Nelly and Eve walk to the parking lot, away from a dead campus, away from the boys who were playing kick ball in the grass. Temperatures have dropped on this unexpectedly cold December evening and the girls have forgotten to wear their fur coats. The wind pushes them back every few seconds, forcing them to retreat to the brutality of winter. The girls stop to catch their breaths, their faces numb from the wind. “I smell burnt wood; it’s the smell of winter,” Nelly suddenly remarks as if she is speaking to herself. Eve says nothing and continues walking, her body too cold and numb. As Eve gets closer to the red Chevy, she does not hear Nelly’s distant voice. Inside the car, Nelly looks at her friend and says, “marshmallows and hot coca by the fire, that’s what I want right now,” and then they drive away.
