“Ice Dancer”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

She tentatively touched a toe to the water, jumping back at its cool touch. It had frozen overnight, and the temperature was shocking to her bare foot. Shocking, but almost delightful at the same time.

She reached out again, tapping her toe against the ice a few times before settling her whole foot on the shining surface. Frost jumped up her leg, tickling her skin and making her giggle. She made sure that her foot was firmly planted before lifting her other leg. She took a deep breath, breathing in the frosted air before letting it out in a sparkling cloud.

Then, she pushed off.

She slid forward, balancing gracefully on one foot. Her arms flew beside her, riding the currents of air that her movements had created. Her fingers fluttered, leaving behind trails of snowflakes. Her hair shimmered with the drops of dew that had collected there, flowing gracefully as she twisted and spun.

As she danced across the ice, the air joined her. It spun her, enveloping her in a whirlwind of frost and snowflakes. She rose up into the air, sitting on the wind as it gently brought her back to the ground. Another spin. Another leap.

Finally, she was spent. She let herself glide to a stop and there she froze.

Final Comments: As soon as I finished this, I got the idea of the protagonist slowly freezing as she dances. If I end up rewriting this one, I’ll definitely include that imagery.

Overall Rating: 🥺