Summer Snow

You know...

My father once told me that the world will end in the year: 2051.

According to scrolls and old paintings from Egypt, the sun will slowly die...

Possibly, it actually might explode

But if I finish the sun, as the whole solar system will also get destroyed, then there's no story from here...

***

Jones and his mates, as a journalist, they traveled to Egypt for one specific experiment. They checked the pyramid of Giza, since it's known for its mystery and explored deeper underground. As piles of very old bricks stacked diagonally, creating one triangular shape.

Many theories were created in previous experiments. Which may occur in the future. Although, none were certain. They ask, how did they shape the bricks and created one gigantic pyramid from hand? Trucks and tools weren't there since then. Why did they created the pyramid in the first place?

The pyramid, no, a pyramid was known to store food, or any decaying materials such as dead bodies for hundreds of years. I usually call it a refrigerator...

"Over here!". Harold shouted across the small tunnel leading below. The tunnel was dark and stiff, as Harold created a torch from petrol, clothes and a large branch to light their way. Rats squeaked and ran as the four passed by...

Cobblestone stairs, a little crooked, led the way down, taking a curve. As cold breeze kissed Jones' skin.

"There's an opening over here!"

"Wait up!"

He smiled as he sees his best friends this happy before. He held his camera in his hand and the other in his pocket. He knows he's never been here before. Too bad, his sister, Claudia couldn't come because of her claustrophobia. She's missing a lot, he pondered.

He took a step down and paused. He looked at his right and noticed pictures on the wall. Inquisitive, he pulled his lighter and flicked it on, brightening the painting:

A line of people seems to be marching inside the pyramid, a handful of fruits in their arms. As small white dots fell from the sky, it clusters throughout the picture.

"Is that supposed to be snow?"

He asked, moving the lighter side-ways, to see the full view of the painting and yes, more people around a pyramid carried fruits and buckets of water, walking towards the pyramid. But what's strange is that, figures of humans and animals surround the queue of people. It wasn't just figures, but they were blue, full painted blue.

"But why is there snow in Egypt-"

"Jones, you comin'?" Fred asked as his voice echoed through the tight walls. Jones knew how far they were from his voice, so he swiftly turned his lighter towards the stairs and tip-toed down. They soon continued their study, but somehow, Jones seems to be missing the importance of the painting he saw.

But remember, that this story isn't written if not for you~

***

12 years had passed and sudden climate change affected towns, cities, countries, no, the world!

"Sudden climate change affected the weather. So is the instant decrease in temperature. From the videos here, captured by different folks from around the world, it seems that snowflakes started falling from the sky. It's not strange but, why is it snowing in summer? Back to you, Reporter Karin"

Forecasts started explaining the odd weather. But from Jones' face, he's dissatisfied. He picked up a cookie from a plate beside him and started munching. His eyes swollen from sleepless nights, wearing thick layers of jackets, wrapped around in his favorite blanket, as cold air fogged his glasses.

He wiped it using his cloth, picking up the remote, and turned the T.V off.

"It's been 3 months since this snowy-patootie started and they're telling this now?!" He complained, well, what he said was true. It's been 3 months and 40 days since this weather started. Perhaps, the reason why he's wearing such thick clothes.

He stood up and ambled towards the window, peeking through its frosted-glass. The road was blank, blank in white snow, and blank as empty. It's too cold to go outside, you might die from hibernation.

He flinched in shock, took a step backward after he saw a dog, frozen, iced, lifeless in the middle of the street covered in snow. He covered his mouth in guilt...

"T-this is too much!" He shouted in anger and sat down the couch, rolling in his blanket.

"It's like the world turned down on us"

Claudia leaned on the door-frame, staring at her hopeless brother. In her sweater covered by her black hoodie, her reddish hair down, uncombed. Wearing long Christmas socks their grandmother bought.

Jones nodded, agreeing with his sister's opinion. Silence stood between them as Claudia continued staring at him as if she has something she wanted to tell.

"What do you want?" He asked, rolling his eyes. Biting another cookie.

Jones hated his sister, not that much though. But she finds her a nuisance.

"Oh, look what I found in the basement..." She showed her hands, holding a camera, Jones' camera. Jones in surprise, he got on his feet and held it from her hands.

"T-this, this is my camera 12 years ago!"

"I know, brings back the memories, right? Good news, the SD card's inside"

"Sweet!"

Jones' reviewed the videos. He remembered his twenty self, going through adventures with his pals: Fredrick and Harold. He misses them of course, they were close before summer snow.

The video from Canada, they were cheering Fred's hockey team since then. And from France, taking pictures in front of the Eifel tower. Another from the Philippines, they were standing on the 'Chocolate Hills'. And the last video, from Egypt...

He rechecked the video and remembered the way he was left behind because he was looking at a certain painting on the wall.

He realized that, that same painting represents their current situation. As snow fall from the sky, as people turn into 'ice statues' and-

"But, why are they entering the pyramid?"

He asked himself, thinking out loud. Seeing the line of Egyptians entering the pyramid, bringing food. Why are they entering? To take shelter? To survive? What the picture presents: Whatever's currently happening is happening whether it's right or wrong. He knew this picture has meaning, and it's never useless. He sighed. He pushed the table and got on his feet, hesitating...

"Claudia, we're going to Pyramid of Giza, Egypt!"

"What? Why? When?" She appeared beside the door, mouth full of cookies.

"Now. So pack your things."

***

I don't know how to explain this but somehow airplanes still kept in flight even in this weather. I mean, the winds are filled with blizzards and snow might blur the pilot's window. But doesn't change the fact that they reached Egypt.

Jones' a traveler, he had enough money to buy tickets. Claudia, curious, never knew why they are leaving in a hurry. Yet, their goal's to get inside the pyramid as what's shown in the old paintings.

It took them straight sixteen hours to reach their destination. The snow covered the old sand as strong winds blew some snowflakes away. Blizzard started to get near but they kept going like one of those drama movies.

They stood still in front of the pyramid. The yellowish bricks had snow in its corners as the statues are fully covered with white. Claudia observed the structure as it's her first time seeing it.

"So, what do we do now?" She asked

"We have to get inside." He remarked solemnly.

"W-what? But brother-"

"Let's go" He grabbed her hands and pulled her towards the entrance, forceful. Claudia fought him back, she never wanted to go in. Why?

Jones looked at her, furiously. Anger washed over him as he kept asking himself why she won't come in. I mean, it's the least he could do to protect them.

"Why won't you come?" He asked, madly.

"You don't remember?" She arranged her beanie as it was blown by the wind and told Jones, "I'm claustrophobic". She recalled her fear of enclosed places. She never wanted to be in those tight tunnels and rooms.

"But we have to if-"

The wind started to blow harder, as thick flying snow hid the siblings from each other's sight. Jones covered his eyes and started worrying. Where is his sister? He walked and marched as his foot drowned in. "Claudia! Where are you?!" He pried. Ambling towards the hills of frozen sand, searching for his sister. "Claudia! Clau-"

He opened his eyes, astonished. No, devastated. Why? Because he saw his sister: Frozen, iced, lifeless. Ice started to crawl her skin as she dropped down on her knees saying. "Brother! Brother, help me!" She froze.

Tears came out of Jones' eyes and as it dropped, it turned to ice. He bowed his head, ashamed of himself.

'Why did I left her? I shouldn't have been mad at her. Why? Why do you have to die now? We're almost there...' Regrets flooded his mind as he cried, hugging his sister's ice statue in the middle of the storm.

He looked at his palms, they were blue. "Heh. I'm gon' die..." He chuckled. As he knows he'll die in hibernation. But... What's the point? There's nothing he can protect anymore. Like how his friends, Fred and Harold, died because they turned into ice. Somehow, he wanted to die himself...

"You were right, sis" He whimpered, trying to breathe...

"The world did turned us down..."

***

What he didn't know is that, that old painting he was looking at. The painting he discovered 12 years ago, wasn't a warning in the future. But a story in the past, where summer snow also happened during the time, not once but a thousand times before.

The people waiting in line, walking in the pyramid, were people who also saw the painting, accidentally. They also thought the painting would tell them what to do, they thought the pyramid might help them but sad truth: Everybody who tried to enter...

never survived...

***

The End