In the Ice
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#1: In the Ice Author: LizBLocation: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:45 pm


This was my bedtime drabble from the 2005 Feb Gather, so some of you might have heard it before, but I never got round to posting it on the board.


Joey Bettany of the Chalet School was obviously weakening, and Maureen lay – limp, grey, and to all appearance dead – across her shoulder. The freezing cold was doing its work, and Joey knew that she was gradually losing consciousness. It scarcely seemed worthwhile to struggle as she was doing.

It is so cold and she is so heavy. Frieda is calling me, but the cold has frozen my body and I cannot move. I do not know if she is still alive, and she is so heavy, but I must not let go. It is so cold. Frieda calls to me again, but still I am frozen and cannot move.

Frieda has stopped calling me now. There are other voices and faces I do not know. I can see Frieda now. She is crying. Her face changes into Gottfried, her brother. Mary’s face is here now – she has been crying too. Gottfried comes back again and now Mademoiselle is here. It is so cold. Why is Mademoiselle in the ice?

The faces change again. There is Madge. I try to tell her to stay out of the ice because it is so cold, but she doesn’t understand me. Jem is here, and I try to tell him that Madge must stay out of the ice. Someone I cannot see is calling out in pain. Why does she hurt? Is it because she is so heavy? Is it because it is so cold? Madge is talking to me, but I cannot hear what she is saying. I talk to her, but the ice takes my words and changes them so she does not understand them. I am still holding her and she is so heavy. I ask Jem to lift her from me, because she is heavy, but he does not understand me. I keep trying to tell them that it is so cold and she is heavy, but it is no good. No one understands what I am saying. It is so cold that it makes it hard to breathe.

Madge has gone. I am glad she is out of the water. She must not get too cold because she has to look after David. Dr Erckhardt is here now. He looks worried. Is somebody ill? I tell him he must get out of the ice and go to help the ill person. It is so cold in the ice.

Madge is here again. She looks older and thinner. I talk to her about the ice and the heaviness, but she does not understand me. I see Jem again and, now, Dick. He looks worried. Is something wrong with the twins? I ask him, but he doesn’t understand me. It is so cold and she is so heavy that I want to give up trying to make people understand.

Someone is holding my hand and talking to me. I know that voice. I open my eyes wide and see it is my Robin. She covers my eyes and tells me to shut them so I can go to sleep. It would be nice to sleep and, although it is so cold and she is so heavy, I shut my eyes.

Robin is singing her Mamma’s song. It is Russian. I keep my eyes shut and she sings it again. It is not so cold now. Robin sings the song again and I feel the heaviness lifted from me. She sings the song again and I start to feel a welcome warmth replace the ice. She sings again and I drift into sleep.

For one awful moment Madge thought that it was the end. Then her eyes went to the quiet face. The dark flush had faded – Joey was lying easily and comfortably, her lips slightly parted, one hand pillowing her cheek. She looked very peaceful as she lay there. … The danger was past. The fever was broken; the inflammation subsiding; and, ere long, Joey would be completely out of danger.

 


#2:  Author: Helen PLocation: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:58 pm


Thank you for posting that Liz, I hadn't seen it before and it is lovely. Very Happy

 


#3:  Author: KateLocation: Ireland PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:40 pm


Aw, that's so lovely, Liz. Thanks for posting.

 


#4:  Author: MiaLocation: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:43 pm


Thanks for posting this Liz Very Happy

 


#5:  Author: LadyGuinevereLocation: Leicester PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:00 pm


Ooh, ooh! I remember this one Smile Even though I wasn't at the gather Wink

I really liked it then, and I still do! Great to read it again Smile

 


#6:  Author: CatherineSLocation: Smalltown, West of Scotland PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:04 pm


That's lovely, thank-you.

CatherineS

 


#7:  Author: RosyLocation: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:02 pm


I love your writing Liz. You always manage to capture it all so wonderfully. Thankyou!

 


#8:  Author: FatimaLocation: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:06 pm


That was lovely, thanks, Liz.

 


#9:  Author: Cath V-PLocation: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:01 am


Thank you Liz

 


#10:  Author: RóisínLocation: Gaillimh, Eire PostPosted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:15 pm


Wow, I'd never read that before. Thanks Liz - amazing.

 




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