cold toes clicked as I walked slowly up the stairs, I could hear the drone of music coming from my sister’s room she was getting ready for college. As I should be getting ready for school and the certain slow death that awaited me in English. The dog bounded up the stairs and jumped up on me, two wet paw prints just above my hips, I smiled, and went in to my bedroom sending the dog down stairs and closing the door behind me. I winced as my cold hands brushed the warm radiator like a burning flame to my delicate touch. I shivered from the core of my body and started to get undressed for a shower. The water ran over my skin searing my legs and arms and drawing the cold from my finger tips I checked the time on the digital clock, 7:36, good, I could stay here a little longer. I shut off the water and the sudden cold hit me when I pulled back the shower curtain and stepped out of the shower. Grabbing a towel I wrapped it tightly around me trying to seal in some of the warmth. I slowly got dressed in to the drab stiff school uniform now creased because of the night it had spent hung over the end of my bed, brushing my hair out I stuck my phone in my bag and slung it over my shoulder. I traipsed slowly down stairs loosening my tie as I went; I caught my reflection in the mirror at the foot of the staircase, I looked the same as usual flushed, hectically red cheeks, straight, long red hair, slender fingers tightened around the strap of a black leather shoulder bag. Satisfactory. As I waited for my sister to come down stairs I pulled out a book and started to read, trying to get lost in a different world before the torture I was sure to endure in school began. All to soon I heard foot steps coming down the stairs and shut my book just ten pages in. We walked out the door, I locked it behind me and slid the key in to my pocket. My breath was a thick fog in front of my face. The trees were covered in frost, crystal beauties not disturbed even by the busy main road next to it. I could see the pavement was icy, a treacherous slick slide someone was bound to fall on to, I trod carefully not wanting to make a fool of myself although I was already walking like I had a stick up my arse any way. The sun had still not risen. |