Ice & Rain | Teen Ink

Ice & Rain

April 24, 2009
By Courtney Davis BRONZE, Winnebago, Illinois
Courtney Davis BRONZE, Winnebago, Illinois
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

~INTRO~


I never thought about how lying could really hurt someone, especially my mother. She started yelling at me for lying to her because I told her that my brother had taken the money from her purse. Yet in the end, I am the one in trouble here. We sat down for dinner. My mom made some kind of casserole, and let me tell you she isn’t a very good cooker. I decided to skip dinner and go outside, where fresh falling snow is falling. There has to be at least four inches of snow so far. The winters keep getting harsher each year. Christmas is tomorrow. I really want to get lots and lots of money. I struggled to get my small boots on, but I finally squeezed my feet in. I was out the door in a flash. There was nothing much to do on a Wednesday for me. I just lay in the snow and feel the cold flakes melt away on my rosy cheeks. I lay there thinking about how many people I have lied to. Sometimes I’m so sad, that I talk to myself. I barley have any friends, only like a few acquaintances, but they usually don’t tell me much. I sighed, then rolled to my side. I heard a tapping sound on the glass window of my house.

I sat up and my little brother was jumping up and down, pointing at me with his tongue out. I got to my knees and started to make a tightly packed snow ball. As soon as it was ready to be fired, I aimed at my brother. It hit the glass with an ear-splitting sound. My mother looked at me quickly. I gasped and ran to the other side of the house. I waited a few seconds with out taking a breath, but I don’t think she was coming after me. I walked over to the little tree in my yard, and leaned against it.

After a while I slid down it, I went to a sitting position. I watched the snow fall gracefully, but oddly it didn’t end that way. Some snow on the ground started to fly up into the air, the wind grew stronger. The snowflakes felt like pebbles being thrown at me. I squinted to see what else was going on. Out of no where this huge snow tornado was coming right at me.

I was astonished. I ran into my backyard, but that didn’t help much because the tornado was gaining on me. The gate in my backyard also stopped me. I shook the gate door to open it, but it wouldn’t budge. I turned to look back, no time left it was all over. The tornado overpowered me. I fell to the ground, weird enough so did the snowflakes. I was so cold, it wasn’t possible to be alive. I rubbed my freezing eyes and blinked a couple times.

There before me stood a beautiful young looking woman. Her black curly hair stopped at her waist. Her skin had the smallest bit of tan, more white to it though. Her black eyebrows seemed to go very well with her amazing blue eyes. Her soft looking lips were a light pink. Somehow there was a glimmer of yellow outlining her, like she was shining. She had an amazing dress, it seemed to fade from a blue to a white. She had a pretty black round marble necklace to go with it. She reached her hand out to touch my hand. Her ice cold hand gripped mine.

“Hello my name is Anne Lee.” her voice sounded like little bells, “I am your great, great, great, great, great grandmother. I have been sent here by the lord, who lives in heaven.”
I was a mixture of scared, nervous, confused, and amazed.
“How is that true though. You had to have died centuries ago.”
“ I did sweetheart. I am in spirit form for a reason. Again I said I was sent by the lord. My reasoning for this is because you need to be taught to obey one of his rules. That rule is To NEVER LIE. To teach you he has given my permission to show you what you were in your past, present, and future.”

“Will that hurt?”
She laughed. “No, No, No, I am not here to hurt you. Again I am here to help.”

“How could you show me?”

“Simple like this.” She lifted her hands and started making circles around our heads. The snow started making a tornado. Her voice was tense now.

“Ice and rain makes the weather, take us back altogether.”
The tornado wrapped around us. In my opinion, it was much nicer than being on the outside. Our feet lifted off the ground. In my head I was thinking no body is going to believe this.


~Chapter One~


We traveled for a while in the snow-tornado. My grandmother looked like she was in deep concentration, so I didn’t talk at all. As I watched her beautiful face, it seemed as if she was getting even younger. I don’t see how that is possible, but it was. She broke the silence with a deep breath. Her arms went from over her head, to resting on my shoulders. She put a light pressure on my shoulder and our feet gently touched the ground. The ravishing snowflakes glittered as they fell. There had already been snow on the ground, and still falling. My grandma took her hands off my shoulders and rested them at her sides. She spoke in the most calming voice I have heard in a while, “Shall we move along?”

“Umm. Sure. I have one question though…Where are we?”

She grinned at me, then quietly said, “My dear, well can’t you notice your own school?”
I shook my head thinking what a stupid mistake.

“You know what. Your very lucky to have a good education. Why I didn’t even get to go to school. I had to stay home and do house work.” Her voice was very mellow.

“I know. I know. I was just wondering why you would bring me to my kindergarten school. I haven’t been here in ages.”


“Yes I know, but this is where you made your biggest lie yet. This is where it all started, where you found the truth of lies. You were lied to, so you also lied.,” I was confused, she started again, “Darling, do you remember a young one, almost the same age as you. I think her name was Molly Hendington.”


“Yes, I remember that lowlife trouble maker. How could you even bring her up? I hated that girl from the inside out. She was no good what so ever. She got me in major trouble.”

“Yes indeed. She has gotten you in a lot of trouble, but you can’t hold grudges against people.”
“Can we just hurry this thing up. I don’t feel like hearing about Molly.”
“Ok then, lets just watch.”

Right then the sun came up, bright and sunny, it seemed like it was in the afternoon already. Out of no where cars, trucks, and vans filled the parking lot. I saw myself get out of my mothers minivan. I was very short, had bright blond hair. My bright blue eyes were noticeable from a distance away. I was wearing a violet long sleeve shirt with blue jeans and white tennis shoes. I smiled at my young version of me. My younger version walked into the school, leaving the door to slam on the others behind me. I looked at my grandma. She leaned her head to the side and shook it. I turned back to the school, and started walking towards the door. I noticed my boots didn’t leave a print. I could just feel my grandma behind me. I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder. I turned around to see my grandma staring into my eyes.


“When you go into those doors, you will just walk right through, literally. If you get close to humans, they are going to feel chilly, so please keep a distance.”

I took my grandma’s advise and walked right through the doors. My grandma still lingered behind me. I found my little self, as I hung my coat on the little hanger, I saw Molly standing behind little me. Molly’s little brown curls bounce as she spun little me around and gave me something. I glanced at my grandmother. I knew this part, this is where Molly stole a pricey laser mouse off of our teachers computer desk. I remember her telling me to put it in my backpack, and find her after school so that she could have it. After that, I wouldn’t take it, so Molly shoved it in my backpack herself. Molly pulled me to the little table so she could sit next to me. I knew she hated me. I knew she was up to no good. The older me went over next to the backpack. My grandma shook her head and said, “There is no way of stopping this. It has already happened.” I frowned and waited for the worst to happen. A few moments later our usually nice teacher was sitting at her desk. She started searching for mouse on the ground, apparently for the mouse. Our teacher searched the entire room, while the little ones played. After a while she gave up and almost shouted at us. She asked everyone if they had seen her expensive mouse. I shut my eyes knowing what was about to happen. I heard Molly’s chair slide across the ground. Molly’s high-pitched voice said that it was in my backpack. I heard the teacher walk over to my table. I remember her hot breath in my face. Her evil sounding voice saying why would you steal from me. I wanted to tell her Molly did it, but then Molly would eventually do something meaner. The teacher kept saying why would you steal from me. I heard the steps the teacher made while she walked to my little backpack. She pulled out her laser mouse and slammed it on my table. I heard her voice, so deep saying we are going to have to call your parents now, maybe even send you to the principals office. I thought it was pretty dumb to be that in love with a laser mouse, but sometimes she could be a little weird in a way. In the end she ended up calling my parents and sending me to the principals office. Pretty lame huh? My grandma walked us back outside. Where yet again it was snowing.

“I have two more things to show you from your past. The first one is with your first grade friends. Do you remember them? Katy and Lenore.”

“Yes, I do. They were great friends. Till-” I stopped myself.

“Till you lied to them.” she finished my sentence.
I didn’t have the nerve to talk back. My grandma lifted her hands and said,

“Ice and Rain make the weather, take us back altogether.”
I sighed as the snow circled around us. The tornado didn’t last that long. We slowly lowered. Seeing how we only went ahead one year, and just a few miles away.
We now were at my elementary school.

I saw myself only two inches taller than last time. I met up with my friends at my locker. Lenore had brown hair that was only at her shoulders with brown eyes too. She wore glasses. Katy had red hair up in a pony tail and bright green eyes, with a few freckles. We walked down the hall a little ways, but Katy had to go into her classroom for a minute. This is how I lost my friends. I told Lenore that Katy said her glasses were huge and ugly. I also said that Katy said Lenore was gross. Lenore got really mad and started yelling at Katy because of me. Katy told Lenore I had lied to her. Katy apologized for nothing, and told me I was not their friend anymore. I was really unhappy. Little me’s face was very upset. I ran up the stairs and out the door. My grandma reached out her arms to grab my shoulders. She looked in my eyes and said, “One more from the past sweetie.”

She lifted her hands once again and said the magic phrase. We lifted up and then before I knew it we were at my house again. My grandma looked at my house then at me.
“Now this is where your seven years old. A few days before Christmas. This was not your brother’s best Christmas though.”
In my head I was trying to get to a conclusion of my grandmothers clues, but my grandma snapped her fingers in front of my face.
“Let’s go inside, shall we?”
I shook my head and walked through the glass window. I heard a dreadful cries of pain coming from the kitchen. I remembered now. My brother on the floor crying. I watched my scared face stare into my little brother’s eyes. My brother was laying on the floor crying because I broke his toe, on accident though. I was throwing stuff, but one of the items was really heavy. It sort of just slipped out of my hands, and he just happened to be there. My mom came running threw the door. I think she was shoveling at this time. She got onto her knee by my brother and kept asking him what was wrong. He just pointed to his now broken toe. My mom looked up at me and asked me what I did. She usually blames me for about everything I do wrong. I said I didn’t do it, but the annoying little brother had to say that I hurt him. There again I lied. She yelled at me for a while after she gotten home from the doctors office. She told me I was grounded. I turned to my grandma who was just staring at my mom and the little me. She held my shoulder and tenderly pushed me out the window. She again looked into my eyes and said, “What have you learned so far honey?” I was quiet for a while thinking. Then I finally came to it and said,
“It’s is very bad to lie to others.” She shook her head.

“Now we’re going to go to your Christmas present, and see what‘s in store for you.” She lifted her hands and shouted, “Ice and rain make the weather, take us back altogether.” We lifted again and now were off to the present.




~Chapter Two~


We are finally back to the present after what seemed forever. My great grandma snapped out of her concentration and lowered to the ground.

“We’re here. See your over there laying on the ground. I have a question for you. Why did you steal money out of your mother’s purse?”

“I don’t really know,” I replied in a whisper, “Bad habit I guess.”

“Do you think that was a very smart choice to make?”

“I haven’t been making good choices lately have I?”
She bowed her head in silence. I knew that meant no. I have made bad choices my whole life and no doubt I will in the future. All those things I have seen were so depressing. My grandma just talked then, “I know how you feel, and yes you should feel upset about what kind of pain you have caused yourself and others. Do you understand what I’m talking about?”

“Umm, Yes,” my voice was crackling, “You mean if I lie, I can hurt people’s feelings.” She smiled at me and nodded.

“Once you enter your house, your going to feel upset.”

“Why is that grandma?”

“Go in and you’ll see.”
I took a deep breath but wasn’t ready to feel anymore sadness.

We were going to enter through the windows because it was be easier just going through glass, rather than metal. As we made our way we walked right past my body that was lying on the ground. It was staring straight up into the glimmering snow filled sky. The snowflakes fell on my body’s face. I could almost feel the pleasure of the snow melting on my still rosy cheeks. I glowered at myself. My grandma shoved me along. I turned my head and went on through the window. I glided straight through. As I came in, I understood what my grandma was talking about. I heard two people yelling from the back rooms. As I walked through the kitchen I made out that there was one male and one female yelling at each other.

I got it. It was my mom and dad. Arguing. They never argue. They usually were the perfect couple, never fought. Why now? My grandmother lightly tapped my shoulder and pointed down the hall. I started walking down the hall to afraid to hear them yelling. As I approached their room, I heard a loud bang. I heard one of them yell it’s all your fault she‘s like this.

My eyes started swelling with tears. They were fighting about me. I turned to face my grandma, her arms were outstretched waiting for me to run into them. I did so, just because I needed the comfort now. When I hugged her it felt like I was hugging air. I heard them yell, and another bang.

I jumped. My great grandma whisper in my ear, “Let’s go find your brother, dear.” I shook my head and she led me out the window. When I left I heard my mom yell at the top of her lungs. I shivered. My body looks like it had cuddled up with something warm. I had a smile on my face. I smirked at myself. My grandma took me into the middle of the street. Lifted her hands and said her lines. As we traveled, I stared at my great grandma’s face again. I could tell her expression by her face, either upset or disappointed with me. We slowed to a stop. We drifted down to the ground. As we landed I saw brown apartments. With decorations up for Christmas. I was confused because I couldn’t really see much more with all the snow falling. My great grandma slowly said, “We are at you present day grandmother’s house. Apparently your brother is here.”

In my head I was praising the lord because if he was at home right now, he would be flipping out over my mom and dad fighting. We approached the metal door. It took more to get through, but seeing how there is no big windows for us to get through, we decided to go through the door. My present day grandma was sitting at the small square table finishing a crossword puzzle. She was also blabbering about something else. I got a little bit closer to her, being careful she didn’t fell the coldness. My great grandma watched me carefully. My present day grandma shivered because she was next to an ice cold window. My great grandma leaned towards me and said, “I’m sure if you go near the window she won’t really tell a difference.” I went toward the window and my grandma shivered even more.

She stopped shivering after a while and started running her mouth again, talking to herself, well at least she thinks she is talking to herself. I could hear every single word that came out of her mouth. First she started talking about how annoying my little brother was, I sort of agree with that. Second she started talking about me, which made me fell upset, even though I wanted to pay more attention now. I put me ear a little bit closer. She started saying that my parent should send me off to boarding school, or send me with my overprotective, watching every move you make, can always catch a lie, uncle. He scares me. That’s probably why he doesn’t have anybody. I didn’t want my grandma sharing her ideas with my parents, but knowing her she gossips a lot.

I think that after my great grandma is done with me, she should go to my present day grandma. My present day grandma raised her head full of gray hair and reached for the phone. I saw the numbers she punched in. I was getting a little scared now because she had just typed in my house number.

My great grandma must have gotten interested because she moved closer to me and my grandma. My grandma started to tap her fingers. I gulped a couple of times, waiting for someone to answer. Finally I heard a voice on the other end. My grandma talked a bit louder now. She started tell my mother her ideas about sending me off. My mom’s voice was shaking, probably because of the fight. I heard my mom say I’ll talk about it. Then my grandma hung up and went back to her puzzle, mumbling to herself. I straightened my back up and took in a deep breath. I shut my eyes for a while then reopened them.

I walked past my great grandma and into the living room, where my brother was playing video games vigorously. He was pounding on the cordless handheld. His face looked very upset. Probably because of me again. I went as close to him as possible, making sure he wouldn’t feel the coldness too. He kept saying something but I couldn’t hear it. Something you would have to put your ear right up to his mouth to hear. Since I couldn’t go any closer, I tried to read his lips. I got one word, I. After a moment I got another, hate. I didn’t need to know the rest because I knew right then and there what he keeps saying, I hate my sister. Hate is a very strong word. It just feels like heavy weight had just dropped on my shoulders. No matter what some body said to me, I would always hate the word hate.

I ran out of the metal door, as my great grandma followed. I wanted to give up so badly but I couldn’t. I couldn’t do anything. My great grandma hugged me again. She laid her head on mine and said it’s okay over and over again. After a while I got it all out. I was a little better. She said once again, “Are you ready?”
I shook my head, “Ready for what?”

“I need to show you what your future will be like.”
I sighed, “Why do we need to do that?”

“First the lord has told me to and I can not disobey, and Second because you have not learned your full lesson.”

“Well hurry it up then. I don’t feel like being in another tornado.”
She lifted her hands and changed a couple of words. “Ice and Rain make the weather, take us forward altogether.”

~Chapter Three~


A sudden blast of wind smacked my face, my grandma’s black curls wrapped around her face. The tornado gathered beneath our feet. It was swirling around us so fast, it didn’t even seem possible, but yet most of this stuff didn’t seem realistic. The snow tornado lifted us up and down. Like a roller coaster. I was so scared. It was like me and my grandma were being thrown by a forceful power. The wind blew my hair straight back, it almost felt like my hair was being ripped from the roots. There was nothing but black now. I couldn’t see anything, I couldn’t even feel or hear anything but my thought spinning around in my head. I don’t even think I was breathing. Oh wait, I felt something. Then I saw a yellow glimmering light in front of me. I felt my feet, my legs, my arms, my face, my body, and there it was my heart. I was still alive.

A burst of light almost blinded me though. My grandma stood before me, holding one hand out to help me up. I took her shining hand and stood to my numb feet. She was the one shining. Suddenly we were at my house again. The ground had a lot of snow on it. I stared at my grandma for a while then finally asked her where I was. Her face went from a smile to a frown instantly.

“We are at your house. Your 19 here and your parents are kicking you out.” She was highly disappointed here, “Your older self will be walking out of that door any minute, carrying luggage. Then you will get into that car over there.” The car she pointed to was old and rusty. I made a disgusted face then turned back to wait for my older versions arrival. A few minutes later I came bursting out of the door with tear streaks on my face. I ran to the beat up car and slammed the door shut. I started the car and took off speeding. My hair had hang down to my elbows and was still blond. I watched till the car got to the end of the street and took off around the corner.

I looked towards the door. My mom and dad were standing there with smirks on their faces. My brother came running out and played in the snow like a little boy would. I take it that they are happy. They wanted me to leave really bad. My mom and dad smiled at each other and my dad kissed her cheek. If feels as if my heart had been torn.

I held my eyes shut and started screaming, but no one heard it except for my grandmother. She walked over to me and started petting my hair. When I eventually stopped yelling my grandmother snapped her fingers and said ice and rain. My feet were turning into snow and flying into the sky. My whole body turned to snow and went flying. I thought that this was another way of travel.

I saw the rusty old car speeding down the highway. My body made of snow went straight through the roof of the car and landed in the back seat. My feet appeared, and so on. My grandma appeared shortly after I did. When she got into her full self I leaned toward her ear.

“Why haven’t we been traveling like that?”
She smiled and said, “I just learned.”

“How come the tornado hurt so bad last time?”

“That would be because this is my first time going into the future.”
I shook my head and turned towards my crying older version. I watched my older version of me wipe her eyes with her sleeve. After that she picked a cell phone up. She looked through her contacts. She barely had anyone in her contacts. Oh right, I forgot no friends. She tossed the cell phone out the window. I watched as the next car honked at her, the car ran over her phone.

My older version stepped on the peddle harder now. Almost forcing it to touch the bottom of the car. I reached my hand out to touch my older versions head but my grandma stopped me. She pulled my hand into hers and waited a while. As she drove, I was getting even more depressed. Tears streamed down her eyes so fast, as if they would never stop. I wanted to cry too but nothing came out. My grandma and I sat in the back for what seemed like forever.

We pulled into a driveway with a huge house at the top. The only decoration it had on it was a reef. I just realized another thing. My parents just kicked me out before Christmas. I squeezed my grandma’s hand tighter. My older version put the car in park and then turned off the ignition. She ran out of the car and up to the door step. She rang the door bell once and knocked twice.

Finally someone opened the door. I recognized his face from a while ago. It was my uncle. Why would I go here. There could have been another place to go wasn’t there. My grandma started talking then.

“No body wanted her. So before she left, your uncle was the only one that would allow you to come stay with him. Since he doesn’t have anybody.”
I understood now. They didn’t want me one because it was Christmas and two because I lied and they probably couldn’t trust me in their house on Christmas day with all the gifts under the tree.

“So he was my only choice.”
My grandma shook her head. “Sad isn’t it.” My grandmother became quiet again. I saw my older self give my uncle a hug. Then I ran back to my car and grabbed the bags from it. I was still crying and sniffling.

“Is it even possible to cry that much?”

“I know you have cried many times, but once you have nobody that can trust you, they aren’t just going to let you get your way.” She sighed and started again, “Since you won’t stop lying here, your uncle will eventually kick you out of his house. You will have no where to go. You won’t be able to find a job and sooner or later. You will end up like m-”

I stared at her blankly for a minute, then finished. “You mean I will eventually end up like you. As in I will die, uh, in my car?”

She looked to the ground and said, “You won’t have a car sweetie, You will have nothing. You can’t pay for gas, and one time you parked in a tow away zone. Which then your car got well towed away.”

I gasped. I couldn’t say anymore. I was done talking for a while. My grandma looked at me and said, “ready.” I didn’t move or talk. I was still stunned. She snapped her fingers and we went back, back into the present. We stopped where I met my great grandma. My body came back and so did my grandmothers.
I was still upset. I spoke in a low voice, “I don’t want this to happen to me. Is there anyway I can change this from happening. I want to be happy. I want friends and a family that loves me. I want people to trust me.”

My grandma put a finger up to my mouth and started talking, “You can change this. All you have to do is change your self. You just need to tell the truth. Quit telling lies, for that is a sin. The lord loves you, I love you, and you can make others love you too.” She took a breath, “Just change your ways. I know you can. I believe you can. Just promise me you’ll be good. I love you. Just don’t lie sweetheart.”

I took her hand and then gave her a long lasting hug. She squeezed me back. I did love her and I knew she loves me. I know God loves me. Now I just have to learn not to lie. I know I can do it too. It will just take some time to work on it. She cut off my thinking with another squeeze. She pulled away and smiled at me, showing her bright shining teeth.
“I have to go back now. Back to where I belong. I know you can do it. Live a happy long life, and remember I love you.”

She said her words ice and rain, then she turned into snow and she raised to the sky. I will always remember her.

I smiled and ran into the house. I hung all my stuff up. I gave my mom and dad a hug, and said I was sorry for every thing I did wrong. They looked puzzled. I ran into my brother’s room and found him playing games. I gave him a hug and said I was sorry too. I hugged him again. He looked scared when I left his room. It was funny so I laughed. My mom was watching me. I ran back to her and hugged her. She was surprised.

“What’s gotten into you?” she asked.

“I’m changing my ways of life now.”

“You have fun with that then.”
She left to go sit with my dad again. She started talking about how weird I was acting. My brother just forgot about it and later fell asleep. The next day I went to school. I talked to more people. Even some of my acquaintances. This is no lie, I made 3 friends today, and I don’t plan on losing them. From now on I will think twice before I act. Also today it’s snowing a mix of ice and rain!

The author's comments:
I like this piece of mine the best because it would be a really well life lesson.

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