The Moors Gabriel

"Listen," he said, "penguins do it to keep warm. I'm not making advances here, but I think that we would stand a better chance of keeping warm if we huddled together," he suggested. "Besides, you remind me of my daughter very much."

Sandra nodded again and moved closer to nestle under his arm, her head resting on his chest. "And you remind me very much of my dad," she responded. "What time is it now?" she asked.

"Just turned 11pm, why?"

"In one hours time it will be my eighteenth birthday." She went on to explain to him about her visit to her sister to pick up her present and to see her new niece and then she told him all about the party she was having tomorrow night. "It's going to be a biggie!" she declared. "All my old friends and family are coming along. Dad has hired the local village hall with a bar and disco… if you are still in town I would love you to come along."

"I might just do that lass, I'll see how the day pans out and let you know." He smiled to himself, thinking what a very kind offer, but he really wasn't into discos at his age. But if he was still stuck in his hotel because of the snow, the idea of a bar was very tempting.

"Why do I remind you of your daughter?" she asked genuinely interested, "how old is she?"

John suddenly realised about their predicament. He snuggled in closer thinking about the cold and then realised the tangy taste of exhaust fumes in the air. Her question went over his head as he turned off the engine, knowing that the heater would eventually be affected and the cold would most likely get worst as the hours drew on.

"Seventeen." John replied. "Not quite her biggie yet." He smiled at Sandra looking into her pale blue eyes as they looked up at him. The silenced engine had not yet been realised by Sandra and he had hoped she would not notice, at least not for now. He could forsee the consequences and tried to play it down, gently.

"Is she still at school, college?" she asked.

"No. Little beggar couldn't wait to leave. After a few weeks getting bored she decided to join this local government-training scheme. Mind you having said that it's doing her some good. What about you?"

"I attend college in Brigston. Three days a week, media studies. And one day a week on basic midwifery for further courses later. I want to go into that one day. I rather fancy being a midwife."

"That's good. I'm proud of you lass, really am."

Sandra shuddered and smiled. "Thankyou." For a while John noticed her getting as warm as she could from their shared body heat and slowly she seemed to drift off into a light sleep, leaving him thinking even more about their survival. The cold was getting worse, as he had predicted, and faster now that the heater was down. Then he realised about falling asleep and hypothermia, how dangerous it could be. He had seen what the conditions of severe cold can do in his army days.

"Here lass…" he nudged her awake. "Try and stay awake. It isn't a good thing falling asleep."

"Why not? I feel so cold and tired."

"I know. Tell me about what things you enjoy the most for fun. Surely you have a boyfriend?"

Sandra smiled, she was happy to talk about her life and share her hopes and dreams with this stranger. He seemed to have a keen ear for listening and appeared to be genuinely interested in her words.

"Well," she began, "I am a typical flighty eighteen year old. I love discos and clubbing, I love my friends and family, but earlier today I sobered up when I saw my newborn niece, I think I saw for the first time what life is all about."

"How old is she?" John asked.

"Three days, my sister left the maternity ward this morning after a complex birth and a bit of a scare," she answered, "but they are both fine and little Zoe is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, so tiny and so… perfect." Her words tailed off as she recollected holding her in her arms and feeling the bonding that had surged within herself.

"I am envious of my sister and now my desire, my dream, is to one day hold my own baby and experience the love of my own child."

"You will make a wonderful mother, that I swear," John reassured her knowing that what he said was true, "you have strong sense of love within you, it radiates from within and touches those who know you."

"Thank you, you really think so?"

John had suddenly realised that in the few brief hours since he met her he had fallen in love with Sandra much like his own daughter. Her strength, her character and her innocent weakness were being exposed to him in this shared ordeal. He would do anything to help her, he would give his own life to save hers if need be.

"Congratulations!" he replied.

She raised her head slightly to look up at him with a quizzical look.

"It has just turned midnight, Happy Birthday," he said with a smile.

"I made it! I am now an adult," mustering the strength to chuckle which gave her an extra kick of warmth. "And a Happy Retirement day to you," she smiled.

"Why thank you," he pretended to hold a glass of champagne and clink glasses, "here's to us," he toasted.

"Cheers," she matched his movements and pretended to drink, but she imagined that she had spilt most of it as her shivering hand reached up to her mouth. "Why is it so cold?" she asked.

He wrapped his body around her to try to share the body heat that was dissipating from him rapidly.

"I have a busy day tomorrow, I must get some sleep." She closed her eyes and drifted off into a cold shivering slumber.

"No Sandra! NO!!! you must stay awake!" But he too was running out of energy and his strength was starting to ebb. He held her and wept as his own eyes began to close.