nothing 6

Can you feel the stillness of cold? Molecules slow in low temperatures, but do you feel it in your being as well? Frozen landscapes of ice and white sit rigid. Trees that moved in the wind frozen still in a breezles chill of winter. Water that flowed covered by layers of immobile crystalized ice. Even wildlife shelters in place. The world becomes silent.

But do you feel the stillness of the cold? Light reflects and refracts through crystalline structures created on a whim by atmospheric changes. Sunlight flows in straight lines here and there in a laminar flow of bright color spectrums. The energy of the light is not absorbed as it runs about looking for some surface to be absorbed by, ultimately being sent back to space. White and shades of white dominate the frozen place.

Do you feel it yet? Maybe not. The steam of your breath after all moves in the stagnant frigid air. A cloud into nothing, followed by another. And another. Slow, steady. Much more calm now.

The sky is blanket of grey and white, cold still cloud cover. It does little stop stop the light, if anything it diffuses the sun's rays into a uniform bright white all around, setting the scenery in a cold glow. It's hard to make out where the sky ends and that hill in the distance begins, their white color is so similar.

I remember when I was younger, I would see a hill like that and think about riding down it on my little red circular disc sled. With the fine layer of powder like that, a nice smooth run whipped frozen air into my lungs in a lightning fast descent to the bottom would have been almost too much to handle. I'd have to run back up and go again, now following that groove made prior, powder pressed into a smooth slide. With each new run, more and more speed. I remember doing that on winter days until I was so exhausted, the walk home seemed endless. But it was worth it.

I remember coming to the bottom of the hill and stopping for a brief moment before going back. Taking it in but not for as long as I should of. I would, if I did so now, I would stay at the bottom, sitting. Feeling the cold, seeing the world from a low angle, witnessing the stillness of the landscape. My red sled in stark contrast to the bright white. Just like the blood coming from your neck on the ice here. The steam has stopped rising from it now, frozen as well. But I can see your breath still. You haven't moved your eyes, but I know you are seeing the stillness now.

But do you feel it? The blood flowing through your veins and arteries is slowing as the pressure drops and your heart struggles. Soon it will all be stopped and frozen still. You will truly feel it then. The stillness. Your lungs will stop as the air within cools after your body cools. You must be cold. Your warmth leaves with each breath and lost liter of blood.

There are shades of red here. Interesting. As your blood dries on your neck it grows darker, and the flowing blood stays bright even as it freezes to the snow.

You are ready now though, the stillness is near.

Do you feel it?