Cold As Ice

By Annabel Burdess, aged 13

I watch as the glimpses of buoyant happiness float to the surface on the grooms face; the bride looks truly gorgeous as she parades down the aisle attached to her father’s arm like a trophy on display. Gasps of astonishment and surprise ricochet off the walls, echoing around the area. I watch. My eyes frozen in place, fixed on the centre of the isle. Ice cold tears dance down my face like a burning wildfire.

Shrouding me like a scarf the air in the room raps around me, suffocating me with the tropical environment. I stand still at the back of the seating; my eyes faced forward in anticipation. I don’t blink and I won’t blink. I wouldn’t dare miss it. I had one job, stand still and look pretty.

After today I would go; I would not stay for the after party later. I would be long gone- nothing but a mere memory. The end of the ceremony was beginning to draw closer and I was starting to get ready for my departure. Tic toc. Tic toc. Tic toc. Roaring its ugly growl the time started to rear at me. My limbs were feeling debilitated, standing still like this was beginning to take its toll.

“Why are you so cold?” I force my eyes down to a petit child, staring up at me with eyes like light bulbs. Ignoring her I languidly push my eyes forward again. I don’t move. She prods my arm repeatedly until her mother comes over. Telling her off profusely the mother hauls her away.

The friends and family mill about around me, everyone fighting to reach the exit first. I wait. Lights go out, key locks door and I become a puddle. A stream of water covers the hard wooden floor as me- the ice sculpture melts.