Young Jim awoke early the next morning to a frost in the musty air. Shivering he sat up in bed, sheets pulled up tight, and blinked sleepily at the window. The morning sunshine glowed white behind the curtains as he slid off the mattress, tugging the sheets with him. Cautiously he pulled back the curtain with a trembling hand, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the other. Catching sight of the scenery outside his window, he gasped and jumped back; all weariness gone, he stumbled out of the room and shrieked “Momma! Mom! It’s snowing!” as he leaned over the railing opening to the dining room below.
Sarah stepped into view below, already fully dressed. She was wiping her hands on her apron as she craned her head upwards to see Jim. “It’s what?”
“Snowing, Mom, it’s snowing!”
“Oh?” And then, as an after thought, added, “James Pleiades Hawkins, you step back from that railing this instant before you fall off!”
Jim, who had been leaning precariously far over the edge in his excitement, set his feet back on the floor. “Can I go out, can I?”
Sarah looked hesitant. “Well…”
But Jim had already run back to his room to change. A few moments later he was barreling down the stairs, long sleeves flying out behind him as he skidded to a stop and made for the door, big smile on his face. He didn’t get far when he felt himself suddenly nabbed by the collar of his jacket. All his momentum came to a halt as he got caught by the armpits and his feet slid from under him, leaving him hanging there. Big smile gone, he looked up to the amused face of his mother. “What is it, momma? Can’t I go? Please?”
“You can go, but not in that.”
Ten minutes later Jim came hobbling out of the inn, so layered in jackets, scarves, mittens, and galoshes that he could have rolled all the way down the hill into Benbow. Poquito, who was already out by this time, burst into laughter when he saw Jim this way.
“Aww, shattup, you blue-furred scrat.” Jim muttered as he attempted to tear off enough extra jackets to allow mobility.
“I so sorry, Jimmy,” Poquito wailed between ecstatic sobs, “It’s just, you lookeds like furry snowbell in outfit. Remindeds me of my old pet Fluffy, always constipated.”
Jim snickered. “Oh yeah? How’s this for constipated?!” And with that he scooped at the two inches of fresh snow and hurled a handful right at Poquito. The snow pelted the alien right on the nose. Poquito blinked a moment in surprise before breaking out laughing again.
“Oh, Jimmy is goings to pay for that!” Poquito stooped to gather up a handful of snow and Jim squealed, diving for cover just as a snowball whizzed past him and struck the door of the Admiral Benbow.
The battle that ensued left the snowy lawn in shambles and most of the arriving and departing guests scrambling away in terror for fear of being struck. The two had dug trenches on either side of the path and taken to lobbing snow at each other, as well as the unfortunate passersby; it was chilly enough outside that the snow didn’t melt, though the young soldiers soon found themselves scraping for ammo. It was thus that Delbert Doppler chanced upon the battlefield.
Delbert was a rather gangly, dog-faced humanoid alien with floppy ears, oval spectacles, and a tiny ribbon in his hair. He trudged through the snow in an extravagant winter outfit, muttering aloud to himself when he almost tripped.
Jim peeked over the edge of his trench and saw Doppler coming. “Poquito!” He whispered across the way. “Someone’s coming!” He poked his head up just long enough to get pelted smack between the eyes before Poquito heard what Jim had said.
“Oh!” Poquito clasped both paws to his mouth. “Sorry, Jimmy!”
“SHH!” Jim hissed, wiping the snow off his face with one mittened hand. “Let’s surprise him!”
Poquito nodded and the two shrunk down low in the trenches, a pair of hunters about to pounce. Doppler came closer… closer… suddenly the two sprung from their hiding places, and a rain of snowballs collided with Doppler’s chest, splattering his tiny spectacles and leaving him spluttering.
“Good gracious!” Doppler yelped as the two youngsters rolled in fits of giggles and laughter at their antic. Delbert tried desperately to clear his glasses, hands shaking. “You two uhh... delightful youths should mind where you're throwing. I say, what was that for?”
“No reason.” Poquito chuckled, shrugging.
“And we’re not children.” Jim added.
“Of course not, Master Hawkins, child. Is your mommy home?”
“She’s in the kitchen, sir.” Jim replied, eyes narrowed.
“Ah. Spank you. I mean, thank you.” Delbert smiled as he walked past them, believing to have victory. Poquito was muffling giggles behind his paw; Doppler’s coattails sagged under the weight of freshly applied snow.