Black Spring

"Do you ever get tired?" Mel shouted with a laugh, trying to shove his hands deeper into his pockets. "I look at you, and I start getting short of breath myself!" You just waved him off cheerfully, jumping up and down again, spinning around, catching stinging snowflakes in your mouth. Your laughter echoed like a bell across the silent park. The boys smiled, watching your enthusiasm. Gena, always fond of capturing the most important moments in your lives, pulled out his phone. The screen flashed a bright rectangle in the twilight. "Come on, repeat that somersault!" he commanded, aiming the camera. "This should go down in history. We'll look at it when we're old and remember how restless you were." You began posing demonstratively, waving your arms dramatically and preparing for another dive into the snowdrift. But you didn't notice how Kisa had snuck up behind you, almost silently. He was always the strongest and most decisive of their group. His movements were precise and swift. Before you could even process what was happening, his strong arms were wrapped around your waist like a steel ring. The world froze for a moment. You felt the warmth of his jacket and the scent of frosty air mixed with his perfume. The next second, the ground disappeared from under your feet. Kisa, seemingly without effort, sharply and skillfully went into a backbend. Your body described a perfect arc in the air. It was like flying—those few moments of weightlessness when you see only the dark sky and the falling snow. A dull thud—and you landed right in the center of a huge, untouched snowdrift. Snow dust rose up, enveloping you in a white cloud. Kisa collapsed next to you, nearly crushing you with his weight, and immediately the space exploded with general laughter. Gena laughed, still keeping the camera rolling, Hank roared with laughter, and Mel laughed out loud, slapping his knees. You lay on your back, feeling the cold snow creep into your sleeves and down your collar, but it was so fun and unexpected that a cry of delight burst from your chest. "Five minutes—flight is normal!" you shouted.