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#1: For Dawn Author: CBB Secret Santa,

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 7:56 pm

First Snow

The little mouse, curled into a spiral with tiny pink nose in in the centre, just peaking up to rest on its body, slept soundly in the warmth of its family. Protected against the cold in the little hole beneath the earth, they had no plan to wake until the cold season was over. But wait. Watch! Did that little pink nose twitch a little? Did a shiver run over the tail, disturbing the smooth fur? I think it did! Will the mouse wake? Will it -

“Eee,” the mouse squeaked. Its nose twitched again. Its eyelids flickered. “Eee!” it announced, shaking its head and uncurling, trying to decide what had awakened it. Running on quick, pitter-patter feet round the hole, a shaft of light from the queer, many holed stone they had for one side of their shelter caught its eye. The light looked wrong. Surely it wasn’t usually so… so… sparkly! A moment later the mouse was over at the stone and staring out, stunned. An indecisive second it stood, backed away, stood again before squeezing out one of the bottom row of holes and standing, gazing over the landscape in quivery fear and excitement. It put one small paw tentatively into the strange white stuff, then drew back. Tasted it. The white stuff wasn’t great; too cold. In sudden fear the mouse licked its coat fiercely and realised, with some relief, that it could still feel something. The next second, completely distracted, he was running across the cold stuff to gather the seed he thought he saw by the old oak tree. At least, he was trying to run, but one paw would sink, then the next would slide until the poor little mouse looked more like a lame spider than anything else as he tumbled paws-over-head, frantically trying to get to the seed. Trembling, he stopped at last by sliding into a helpful tree.

“Eeeee!!” he said again, crossly and somewhat shakily. He picked up the seed and nibbled at it vaguely, determined to get at least this much from the expedition. He considered his next move, black eyes glittering with reflected light form the landscape.

Momentary hunger abated, the mouse abandoned his seed and set out again, more carefully this time. He placed his right front paw in the snow. Then his left. He paused to look around, his little mouse soul uncomfortable at such stillness out in the open. Setting his teeth, he set off across the garden once more, not as quickly or haphazardly as before but still with scant regard for his health as, although he did try to step on leaves and so forth, the freshly fallen snow had covered everything unmercifully and without thought of any small creature that might be trying to cross its mesmerising, white expanse. After only a minute or so he found himself back outside the strange stone that marked the entrance to his home and, with a shudder partly of cold and partly of relief, squeezed himself through the gap once more.

Paws half numb with cold but body warm from prolonged activity and effort, Little Mouse scampered over to the rest of his family, who were still curled up in cosy contentment, with something approaching his usual careless grace. Finding his mother at one end of the heap, he poked her with his cold nose.

“Mamma, Mamma! Wake up! The world is white and cold and wet and slippery and I don’t understand!” the cry was plaintive but insistent. “Mamma, wake up!”

“You’re too early, young mouse.” The voice, vaguely amused, came from just outside the brick.

Little Mouse looked up and had to bite back a squeak of fear. He redoubled his efforts to wake his mother.

“It’s no use,” the lazy drawl came again. “She’s fast asleep- she won’t wake till spring. You’re too early.”

Half hidden behind his mother, Little Mouse felt brave. “How would you know, Cat?” he squeaked defiantly.

The cat (for such it was) flicked his tongue across his lips in mild amusement. “Mice always do sleep through the winter months- they’re too small to cope otherwise.”

Little Mouse looked slightly suspicious but the superior tone and bearing of the cat (along with a belated memory of his mother trying to settle them to sleep before the world became cold) convinced him that this was the truth. Not that he was about to admit it. “Then why am I awake?” he asked cleverly. “By your theory I should still be asleep!” Feeling very pleased with himself, Little Mouse settled himself smugly next to his mother to wait for the response.

Cat yawned. “You’re obviously too small to have any sense at all. I told you: you’re too early. You’re supposed to be asleep and wait for your family to wake up.” He spared one last look for the defiant little mouse before rising onto elegant paws and padding slowly and silently away.

Little Mouse felt aggrieved. What right did that cat have to tell him what to do! He curled up next to his mother, back into the spiral for warmth, still thinking hard. That cat knew nothing about him! Mice obviously could get up whenever they wanted, as he had just proved. He was not too small! He was…

Whatever else he was we must wait till spring to find out. He was asleep.

* * *

The little boy was curled up beneath his balnkets, tousled fair hair just peaking out the top. It was early yet. He would not wake.

The blankets shifted. A small foot was poking out one side. The boy shifted again and the blankets fell with a soft “whump!” to the floor. Reaching out sleepily for his warmth, the boy followed their example.

“Ow!” Mike complained, raising his five-year old head from the floor and holding it with one hand. Lip trembling he opened his mouth-

But the cry never came. Instead he ran over to the window, catching sight of the garden, turned white overnight. Eyes wide, he gazed out, enthralled by the magic of snow. He vaguely remembered it was cold to the touch but what he really remembered was the snowman and the snow fight! Last year he hadn’t been allowed to help with the snow man because they said he was too little, but he wasn’t little any more. He was five now- that was practically a grown up! Almost afraid to look away from the view in case it went away when he wasn’t looking, he backed away from the window slowly ‘til he reached to door. Then he ran as fast as he could down the stairs, almost landing in a heap at the door. He stretched up to the door handle. Missed. Setting his teeth in a stubborn line, he tried again, determined not to be beaten by a door of all things! Stretching with all his might, he found the handle, turned it, staggered back unsteadily as he swung the door open. Panting a little with effort, he stared out at the sparkling white area that had been his greeny-brown garden. Not bothering with shoes or coat, he leaped out the door and somehow kept his footing to take a few steps into the snow. It was cold, he admitted, but he wasn’t going back now and it would be worth a little cold, he told himself as he began gathering snow. A moment later he found himself picked up in strong arms, carrying him back indoors.

“No!” he protested, struggling. Back behind the door, he was put on the stairs momentarily while Anna fastened the latch, which had been left off before. Turning, she picked him up again and took him up to his room, paying no heed to his struggles.

“No, liebchen, this is not the time for you to be out,” she told him firmly. “You are too early. No shoes, no coat! You must be in a nice warm bed now- I will bring you hot milk. What would your Mamma and Papa say if they could see you now! No!” she said again as he tried to escape from the bed she had put him in. “You will stay there until the rest of the family is awake. You are too early!” She tucked the blankets firmly around him so that, no matter how his five-year-old soul rebelled, he could not get out of the bed. Repeating “no shoes or coat!” in a horrified tone and shaking her head she departed to find the promised hot milk.

Mike, sure that he would not sleep, sulked. He sulked when she came back up and only drank the hot milk when he was given no choice in the matter. Rebelliously he settled down to count his grievances. Anna was only a servant, not his family. What right did she have to tell him off like that! It wasn’t fair! Stephen would have been allowed to make a snowman! Why shouldn’t he get up if he chose. Why shouldn’t he…

Despite his best efforts, the warmth and the early hour were doing their job. Lashes flickering fitfully, he became drowsy again. Five minutes later he was fast asleep.

#2: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 10:47 pm

Oh WOW!

That is just wonderful and completely unexpected - thank you so much Secret Santa

And it has cheered me up wonderfully after a very long evening spent looking round a 6th form college with Jessica and her friend who needed to look at an awful lot of different Alevel subjects between them.

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