The summer sun glares down at you. Beads of sweat begin to form at the base of your neck. Why did I even bother coming outside? you think. Suddenly, almost magically, you hear a faint tinkling. Could it be? Yes! You look down the road to see an ice cream truck heading right toward you. It grinds to a halt in front of your house. 

You walk up to the ice cream man. He looks familiar, almost like a book character, but you can’t place him. “One popsicle, please.” you ask. You reach into the pocket of your shorts for a dollar, but to your surprise, there isn’t one there. Hmmm. . . you could have sworn it was there a second ago. 

Without money, you can’t exactly get a popsicle anymore, can you? “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any money,” you tell the ice cream man. He hands you the popsicle anyways. “It’s on the house.” He winks mysteriously. “Don’t forget to look at the stick.” 

With that, he revs up his engine and drives away before you can even thank him. You are stunned for a moment, but then realize that your popsicle is beginning to melt in the  heat. Oh well. You peel off the plastic wrapper, and find a popsicle like none other. It’s a deep purple hue with swirls of white and sky blue. Wow! you think. It’s almost too pretty to eat. 

As sticky syrup begins to drip down your hand, you realize that it would be a waste to let it waste! You give it an experimental lick and quickly finish the rest off. You’re heading toward the trashcan to throw the stick away when you remember the ice cream man’s message. 

The popsicle stick is made of smooth dark wood, and a pattern of snowflakes is engraved with the words: Look down. Instinctively, you look down. A slip of folded parchment is there, emblazoned with the same snowflake from the popsicle stick. You pick it up and read it. 

Greetings, Chatterboxer! 

You have been invited for an exclusive stay at the Snowflake Ski Lodge! Enjoy days away from the stifling summer heat in the beautiful Snowflake Mountains! Our Lodge is placed at an optimal location; away from all those busybodies who make your life difficult! Prepare yourself for the adventure of a lifetime as you explore our 5-story modern wood lodge, our massive library, or our private ski lifts! All excursions are free of charge only for you and one AE or CAPTCHA! Transportation will appear at your front door for your convenience. We hope to see you there! 

Cordially,

The Snowflake Lodge Manager 

P.S. Any accidents, injuries, or murders may NOT be charged to the Snowflake Ski Lodge. 

You think for a moment. It sure does sound nice, even though you don’t ski. You go to your room and pack your bags. You head outside with your AE and CAPTCHA to wait for the mysterious transportation. Amazingly, a snowflake-like hoverboard appears on your front doorsteps. You pile your bags on, and get on yourself. You immediately  disappear in a flurry of snowflakes. 

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