CHAPTER 14: THE COLD
1114 Words
VESPER'S POV
February 2nd.
The weather alert came at 3PM.
`BLIZZARD WARNING. ASHFORD BAY. 24 HOURS.`
I closed at 4PM.
Early.
At 6:00PM, Elias knocked.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“Because you’re here.”
“The town’s evacuating.”
“I’m not.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not.”
I stared at him.
“You can’t stay,” I said.
“Watch me.”
February 3rd.
6:00AM.
The snow started.
By 10AM, we couldn’t see the street.
By 2PM, the power went out.
By 5:30PM, Elias was still here.
“You should go,” I said.
“I can’t,” he said. “The roads are closed.”
“Then you sleep in the hotel.”
“It’s across town,” he said. “I won’t make it.”
He was right.
“Fine,” I said. “Cot.”
“Thank you.”
February 4th.
The blizzard hit hard.
Wind. White. No sound except the walls shaking.
The shop was cold.
I gave him blankets.
Two.
He gave me one back.
“We share,” he said.
“No.”
“Yes.”
At 6:00PM, we sat.
Under one blanket.
Not touching.
But close.
February 5th.
Day two.
No power.
No heat.
My breath was fog.
Elias built a fire.
In the metal pot.
Outside. Then brought it in.
“Illegal,” I said.
“Alive is better.”
He was right.
We sat by the fire.
Still under one blanket.
Our shoulders touched.
Neither of us moved.
February 6th.
Day three.
The food was low.
Bread. Soup. Tea.
We split it.
Half. Half.
“Eat,” he said.
“I am.”
“You’re not.”
He held the spoon to my mouth.
“Eat, Vesper.”
I did.
February 7th.
I got sick.
Fever.
Chills.
I hid under the blankets.
At 6:00PM, Elias touched my forehead.
“Burning,” he said.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
He made tea.
Forced me to drink.
“Open,” he said.
I did.
He didn’t look away.
February 8th.
Day four.
The fever broke at 2AM.
I woke up sweating.
Elias was awake.
Watching me.
“You didn’t sleep,” I said.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you might die.”
“I won’t.”
“I know,” he said. “Because I’m here.”
February 9th.
I was better.
Weak. But better.
At 6:00PM, he sat next to me.
No blanket between us.
“Thank you,” I said.
“For what?”
“For not leaving.”
“I said I would stay.”
“You did.”
February 10th.
The snow stopped.
But we were still trapped.
The door was frozen shut.
“Two more days,” Elias said.
“Okay.”
We were out of tea.
Out of bread.
Just soup.
Cold soup.
“Here,” he said.
He gave me his portion.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Elias—”
“Eat.”
I did.
February 11th.
Day six.
We were delirious.
From cold. From hunger.
At 6:00PM, he pulled me closer.
Under the blanket.
“Body heat,” he said.
“It’s indecent.”
“It’s survival.”
He was right.
I didn’t pull away.
February 12th.
I woke up in his arms.
We didn’t talk about it.
At 6:00PM, he said, “Vesper.”
“Yes.”
“If we die here—”
“We won’t.”
“If we do,” he said. “I’m glad it’s with you.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not allowed to die.”
“Okay,” he said. “I won’t.”
February 13th.
Day seven.
The door cracked open.
Maren.
With food.
With heat.
With help.
“You idiots,” she said.
“We’re alive,” I said.
“Yeah,” she said. “Because of him.”
February 14th.
Valentine’s Day.
The power came back.
The heat came back.
Elias left.
To the hotel.
To shower.
To sleep.
At 6:00PM, he came back.
Clean.
Shaved.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“I don’t—”
He handed me a rose.
Black.
From the greenhouse.
It survived.
“Thank you,” I said.
“You’re welcome.”
He didn’t kiss me.
He just sat.
Next to me.
Like always.
February 15th.
I got better.
Stronger.
At 6:00PM, Elias came.
He didn’t sit close.
He sat far.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because the blizzard is over,” he said.
“So?”
“So we don’t need body heat anymore.”
I stood.
Sat next to him.
“I do,” I said.
He looked at me.
“Okay.”
February 16th.
I told him.
“I was scared,” I said.
“I know.”
“Not of dying,” I said. “Of dying without you.”
He took my hand.
“I know.”
February 17th.
Maren said, “You two are different now.”
“How?”
“Closer,” she said. “Like you survived something.”
“We did.”
February 18th.
6:00PM.
Elias came.
He didn’t ask.
He just pulled me in.
Under the blanket.
Even though it was warm.
“Can I?”
“Yes.”
He held me.
Tight.
For ten minutes.
February 19th.
I kissed him first.
Not on the lips.
On his jaw.
“Can I?”
“Yes,” he said.
February 20th.
The town cleared the roads.
Life went back.
White. Normal.
But we were different.
Black.
Still.
At 6:00PM, Elias came.
He looked at me.
“I thought I lost you,” he said.
“You didn’t.”
“I know,” he said. “Because I wouldn’t let go.”
February 21st.
I said it.
“I love you.”
He froze.
“What?”
“I love you, Elias.”
He didn’t say it back.
Not yet.
He just held my face.
And nodded.
February 22nd.
6:00PM.
He came.
“Vesper,” he said.
“Yes.”
“I love you too.”
I exhaled.
I didn’t know I was holding it.
“Good,” I said.
“Good,” he said.
We sat.
No blanket.
No cold.
Just us.
February 23rd.
The blizzard was over.
But we weren’t.
We were warmer.
February 24th.
Maren said, “You smell like him.”
“Good.”
February 25th.
6:00PM.
Elias came.
He didn’t sit.
He pulled me up.
“Walk with me?”
“Yes.”
We walked.
In the snow.
Hand in hand.
The cold was gone.
*END OF CHAPTER 14*
- Writer
