The First Snowflake By Webbielady

It’s third week of November. We were trying to hold it together up there. It’s not our time yet. We needed to hold onto each other, trying not to fall down, not to precipitate. We held each other strongly yet our force was futile: we had to fall; we could not stay within the atmosphere any longer. We, as crystalline water ice, had no better choice but to turn from clouds to snowflakes, as the humans call it.

We were told from the very beginning that we have a cycle. We cannot stay in one stage of our life for a long time. Just like today, after a few days of staying as clouds, we have to turn into rain or snow. And here I am, one of the many billions snowflakes drifting down… down…down… and now I landed as a beautiful snowflake, fresh and pure. I landed on a leaf.

Very near where I landed is a lady enjoying the snowfall. She hums as she tries to catch some of us still falling down immensely. She did so for about 10 minutes happily but as time goes by, she eventually got bored and started to feel cold.

“What on earth I forgot those keys for! I hope mom doesn’t get caught in traffic thatlong…. Brrrrr….brrrr…”

Now I knowwhy. She is waiting in the doorway for her mother to arrive home. Anotherquarter an hour passed and her phone rang.

“Where?...What?!... Still in Utrecht? But that’s another at least 30minutes mom. To who? To Helma’s? No..no.. I cannot, I am soaked… I better waityou here… An hour? Why?... Please mom, I’ll just wait you here….brrrr…. takecare, Mom. Love yah!”

Now Istarted to pity her. An hour in cold is a challenge. I feel a bit guilty fornot holding strong enough up there. Now we cause trouble down here, we are muchunexpected as it’s only November! It’s our fault! We were not strong enough toresist falling down.

-Hi Jes! Why are you here in this weather? Youlook cold too!

=Yeah, I’m waiting for Mom. I left my keysinside.

-Oh, that doesn’t sound fun. Mind to come inwith me to have some hot chocolate, tea or coffee?

= No, never mind. Mom will be here in fewminutes. Thanks anyway, Rob.

-A’ight. I’ll wait with you here. It’s a fewminutes as you said anyway.

=No, no! Are you crazy? It’s cold here.

-No, don’t worry. Let’s just chit-chat tillyour mom arrives.

=It’s not really necessary, jot get in. Momwill be here very soon.

-I’ll get inside if you come with me. So, untilyou change your mind, I am stuck here with you.

I am amazedby Rob’s insistence. For another 20 minutes Jessica and Rob talked aboutschool, work, life and everything. I was a happy witness on the leaf abouttheir conversation. They laugh and talk and she almost forgot she’s half-soaked.

Theconversation continued, a dinner date for the Friday evening has been set, atennis match has been set, a Calculus tutorial on Sunday has been fixed and alot of other plans have been discussed. Yet, Jessica’s mother has still notarrived. I assume another 30 minutes. Another phonecall…

Yes Mom. You’re near?... Huh? … Arnhem? Why? Oh,no…. I’mokay Mom, Rob’s here inviting me inside his house but I told him you’re near….Another 30 minutes? That heavy and slow?... Okay…okay… take care, Mom. Bye.

-So?

=Okay, in we go.

-That’s it. I’m starting to freeze here too.Let’s go!

That’s it.I am not sure if I am still here to witness the tennis match and when they goout for dinner. It’s only Monday. I hope not to melt until weekend to witnessmore but my life in each stage is short. I will be in the atmosphere againsoon, during my condensation cycle. It is not a boring and disappointingprecipitation after all. I have a story to tell when I condense back to theatmosphere. I will surely tell the lovely story of Rob and Jessica. I bet theirstory is only starting.