I take the running leap, my feet gliding the air over the icy creek. With my next thought, my feet hit the mud. I sink in a few inches, not enough to slow my run. Picking up my feet, I dig deeper into the forest, faster and faster, my breaths turning into smoke on the way out. The trees are lined with a thin layer of snow, thus making every step an inevitable stride into a mini downpour of falling snow. The snow against my body provides a nice contrast to the burning heat radiating from my face. It freezes the sweat on the way down.

My mind tries to expand past dodging the bushes and limbs, but unfortunately it can’t. At this point, it’s probably for the better. I think I’ve been running for about seven minutes now, but that estimate is probably off.

The trees suddenly stop, and I run into a clearing. The lake is frozen over, and surrounded on all sides by snow covered forest. I don’t adjust my path, running straight into the lake.

Hopefully the ice supports my weight, along with his.