Angel in the Snow

Tied for Win---02/28/09

ID: 896794   (Rated: 13+) Daily Flash Fiction Challenge  Enter your story of 300 words or less. by arakun the twisted raccoon

                                       ANGEL IN THE SNOW


         What a welcome sight that little store was, looming out of the falling snow just when we had begun to think we were totally lost.

         It was easy to see the store was closed, but there was someone in there.  Maybe he would at least pump us some gas and give us directions. 

         The tall thin man who opened to our knock said “We’re closed.” He explained that the store and gas pump were out of business a while now.  He offered us coffee which we gladly accepted. 

         “This is a real bad night,” he commented.  “You go out of my driveway and turn left to the crossroads a quarter mile from here and go left again.  There are some houses and a store and the big house is a bed and breakfast.”

         We found it just as he said.  We checked into the B&B.  The woman said “I didn’t expect anyone would be out on the road tonight.”

         I explained, “We were lost.  We never would have found this place if the man at the store hadn’t told us how to get here.”

         “Man?  At the store?”

         “The little store and gas pump about a quarter mile from the crossroads.”

         She was giving me the strangest look.  My husband asked, “Do you know the place?”

         “Yes I do,” she said.  “The man, what did he look like?”

         “About six feet, thin, gray hair, goatee.”

         She turned a little pale.  “That would be Augie.  But I have to tell you.  That store burned down to the ground about six years ago.  Augie died in the fire.”

         It was our turn to look shocked.  “Are you telling us we saw a ghost?”

         She smiled.  “Or an angel.”

286 words