In the post-midnight darkness, the wind howled and the snow pummelled the car. It was a surreal sensation to see snow blowing parallel to the pavement coming straight at them with only a windshield to separate them from the elements.
She and he and their two young passengers had almost made it home. The car had stopped a mere two miles outside of town. So close, yet so far.
Inside the car, the atmosphere was peaceful. Too peaceful. Without the sound of the engine or the noise of the tires on the road, there was nothing to hear. Eerily quiet. No sound, only snow.
Occasionally, the passengers would lament the diminishing heat. She and he lovingly gave up their jackets to the backseat. As the two drifted off to sleep, one hoped for a snow day tomorrow and the other dreamed of her Christmas shopping.
Time marched on. The seconds continued. Eventually a minute passed by. Two minutes. Then three minutes.
Look, in the distance, headlights creeping through the white-out. Could it be? Slowly, the headlights pulled alongside the quiet car. Yes! The jerry can had arrived!
