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I remember first learning about the states of matter in grade school. It all seemed simple enough. An ice cube was the safest example. The teacher put an ice cube on the table, then lit a fire from above. She watched as the ice slowly melted, leaving a puddle in its wake. Solid to liquid, just like that. It was magic.
Snow was a funny one, though. It’s called “solid precipitation” as it falls to Earth. A sort of in between state.
That was a long time ago now. And I have the kind of snow that doesn’t melt. It doesn’t chill, either. It burns, as it courses through my veins.
It weighs heavy in my pocket, threatening to suck me into its blizzard. The many nights I lay awake, staring into the mirror, the lines of perfectly positioned snow eager for someone to traverse the slopes.
The ride along the way is fun, but I always found myself searching for the next high. The black diamond. The perfect slope.
But this sport is not for the faint of heart. At best, you break your nose. At worst, you are crippled for life. Friends and family gone, all relationships and hopes dashed with a trip down the mountain.
Anyone who said snow was a symbol for innocence had clearly never met this kind.
I long for the days where I matter again. Where I can change matter, before I fall to Earth. I will wait for the snow to thaw.
About the Creator
E.K. Daniels
Writer, watercolorist, and regular at the restaurant at the end of the universe. Twitter @inkladen
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Comments (2)
Amazing as always, the flow, the words that look the same but have a vastly different meaning from each other. Very well done and thank you for sharing! ^^
I like the way you explore addiction in this, very poetically and without hitting anyone over the head. I read this through a couple of times to fully register why I enjoy it so much. The humanity and thirst is there, which anyone can relate to. And the strong metaphors create such an ambiance here. There are always moments where we want to matter again, but it's heartbreaking when someone is just searching and all they find is more snow and less self. Very well done and thought provoking.