[color=662d91][i][b]PEYTON[/b][/i][/color]

Peyton slipped on a patch of ice. His feet went up, his ass and head went down. And with a resounding THUD he hit the gravel pathway that lead from the east side of campus to the west. Five minutes late for Bio101, was now going to be ten, as he felt a twinge of pain -- not only in his pride -- in his ankle. [color=662d91][i]That's going to be sore by morning[/i][/color], he thought to himself. As he checked his surroundings he was relieved to find that this 'walkway' was empty. [i][color=662d91]At least no one saw that[/color][/i], he thought gratefully.

His book bag laid only a few feet to his left, but his books, binders and papers a;id scattered out into the brush and snow. [color=662d91]Just great, my five page essay on [u]'The Anatomy of the Ficus'[/u] is now ruined[/color], he sighed as he picked it out of a half-melted puddle of ice and water. [i][color=662d91]Professor Springs willsurely fail ke a second time[/color][/i] -- he couldn't risk to fail Bio again, his job at [i]Trade Winds[/i] didn't pay him enough to retake the class a third time.

As he picked himself, and his belongings, off the ground a crisp breeze wrapped around him. Though he knew he should be cold -- after all, a leather biker's jacket can only keep you so warm -- he felt somewhat comforted by the icy chill in the air. It was odd really, as he thought about it. In all the years of travelling from place to place, the Lees had always stayed in the South, where it was warm. But it never really felt like home, the warmth just made him feel restricted and sluggish. Here, in the cool mountains of Yosemite, he felt vibrant and free, albeit a bit clumsy, this ice thing was an issue.