Sledding and Friends

A Story by Olivia

I wrote this as a short story to cheer up a friend of mine, to show him that friendship really can last forever.

It was a chilly, cloudy winter morning �" the kind where you just want to curl up in front of a fireplace with a thousand blankets and something remotely warm nearby; preferably a cat. This was not the case, however, as two completely different people had just gotten out of their separate cars and were now approaching the sledding hill from different sides, both with nervousness and excitement reverberating in their minds.

Parents waved goodbye as she beamed back with a hearty wave, while he gave a nervous grin and turned to face the oncoming challenge. As their parents left them behind, the little girl and the little boy both approached the hill and looked for the best spot to slide down. Coincidentally, the only open spot was large enough for two and so they both headed for the spot, only to get there right after another person.

Everything was a standstill. He wanted to go, but he was sorrowful because he didn’t want to be mean and make her have to wait. She could see his indecision and felt bad for making him go first. They stood facing each other for a couple moments, both biting their lips as they clutched their brightly colored sleds.

“Would you like to come together with me?” she piped up, her small voice nervous but cheerful. He looked relieved at having a solution, and tossed down his sled immediately. Her sled was longer, it would fit them both.

“Yes, please,” he replied with a small smile. She was nice.

She set the sled down and got in, pushing herself near the front. He took it as a sign he was going to sit behind her, so he walked over and plopped down on the sled behind her.

“Does this mean I’m steering?” he asked uncertainly. She giggled.

“I’ll help,” she promised in the voice of a child’s eagerness. “Do you trust me?”

He winced but nodded at her, and she turned back around to look at the daunting hill before her.

“Here we go!” she shouted gleefully, and he closed his eyes tightly �" and they were soaring through the snow. He peeked his eyes open as she shouted in glee, and then kept them open as he stared in wonder at everything that passed him. His arms were unconsciously around her waist and he held on tight as they raced past everything. It was exhilarating.

They reached the bottom and she stood up instantly, breathless and her eyes sparkling.

“Are you ready to go again?” she asked in a thrilled voice as he stood up and silently took the sled for her. His eyes were wide and a smile grew on his face, slowly but surely as the sun.

“Yes!” he said back, and they raced up the hill, neither wanting the day to end.

~*~*~

The sun was just beginning to touch the horizon, shooting flames of pink and red up to lick the pale blue winter sky. There was no wind on this particular early evening, but the chill bit down on their faces as they got out of the car and walked around to the trunk, opening it up to see that same old plastic sled, sitting and looking more full of memory and sentimental value than was its actual worth.

He picked up the sled and she slammed the trunk shut, and they walked slowly over to the familiar hill with a sense of excitement they recognized very well. The hill was abandoned this late, and carefully he picked out the perfect spot, setting the sled down and then proceeding to chase after it as it attempted to escape from them down the steep slope of the hill.

She laughed and clapped her gloved hands together, a warm glee giving her frozen face some color. He panted as he came back up the hill with the sled, that same grin on his face. Just being on this hill had transformed them into children again.

She got into the front of the sled, a sense of déjà vu flowing through her as he climbed carefully behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Does this mean you’re steering?” she asked him teasingly, poking his hands around her waist. He laughed, squeezing her tighter.

“You better help me,” he told her, before unwrapping one arm and giving them a gentle push to get going. The sled teetered forward, and began its rapid descent down the hill.

They screamed like old times, caught up in the exhilaration of the speed and the biting chill whipping past their uncovered faces. She put her arms out and pretended she was flying, and he quickly tickled her to make her arms retreat. She laughed and pried at his fingers, but he wouldn’t budge.

The sled slowed at the bottom of the hill, but instead of jumping up and demanding a second round, they sat together on the sled, breathing heavily and feeling the aftereffects of the familiar pastime.

“Thank you for always being there,” he told her sincerely, and there was a comfortable moment of silence as somewhere nearby a chickadee whistled its shrill tune to the heavens.

“I’ve always wanted to be there, and nothing has changed,” she replied with a warm smile. Craning her neck around at him, she let out a full-blown grin.

“I’m not letting you go, that’s for sure!” she said in a mock serious tone. “Now, do you want to go again?”

He grinned at this, and they stood up, sled under his arm, trudging back up the steep hill to live life to the fullest and always be there for each other.