Was it just a long dream?

".....And since we've no place to go

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...."- From the song 'Let it snow!'

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Yes! That was it, thought Bell, during crazy times people believed in crazy people and ideas, people did crazy things to save themselves. That's what the mayor did. As for the results, they will have to wait for a week to find out. Will she really change the history of the Coldburrow? Was she making a mistake?

By the time they drove out of Coldburrow, it was already nightfall. Alberto was at the wheel, Bell in the passenger seat, and Leon was given the back seat to rest his injured limb.

Bell felt sleep creep into her eyes but she tried to remain awake, she did not want this dream to end. She thought about the things that were happening right now,...if it was real, should she be excited? Why did it not bother her much that she might not be able to go back? Who was waiting for her at home anyway? Will anyone even notice that she had gone missing...She had few friends, but they were in their hometowns enjoying Christmas. If she did not show up for work, her boss lady would at least enquire after her...She was brooding over such matters and before she knew it her eyelids felt heavy and she slipped into a beautiful sleep.

When she woke up she found Leon at the wheel and Alberto asleep in the backseat. Apparently, they had switched at some point. She looked at Leon's injured arm and asked him whether she should take the wheel over.

"Do you know where Holshire is?" asked Leon.

"I've been there once but I do not know the way very well, how about you direct me?" said she.

"Very well," said Leon. They stopped the jeep and switched seats. Bell began driving and Leon gave her the directions. After a while, her stomach began to grumble. It was still early dawn and she was sure that this was not the era of convenience stores.

She remembered how her grandpa used to make a fuss about how she always ate too little. He would cook all her favorite food and pastries just to see her eat her fill.Bell smiled thinking how this very same Grandpa was sitting beside her unaffected by her stomach grumbling like a trumpet.

They drove a while before they reached a village and Leon asked to stop.

"Why are we stopping here?" asked Bell

"There is a farm around here where we can wash up and get something to eat," he said getting out of the jeep and shaking Alberto awake.

So he heard her stomach's cry after all. Alberto woke up rubbing his eyes and making an angry face. "The sun's not up yet, what are we doing here?"he grumbled.

Bell got up and followed Leon while Alberto rolled around and went back to sleep.

"The folks here wake up pretty early eh?" asked Bell looking around at people who were already out of their homes for various businesses. Leon gave her a look. This girl was not from the countryside, alright.

They made their way across some barren fields that were covered with snow. A mild fog enveloped them, the cold was now getting to her bones. She rubbed her hands together to keep them warm. Leon paused for a moment before removing his jacket and giving it to her.

What? Take grandpa's jacket? It was true that he was currently no old man. But his hand was injured, what if he caught a fever?

"You should keep warm."she said placing the jacket over his shoulder. "I'll just run there," Bell ran across the field to the farm which was their destination. She thought the exercise would warm her up. But no. She had to trip on a stone and fall face flat into a puddle of snow. She got back up in embarrassment and patted the snow away from her face and hair, she turned to see whether Leon had seen the scene.

Leon was of course witnessing the scene. When he saw her running again he broke into a smile.

"This one is as clumsy as Alberto," he remarked to himself.

When they reached the farm, they were shone to a rest area with a fireplace. When they had finished washing up, a lady farmer served them steamed buns and hot milk. Bell was really hungry and the sight of this modest breakfast put her in a good mood. She quickly began gobbling up the buns and drank the fresh milk in one go. She thought it was the healthiest thing she had eaten in a long time.

Leon watched her eat. "Leave some for Alberto," he said smiling.

"If it is not enough for the missus, we have more." said the farmer's wife warmly.

"She is not my missus," said Leon a little startled.

"mwyes, we are emm...cousins," said Bell in between her eating.

"Ah, there you are!" They were interrupted by the appearance of Alberto."Why did both of you leave me behind....Woah, something smells good, move over miss," he said seating himself at the table and taking in the buns one by one. Leon sighed watching them fight over the last piece. He stood up to thank the farmer's wife and slip some money into her hands.