The two men stood outside in the blistering cold. All around them, there was nothing. The only response that their eyes received from their immediate surroundings was the blaring white frequency of the icy glaze upon the ground.
“I’m cold.” The first man spoke partially out of boredom, and partially to keep his mouth from freezing shut. As he moved his jaw, ice fell from his beard; it had nearly frozen over completely. His partner didn’t respond. The man looked down at the ground. He fiddled with his rifle, flicking the safety on and back off.
This wouldn’t be so bad if there was something to look at. Maybe a frozen lake, a tree, maybe even a hill? Nothing. Nothing for miles around. Just snow, lots and lots of snow.
The other man turned to face him. “There isn’t much to do here except stand here and die.” He lit a cigar and brought it to his mouth. Puffing heavily, he released a volley of smoke into the air, almost completely masked by the visible moisture from his breath in the stale icy air.
“Just stand here and die.”
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