A Love For Winter (Part One)

First part of my multi-part romance short short.

Breathing heavily, I stumbled through the woods of the barren wintry land that once flourished with life. But when the frigid weather swept in with relentless force, it was only a matter of time before the lively world I knew disappeared, along with Autumn.

A Snowy landscape, there was nothing more captivating than the scenic view of the hushed essence of Winter. It warmed my heart, which had been frozen for so long that I couldn’t remember the last time I felt that one word escape my shivering lips. It seemed so long ago since I made my way into this winter wonderland that I would seemingly endure for much longer than an eternity-floating around this frozen thought forever.

It was as though forever wouldn’t find its way to me quick enough, unfortunately, and I was trapped within the graveyard of all life, a wintry mix of past memories and a future that we would all meet one day. It brought a saddened chill over my ghostly spine that I couldn’t cope with such pain. It tore apart my emotions, one by one, every second of every minute, and every minute of every hour, for twenty-four hours a day. I thought all would be lost. I imagined that I would run and run and still never see the end to my suffering. I couldn’t bring myself to experience such pain for so long. I feared for my restless soul; the ghost that walked the spiritual plane, searching ever so passionately for a way back to her...a way back to my one true love.

And as I ran through the soundless woods, my time would never run out. Spring would never come. All that was seemingly dead would never come back to life...I would never return to the world of the living. And my love would appear to be lost in her own world, a world without me. Then again, she could move on...she might be happier-

I froze before finishing the thought. That couldn’t be right. She would never find herself in better spirits without her soul mate...but was I...of course I was! We were meant to be. I was going to marry her. I had already chosen a ring...but now that dream was forever lost in the deep caverns of time; the endlessly tangled road that would never see a straight-shot path. Always twisting and turning, the path may seem to follow through at first, but when you least expect it, the road may take a meandering course that never has the same set motive as it appears to. When a person comes to such a road, they might as well turn back before they become lost within the twines of the interchangeable past and future.

I took a deep breath, cleared my mind, and peered around, noticing that I was no longer in the cold, desolate forest that I’d just ran through. My mind flourished with enough thoughts to forget how far I’d sped across the snowy landscape. Where was I now?

Trudging along through the snow that seemed to be making a home on top of the remaining floury substance that fell from a time long ago, it grew more difficult with each step that my path became more and more difficult as the day went on. Soon it would be nightfall, and if I did not make it in time, I would be frozen in the deadly tundra for the rest of eternity... If only she was still with me. I could find a way, a reason, to make it out in one piece. But without the girl of my dreams, I had no purpose, no reason to exist. My spirit would be whisked away in the wind and I could move on to wherever my next venture takes me. But I did not truly wish to leave just yet. There was something I needed to do first. I needed to see her...one last time. I made my way through field and came to a small village.

It had been several years since I’d seen another living soul-far too many. I wandered through the wintry woods for half of what seemed like an eternity, but I knew that it was much longer. It had to be. And from what I could see, things were much different since my last encounter with society. Much had changed…

For one, where were all the horses? What were these metal contraptions that were somehow carrying people to and from all the different places? And what was this strange thingamajig called a “television”? Nothing made any sense. Not one lick of logic...at least, not from my perspective.

I went around and asked for some answers to the millions of questions that were developing in my mind with each passing second, but the response I was given seemed a little off. That is simply because I did not receive one. As a matter of fact, it was as if I was not even there. Many of the few citizens in the little village, walked right through me, minding their own business and doing their own thing. It was rather strange, but I still couldn’t understand. Could they even see me? Could they at least hear me? Or anything? Truth is...they couldn’t.

I walked around for quite some time before I figured that out. I begged and begged for others to acknowledge my presence. I pleaded, even getting down on my knees and urging everyone to explain to me what was going on. But there was only silence in response to my pleas. I couldn’t wrap my mind around what was going on. I couldn’t fathom the idea that I was not to be heard from, or noticed. It made me feel rather lonely...somewhat sad, and I figured that I would never see Maren again... For all I knew, she was gone as well...forever…

My hope began to drift slowly into the wind, detaching itself from my heart, the only piece that was left. Once it was gone, my fragile heart would then shatter, and I would be no more. I would be lost forever, never again the person that I used to be. Is that what love does to someone? Perhaps it was better to give up and forget the feeling ever existed...but what would that accomplish? I would still be the broken-hearted spirit I am now. It would make no difference. I grabbed a hold of the hope that was floating through the air and pulled it back in, reattaching it to my shattered heart. Feeling as though much of the energy I’d lost returned to my body once my heart had been partially glued by the presence of hope, I continued on, trying to make sense of everything.

I walked towards a newsstand and caught a glimpse of the daily paper. I looked at the date and noticed something peculiar. I thought it had been a mistake...but I read it again, and again, until I came to the realization of what I’d seen with my own eyes. It said that today’s date was December 24th, 1976...but that wasn’t right. It wasn’t possible. I was surely positive that it was only 1776 yesterday... But now I wasn’t so sure.

If what I saw was true, that meant that Maren was already gone. My beloved had left the world of the living long ago, and I would never see her again. My hope was lost forever. And I wandered away from the town, making my way deep into the frigid tundra. Nothing was left for me there. The world of the living had nothing of importance to me. At least, at the time, that was what I had thought.

But in life, you could say that there are some miracles that may change a person’s life. As it was Christmas Eve, there were definitely bound to be some strange things afoot. But nothing like this; nothing as coincidental. It seemed almost as though fate had taken pity on my shattered soul and found its way into my world once more. Standing behind me, not entirely sure if I was visible to her, though, was a young girl. Beautiful, she was, I stared at her, completely mesmerized, as small pockets of air escaped my frozen lips, making not a single sound-only the kind of whisper the wind would make on a quiet snowy day.

I stood still, carefully eying her until she made a move. She was quite the attractive girl. Her long golden hair swayed to and fro in the wind as there appeared to be snow flakes caught in her hair. Pale, her skin complexion was rather smooth and her luscious hazelnut eyes sparkled under the evening’s sunset. It was astonishing, breathtaking, and captivated my attention entirely. When I first looked upon her perfection, all else was lost. The thought of Maren soon faded...and this girl...whoever she was, was truly the one I’d loved.

I felt a warmth in her presences that I’d never experienced before, and my eyes began to tear. I was happy. I was proud to be in her line of view. I was glad someone saw me, that someone noticed me. But once again, my hope was quickly shattered when she began to walk forward. Somehow, surprisingly, as she moved towards me, our bodies did not collide. Rather, she had passed through my ghost. She couldn’t really see me. It was just a coincidence that she was looking in my direction. Nothing more than that. And my sorrow grew further and further into a deep sadness. I was in love with this girl...and she couldn’t see me. I was a ghost to her; someone who didn’t exist. But somehow, I would make myself appear. Somehow, I would become human again...I had to no matter what. I had to try.

Author's Note

It's only the first part, so if it feels incomplete, now you know why. Check out parts two and three if you'd like to know what happens next!

Reviews

[WhisperingDerailed]

Beautiful. Poetic. I hope my writing will one day read like this.

[A. Amos]

You're writing is like a fresh breeze of air...well done!

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks! Your words are kind.

[bee]

Wow..... I wanna know what happens next after reading this!! I felt like you were actually a ghost who was sharing his emotions

[Brian M. Peeples]

Well, there's still four other parts, besides this one. I hope the rest is just as good as part one!

[bee]

I'm reading the next part right now..... I know it will be just as good if not better than this part.

[Botania]

Makes me wonder about spirits and ghosts visiting us in real life, if it's possible. (looks around) haha

[Dustin Lee Spradlin]

Touched the little soft part in my heart! You're a great writer! :D

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks!! I appreciate it!

[Matching Socks]

I like it! The hopeless romantic, in his seemingly hopeless endeavour...
Enjoyed the Brian. :)

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks! I also have part two and three posted on here if you want to read those as well! :)

[Matching Socks]

Sure, I'll circle back.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks! :)

[Cool Girl]

Oh my goshness! I really love it! It was so perfectly written. There is no better way of words. I do trully love it! I have to read part two:)

[Lizardo]

okay, first of all, i sincerly dont have words to sound as pretty as i would want to, to tell you that this story is great! and the line the grabbed my attention was this one: ''But without the girl of my dreams, I had no purpose, no reason to exist.''
I will read all of the parts of this story that you make. really nice, but at the same time sad story.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks! Can't wait to read more of your reviews!

[MomzillaNC]

An intriguing tale. You do like to cavort in these dream-states, don't you. Anything is possible in dreams… But, never forget, the dream is ultimately all about the dreamer. I look forward to the continuation.

NOTES: Another pass for spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. wouldn't be amiss. A little tweaking of the phrasing might be apropos.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Yeah. This is actually only a rough draft. I should have probably stated that. I wrote parts one and two last night when I was tired and didn't feel like editing, but still wanted to share it. This, part two (and the other parts, when I finish, along with The Scarlet Rose, are all going to be my top priority when it comes to editing. I love this story a lot, and I can't wait until it's finished, and will do whatever it takes to come to the final versions of these few short stories. And yes, I love the "dream-states" of "anything is possible." I've always believed that nothing is impossible. So, I want to make my stories standout in that category. And I always put a twist to the ending, to make the reader stare at the page and say, "What...did I just read?" After all the build up, then it takes a totally different turn, a turn that will draw readers into more of my stories, which will have unique, unforeseen endings.

[MomzillaNC]

You've certainly drawn in your readers…

[Brian M. Peeples]

I think it's every writer's goal. To make their readers want more. That's how they stay in business, pretty much, haha. Anyone can write; I can write, you can write, a toddler can write. We do it every day. But a storyteller is a different breed altogether. What makes a great writer is a writer who doesn't see themselves writing; rather, the person is reading what is being written onto paper, by the character. I know how the story ends, but it's the characters' decision on how to get there. Sounds a little odd, but that's how I write my stories. I don't just write about the characters, I allow the characters to speak to me, in a metaphorical sense, that is.

[MomzillaNC]

Good characters write themselves.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Exactly. I found I have a difficult time writing a story I plan out down to the last detail. I can only think of a beginning, and figure out an ending. How I get to there, though, is a decision between the characters. Like this story. I honestly didn't even know where I was going with it. All I had was a title and a "Jack Frost"-type character. Then I began writing, and it became something more.

[MomzillaNC]

I've written both ways. My short story, "The Dance Plays On…" was outlined in full, from the poem that inspired it, "Shariara's Lament" and then written to its conclusion. But, "Living Beyond the End" is developing as I write it; I have almost no idea where it's going and every new turn is a surprise.

I have similar experiences with my poetry. "Ra'qedyet" started out as a poem about ancient Alexandria and became so much more. "Mary, Mary, How Does Your Garden Grow?" and "Do You Know the Muffin Man" both followed a detailed outline. "Something Wicked Stalks the Light" developed as it was composed from the first word.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Yeah. I've done both as well, but I feel like the stories I've written that are completely structured and planned have a more difficult time being majestic and unique. To me, those stories sound like I'm reading off of cue cards, which I'd prefer not to. I like to let my mind wander, to have a beginning and an ending. As long as the ending happens, I don't care how many twists and turns it takes to get there. And each time I write, I noticed improvement. Compare "The Scarlet Rose" and compare this story. I wrote "The Scarlet Rose" a little over a year ago, and I began this short story yesterday. I think I've improved. On the other hand, "The Scarlet Rose" was one of my better written stories, since writing romance is easiest for me. I've dabbled in horror, fantasy, fair tales, etc, but I think I prefer to write romance altogether.

[MomzillaNC]

You should read Georgette Heyer if you really like romance writing. Her writing is superb; I don't think you'll find even a period out of place. Her work is so renowned that costume and set designers use her historical romances as reference material for designs.

[Brian M. Peeples]

I'll definitely keep that in mind. I'm going to need to read romance writing if I'm going to write romance. Honestly, I feel like it'd be a challenge for a guy to write romance in a female-dominated genre, just as it'd be difficult for a woman to write in a male-dominated genre. But it's possible, and there are a few who are out there. But, on the other hand, I love challenges!

[MomzillaNC]

Georgette Hyer and Jane Austen are both literary greats and great romance writers. Victoria Holt is pretty good and quite prolific. I'd personally stay away from the likes of Jackie Collins and Harlequin Romances which are more about titillation than good writing.

[Cool Girl]

I LOVE Jane Austen!

[MomzillaNC]

I love her too. Georgette Heyer is my favorite. My favorite book of hers is "These Old Shades."

[Cool Girl]

That's cool:)

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks for the information. I'll have to do my research and see what I can get. I have all of the time in the world, at twenty years old, so I'm looking forward to my long journey in this writing endeavor that i'm willingly to endure, even if I come to hardships and failure. You only learn from past experiences. So, I won't be discouraged from any negativity; only embracing the lesson learned in the process.

[MomzillaNC]

That's the right attitude.

[Cool Girl]

Stay Positive!

[Brian M. Peeples]

That's something this site has taught me on my short time here. I'm a quick learner. And I'm using that to my advantage.

[Cool Girl]

Haha:) I'm a very positive person, and I learn quickly as well:)

[Layi Tate]

Wow you totally mesmerized me with this I like this ......
And I will be following your writing too.... I like variety and this has it all
If that makes any sense to you in what I'm saying just how you captured love and belonging missing memories and colliding with time ..... an how you describe her is so captivating this truly has my attention as well hehehhe! And making him a ghost to her making him totally invisible to her ...... and her not having any acknowledgement of his existence towards her whatsoever .... wow ! Just makes it even better ......

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks! I may be making more than just a second part to this story. So, I hope you'll enjoy the next couple of parts that are to come!

[Layi Tate]

Oh I'm sure that I will hun .... ;)

[Brian M. Peeples]

Hah, thanks! It sucks knowing the ending, though, when you're not finished writing. It's like, you want to just say what happens, but you don't want to give anything away.

[Layi Tate]

I can totally understand that lol and your very welcome I'll bet it does but it kills me not to know what will happen next lol hook line and sinker you got me ! Lol

[Brian M. Peeples]

I'm thinking part two MIGHT be done tonight, hopefully. But I'll post it as soon as it's up. You know, I think this would be an awesome movie (I know this because I know how it ends). haha

[Layi Tate]

Hahaha you suck! Lol jk but fyi you are torturing me with having the knowledge of what happens !!! Not fair. :p

[Brian M. Peeples]

That's the point of posting one part at a time, actually. It makes people want to read the next part, and then when it comes out, they instantly want to read it, drawing in more attention, and the suspense becomes greater. It's like watching a tv show that only airs once a week, a really really good show. Haha.

[Layi Tate]

Yeah I totally get it ! ;)
You are smart ! :) Keep going ....

[Brian M. Peeples]

I am! I don't think I'm going to sleep until part two is done. Wide awake and full of ideas.

[Layi Tate]

Lol who needs sleep you can do that when your dead and gone :)
I'm just kidding be sure to get some kind of rest .... we can wait .

[Brian M. Peeples]

Haha okay!

[Layi Tate]

;) Well.. at least for a little while lol I'm impatient

[Brian M. Peeples]

Yeah, I'd gotten that from other people, as well. Is it really that great that it makes people not able to wait for more?

[Layi Tate]

Yes ... it is and I'll bet you have ..... If I didn't like it I would be honest through and through I will not tell you a lie just to comfort you.... ;) & I'm sure that other passionate readers and writers wouldn't either but some times constructive criticism is good for too .... But I do not feel I see any errors in your writing . But I don't look for a mistake either . I'm not one to pick away pieces of anyones creativity you are all unique and I enjoy that :)

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks! That means a lot. I've learned quite a lot from my short time on this site so far.