The trees are still, no wind to shake their bare limbs, and Hutch can’t help but focus on the way the branches, reaching out and coated in ice and frost, look so fragile, can’t help but wonder if they’ll crack when the warmth of spring melts the ice, can’t help but wonder if they’ll shatter after having been held, subdued and undisturbed, preserved and asleep, for so many months.
When he exhales, he can see his frozen breath, the only evidence, in this silent, pristine landscape, that he’s alive.
The evidence of the Christmas season is in full force back in Duluth, laughter and lights and singing, music piped from tinny radios, gifts wrapped up in shiny paper. It’s much more Starsky’s scene than this snowy, quiet forest, but Starsky was the one to insist that they spend the last days of their vacation here, at Hutch’s grandfather’s cabin.
Hutch looks at the snow, clean and pure, untouched by human hands, and thinks he knows why. Because Spring is months away, but Hutch can feel the ice melt inside of him, and he knows that Starsky, scarred but alive, may be the only one who can keep him from shattering.
Very pretty–words and sentiment.
Thank you. And such a beautiful pic that our elves found to go along with it.
Exbex, I love this! Short, to the point and very poingant. Love the analogy with the winter scene and how Hutch was feeling. Thank you!
Thank you. I wondered, at first, if it was angstier than I wanted, but I’m glad the poignancy came through.
short and so so sweet. beautifully written
Thank you. It didn’t seem so sweet when I first wrote it, but I can see it now.
Beautiful. Such a gorgeous way to express Hutch’s feelings. Thank you for this wonderful treat!
Thank you 🙂
Oh, this is gorgeous. You’ve really captured Hutch’s fragility here, exbex.
Thank you. I have always been haunted by the image of branches encased by ice and how they seem hard and protected but really fragile, and that just screams Hutch to me.
Wow. This gave me a shiver. From the very first line one can tell that, even in peace, something is wrong here. I love the many ways this could be read. At first it could be just nature, or Starsky’s healing, but then it becomes evident it’s Hutch who needs most of the help now. It wouldn’t take much to overwhelm him now, but of course Starsky knows what to do. This is really touching and intimate, so powerful. Thank you!
Thank you. Even though Starsky is hurt and Hutch is the one saving the day in SR, he seems like the one who is about to break.
This is lovely, exbex! ” he knows that Starsky, scarred but alive, may be the only one who can keep him from shattering.” Brilliantly phrased. Thank you for this beautiful gift.
And, Elves, exquisite choice of images. Perfect!!!
Thank you. And our elves are so clever, aren’t they?
I’d say gorgeous, too, but Myna already took it. How about “breath taking.” I think Hutch’s grand dad is one of my favorite side characters, and we don’t even see him. Of course he’d have a little cabin in the woods – perfect for getting snowed in.
Thank you. Hutch’s grandfather is so intriguing to me.
Beautifully written and quite poingant, especially the last line. Thank you for sharing your gift exbex.
I mean poignant!
Thank you. It seemed too angsty at first, that last line, but it occured to me that Hutch would be okay.
Beautifully written! You captured a very tender, thoughtful moment.
Thank you. When all is said and done, Hutch is going to have to face those thoughts. Good thing Starsky is there. Their friendship just gives me all the feels.
Beautifully written. The Christmas after Starsky’s “re-birth” could have gone so many ways. I love to read about it, and your take reads like a poem. Reminds me of Robert Frost’s “Stopping by woods on a snowy evening.” Hutch has promises to keep.
Thank you. And good catch; I wasn’t thinking of the poem, but I was kind of thinking of solstice, which the poem addresses. It’s one of my all-time favorites.
That is such beautiful sentiment. thank you for sharing.
Thank you.
Amazing. Beautiful, fragile, Hutch. Says so much in so few words. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you.
Ditto on all the comments above. Thank you for writing this, exbex.
Thank you
So beautifully concise – I can feel the quiet. Thanks for this!
Thank you.
Sweet! Love when our boys are “thinking”. Very well written, exbex! ?
Thank you.
“Gorgeous” was the first word that came to my mind. Stunning writing — you’ve perfectly captured Hutch in the setting and in the moment, and in so few words. One of my favorite lines, which keeps jumping out at me, is this:
“When he exhales, he can see his frozen breath, the only evidence, in this silent, pristine landscape, that he’s alive.”
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful work.
Thank you. At first it seemed too angsty to me, but then I realized that it was the first step to his healing.
Love the hope of spring..thanks for sharing!
Thank you Elaine 🙂
Exquisite, Exbex. Vivid and powerful, this is going to stay with me for a long time. Thank you.
Thanks HBB 🙂
Lovely imagery with the branches and ice. Beautiful sentiment.
Thank you!
Thank you Keri 🙂
Exbex, this is beautiful in so many ways. I had to read it, take a breath, and read it again. It perfectly captures the mood of snowy isolation and its stark beauty. That weather, particularly at solstice, can turn someone particularly introspective, especially around the often emotional holiday season. I love Hutch contemplating the possibility of the delicate branches shattering, then bringing his thinking around to realize he’s actually considering his own vulnerability. Would that we all had a friend like Starsky to help keep us together.
Even when you’re writing comments your writing is superb. That is everything that I was hoping to convey in this story (some of which I didn’t even know I was hoping to convey). Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment.