Arianna McCormick “Spread Upon the Northern Lights” WoB Short Story Contest Submission 10/13/23
Spread Upon the Northern Lights “Ray.” A spectacle of blue and green dances in the sky, joined by an entourage of glittering stars. They swarm my vision, blue and green morphing into purple and back again, colors cluttering the sky, broken only as I breathe out small puffs of smoke that fade into nothingness. “Ray.” My fingers burn. I can’t remember when they started burning, but they’re burning now, hot and twisting as I raise them up to the sky. The grating sound of synthetic polyester simmers into the background, replaced by the beating of my heart. “Ray!” Pressure against my shoulder forces me to turn, meeting brilliant green eyes. Otto’s face is red, body shivering as he hugs his coat closer to his body. He’s got his hood up, although it causes him to tic, shoulders jumping up and down. Golden brown hair frames his face as he shakes me. “Ray, what the actual hell are you doing out here?!” “The northern lights are out,” the words fall, unfamiliar in my mouth. I can’t remember ever really hearing my voice, the way words tumble out of my mouth. It feels like someone has pressed cotton against my teeth, making everything I say come out slurred. “I’ve never seen them before.” His eyebrows crease. The freckles dotting his face remind me of the stars, sporadic and far away. “You need to get inside. It’s cold out.” “But the lights,” I turn away from him. They shimmer and glow, tangling together messily. “They’re pretty.” My bones feel heavy, and I take the time to ponder what would happen if I just took them out. I’d be a pile of skin, probably. A laugh rises from my chest at the idea. Otto’s eyebrows crease further. “You’re hypothermic, come on. We’re getting inside.”