Ice & Cream

A Very Special Ice Cream

They had known each other since they were babies, Jack and Jane. Then again, this was not uncommon to the town very appropriately named Ice Cream City.

One of two communities established on the icy tops of Mount White, it was a humble and cozy little town for every ice cream loving citizen that inhabited it.

The two were still just friends, as much as that particular state of affairs was, at that point, a mere formality. One which would end soon enough, if he had anything to say about it.

The two usually spent their Saturdays together, walking around and talking about all manner of subjects. They saw each other all the time, of course, but Saturdays were special. Saturdays were private.

On that specific day, Jack had taken Jane to the edge of the icy valley at the bottom of which the town had been built. It was surrounded on all sides but one by a huge icy wall that curved up to form a ceiling filled with crystal stalactites.

The open side showed the path to Slurpee City and beyond.

The path was a vastness made up of huge crystal formations, snow and ice, all brimming and shining beneath the sunlight which made it through the opening to reflect off the immense stalactites. It generated rainbows which traveled to the pace of daytime.

Their town, Ice Cream City, was proudly called heaven’s heart, for both its beauty as well as height. There was nothing quite like taking a seat where both the beauty of the mountain’s heart as well as the amazing vastness of the mountain’s body were in plain view.

“I have to admit, it all just refuses to lose its beauty.”

Her clear ice-white eyes were fixated in the distance, her long black hair resting over her shoulders, filled with small colorful props that looked like ice cream sprinkles.

Jack smiled in response. “I can only agree,” Jack said, but he looked at her.

 Jack's rosy round face took a lick at his ice cream while his short blonde hair lightly brushed over his forehead. His ice-cream was a mix of chocolate and almond with an added effect that made it regenerate just a little bit every minute. Hers was simply strawberry with vanilla sprinkles, but the strawberry had a frozen shell she would have to get through to get to the soft milky core.

 The two were very light-skinned, almost pale, which was a usual trait to the natives of the mountain-top towns. They were both thirteen years of age

Noticing him looking at her, she couldn’t help but slightly blush. She looked aside a bit embarrassed, but also sad.

Jack frowned, confused. “What is the matter?”

She hummed thoughtfully and looked back at him. “We have it so easy here, it is all so peaceful that I almost feel guilty for… Well, everyone else.”

This reminded Jack of all the grim in the world, of all the pain and strife going on outside the happy boundaries of his sweet and peaceful town.

“You mean the war?” Jack said dramatically.

“Yes… It is such… A ghastly affair.”

“Very dumb," he agreed

“Dumb? Far from it, Jack, I believe it to be quite serious!” Jane asserted. 

Oh scoop, Jack thought to himself, raising his hands in defense. He realized then that she was not in as passive a mood as he had anticipated. “Not a doubt, Jane. To me, though, it looks to be the product of one single greedy motivation. It is dumb, I meant, for the greed of one man to light the terror in the hearts of so many. To drive the whole world into war.”

“Yes,” Jane said, nodding in agreement, to his relief. “Terror certainly moves the heart, does it not?” She looked down at her lap in thought, or rather, at the ice cream that both her hands were grasping.

Something was bothering her, he could tell. Jack knew her too well.

“Jack,” “Jane,” the two said at the same time, interrupting each other.

“Sorry,” Jack apologized, “go ahead.”

“Well, I... I have some dire news.”

“Well, tell me already,” Jack asked a bit timidly, making an effort to retain her gaze.

“Well, you see. My mother has fallen terribly ill.”

“What?”

“There are rumors of a cure.” Jane paused, her slim hands slightly trembling against her ice cream. “As there are that it has all been hoarded by… one man.”

Jack glared in spite. “I know of only one man capable of such greed.”

“Father and I will be traveling to Cookie City within the week,” Jane let him know quickly.

“That.” Jack gaped at her in her voluptuous winter coat made of pink fur, and he couldn’t help but feel his heart wrench. “That is crazy.”

Jane shook her head. “Ice Cream city is neutral in this war, we are not their enemies.”

“We are not their friends either, Jane,” Jack said, hurt.

“Well... Maybe we can cure mother before the war reaches there?”

“Who is to say it has not already reached it?

“Stop it,” Jane blurted out,  giver her head a slight shake in a small fit. “Just… This concerns mother, we have to try."

Jack bit his tongue and looked away. Swallowing sadness, he reached for what to say. What to ask. “But. Uhm. How long will you stay over there?”

“For as long as necessary,” Jane said.

 “And you are certain you can find this medicine, once there?”

“My father is certainly confident, yes,” Jane said with a nod, her breath visible against the cold air in front of her.

Jack turned to face her just as Jane turned to face him. That was so embarrassing that they looked away at once, also together. Jack couldn’t help but feel immense sadness. At the same time, he wanted to cheer her up. He just didn’t know what to say…

Seconds went by until, feeling like hours. Then, her hand suddenly touched his.

Jack looked over, but she was gazing ahead at the landscape. They were wearing fingerless gloves, but even if that wasn't the case, he still felt the intimacy of their friendship going exactly where he had expected it to go when he woke up that day. Cautiously, he wrapped her fingers in his.

“I will miss eating ice cream with you, Jack,” Jane said in response.

His heart kicked tragedy into him, and he reacted by kicking back. Brusquely, he turned and brought his other hand over to cup hers. He brought her hand up, to call her attention.

Jane looked over at him. “I’ll make you an ice cream before you go!”

“Wha--what?”

“Before you go!" Jack announced. "I’ll work really hard, and I’ll make you the best ice cream you’ve ever had! Will you eat it?”

Visibly blushing, Jane turned her gaze away from his again.

“Of course, I will."

The walk back was quiet. Their hands would brushed sometimes as their distance swayed back and forth between too far and too close. With the promise made, though, Jack could no longer think of anything else other than getting to work. He was already dreaming of how Jane would react.

It took the most significant part of the week, but Jack lovingly prevailed. Cooking with magic was a very abstract process. It took a lot from the emotions of the cook, exalting the artistic side of the task almost to an extreme. It had not been the first time he had used his feelings for Jane to create ice cream, but because it tragically felt like the last, he had really poured as much love and care as he could.

 The ice-cream was glowing in his hands. Jack glared at it with cheeks blushing with pride. He nodded at his work, more than content.

The ice cream was of one flavor, a new one he had gotten by fusing strawberry with vanilla. It had some colorful sprinkles that would match the ones she usually wore on her hair. It had little frozen bits of cream, of several different flavors, and when licked, these bits would split and penetrate the ice cream so they could last longer. The cone itself was made with some of the best of Cracker City’s imported goods.

Or what was left of them. Trade had been scarce since the war had started, and Cracker City an early victim.

Jack shook the thoughts of war away and excitedly ran out of his cooking lab. He wanted to see Jane taste the ice cream as soon as possible. He left his house without locking the door, a benefit of living in a city without crime, and walked at a brisk pace.

His march was excited as Jack cheerily reacted to his neighbor's greetings.

“Good morning, Jack!

“Good morning, sir!”

Ice Cream City was very appropriately named. Everyone there loved ice cream, and anyone coming from outside would be able to tell.

The houses were all circular shaped and bundled together in some instances, making every house look like ice cream, from one ball to a 9 flavor cone-looking building that served as a hotel. Colors shined through the crystal-clear white that composed the ice and snow which made up the environment. The city school had the flat shape of an ice cream tray. Meanwhile, the residents wore crazy colorful clothes, normally bulgy and furry and fluffy and comfy to both sight and the cold.

Those were the words of the city. “Colorful and fresh.” Jack himself was wearing a large lemony coat and boots with a banana winter hat, a yellow scarf which had vanilla patterns tastefully embroidered into it, to match his gloves. His trousers were light beige though they quickly whitened due to the snow.

“Jack, hello!” called Peter, an friend of Jack from school.

“Hello, Pete," Jack greeted back with a wave. "How are you doing?”

“Well enough,” Peter answered, shaking hands. “Why, I think days have passed since I saw you last.”

“Yes, I have been making this ice cream for Jane,” Jack nodded looking away a bit embarrassed.

Because of that, he didn't immediately notice how Peter grew sour.

“Oh. Have you not heard?”

“Hm?" Jack questioned, and then noticed. "Oh no, do not tell me that--”

“’Fraid so, Jack… They disappeared about two days ago.”

“Bu-but… She said they would take a week.”

“Wait, you knew they were going? And you didn’t say anything?”

“Jane asked me not too…” His voice trailing off, along with his thoughts, Jack looked down at his ice cream overwhelmingly sad. “I... I missed my chance to say goodbye?”

“Everyone did, you nincompoop,” Peter complained, raising his voice and nudged him in the shoulder, a bit angry. “You should have said something. Whatever the reason, it is suicide to leave the mountains! Every other place is practically a battlefield.

“It was her mother, Pete. She has fallen ill and the only place they can… Oh, what does it matter?” Jack asked fate, slouched, looking at the floor.

“You better come to the town meeting later, Jack, and explain what you know.”

“Yeah… Sure, I will. Just," Jack pleaded, sighing. "I guess let me head home for the time being.”

“Of course, bud,” Peter said, nudging Jack's shoulder gain, but now with compassion. “I will leave it to you to explain to the others. Just come to the town meeting, alright?”

“Thank you, Pete…”

Peter nodded helplessly. “Of course, Jack. Anything you need, you know where to find me.”

Jack didn’t even remember what happened on his way back home. He greeted some people, answered some questions with vague mumbling, but no one was clueless enough not to notice that he needed some solitude. And some solitude he indeed procured inside the large and shiny pistachio ice cream ball that was his home. The windows looked were made to look like chocolate sprinkles, and the roof fashioned to look like whipped cream, painted accordingly.

Once inside, Jack could properly mope.

Jack sat down against the wall right next to the door, not even bothering to take his coat off. He hugged his knees while holding Jane’s ice cream in his hand, trying not to spill it. It was an irrational effort, but the whole world felt very irrational, too. He wanted to think about what he was going to do. Eat the ice cream himself, or offer it to someone else. He could also sit there and let it melt around his hand.

It was hard to think about anything other than his present sorrows. He was very embarrassed, but all he wanted was to cry. Jack was feeling like he would never see Jane again, and that his last words had been a promise he had failed to keep. He took a heavy breath, trying to rally his thoughts, but couldn't.

It was then he heard the footsteps from the other occupant of his house. His grandmother Anne.