Chapter 1

There was a knock on the door. A misty afternoon as it was snowing a, bit. Tina a, dark haired slim person as she was opened the door. The postman had, dropped a envelope and as she bend town to pick it up her mother asked whose it " Its nothing just a, mail and its, from granny she has invited us to stay with her for the winter holidays. " As, she went inside and closed the door. Her mother was, setting down tea cups on the table. " At this time as you like tea, so i made some " she said. " Yes that was nice of you i have to call up Erica too and ask her to come along " Tina, said rushing towards the phone. " First have your tea, or it will get cold Tina. " " And pack lots of clothes warm ones as its going to be too cold there " her mother said. " And by the way one of a, distant cousin called Josie is, there it says in the letter so there is going to be company and a new stable horse named storm granny has brought which we can ride " Tina read from the letter. As she called her friend Erica. It was coming engage for a moment. Then Erica picked up saying " you wont believe what i heard our teacher who used to teach us english lessons hes having an affair with one of his students " she said. " It was long back why are you interested in all this gossips. Instead hear what i have to say. My grandmother has invited you and, me to her house in the countryside for rhe winter " Tina, said. " That would be lovely " Erica screeched. " Dont scream i can hear you " Tina replied her.

So she kept the phone down. From

behind her mother said to her to help her a, little in the garden." The flowers have all come in bloom and lots of wild, shrubbery has, grown so we need to cut it " her mother said. " Okay i am joining you in a bit after i call Tom up and ask him as to whether hes joining us, in there and how the colouring of the, car has, come u " Tina, replied. " Now, why you had tp et te car get spray painted its colour is, pretty fine " Tinas, mother said. " Oh no i wanted it to get coloured in silver colour. Was getting a bored with its, maroon one so and Tom himself said, that he has started a car colouring workshop so i thought why not " Tona, said. " Whatever now hurry up and get in the garden and then later you can go and get your bags packed up. You can do some winter shopping too with Erica, " her mother said. After work in the backyard was, done Tina, went to her room to get some, packimg done. And then in evening she was thinking of buying that green sweater with Erica. But though she was feeling happy about this, trip a sense of mystery came to her about it. In evening in the twilight both she and Erica went first to Toms, garage and took her car. " Really its, looking brand new in its silver paint you did, a good job at it " Tina, exclaimed. " Ofcourse i would " Tom said. He was, a, tall lanky guy with his, long hair done in a, ponytail and one earring stud in his, left ear. Erica, had a crush on him but e, seemed to like Tina, more. " So as you already know we are going to my grannys, place so would you be joining us, therr. She has, got this new horse. And as i know you like horseback riding so you can have fun riding the horse " Tina said. All the while Rica, was, standing quietly by Tinas, side chewing a, gum which was, her habit. She said " yes Tom will surely come i think so. " " Yes, ofcourse i will come and give you both a, visit there its my pleasure " Tom told. Tina was, wearing a yellow and grey dress. A flower pattern given to her by her granny on her last birthday. The sky was filling with heavy clouds and it looked like it would snow more tonight. " Lets hurry back dont want to get caught in a heavy snow storm " Erica, said as Tom agreed with them.

They left from the garage. It was snowing heavily now and the sky looked as, dark as the night. Tina, was, driving the car. The wipers were not doing a good job and she couldnt even see properly her car glass was dripping with snow. She halted the carvon the side of the road and lighted a, cigarette and started to smoke. Erica was, beside her she too joined her. " Now what are we going to do the road is, almost blocked with snow and if we dont reach home fast then we, are going to get stuck here. For the night " Erica, said. " And we are in the woody areas too and soon its going to become late in the night too " Tess replied. She started the car but it wasnt starting. " Now we are really stuck here the car wont start. Wait i will call up my mother " Tina, said, and, took her mobile out. It was showing no signal. " Mine too showing no network now what. Lock the door " Erica said. " Can we, walk " Tina suggested. " What are you saying its, a, storm outside. Quietly sit inside and wait for some car to pass but even that not such a, good idea " Erica told. " Yes " Tina, said snubbing off her cigarette.

The smoke of cigarette filled in the car. Erica opened the window to let some fresh air in. " What are you doing " Tina said. " Ofcourse we cant sit in the car with all car windows closed " Erica, replied. " Lets take a, snooze now as i dont see any car bypassing from here " Tina said lighting another cigarette. And drinking coldrink from a, can. " Maybe they all heard on the radio weaher report of a, snowstorm and stayed at home only. We in our excitement of going to your granny for the winter holidays forgot to hear the news, " Erica was, saying. Freezing air was blowing. Erica, was shivering as she removed her earphones to listn to some music. Tina took another sip from her soda can. After sometime they dized off to sleep as it was becoming late in the night. A tap on the window woke Tina, up jerkily. " Whose it " she said. And was taken aback by seeing a, long haired, mans, face, outside. As, she slowly opened the car window he, asked " can i help you as it seems your car has broken down. " Erica too got up and gsve a signal to not to accept his help. Tina, listened to her. And ignored him. Erica lowered the window a little and asked him " do you have some rope with which you can tow our car " to which he replied " its fine if you dont want a, hike i thought some accident had happened with you " he said and drove off. Tina, said to Erica angrily " now look what you did out of the blues we got a chance of some, help and that too you ignored. Now sit here till dont know, when. " " What if he was a killer or something " Erica suggestedd. " He seemed pretty fine to me and you stop reading so much of books, on such topics ' Tina said. From a distance siren of a police van could be heard. " Now i think we can get out of here you heard that " Tina said happily. A cop got out after halting his car and asked them what was, thrir problem. After they explained him he said " dont worry i will tow you its not good to be stuck outin the snow like this. As its going to snow more heavily in the night " he said. " That was, really a, good thing that cop riding from this isolated road " Erica, said gleefully. " Yes really i thought we, would be stuck here till the whole night only " Tina said opening her car window more now.

The smoke of cigarette filled in the 6car. Erica opened the window to let some fresh air in. " What are you doing " Tina said. " Ofcourse we cant sit in the car with all car windows closed " Erica, replied. " Lets take a, snooze now as i dont see any car bypassing from here " Tina said lighting another cigarette. And drinking coldrink from a, can. " Maybe they all heard on the radio weaher report of a, snowstorm and stayed at home only. We in our excitement of going to your granny for the winter holidays forgot to hear the news, " Erica was, saying.

Freezing air was blowing. Erica, was shivering as she removed her earphones to liste to some music. Tina took another sip from her soda can. After sometime they dized off to sleep as it was becoming late in the night. A tap on the window woke Tina, up jerkily. " Whose it " she said. And was taken aback by seeing a, long haired, mans, face, outside. As, she slowly opened the car window he, asked " can i help you as it seems your car has broken down. " Erica too got up and gsve a signal to not to accept his help. Tina, listened to her. And ignored him. Erica lowered the window a little and asked him " do you have some rope with which you can tow our car " to which he replied " its fine if you dont want a, hike i thought some accident had happened with you " he said and drove off. Tina, said to Erica angrily " now look what you did out of the blues we got a chance of some, help and that too you ignored. Now sit here till dont know, when. " " What if he was a killer or something " Erica suggestedd. " He seemed pretty fine to me and you stop reading so much of books, on such topics ' Tina said. From a distance siren of a police van could be heard. " Now i think we can get out of here you heard that " Tina said happily. A cop got out after halting his car and asked them what was, thrir problem. After they explained him he said " dont worry i will tow you its not good to be stuck outin the snow like this. As its going to snow more heavily in the night " he said. " That was, really a, good thing that cop riding from this isolated road " Erica, said gleefully. " Yes really i thought we, would be stuck here till the whole night only " Tina said opening her car window more now. The police man towed their car. Snow was turning into a blizzard. Half an hour went by as Tina, said " now i am going home and just sleeping. You better go to sleep too as, we are going tomorrow to grannys house and packing still i have to do. " Erica said " no problem there i always pack light. " The cop as, he left them at their house told them to be careful. Tinas mother was, sitting in the hall and as, she entered said " its, snowing so heavily where you were the whole midnight " as, Tina explained her all of