\u201cIt\u2019s getting dark Theo, we should head back,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFine. Let\u2019s cross the pond, it\u2019s faster,\u201d Theo replied grudgingly.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad said we aren\u2019t allowed to go on the pond,\u201d I mumbled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not getting grounded.\u201d Theo yelled. \u201cYou can walk around if you want, but I\u2019m going across.\u201d<\/p>\n
Theo stomped off toward the edge of the pond. He took a couple cautious steps onto the pond, and marched off toward the other side.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait for me,\u201d I said reluctantly.<\/p>\n
I pulled my scarf over my wind-burned nose, and stumbled my way over to the edge of the pond. I delicately put my left foot onto the edge of the ice, and listened. The wind howled, and hissed, but the ice remained silent. Cautiously I shuffled my way onto the pond. I looked up from my feet and noticed Theo was almost at the other side of the ice.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheo,\u201d I yelled. \u201cWait up!\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t turn around, I could barely hear myself over the wind. I took my time walking, and prayed I didn\u2019t slip. I didn\u2019t want to break my nose a second time this winter. As I started to get close to the other side, I noticed Theo standing on the shore arms crossed watching me. I decided to pick up the pace to a quick jog; I didn\u2019t want to keep him waiting too long, and we did need to get back home. Suddenly I hear Theo yell something. The wind stealing his words from me. I figured he wanted me to hurry up.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive me a sec,\u201d I yelled back.<\/p>\n
About 15 feet from the shore, the wind stopped, and Theo\u2019s words reached me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAndrew, the ice\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
I looked down, and heard it.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2014is cracking!\u201d<\/p>\n
I tried to slow down, but it was too late. The ice cracked, and creaked; echoing across the pond. The sound an ice cube makes between your teeth the moment before it shatters. I stumbled forward as I lost my footing, and smashed my heel down like a bullet into a sheet of glass. I looked at the ice, petrified. The water beneath my foot looked like a spider in the center of its web, waiting for its prey. For a second the web stretched across the ice. Then it was gone, and I was plunged into the freezing abyss beneath me.<\/p>\n
*<\/p>\n
\u201cTheo\u2019s here Andrew,\u201d my mom said.<\/p>\n
My friend Theo\u2019s parent\u2019s car had just pulled into my driveway. I ran over and leaned on the large living room window, and waited to the car get to the top of our long curved driveway. It had been a couple weeks since I had seen him. I ran down the stairs, and threw my boots on, and went outside to greet him. It was a frigid December morning, despite the sun being out. Icicles hung like giant fangs from the edge of the roof, waiting to be knocked off by my dad. Theo got out and ran over, throwing some snow at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, no fair,\u201d I said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToo bad,\u201d Theo replied, as he stuck out his tongue.<\/p>\n
We both ran in, and took off our boots; placing them by the woodstove. Both of us were eager to go out and play in the snow. So we went upstairs and I asked my dad if we could go play in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s fine,\u201d he said. \u201cJust don\u2019t go out on the pond.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d I replied excitedly. \u201cLet\u2019s go Theo!\u201d<\/p>\n
We both ran back down stairs, and started getting ready. I put on my navy blue overall snow pants, my thick purple coat, and skullcap. I put my boots on, grabbed my gloves and we were both out the door in seconds.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the cul-de-sac,\u201d I shouted.<\/p>\n
Theo and I took off, running down my driveway, and heading onto the path that led into the neighborhood. After a couple of minutes we got to the cul-de-sac. Upon arriving we discovered that a few of my neighbors were already playing there.<\/p>\n
In the winter the cul-de-sac has a large snow fort built there. This is because all of the parents who have plows, push all the snow to this one spot for the kids. The fort this year was up to about 15 feet tall. But today it was icy because of how cold it was, falling off of it was no fun. We joined in the games the other kids were playing, snowball fights, tag, and sledding off one side. After a few hours it got cloudy, and windy out. This made it even more frigid out and other kids decided to head home. Theo and I were alone at the fort.<\/p>\n
\u201cWant to play king of the hill,\u201d Theo asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d I replied eagerly.<\/p>\n
We scrambled up to the top knocking each over on our way up. I arrived first.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am the king,\u201d I shouted, as I was pelted in the face with a snow ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo fair,\u201d I yelled.<\/p>\n
I shoved Theo away from me. He lost his footing and fell back, all the way to the bottom.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you okay Theo?!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJerk,\u201d he sniffled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d I exclaimed. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cYou tried to push my off,\u201d he yelled. \u201cI\u2019m not playing anymore!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, we can do something else,\u201d I replied. \u201cHow about we go to the beaver dam around the pond?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d Theo grumbled.<\/p>\n
The dirt road to the pond was right next to the cul-de-sac. So I led, as Theo trudged along behind me. After a few minutes of silence we got to the clearing at the edge of the pond. The beaver dam was at the other side of the pond. We slowly worked our way there, making sure not to step on the ice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWere here,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
I knew this because there were multiple stumps clearly cut down by the beavers, and there was a snow covered hill sticking out into the pond. We had gotten there just as it became dusk. As we looked around poking the dam with a few small sticks lying around, it began to slowly snow. I looked up at the darkening sky, and I knew we had to get back soon; I didn\u2019t want to get grounded for staying out in the dark.<\/p>\n
*<\/p>\n
Those first few seconds felt like an eternity; I was completely submerged looking up at the dull rays of light piercing the icy depths. I was paralyzed, focusing on the eerie silence that surrounded me in this peculiar world. My clothes darkened as they slowly absorbed the water that blanketed me, and I began to sink. It was then, that I understand the situation I was in. I thrashed about in the water trying to claw my way back up to the surface. With each movement my winter clothes got heavier and heavier as they soaked up the surrounding water. I managed to get my head above the water and my arms onto the ice. However I couldn\u2019t pull myself out, all my splashing has gotten the ice around me wet, and slick, making it impossible to get myself out.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheo help me,\u201d I yelled.<\/p>\n
He stood there motionless.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheo please,\u201d I cried. \u201cI\u2019m sorry for pushing you! Please help me!\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned away from me, and ran into the woods.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t leave me,\u201d I screamed. \u201cCome back!\u201d<\/p>\n
I thrashed my legs in a desperate attempt to get out of the water, but it was no use. My legs had started to go numb from the cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease, come back,\u201d I whimpered.<\/p>\n
I listened for a reply. The wind picked back up, pelting my face with icy snow. My cheeks burned. I was alone. The frigid numbness slowly creeped up into my torso. My arms growing more, and more exhausted with every passing second. My hat had fallen off and wafted gently in the water nearby. I was going to die. I didn\u2019t want to die. I didn\u2019t want Theo to hate me. I wanted to be at home curled up on the old grey couch next to the dark iron woodstove, watching Christmas movies with my parents. The ice around me had begun to refreeze. The only thing delaying my descent back into the numbing abyss was my coat; sticking on the refreezing ice. I looked up at the overcast sky.<\/p>\n
\u201cAndrew,\u201d Theo yelled. \u201cHold on!\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked towards the woods, and saw Theo lumbering towards me dragging a large branch through the snow. He extended the branch out onto the ice, but it wasn\u2019t long enough. So he stepped out onto the edge of the ice, and began to stomp on it. He broke the ice till he was up to his waist and reached the branch out to me. I grabbed on and held with all my might. Theo pulled, and pulled. My coat unstuck and my waist was out of the water. Theo kept pulling me until he could reach me and then he grabbed my coat and dragged me out onto the shore.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou came back,\u201d I stammered.<\/p>\n
He smirked. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be the only one grounded for being out after dark.\u201d<\/p>\n
He reached down, and pulled me up to my feet. He helped hold me steady while the feeling started to return to my legs, and we stumbled our way back towards my house.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy parents are going to be so mad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMine too.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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