icicles grow and freeze and threaten to impale, all while catching rays of blinding sun.

winds bite at exposed skin, leaving it red and raw. even when you tug your hat down to cover your ears, the sting remains.

but winter will always be winter. and with blizzards come mugs of hot chocolate and oversized sweaters–it’s a bit easier to pretend you are warm.

pretending is a slippery slope, though. it convinces you to wander into the storm, underdressed and underprepared.

until the chill has seeped into your bones and turned you blue. and there is only one way to stop the spread to every corner of your body.

take a deep breath. one stroke, quick and clean to save yourself. 

and next time, be wary of the cold. 

all it brings is frostbite.