Sledding In A Cemetery

"I will." Parrish finally turned his head to look Casey's way. The grin Casey gave back told Parrish that another wrestling match may have to take place with his best friend later, due to any comments he might make.

Parrish's dad was half way up the bunny hill with Surprise. He yelled up that he was taking her home. Joseph ran down to them, he didn't say a word to Parrish as he left.

Parrish thought he would bring Joseph out to the hill later and sled in the dark. It was a little dangerous, but there were enough lights to see where you were going. Right now he wanted to be near Laurie. He turned back around to her. "Well do you want to race?"

Laurie went and grabbed her piece of plastic that she was calling a sled. "I could never beat you with this."

"You're right about that." Parrish wanted to ask her to ride together hoping she would say "yes". But now there were even more kids around and kids from their class, making him dread her possible"yes", but he asked anyway. "Um... would you want to ... ride together down the hill?" Parrish sputtered.

"Yes."

Parrish was happy and scared all at the same time. "I don't know if we'll both fit with all that gear you have on," he said as he sat down near the rear with his feet to the side. Laurie sat down in front of him, her feet straight out in front of the sled.

"See we fit," Laurie said smiling.

He struggled to get the sled going. The slow start of the sled was a lot like a roller coaster getting to the top of the first hill. Laurie joined in, the two sweeping their arms like oars in a boat.

Then the sled took off. The ride was fast as the pair rolled to a stop, the sled tipped and they tumbled over each other, laughing.

"Last one up the hill gets hit with a snow ball... You gotta get the sled!" Laurie screamed with more laughter as she ran.

Parrish scrambled for the rope to the sled, dodging another sledder coming down the hill. "I'm a wrestler, not a runner."

"To baaad!" Laurie hollered back.

Laurie had to wait on him only a moment, but it was enough time for her to make two snow balls, both hitting him before he had a chance to duck. He leaned the sled against a granite headstone, thinking that if may be a wiser use to use it as a shield in case she had more. "I thought you said one."

Laurie bent down, her eyes still on him as she made another. "I did, but you're slow."

"Like I said, I'm a wre..."

SMACK! She him again.

"Are you trying to start another war? You know you have nowhere to run but the fence."

"I could out run you," Laurie challenged with a devilish grin.

"No I don't think you can."

Laurie had made another snow ball. The snow ball hit Parrish in the forehead. Laurie took off running, but stumbled.

Parrish wiped the snow from his face as he closed the gap between them. He dived for her ankles even as she fell. She fell with an "Oof." Her clothes cushioned her fall. Parrish flipped her quickly. Forgetting for a moment who his opponent was. Parrish "elled" his body out from Laurie's body, putting her into a mock pin, his arms holding hers. All of the innocent dreams and sudden heart attacks Laurie could spark, just by a casual pass in the hall were now becoming a reality. Parrish was now close enough to see the light freckles in her face that he had never noticed before. He was even close enough to notice that she smelled like strawberries. He leaned in and kissed her warm, soft lips. She kissed back, both sets of lips touching another for the first time, only for a moment, but it felt like forever. Not sure of himself, Parrish pulled up, but still looking into her eyes he knew he needed to kiss her again. He began to lean back in, but he had lost his moment as Laurie grinned and pushed him off. She was too full of emotion, too tingly to kiss again and picked up more snow, slinging it in his direction.

"Oh yeah?" Parrish made a snow ball as he stood up.

"Yeah," Laurie said full of happiness, getting herself back on her feet, sweeping more snow at Parrish.

Parrish dodged her shot for the first time, and then threw his snow ball. Laurie was backed up to the fence, she leaned further back against it to avoid his snow ball. The hundred-year-old fence along the rock walled ledge gave way. Laurie fell into the traffic just a dozen feet below.

Parrish's gut wrenched as he heard the screeching tires and crashing metal. As fast as he could he scrambled to the edge and looked over, Laurie couldn't be seen. Without hesitating, he hopped over and down onto the bed of an old truck, then over the bed and onto the ground to his hands and knees to find Laurie. He couldn't see her. He stood back up and noticed people further up who had just gotten out of their cars, some with their cell phones already by their ear. He ran around the mess of cars and in the South bound lane was Laurie. She was bent awkwardly, but there was no blood. He knelt down by her, her fingers moved. Someone yelled, "Don't move her boy. Help is on the way!" He had no intentions to move her. Her eyes turned to him, but her head didn't move. Laurie tried to say something, but the most he understood was the word "fun". Then she was gone.