Ice Escapades (Open)

[Errol Eldridge]

15.34
Unumber 20th
LVI

It was the middle of winter and everything in the village was covered in soft blanket of snow. There were snow clouds as far as the eye could see, threatening to release the fluffy whiteness again at any moment. It may be the harshest time of the year, yet Errol still loved it. It was one of the few times in the year that the earth looked completely different from any other time. If he had to say what season was his favorite he’d have to say winter for that reason. Plus what other times could you have a snowball fight or build a snowman?

That’s how he had spent most of his day; after doing a few repair jobs and chores for old widow Mrs. Jenkins of coarse. If one lookout at the open field they would see two snow forts and armies of snowmen. The children had waged a snow war against him. So each afternoon he could get away he would get pummeled by never ending snowballs. And rebuilding the fatalities afterwards.

He had sent the children home right afterwards though so they could warm up by a fire and have warm food, and not catch a cold. But he wasn’t done. After shaking most of the snow from his pants, coat, and hair, he slung a pair of old ice skates over his shoulder and trudged toward the river. It had just gotten cold enough for the river to freeze and be solid enough ice-skating. He had been waiting for it to since the first flake of snow had fallen.

Sitting on the edge he strapped on the blades that he had bought when he was still in his teens. The first day that he had ever skated he fell in love with it, literally. Since then he has spent as many hours as he could on the ice, and sometimes teaching others how to do it. He had thought about being an ice-skating teacher in the winter, but one could only do it for a month or two and not a lot of people in the village had skates.

Once they were securely strapped on he, surprisingly graceful, glided off onto the ice. It was to bad there wasn’t actually a lake. A narrow river was good enough for him though.

[Keira Mckay]

In complete honesty Keira didn’t know what she was really doing out here, treading around through the snow as though she had some business to attend, but nonetheless she was doing it. It had occurred to her at some point earlier in the day that she rarely spent the time to enjoy the winter months, the brisk cool air, and the thick white snow. She’d spent most of her time swept up inside busy with anything else but herself; it seemed however now that she’d found herself outside she was aimless and at odds with any idea of what to do with herself. The mere recondition that not being busy meant feeling useless outweighed her once optimistic mood and positioned her to over-think something as simple as indulging a walk.
She sniffled as her hand nudged her nose, its tip now rosy and cold; contrast to the wrapped up rest of her body. Though the storm turned overhead it seemed to remain relatively stable and Keira merely hoped in the deep pit of her stomach that she could finish up her jaunt before becoming miserably lost in a whirling blizzard.

Since when had she become so cynical…

Her lips parted with a debated sigh, a soft moist mist luring out into the open air. The pressure that once perched in her chest seemed to subside as she tilted her head to the sky and closed her eyes. Her feet paused their travels and her world began to fall still. In any other day Keira was the very type to take afternoon walks merely to appreciate what their world had to offer, but recently her life seemed to have taken ahold of her inside and out. That was fine, though, she supposed- at least as long as she was able to realize this and take a step back for a moment.

The sounds slowly flooded in; of woodland chatter, shifting snow, and calm brief winds; all very familiar and very reassuring. Though it was maybe foolish to be out in the creeping hours of twilight, Keira couldn’t loose herself to the gloom of winter.
She felt the soft throb of her heart even beneath her coat as it pushed blood to her chilled limbs. She felt the cold begin to lift color to her cheeks, moisten her eyes as she opened them and dropped her head. Among all these memorable sounds came something she didn’t recognize, something almost startling during her momentary leisure session. Was someone skating? Though the sport was rare and relatively new, more or less, Keira knew or maybe anticipated what that distant constant sound was.

Shoving her hands into the pockets of her wool coat she moved forward to the cap of the hill from where she stood, eyes searching over the bare space below for movement. Obviously it was close- she was human after all and if she could depict that sound even through the whistle of a breeze there wasn’t much space between her and her company.

A soft sound muttered in the back of her throat as she spotted a figure gliding over the river just below. Her interest wasn’t late to arrive, driving her to slowly migrate in this strangers’ direction which might have been a little out of the ordinary for her. More often she would turn and make her path a different way not particularly unsocial but preferring to spend self time with herself. However, as presumed by earlier happenings, she wasn’t really feeling herself anyway. As Keira drew closer her vision sharpened to reveal to her the figure was male, but stranger. She’d never seen him around before so either he was new or she didn’t pay well enough attention; either was highly probable.

Stopping just at the edge of the river bank she became his audience, tucking her face in the thick scarf that sheltered her delicate flesh. In her thoughts she felt the inevitable awkward in staring someone down who probably didn’t like being watched- but in admittance he was brilliantly good at this game on the ice and the sight was compelling. Keira merely hoped he didn’t mind and pressed her hands against the back of her dress as she nestled herself upon a bare tree stump but steps away. Convenient? Maybe, though there were plenty scattered all over these lands.

[Errol Eldridge]

The ice wasn’t completely smooth, with bumps from air pockets and frozen ripples, but anyone with relatively good balance could manage it. The blades clanked softly as they glided over these bump, it was about the only sound out here except for the occasional blow of wind. Ok so maybe there was something he didn’t like about winter. Everything was very quiet and was somehow able to amplify loneliness. Errol glanced around at the dead woods and fields, and let out sigh that turned into a large puff of vapor. Yep, lonely indeed, but only out here.

He smiled as he saw the smoke from the village curling. No, not so dull and gloom, only if you purposely remove yourself. Glancing at the threatening clouds overhead he tightened his scarf around his face and flipped the collar of his coat up. Being only a couple of hours from sunset, and the snow that was more then probable to fall, it was going to get colder very soon. After a few more go arounds he’d probably stop for the evening.

Errol pushed off and started heading toward we had begun from. As he got closer he noticed a woman sitting on a stump watching him. He gave a small wave and started skating toward his observer. “Ah! Miss. McKay! What are you doing out here all alone?” he said pulling down the scarf exposing his signature grin. Errol didn’t particularly know Keira McKay very well, not as much as her siblings, she always seemed a little distant. Even when he had worked a few times on her familes farm he hadn’t seen much of her. “Miss. Katherine McKay is not accompanying you?”

[Keira Mckay]

The wind seemed to be seeping through her clothes, despite the layers she’s had herself wrapped in and she felt her flesh rise with goose-bumps, a shiver creep down her spine. The less she moved the more she noticed just how cold it could get and it forced her to squish tighter against herself as much as she could, maybe vaguely silly appearing though she didn’t much care. In any matter the more she paid attention to the skater before her the less she noticed anyway though it appeared he was already slowing to a stop. Keira watched as he eyed his surroundings, looked back toward the village and toward the space she occupied. Strangely, she felt her body tense as though anxious to be spotted; even as it were she was simply watching a part of her felt like she was out of place. Nevertheless, by the time she’d finished debating the reaction, he was already on his way back to the river bank, having spotted her in the process anyway.

He chimed his greeting in the form of mentioning her name, something that profoundly confused her up until the moment he came close enough for her to see his face; and that proud grin.

“Oh,” was all she managed as she slipped from surprise to recognition. Though it was true that she spend most of her time lingering around out of sight she still had always been aware of those around her, including Errol even if she’d only seen glimpses of him and he her. But the comfort of the matter was that he was familiar to the family- and to her. “nothing particular, just thought I might get out before were all stuffed up inside for the next few days.” Her eyes briefly moved toward the churning grey wisps of clouds above- though she was anticipating she were only kidding.

The last thing she hoped for was to be buried in snow. Her hands pressed into her lap, spreading out any folds in her dress from her earlier movements. “No not this evening, just me, myself, and I.” It wasn’t uncommon for Keira to attempt to steal time from every day just for herself; she needed it and supposed it was the best way to keep her head clear, even if her life had consistently become uneventful as of late.

“I’m very impressed with your expertise out there on the ice,” Her mouth curved to a soft smile. “I cannot say I’ve ever seen anyone skate before and I must admit, I’m a little jealous.” Her smile thickened to a grin, a flash of teeth as she spoke.
She lifted a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her body relaxing as she settled into a minor slouch.

[Errol Eldridge]

Errol’s smile broadened as Keira kept to a pleasant conversation. He had always thought that if they had met, just the two of them like this, that there would be that dreadful awkward silence. He was extremely glad to be proved wrong, for as much as he tried to like everyone it was hard to do so when they didn’t want much to do with you. He never quite understood those people, they ones that preferred being unsocial rather having the company of another. He’d gladly trade places with someone that thinks they don’t get enough alone time. In fact ever since the old couple passed away Errol spent the least about of time as possible in his empty house, and flocked to wherever the largest crowd was.

He didn’t even have to follow Keira’s eyes to look at the menacing sky again to know that they were in for a large storm. The freezing sudden gust of wind, that made him glide back some, told him that. “Good idea, but I’d rescue you from the blockade of snow.” he said with a grin. In fact Errol was sure that if they did get blocked in by snow he’d be shoveling quite a lot for other people. “Looks like we are in for a big one though huh?” he asked pushing himself back to where wind had blown him from.

At the comment of his expertise on the ice he couldn’t help but let out a hardy laugh. Errol was a very modest person, and he figured himself very average in skating. “Thanks you for such flattery Miss.Mckay” he said tipping his hat. At her next statement Errol’s eyes shined as brightly as his grin, which was just about as bright as when the sun shines on snow. “No need to be jealous! I could teach you if you would like. It’s not to terribly hard.”

[Keira Mckay]

She could feel the warmth of her laugh in the bottom of her throat at the thought of the two huddled in a dome of snow while he burrowed them free.

“I have no doubts you’d save me,” she crossed her feet by the ankles, adjusted her dress. There was a deep amusement in her eyes, in the curving smile on her face as she watched him- a sudden lift of that first meeting tension. She found it reliving to be so comfortable with someone, even someone she had just officially met, and could only thank his almost goofy charm for that. Point in case as he slid backward by the thrusting arm of wind, which made he straighten as if to reach out and keep him from blowing away; though the sight was humorous.

“Yes unfortunately,” Her smile finally drifted as she chewed the inside of her cheek. Being confined by cold snow was the last thing she’d really wanted, especially when it was becoming harder to find anything to consume your time with- at least in the winter. From the inside it was grey and dark, acutely boring and consistent- two things she wasn’t usually a fan of. But, she supposed, as long as there was time left to spend on the outside she’d cherish it.

She nodded as he thanked her compliment, reaching up to tug at her scarf and tuck it more thoroughly under her chin. Teach her? Her eyes almost widened at the idea of herself on the ice. It was inevitable that she would fall, and look completely like a fool- and in addition she was particularly clumsy when it came to coordination. However, the light in his eyes seemed to damper her pessimism and drive a needle of guilt in the idea that she would deny his lessons.
Her bottom lip slipped under the gnaw of her teeth as she shrugged, a sort of debating figure taking shape over her expression.

“Well, I haven’t any skates of my own, and I don’t suppose it would be as right to go sliding around in my shoes,” But in truth she did long to learn, it was simply the fear of failure that deprived her of confident motivation. She could fail all she wanted if she were alone, but naturally the idea of herself slipping around all over the place in front of this man was not an alluring one. She would rather hope to be impressive, not silly. On the contrary learning would also prove to be thrilling, and she knew she could trust Errol. It was a battle between being nervous and dying to learn something new.

“And you’d probably find I’m incredibly ungraceful,” she laughed, “and I’d most likely prove to be more frustrating than anything.” She tucked her hands between her knees, sort of shrugged with a more timid smile.

[Errol Eldridge]

“You can use mine!,” he said perhaps a bit to enthusiastically, “They’ll be to big for you, but is we keep it simple then it shouldn’t matter to much.” It was more then evident that Errol was more excited about this then Keira was. He couldn’t help it though! He loved sharing his passions with other people. And perhaps if she liked it then perhaps next year he’d have someone to skate with. “Don’t be ridiculous! I could never find you ungraceful, even if you fell I’m sure it would look like the most elegant fall I’ve never seen.” he said with a bit of a teasing smile. “Besides you have me to catch you.”

Errol glided to the edge and hopped up unto land, where he seemed to be a bit more clumsy then on the ice. It almost made him laugh how easier it was to move of the ice in skates then on land. Once he got sure footed he chuckled and tipped his hat to her, “So Miss. Keira you want to give it a try? I promise you’ll love it.” he asked already addressing her on a friendly informal level. Errol usually addressed everyone on a first name bases. It wasn’t that he was trying to be improper or didn’t know the socially proper way to address people, it was just who he was. And surprisingly enough most of the villagers understood that it was just his friendly nature that he didn’t call someone by their title and surname for long.

“You know if anything it might warm you up some.” He said seeing her putting her hand between her knees. In fact she had been fidgeting this whole time wrapping her clothes tighter around her and portioning herself to keep in heat. Was it really that cold? Maybe he was barely noticing it because he’s been out in it the entire day, the gusts of wind did have a bit of a bite to them though. “And it might not be a long while till you could try it again.” He meant that with this snow storm coming it might start to get to bitter, or him to busy, to skate until it started to warm up again for spring. But then there wasn’t no telling what the condition of the ice might be. Better to do it before it got colder then it having been cold and it getting warmer.

[Keira Mckay]

He was quick, she mused, to announce that he’d all the tools to help her learn. She wasn’t going to get away with small excuses and she found herself appreciating his enthusiasm to teach her something new. Keira shifted some, then smiled up at him the moment he’d minded to mention she couldn’t lack grace if she tried. The comment rewound her to her personal moments of clumsiness, the ones that she thanked god no-one had seen and the ones that few had. The recollitions brought laughter to her voice and fresh color to her cheeks.

“Unfortunately I’m going to prove you wrong,” She lifted a hand to pull a stray hair from its tickling on her cheek. “But I suppose if you’re to catch me I’ve less time to look as silly.”
She watched him move the bank of the river and stumble unto the surrounding snow, pausing then to give her a tip of his hat and warmed laughter. He informed her that the movements and the distraction would better warm her up than her simply simmering in the bitter air, which he was right of. Even bundled up the chill was fierce and found its ever slinking way beneath her clothes to nip at bare skin. Among all else he was right to assume there may not be another opportunity, and brought that to light as well.

Keira nodded, letting her eyes drift past him to analyze the ice.
“I’ll try it.” There was no harm after all, though she still felt the very subtle presences of nervousness beneath the surface of her skin.

She stood, smoothing out her dress, resituating her hair, buying valuable time. Of course she imagined the venture would be fun, especially with Errol guiding her along. She felt comfortable enough to not particularly mind if she looked ridiculous before him, and she trusted his word to catch her- though she’d planned to latch herself to him like a tick, at least until her feet could figure out how to hold her up alone.

(sorry for the bit of lacking, D’: trying to get back into Keira mode)