Member-only story
Winter has lasted well into spring and the world has all but shut down. The lonely roads in between towns are deserted. One traveler finds a safe refuge — an abandoned house. She’s glad of the shelter, but then another stranger finds the house.
Will they find solace together or are they both too hardened by the conditions to be able to trust each other?
Written by Odette Haynes
Published by AmorBooks
It was the longest winter on record. The year had stretched into the beginnings of spring, but still a harsh wind whipped around and sleet and snow fell to the icy ground. People had retreated to their homes, turning into recluses to shield themselves from the unforgiving elements. Every house had an orange hue emanating from the windows as candles and lamps burned furiously.
Billows of smoke streamed out of chimneys, as if they were being absorbed into the bleak night sky. In the city centers it was hard enough, but in the less traveled rural areas the conditions were almost insurmountable.
Supplies were unable to be delivered because the small, winding roads were iced over and many of the small shops and gas stations were closed because the owners didn’t have the fortitude to keep them open. They couldn’t be blamed, because never in their wildest dreams would they have thought people would willingly go out in the wintry wilderness, but some people had no choice.
Out in the misty world a solitary figure braced herself against the onrushing wind. She was clad in a thick coat, every extremity was covered and a thick scarf was wrapped around her neck. Only her eyes were barely visible as a scratchy woollen material covered her face, and a hat was brought down low over her forehead, covered by the hood of her jacket. Even with all that protection the aching chill still reached down deep into her bones, but she gritted her teeth, clenched her jaw, and fought for every step.
She stepped into the wind, slightly hunched forward for two reasons; firstly to fight better against the wind and secondly because a heavy backpack was sitting atop her back, weighing her down. She’d been walking for what seemed like hours and her legs felt as though they were on the verge of collapse. Every muscle was screaming out in pain and her…
