First Snow

by A.N.D.

first published in Overtures 3

There's something about the first really deep snow of winter thatbrings out the mischievous side of everyone. The New York cops knewit, and redoubled their efforts to keep vandals at a minimum as thesnow piled up inch by inch. Teachers above and below knew it, as theydealt with suddenly rambunctious children whose only goal in life wasto get outside and play. Catherine certainly knew it as she creptdown the Central Park drainage tunnel in the twilight.

"Here Vinnie, Vinnie, Vinnie; here Vinnie..." she murmured as theslush melted between her fingers and froze to her gloves.

He was waiting as always, mutely staring his adoration from behindthe gate. Catherine nearly burst with anticipation as he swung hislast protection wide and came towards her. Sensing her unusual mood,he leaned forward anxiously.

"Catherine, what--"

POW!

It was a wonderful shot, right in the muzzle, Snow dribbled downthe front of his cape and seeped underneath the quilted vest. For onetimeless second, Vincent froze with surprise and shock, then heroared a gleeful challenge and lunged at his attacker. He'd been asaffected as everyone else - moreso because he was empathicallypicking up the friskiness around him.

Giggling, Catherine ran back out of the tunnel and into thegathering gloom of the park.

In short order, both were white with powder and weak withlaughter. Vincent's promise to never hurt Catherine didn't keep himfrom landing several well-aimed snowballs. Breathlessly, she finallycalled a truce and began to dig the snow out of her eyes.

"You know, you're quite good at that," Catherine gasped as Vincentwiped her face with the tiny corner of his cape not already soakedthrough.

"Devin was a good teacher," Vincent told her, fangs flashing in asmile. "We had plenty of snowball fights when we were children --some underground, it was amazing what he could smuggle down! Ilearned to aim well in self-defense." He looked down at her as sheleaned against him in a sodden and chilly hug. "Perhaps you're readyto go down now?" he suggested.

Soaked to the skin, Catherine nodded agreement and they walkedback to his world hand-in-hand.

It was a pleasant evening of conversation, marred only by Father'sraised eyebrows at their snowy condition. Catherine reluctantlyparted from Vincent back at the Central Park entrance. During theirlast hug, she leaned back and looked into his face.

"Someday," she remarked, "you'll have to show me some of the othergames Devin taught you."

Vincent released her and turned away, picking at the icicles alongthe tunnel roof. "I will," he promised.

Catherine looked back toward the park. "I hate to goooooOOOWWWW!"The ice burned a frigid path down her spine beneath her sweater. Shewhirled on Vincent, who was already locking himself safely behind thegate. He smiled at her through the bars.

"The first thing that Devin taught me," he chuckled, "was to neverturn your back on someone you ambushed with a snowball."-

fin-