It was near the wee hours of morning when we arrived in the barren town. There were several cars parked around the sidewalk of the long road, but no sight of a breathing soul. Even the air was still as ever, not even a light breeze hitting those lifeless trees.
The cold felt like murder. I couldn't help clatter my teeth ferociously as the cold enveloped me. In the backseat my son lay under a layer of blankets.
The car was spent, and what little life it had wasn't enough to whir it back as I turned the key in the ignition. There was nothing but deadening quiet around me. The tall buildings had not even a single window illuminated. It was like the town had been deserted.
There was a hardware store nearby, but it was closed. Slowly, my desperation was creeping in as it came to my notice that the relentless snowfall was beginning to clog up around my vehicle.
As thoughts flooded in me of what I would have to do to ensure my son's survival - even considering breaking into another car and taking off with it - a loud banging noise jerked me back. On my fogged side window, I saw a fist pound rapidly. The thuds tremored around the car.
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I felt myself panicking. Was it a mugger? Did this man have even worse intentions? What did he want in the middle of a deserted road?
I tossed the blanket above my son's face to hide him, squeezing myself under the steering wheel hoping the man hadn't seen us.
Where I was hidden, the sound of the falling snow was loud, and I couldn't do much other than be forced to rise back.
The moment I did, however, I saw a dark figure hurtle on top of the hood of the car, sending a boom inside. I resisted the urge to scream, as the man's neck creaked upward in a snap.
He was thin and gaunt, with minuscule hair in a buzz cut and a frame that was very lean. On him, his clothes looked as if they were placed as a last resort to avoid him freezing to death.
What kept me from losing my composure was the man's expression. He didn't seem threatening. The smile on his face was out of relief, and he waved a gloved hand my way.
"Are you okay?" the man roared through the thundering snowfall, squinting to get a better look.
I yelled back my confirmation, but he moved off the hood and appeared by the window.
Cautious, I lowered the window just enough for his eyes to be in view. The man asked why I was parked there. His questions were oddly inquisitive, asking me who I was, and where I planned on going.
I tried to skirt around the specifics as much as I could until I saw his eyes dart backseat where my son was rustling under the blankets. I stepped out immediately, not wanting him to have any clue I had a child with me.
Now face to face, I noted how the man sported a wide grin, showing his teeth as if hoping I would embrace him. However, he laughed off my reaction and explained that he'd been looking for a mechanic to fix his car. As I searched the direction he pointed, I could see nothing but the haze of the falling snow.
