Holiday Advent Story 14

The freak blizzard that hit the city had closed everything. Even still the plane had landed; the last one to touch down. It had been dangerous to land. The pilot of the small twin engine hadn’t cared. He knew what he was carrying.

The package was in Andy’s hands now. The streets had been closed. It had gotten so bad some of the plows had gotten stuck. He had to get the package there. He hiked two blocks to a sporting goods store a friend of his owned. He’d called his Vince at home and told him what he’d needed. Vince told him what he needed to do to enter the store. It involved a code and a key in fake rock,

Andy dashed through the store and grabbed what he needed; a set of cross country skis and a heavy camping backpack. The truck might not be able to get through the road but Andy should be able to ski it. As he walked out the door he grabbed a pair of goggles to protect his eyes form the snow and the cold.

He had three blocks to go. I might as well be miles but he had to try. The snow pelted him; slamming him to and fro as he went. He pushed on.

Andy had skied in the past, though he preferred more of the downhill variety. He’d gone cross country once, back in the day with Vince. It was harder than he’d liked.

It was still harder than he’d like but now he had a reason to do it. He focused on that reason. He just had two blocks to go.

The city was quiet. The snow had forced everyone inside and away from the storm. Not that they could have gone anywhere, the cars were indistinguishable from small hills buried under the snow the way they were.

Andy kept going. One block. He could just make out the lights through the storm. Snow pelted Andy’s goggles. He felt his fingers numb, but his destination got closer and closer as he went.

Almost there…just a little bit closer.

Andy finally arrived. The door slid open. Andy stomped his way in. Snow falling off of him and clumping on the carpet of the lobby. A nurse ran up to Andy, Claire, they’d worked together before.

Andy pulled the backpack off and tore into it as quickly as he could. He pulled the cooler from inside. Claire crossed herself and offered a quick thank you to the lord. She took the cooler with the kidney in it and ran back towards the operating theater.

Andy slumped down in the waiting room. He’d made it. Now, with a bit of luck, little Maggie Jones might just make it.

end

Waiting for the Man with the Bag