Unlikely Meetings

CHAPTER 2 - SNOW AND WIND

CHAPTER 2 - SNOW AND WIND

The roads were dark by the time Max finally started to make his way back towards his home. The two lane road was only lit by his headlights as the heavy snowfall attempted to blind him from where the road ended and the ditches started. Snow chains gripped the road tightly ensuring that his moderate speed let him have complete control over his small vehicle. "Thank god the heater works well huh girls?" His two dogs didn't even give a whine in response as they stayed huddled together in the flat back of his geo tracker, content with resting on their cotton bed. The miles passed slowly as his haul of groceries and hardware rattled in the back just over the quiet thrum of the speakers playing a news broadcast as background noise to his drive.

"Scientists think they might have figured out the true reason why the transplantation struck the world back in the mid twentieth century. Everything is still a theory but Early CME events point to it not being the first in sentient history but it was the largest seen to dat-" Max shut the radio off and decided to drive in silence. "What's the point of trying to figure out how or why it happened? They're here to stay and we can't really do anything about it." The slightly fogged windows glinted lights from a random house in the distance dragging his mind back to earlier in the day. "At least I met a pretty woman, right girls?" His two dogs stayed still relaxing in the rear view mirror as he rolled his eyes.

Ranches and small homesteads peppered the road as a small smile stayed as a staple on his face as the late october snow came down. This would be the first white Christmas he'd ever had and any of his close friends, local or otherwise, would say he was more than ecstatic. Mountains surrounded him and swallowed the lower portions of the sky in their oppressive presence that only made him think of ski trips and warm drinks on his days off.

That's when a set of amber flashing lights broke his train of thought as he came around a bend in the road raising his eyebrows. His speed slowed as he approached the stopped vehicle as he checked for disturbed snow or any other sign that this was a trap for concerned individuals. Then he noticed the silver paint covering the boxy shape of the car with its small rust spots across the body. He recognized this vehicle from earlier today and immediately the concern over this being a trap was replaced by concern over his new cold blooded acquaintance.

His vehicle came to a harsh stop as he called over his shoulder. "Sig, Sauer. I need you girls to stay here and keep warm. Might need you to warm up someone." Throwing open his door he entered the harsh and bitter elements to help his newly made friend. His boot covered feet hit the snow as he rushed over to the stuck vehicle and noticed it wasn't running. "Shit!" With a swear he tapped on the window and wiped away the thick layer of fresh snow that covered its surface. The interior was already cool enough to allow the previously melted snow to freeze to the glass. Elianora was inside and motionless, still draped in her thick layers of clothing, forcing Max to make a quick and rash decision.

He opened her door and as quickly as he could unlatched her seatbelt and began carrying her over to his still running vehicle. The door was sticky as he fumbled with the older latch with the very light woman in his arms. Her covered tail wrapped around this newfound heat emanating from him and almost strangled his leg as he began to set her down gently into the seat and carefully unwound the clingy appendage. "Sig upfront! Yeah right next to her feet, keep her warm and Sauer, yeah on her lap. I'm gonna check on her car really fast, okay girls?" The door shut behind him with the lightly breathing woman sitting in his passenger seat and allowing the heat to be trapped inside as he made his way the short distance back to her car.

The tire tracks that were cut into the snow were quickly being swallowed by the heavy snowfall that seemed to be getting thicker at every passing moment. From what he could gather she lost traction, over corrected and ended up in the ditch. Her tires were buried and if he had to guess she might have popped a few things loose when she bottomed out in the embankment.