I remember there being a hole. A deep, dark hole in the snow. In my youthful eyes it was huge, expanding the farther down it went. Outside this cave the snow was packed in hard, but on the inside, it was pure ice. The ice was so slick it was almost impossible for me to walk on without stumbling, which ended up being unavoidable. Because of the thick ice in our snow cave, the atmosphere was thick, a piercing blue color. It was the result of the many layers of ice, stacked on each other, one after the other.

The cave wasn’t dry. Heat from our breath rose and melted the first few sheets of ice. Water dropped from the low ceiling onto the base of the cave, making sounds that echoed throughout the entire cavern. The water slid along the curved walls, reshaping the cave with every streak of melted ice. I felt magic practically dripping from within the walls.

It was a blustery Monday, and school was either out due to Christmas vacation, or else hadn't’t even started school yet. I stepped out of the car and instantly began to freeze from the outside in. The sudden rush of wind chilled me to the bone and left me breathless. All I wanted was to go in the warm house, drink first-class hot chocolate, and watch a movie. I would even be happy sitting in the living room, around the warmth of the fire, talking. It was in my interest to be comfortable and warm.

I went to go walk into the house, but our host, Mr. Anderson, stopped me. Mr. Anderson was a tall and burly. He had a thick beard of red, jutting off his chin. “You aren’t here to sit inside.” He said jokingly, which was his personality. I’d never think about not doing what he said, especially when I was guest here, in his own home. Although his personality was fun, it could be very intimidating too. I walked back to my comfort zone, which was located behind my mom. She shrugged me off, and I was once again left chilled and uneasy. I decided I would try for my second comfort, my older sister and protector. I followed closely behind, being her shadow.

She led us through the crunchy snow to a white mound protruding from the hill. It looked simple on the outside, but we kept circling until an opening was found. I was uneasy about following my sister in. The opening was small, and I was claustrophobic. I never liked to be left out, so it didn’t take too long before my fear of being left behind out weighed my dislike of tight spaces. I slipped in, moisture collecting on my snowsuit, causing the material to get damp and heavy. My spirits began to fall, and realization set it, thinking this was not quite as great as it was made to seem.

I looked up and around and I forgot everything I had previously been thinking. My mind went blank, like an empty canvas. I started to paint on, using my imagination. In my awed state the slick ice barely allowed me to stay on my feet. The deep blue ice surrounding me calmed my racing heart, and presented an untroubled atmosphere. It was incredible, and the feelings were as layered as the ice encircling me. My entire perspective had changed. It almost controlled my thoughts and emotions. All I knew was I wanted to be there.