Snow was falling lightly but steadily as a young man strolled through the large city park. Covered in a long wool trench coat of deep gray was the black pinstripe suit Jacob had worn for his annual review. Every inch of him pressed, tucked, and trimmed to the T. He had no room for errors today. Jacob knew that today the firm he worked for would make him a partner. Nervously, he tugged on the cuffs of the black leather gloves he wore and pulled the thick red and blue stripped stocking cap down a little further over his blond hair.The snow had been falling since before dawn, and although the temperature was very cold, Jacob had decided that he would take his normal walking route through the city park rather than take the train in. He had been watching this heavy snow fall since the moment he woke up. Every time he would walk past a window while rushing around to make his appearance perfect he paused, if even for the briefest of moments, on the falling snow. Once he had actually left his flat, the memories of walking through Christmas snows long past pulled him away from the train station, compelling him on the path he always took to walk into work.
Much to Jacob’s inner glee, his winding path through the park had remained largely untouched, as he so loved to walk through undisturbed snow. The thick grove of pine trees’ branches bent low on the path before him, straining under the snow’s weight, and creating hallways only dimly lit by the occasional intrusion of sunlight through the gaps in the walls. The snow packed upon the trees muffled the hustle and noise of the city that lingered so near and soon Jacob was lost in quiet contemplation.
The soft crunch Jacob’s black wingtip shoes made in the pristine snow filled his ears as the cold upon his face drowned out all sense of touch. He followed the path the trees laid out for what seemed like hours. The sound of his footsteps echoing off the cavernous interior his only company.
Thoughts of being late began to trickle into Jacob’s mind. His boss yelling at him, threatening to fire him, but stopping his tirade just before the bloodshot eye that he peered at Jacob with burst out of his left eye socket. Jacob shook his right wrist, making sure the watch was there before checking the time.
“Carl is going to have my head on a platter,” Jacob muttered aloud, “my watch stopped. Just. Fucking. Great.” He spat, then whipped around on his heels, and kicked the snow out of his way as he looked around for the familiar arch of trees pointing the way. Panic began to rise in Jacob as he frantically searched the endless woods for his way out. Stopping in the middle of a small clearing amongst the trees, he tried to calm himself.
“I know I’m talking to myself, but that’s ok, I have to get a grip on myself and find the way out. This is not a big park. The snow has just confused my sense of direction and if I follow my tracks I’ll be out of the trees in no time and be on my way.” He took a deep breath, and turned to walk out.
So excited by the prospect of making partner, Jacob barely noticed the cold during his walk until the moment when he turned to find his tracks and realized there was nothing there. He couldn’t tell if the shiver that ran through his body was due to that cold or if it was something else. Jacob looked down at what appeared to be freshly fallen snow where he knew just moments ago he had come walking through. Stopping, he bent down to one knee, marveling at how the snow supported his weight and moved as if it was no more than a soft cushion.
“I’m losing my mind, there is no other way this can be happening.” Jacob was watching as the scenery around him began to dissolve, melting away like ice from a window. Greens and whites began to fall away revealing strange shapes and colors. Walls began to shimmer into place, blocking the trees while white carpeted floors replaced the snow covered ground. Vaulted ceilings of glass re-drew the outline of the trees. The small mound Jacob had been kneeling on remade itself into a white four poster bed being held aloft by two great pine trees nestled at its head.
“You are not crazy, but you have trespassed, and I would thank you to get your wet shoes off of my bed!” Jacob turned his head in stunned silence as his eyes moved in the direction of the voice. His weight shifted slightly at this, throwing his feet out from under him on the slippery satin sheets, tossing Jacob off the bed to come crashing down upon the back of his head. Jacob could have sworn before the darkness took him that he heard a girl scream.
