Chapter One- Ice Water
The snow underneath my feet turned from fluffy to stiff with each step I took. It was pure white until it wasn't. I tended to notice these things more and more as the years went by.
I looked up at my father and mother's backs facing me. Laughing. Joy. Blushing. Embarrassment. Frowning. Sadness. Facial expressions revealed a lot about human emotions. I could always tell what they were feeling but never actually felt it myself.
It made sense the more I thought about. When you don't pay attention to yourself, you pay more attention to every thing else. It's not as if I don't care about myself, it's more like if I were hurt physically or mentally the way normal people were, I wouldn't cry, because I just couldn't. It never came naturally for me.
Just then I tripped and fell on the snow, face first into the freezing fluff of ice. My parents turned around and looked down at me. "Are you alright?" My mother asked curtly.
"Yes, I am alright. I apologize for the inconvenience." I replied while getting up and patting the snow off of my puffy jacket.
"It's fine, just try to watch where you're walking next time." My father said, turning back around to finish the conversation with mother while continuing to walk.
Although I was only five, I was taught at a very young age to talk proper, especially in front of someone who deserves imense respect. Although my classes were long, I didn't mind, I was a fast learner.
I was adopted almost the very moment I was born. I didn't know who my birth parents were, and frankly did not wish to know. My adoptive parents would go on and on about how arrogant and snarky the woman who gave birth to me was. It wasn't surprising, given that I was born on the coldest day of the year, any pregnant female would be moody. My parents had told me that they had chosen me based on my looks. I couldn't understand why since they often said I had a cold face on all the time.
I finished patting the remaining snow off of my face and hair, although when I looked back up to see my parents, they were gone. This happened a lot. But I didn't care, I wasn't even phased. The first time they had done it I walk through the front door, took off my clothes and shoes, and went to my room as if nothing ever happened.
I continued my normal route home until I saw a shimmer of light in my peripheral vision. I turned in that direction and saw a white snake in the middle of the road, lying motionless with it's body stretched out.
I don't know what I was thinking, but something was pushing me towards the snake, telling me to go to it. I blinked once, twice, looked both ways, and ran for it.
I quickly picked up the snake, while running across to the other side of the road, and I kept running and running, until my tiny five year old legs gave in and collapsed. This time I landed on my back, with the snake slithered around my arm, held close to my chest. I struggled to catch my breath, my cheeks undoubtedly a reddish hue from the blood rushing to my head. The snake stared at my with it's black orbs, giving me the indication that it was still alive. I didn't move, nor did it.
"Why did you save me?"
I wasn't at all phased by this talking snake.
"Your eyes look identical to mine, I don't see that very often. I apologize if you were trying to die, I could put you back in the street if you would like?" I asked with sincerity. I did not wish to get involved with whatever the snake was doing, if the snake was on the road for a reason, I had no right to interfere.
"No, I wasn't trying to kill myself. I was simply unable to move for a moment. Thank you very much for your kindness, I am grateful."
Suddenly, the snake slithered off of my hand and into the snow. A bright light flashed in the direction of it. I looked away because of the brightness, but the light felt warm and safe.
The light was replaced by a tall, tall, woman. She looked around 7 ft. Besides this, her hair was long and white, matching with her pale skin. And the goddess's eyes were grey and murky, identical to my own.
"Do I not frighten you little one?" Her voice was as soft as her skin looked, her expression a sad one.
And for the first time, in my five years of living, I smiled, brightly, and said,
"No, because now I know I'm not the only one who feels nothing."
