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FICTION | SHORT STORY
When Snow Blankets Everything
Snow fell steadily throughout the night in Toronto — nothing unusual for someone like Yuqing, who had already spent two winters in the city. But by morning, as she was preparing breakfast and lunch for her children, she sensed something different in the wind. Opening the door, she noticed the snow was far deeper than she was used to. In fact, it was the heaviest snowfall she had ever seen in Canada.
She and five-year-old Rufeng ventured outside, only to discover that no one had cleared the sidewalks yet. Even cars were scarce on the roads. Each time Yuqing tried to take a step, her foot sank into a soft, knee-deep drift, making it a struggle to move forward. Little Rufeng, however, seemed delighted. Children have an innate ability to find joy in the simplest things — only their parents’ moods can dull that radiance.
Their short five-minute walk to school turned into a thirty-minute expedition, and when they finally arrived, it was empty. That’s when Yuqing realized school had been canceled due to the severe weather. On their way home, neighbors and passersby confirmed that all classes were called off. She couldn’t help but smile at the irony — she had missed the official announcement because she never linked her email to her phone.
