Finland

It was one of those day at the end December. Winter was getting colder, as it usually does by that time, or that was what she was told. She’s always said she was a tropical weather bird: chilling to the bone was absolutely not her idea of good night. But she was sure it was worth it, it had to be worth it.

          She was at the not-so-happy-but-maybe-perfectly-functioning Finland.  It seemed like cold weather made governments being less corrupt and people willing to suicide more. Funny fact, isn’t it? What else did she know about Finland? Less corruption, more suicides, more cold, more drunk people getting violent… Did Jean Sibelius count? She knew something about Finland, not the country but the symphonic poem, by Sibelius. It was a creepy, and also powerful, song, composed in 1899. He meant with it something about a censoring Russia and the misery of the Finns by the time, or the closest to that. She also knew that the Finland’s National Anthem came from it.

          It wasn’t for sure her soundtrack for tonight. Her glass igloo was way too comfortable and almost-warm-enough for that scary song. Did she mention that she was inside a glass igloo? The night sky view was amazing and the bed was nice and soft. It was cloudless, and freezing cold, outside. She assured herself to learn from the safety instructions that if she touched the glass, she could lose her finger. And she always thought it was cold at home when she had to wear socks. Reality wasn’t so nice right now.

          She heard her roommate (or maybe just mate) snore. It was obvious she wouldn’t go there, to the almost end of the world, for chasing penguins alone. She didn’t care if there weren’t penguins in Finland, she wouldn’t go by herself anyways. So she took him —she’d refer to her mate as him from now on— with her, promising some nice vacations, hot chocolate and penguins.

          Note to self: she’d better find a stuffed penguin before they leave.

Mumbling and complaining, as she was doing before, were her “staying-awake” activities for tonight. The last two nights she had had his companion (his awake companion), but that day he decided to take skiing classes. He ate some snow at first, but finally got to manage it. She had a nice time laughing between the ice dishes and the actual practice, just saying. She smiled, looking at him sleeping. He was so tired. Sighing, she hugged to her knees and she felt a chill running through her back.

She closed her eyes deeply and slowly. Sandman was playing with her, he was waiting for her to lower the guard so he could make her fall asleep. This, her third and last night at the igloo, wasn’t her lucky night, either. But then she heard it like a whispering. It wasn’t Sandman’s voice, but a fairy’s one: a voice, iced by the weather but warm in its tone. She didn’t know where it came from, but she clearly understood what it said: “Open your eyes”.

          He was still asleep. He didn’t even imagine what was going on. She was overwhelmed with emotions for waking him up. She was so overwhelmed she couldn’t do anything but cry. It was so beautiful. Finally, after years dreaming of them, years planning it, years hoping someday she would be there, freezing to the bones, complaining about the cold, watching the artic sky at night, waiting for it like a child awaiting for Santa Claus to fly through the star with his reindeers. She was finally there, under them, a green glow filling her eyes. It was way better than Santa Claus. It was real.

          The northern lights: magical, mystical and thousands of times more breathtaking than she could ever imagine. Her cheeks were damped, her faced crossed with a smile. She was shocked with amazement, staring at their dance. She felt her hand being taken, then kissed.

          “You stopped moving and you didn’t fell asleep, so I thought something must be happening”. He smiled, looking her in the eye and then looking at the sky. “You were right, they are spectacular”.

          She laid back, keeping their hands together. Sighing again, happy, she let herself enjoy what would be, maybe, the best night of her life.