Baby, It's Cold Outside

I wrap the scarf tighter around myself and physically force myself through the door of the little corner shop. The weather has been absolutely ridiculous the last few days. My feet are drenched from trekking through two-feet of snow, and it's still snowing!

Shivering uncontrollably, I rub my arms and tried to blow warm air into my gloved hands. Poor Nana never would've made it here to get milk, no matter how stubbornly she insisted she could.

It's a lot warmer in the shop than outside, that's for sure! Nobody else was about, except for a girl at the counter, probably the same age as me. She flicked through a magazine with a bored look on her face.

I make my way over to the fridge near the back of the store, grabbing one with a green cap. Only semi-skimmed for Nana! I pull one glove off and search my back pocket for change. Bingo!

Now to pay. Never my favourite job as a child when Mum would send me in quick. I'd always get nervous around the cashier and would drop all the coins.

I had almost reached the girl - who looked up from her magazine expectantly - when a loud, wet crunching sound resonated around the shop. Shocked, I look towards the door, which is now completely blocked by a wall of white.

I exchange a worried glance with the girl and set the milk on the counter. I try to open the door.

Nothing.

I try pushing against the door with my shoulder.

It doesn't budge.

I try banging and kicking the glass.

It doesn't even stir.

Well, this is unfortunate.

"What should we do?" I'm slightly taken aback when the girl spoke. Her voice was pretty, like a fairy's.

I shrug my shoulders. "Let's try calling for help." We both pull out our phones.

No signal.

Just great.

"The snow must have fallen off the roof." I say, stating the obvious. The girl nods and pockets her phone, obviously not having any luck herself.

"I'll try the radio." She says, fiddling with the dials on an old-fashioned box. After a couple of seconds, it crackles and comes to life. The local news station comes on:

"-huge blizzard has suddenly hit town. It is highly recommended that everyone stays in their homes until it passes." A woman said.

"That's right, Susan. Meanwhile, authorities are trying to rescue several civilians trapped inside the train station." A man replied.

"We have also received reports that the mobile-phone tower is out of commission after it collapsed under the heavy weight from the snow." The woman reported.

"The storm may not pass until tomorrow morning, so I hope you've all packed, because Christmas is staying indoors this year!"

"We're stuck here all night?" The girl exclaims. "It's Christmas Eve!"

"Yeah." What else could I say? "At least we won't be hungry." I motion around the store.

She sighs but the corners of her mouth lift a little. "I'm Hannah." She holds out a hand.

"Tim." We shake hands.

"Well, Tim," She starts. "I suppose we better prepare ourselves for a long night."

***

Hannah is a lot of fun to be around. She makes light of the situation we're in and insists we make up games to pass the time. I test her on where everything in the shop was, thoroughly impressed when she got them all right, and she times me as I run around like a headless chicken, trying to retrieve the items she lists.