People said that they walked on water that winter. Because everywhere was frozen water. It came down as freezing rain and remained frozen, encasing the countryside in a glassy sheen. Rain would be followed by a cold spell, with never any snow to soften the bleak monotonous gray. It was a winter of impossible travel, of long days stuck inside, of boredom and its attendant drinking and tempers. It was a winter when heinous occurrences, mute secrets, were blamed on the entrapments, the relentless icing.
She wished the crystalline memory that gripped her still, frozen, would shatter, would melt.
A second take for Carrot Ranch, July 27, 2017 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story using the word crystalline. It can be used in typical forms or in creative ways (like the name of a town). What meaning does it hold for the story or character(s)? Go where the prompt leads!
ShiftnShake 
What a bleak winter!
Why is it that those crystalline memories, that we’d rather forget, just don’t melt; and the ones we’d rather keep, drift away? “Gripped” is a great word to describe the feeling.
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And you must be looking forward to spring? It’s already hinting at fall here, my busy season. I thought I was done with this word this week then was driven back to the keyboard with thoughts of ice, so it was a twofer week. Thank you for your thoughtful visit.
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Spring is always lovely. I wish it could just stop there! I’m not so keen on the summer heat.
You’re good at these twofers. Even your ebooks!
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Those were a pain to get together! It took a good part of a rainy day, but now it’s done. We’ll see what becomes of that. I do not like the formatting but the content is there, for better or worse. Anyway, another learning experience. Thanks again, Norah.
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I loathe winter! Except for the sweaters, everyone looks better in a sweater.
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I loathe winter! Except for the sweaters, everyone looks better in a sweater. Good post!
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Thanks!
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I love the thought of a crystalline memory. And the tightness of the writing here brings the coldness of the winter to life.
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Thank you for the comment, and I’m glad you came by. Look around.
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Will do! 🙂
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You have me nervous for a return to Up Nort’ with its unforgiving winters. This story is so universal it could be written for any era, and I appreciate the noncommittal rooting of it into one specific time. Makes me think it can repeat; you know, history.
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It’s just flash fiction, Boss, led by a prompt word. And whatever other ingredients were at hand. But forgive winter and it will be forgiving. Winter in fact will give you time and space to polish your rocks. You are in a good place.
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Great take on the prompt. I was reminded of the movie The Day After Tomorrow. Though your vision is not a climate scifi one, in reading it I felt winter would never end. My sister lives in North Dakota where they have such winters. I can’t imagine six months inside. Lovely writing: “encasing the countryside in a glassy sheen.”
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Thank you for your comments. I love snow and cold. You can get out and enjoy it. Icing is a whole other dimension and harder to deal with.
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