A bitter, cold wind whipped snow across a dirt road, creating large snow drifts that rivaled the height of the horse the travelers were astride. There was nothing to shield the travelers and their beast from winter's wrath on the long stretch of road. The current weather was blinding, so much so that the man gripping the reins was terrified of losing the path or being unable to locate the farmhouse.
The man hunched his shoulders against the wind, gently urging the horse forward, while his passenger slouched against his back, her arms tightly wound around the man's waist. She was deathly ill with fever. Both traveler's were bundled in dark clothes which covered all of their bodies, leaving only their eyes visible. This left their eyes vulnerable to the wind, which stung and watered profusely from the cold.
Their destination was at the end of the road, the man was sure of it. There he would find shelter, familiar faces, and aide for his ailing passenger. It was only a matter of the black gelding they rode getting them there.
The travellers have been on this journey for much longer than either one of them cared for. The world had fallen into chaos and they were forced to flee home; endlessly roaming from place to another. In the end, they both decided to take their chances and head off for the one place they hoped was a safe haven.
The road stretched ever on and the wind picked up. The gelding bravely lurched forward, its head hanging low, its breath coming in painful gasps.
"Come on old boy, we're almost there." The man urged the horse. He squinted up the road ahead and felt his heart jump at the sight of the farm house. Thank God!
The man gave one of the woman's hands a gentle squeeze. "We're almost there Ellen! Just a few minutes more!"
With that, he dug his heels in the gelding's sides. The weary horse gave a snort and galloped down the last stretch of road, trotting to a halt before the house.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOFqbLlBMB
The wind began to die down and the man was able to gaze up into the pale facade of the house. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqhcCw2mhl
And what he saw made his heart sink.
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