Lucky Snow

As Louisa pressed her face against the beautiful stained-glass window, she felt the cold air from the outside on her face which sent a shiver down her spine. She traced her finger along the picture imprinted in the window; a picture of a dead flower. She knew that in other towns, people would think it was odd considering living flowers are much more beautiful. Louisa squinted her eyes and peered through the window again, and there she saw it. The most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. It was a snowflake of the first snowfall of the year. Right before her eyes, more snowflakes floated down to meet her vision. Louisa was taught that snow was bad luck. It showed too much individuality and uniqueness because no snowflake was like another. Louisa held on to the idea of no two snowflakes being alike, hoping that one day she would be able to show her individuality for the true beauty it was.“Louisa! Hurry downstairs child and put on your coat! Grab your flowers and get to work!” Louisa shot out from the old comfy loveseat she was sitting in and rushed downstairs to meet her mother. She hurried down the stairs of their old and rickety house to the front foyer. She grabbed her old winter coat from the coat stand and picked up the axle of the red wagon containing a few boxes. 

Louisa made her way down the path of the neighborhood and made it to her first destination: Mrs. McAllister’s house. Mrs.McAllister was the neighborhood’s grumpy old lady who had only her cats to keep her company, for too much time with her was unbearable for anyone. Louisa knocked on the door three times and then waited for her to answer. She heard a shuffling in the house and then saw Mrs.Mcallister’s big puffy eye through the peephole. “What is it child, what do you want? I’m not donating any more money to the mayor for the Gray ceremony.” “It’s me. Louisa. I’m selling dead flowers.” “Oh of course dear! Give me a moment to put my robe on.” Mrs.McAllisster swiftly opened her door and greeted Louisa with the closest thing she'd ever seen to a smile on her face.“I just love buying dead flowers around the holidays! Reminds me of when I was your age, I’d grow my own flowers and then kill them myself! Mother always reminded me of the importance. It’s a perfect reminder of how beauty is temporary, so why try to be beautiful at all? I love to have my own bouquet just for the Gray ceremony! It’s the best day of the year.” Louisa never saw what was so interesting about it. Everyone outside of their tiny town celebrated the day as “Christmas”. Children would drink hot chocolate and leave their cookies for Santa, singing their happy Christmas songs and exchanging gifts. The Gray Ceremony on the other hand was when everyone in the town gathered at the city hall to repledge themselves to unremarkability. Everyone in the town lived on the sole idea that individuality was vulgar and that being the same in everything was good for society because no one would ever feel left out. Louisa used to be one of those happy children, singing Christmas tunes. But when her grandma got sick a few years ago, her family moved here, where her mother grew up to take care of her. Even though Louisa’s Nana had passed away, the family continued living there. 

After Louisa had sold one box of flowers, she decided to walk around the neighborhood seeing as she had nothing else to do. Some of the other kids were selling their dead flowers as well. Suddenly, a strong and frosty breeze blew upon her, almost knocking her down. She clung to her jacket and continued on her way to the best place in the neighborhood: The hill with the big willow tree. Louisa often sat under the tree as a way to seek comfort from what was going on in her life. Such as when her Dad threw a glass against the wall in an argument with her mother, when her older brother teased her about the freckles on her face, or when her mother scolded her for getting bad marks on her school assignment. The Willow tree was in quite a rough shape because it was the dead of winter, but the old tree was reliable nonetheless. As Louisa trudged up the hill, her winter boots crunching in the snow, she noticed someone was sitting under the tree in her favorite spot. She approached the tree and the boy sitting there turned around and noticed her. He had bushy brown hair and freckles on his face just like her. “I’m sorry am I in your spot? I can move.” Before Louisa could reply, the boy’s box of flowers caught her eye. His box was filled to the brim with colorful flowers of every type, looking very much alive. “Are those alive?” she questioned. “No they’re fake” the boy chuckled. “Why do you have them?” “Well, flowers with colors are much prettier than dead flowers, Don’t you think? Everyone says that they buy dead flowers because it’s supposed to represent that beauty is fleeting, but these flowers are beautiful and will never lose their beauty. As you can see, the box is still full so I must be the only one who thinks so.” “I’ll buy one,” Louisa said, giving the boy a sheepish smile. The boy flashed at her a huge grin and excitedly handed her a plastic marigold flower. “I’m Sam. Don’t worry about the charge, you can have that one for free.” “I’m Louisa.”

Sam and Louisa sat beneath the willow tree and talked till the sky grew dark and both their mothers were hollering for them to come home. Louisa couldn’t go to bed that night. It was the first time that anyone had ever truly seen her. Sam told her that he couldn’t stand everyone in the town even though he had lived there his whole life. “They all act like robots. I swear they’re all programmed to not have feelings!” Sam had exclaimed earlier that day, which made Louisa giggle. Sam confided in Louisa and told her he planned to run away on the day of the Gray ceremony. Then Louisa did something she never imagined she would do. She asked if she could come with him. Louisa finally drifted off into sleep imagining a life free from the town, where she could be any kind of snowflake she wanted. 

The whole week leading up the the Gray ceremony Louisa and Sam met under the willow tree, planning their escape. At the gray ceremony, they’d both tell their mothers they forgot their flowers at home. They’d grab their packed bags and then meet each other at the train station to hop on a train to the next town over. Louisa was a nervous wreck the morning of the gray ceremony. She was dressed in a plain grey dress that went down to her knees, just like all the other girls in town. She had stashed her backpack with all the necessities under the floorboard in her room, which would be waiting for her when she would return home shortly. Louisa and her family set out for the town hall. Everyone assembled inside taking a seat in pews that had been set up. Louisa caught Sam’s eye from across the room and they shared a wink. She then feigned a huge gasp and turned to her mother explaining she left her flowers. Louisa’s mother gave her a harsh scolding, but then instructed her to hurry back quickly. Louisa wasted no time changing her clothes and gathering her things before heading to the station. She met Sam inside and they boarded their train full of anxiety and excitement. Louisa could have spent hours on that train. While Sam had fallen asleep, Louisa was looking out the window admiring the sites before her. The beautiful evergreen trees and large lakes along with beautiful mountains captivated her attention. Louisa then caught sight of a snowflake outside her window. Then she saw another and another. All of them are unique and free to be themselves. Louisa couldn’t help but wonder if Snow was lucky after all.