A Red Winter Night

Everyone, even you have had this happen. It's not like no one has ever had their car broken down before on the side of the road. Me and my wife were coming back home from visiting her mother upstate. We live in the city so it was a bit of a drive. We were singing along to "You shook me all night long"  by AC/DC on the radio when black smoke started to come up and out of the car engine. I pulled over to the side of the road with what was left of the car's power. My wife and I came out of the car with a powerful gust of wind hitting our faces. Snowflakes began to fall lightly on us as if we were leaves on a tree. We shook off the snow that settled on our shoulders when we finished looking at the engine as if we knew what we were staring at. I closed the hood in frustration and we quickly jumped back into the driver's seat. 

"What are we going to do? There is no reception on either of our phones." My wife asked with concern in her eyes as she fumbled with our phones in both hands. Anxiety started to grow in my hands the more my wife's worried expression grew. I didn't know what to do. The cold started to seep in through the vents of the car making us both shiver. 

"There are houses along the road. Why don't we ask to borrow a phone?" My wife asked me.

"Are you crazy? They are strangers and so are we. They aren't going to let us use their phone" My wife crawled on to my lap for warmth. The highest points of her face were turning red. 

"We can't stay in the car overnight. We will freeze. We have each other. Let's just ask a person. Most people up here are nice."

"Have you ever watch a scary movie? This predicament we are in is how it starts," I told her but I knew we had to do something. She was shivering like a kid lost in the dark. I decided to listen to her. We walked to the nearest house that looked decent, welcoming, and had their light on. We came across a cottage looking house with a path we followed and rang the bell. I pulled my wife close to me. After the second ring of the bell a couple answered. They seemed normal enough to trust.

"Um, how can I help you?" The man asked with his women standing behind him. 

"Is it possible we can use your cell phone?" My wife asked.

"Our cell phone network is down temporarily. You can use our landline though."  The women in the back of the man told us. We carefully walked in observing everything from their decorations to the walls of the house. I followed my wife like a tail to a dog as she called the toll truck company. As she spoke to them I also noticed another couple in the living room with cards in their hand. The women of the house had her eyes on us while the husband tended to his guest. 

"They are coming but it might take some time since the weather is crazy though. Thank you for letting us use your phone." My wife said out loud. I felt relieved. We both sighed as we began to walk towards the front door.

"It's cold out there. You will freeze." The women of the house said.

"Thank you. But we are good."

"We insist!" She said. A deep discomfort started to seep into my wife and I's soul. 

"Oh no, we don't want to impose." My wife kindly rejected her invitation.

"Stay." The man demanded with a smile and tilt of the head. My wife and I looked at each other not knowing what to do. We were now definitely shook all night long.