07.02.10. The Blizzard

10. THE BLIZZARD

Todd and his pal had shipped out of a western city to a job back in the mountains. It took them all day to reach the place of work after they arrived at the nearest station. They only worked one day when his buddy was fired, so Todd quit and together they started to walk the weary miles back into town, there was only one house on the road, a placed called the half way house, where freighters spent the night, for it took a loaded wagon two days to make the trip. They left the camp at noon, and before dark a blizzard came up, fine snow began to fall, which stung their faces like nettles, and was so blinding that they could not see their way, and could only tell they were in the road by feeling the worn track made by the constant travel of horses. Hour after hour they struggled, cold and tired, yet afraid to stop for fear of freezing to death. Late at night they reached the half way house, but having no money the proprietor would not let them stay in the house, but told them they could sleep in the barn, which was an open building and the wind and snow came blowing through the cracks and they knew if they stayed there they would be frozen to death. A shack stood in the yard and in this the freighters made their beds and spent the night. It had a dirt floor but was equipped with a stove, and was a protection from the wind and snow, so making their way to this shack they told the freighters their plight, and two of them offered to share their blankets, so the boys crawled in with them, and their lives were saved. The next morning the freighters gave the boys breakfast and let them ride into town.