No, it was the rain itself that had called him out to the roof of one of the taller buildings in Seattle. Already, his hair and shirt were saturated, laying flat against him, so individual raindrops barely registered anymore. However, while the cold had been seeping in for the past few minutes, it was when the wind blew that he really felt it penetrate. The cold was harsh, deep, and never fully let up even after the wind had passed. Of course, this high up, the wind was never gone for long.
Bitter. The word struck as deeply as the wind. In the moment, there was no question why cold was often called bitter. He began to shiver, but resisted the urge to tense up, maintaining his relaxed stroll. He’d invited this. He’d be fine.
It had been a long time since he’d felt this cold. Could that be why he found it strangely comforting?
Was it because he had chosen this, and could put a stop to it any time he chose?
Or was it the simple ability to feel something so powerful?
As a wave of rain blasted him in the face, momentarily taking his ability to breathe, he felt it was time for a deeper investigation of the second answer.
Wondering who might be available, he pulled out his phone. January 14th, holidays were over. 4:48 pm, so was the work day, further east. Surely there was someone who had some free time.
* * *
“When the first breath of winter through the flowers is icing” Phian sang softly to herself as she poured three mugs of cocoa, two of tea. “And you look to the north and the pale moon is rising” It put her in the mindset to be steady when she felt like bouncing in delight. It was also a fun opportunity to try out Andrea’s singing voice. She checked her host’s mind, and found her immensely pleased, and about as excited as she was, though the heat in her cheeks had already hinted at the latter. Perfect.
She took the platter and swept from the kitchen to the den, pausing just a moment to stare out a window. The white faux-fur trim of her green velvet dress made it swish and flare with every movement. It was snowing again in the Cascade Mountains, but inside the cabin, the only sign was the occasional howl of the wind. It was a strange place to think of as a cabin, with modern walls and insulation, but that’s what the man from the rental company had called it.
Everything else was already in place. A love seat facing the TV, though no one was visible in it from behind. To either side was a table with finger sandwiches and a variety of cookies. The TV bore the DVD menu of the first movie of the night: The Princess Bride.
Phian waved a hand over the platter, and two mugs of cocoa drifted up and over to the table on the right. She then set the platter on the left table, and to the sound of a few “thank you”s, danced around to the front, eager to take her place and get things started.
On the right cushion, Jean’s head lay in a blissful haze against Penny’s chest - where both of their bodies ended. Penny took a cocoa mug and whispered something in her girlfriend’s ear, then began counting “10… 9… 8…” as Jean became more awake and aware.
On the left, Phian picked up Ruby’s hips to make a space for her own, setting the cozily skirt-and-shorts-clad body part in her lap facing her. The head that went with it and Angie’s she placed on the waist stump. She tried to frame them in place with a pair of purple-toenailed feet, but couldn’t quite make room, so these she set further forward in her lap to figure out later. The pair leaned into one another as best they could as Phian wrapped her arms around the plush bottom, hugging it to her.
“2… 1.”
Phian flicked a finger at the screen, prompting the roar of the MGM lion.