Winter's Secrets

Winter in the woods was a hushed affair. Animals kept to themselves, for not many bared the bone-chilling coldness of the season. A boy trudged through the quiet woods, panting as he dragged a canvas sack behind him. The ground was thick with untouched snow. He knelt down, shoulders bent as if he carried the weight of the world. He shook his head, sighing. Working nimbly, he swiftly unpacked the contents of the sack. Crimson red painted the pristine white snow, and an arctic fox came to sniff curiously. The boy paid both no heed, for he was nearly done. Snow was starting to fall, slow and gentle. He smiled sadly to himself. She would have liked this scene very much. Nothing cheered up his sister like animals. What happened in the woods would remain with winter, for that was what winter did: it hid your secrets with newly fallen snow.