Kim is leader of the Prosery Brigade in dVerse poets pub today. She chose a line from Rita Dove's poem "November for Beginners" to be included in our prose pieces ~~ "Snow would be the easy way out"
Winter break! To the cabin we head. Our trunk jam-packed with snowshoes, cross country skis, booze, food, books, music. Within 24 hours we find ourselves in an unexpected winter wonderland. Snow has been relentless, piling up around the cabin until it's reached a staggering six feet. It is both beautiful and terrifying, a picturesque prison of white.
At first we feel a sense of awe at the sheer amount of snow that has fallen. It's like living inside a giant snow globe. Now days turn into weeks, isolation and uncertainty begin to take a toll. We flip flop between feelings of frustration, fear and moments of hilarity. Because cabin fever is real!
To escape we get creative. With a few makeshift tools, we dig a tunnel to where we "hope" the mountain's slope begins. Sure enough, snow will be the easy way out.
Being snowlocked for months sounds a little bit even for cabin lovers... and even worse I assume when it really starts melting.
ReplyDeleteI like the way that the upbeat opening paragraph, the joy of a winter break, turns to a beautiful and terrifying ‘picturesque prison of white’. I can’t imagine ‘living inside a giant snow globe’ for weeks. The only time I was snowed in, we were dug out the next day. I’m glad the tunnel in the snow was an easy way out.
ReplyDeleteDearest Helen,
ReplyDeleteNo, not a good destination for me... LOVE the sunshine and seeing green plants and flowers...
Hugs,
Mariette
"We flip flop between feelings of frustration, fear and moments of hilarity. Because cabin fever is real!" Yes! I agree! This is gorgeously composed, Helen! ❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteIt sounds terrifying for me! "a picturesque prison of white." I hope they have enough food! Thank you again for exploring on my site. 😊
ReplyDeleteWhat a novel and clever take on the prompt, Helen! After having us buried with the character in the snow prison/wonderland, making an escape through snow itself is just an ingenious use of the line!! Loved it.😊
ReplyDeleteSharp contrast between the hopeful first paragraph and the other two. The vacation turns into a real nightmare. A great story.
ReplyDeleteGreat story. Clever composition. :-)
ReplyDeleteHelen, we were on the same wavelength, skiers' lodge escape. I hurried so wrote a shorty, 44 words.
ReplyDeleteI promised, sort of, that i would write something for yesterday's Poetics. But even though I like time travel, my TIME TRAVEL.INSTINCT said "don't go". I'll check you out for that now.
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That was me, Jim
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Helen you told a lot of story here in so few words. You played on our emotions with skill. I really like the ingenuity of the people in digging their way out and using the snow to get down the mountain.
ReplyDeleteI like your view Helen, this was an energising read.
ReplyDeleteHah! The literal way out. I loved “like living inside a giant snow globe.” Sounds like it would be kind of fun.
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