Warm Enclosures

By: Ashley McLaughlin

I hastily picked my feet up out of the snow to uncover a pair of warm brown boots that had been hidden under layers of white fluff just moments ago. The cold wind pierces my bare cheeks as I charge forward, breathing heavily to reveal a cloud of warm carbon dioxide. Snowy, frozen trees frame the path ahead of me as the doorway looms closer and closer. The world around me stays silent and solemn with not even the familiar roar of car engines to keep me company. Tightly bundled in my parka, I shimmy my key out of my pocket and fit it into the frozen lock and hear the comforting click as I open the door. The feeling of warm air rushes into my face as I creep through the doorway. The pleasant aroma of burning wood captivates my senses as I shed my extra layers. I let my surroundings pull me in as I forget about the cold that haunts the world outside these doors. Behind these doors beholds a world that is my own and will remain there to comfort me at the end of the day. Behind these doors I forget all my worries and only feel safety. This, right here, is my place. This is my home.