The smell of hot chocolate brings a sense of warmth and comfort, accompanying the tranquil trickles of water droplets gliding gently on the window. The flames of the campfire dance with brazen zealotry, defending the room against the ever looming cold.
Slurping the hot chocolate with an almost arrogant attitude, he puts his feet up on the table. He is carefree, not having to worry for his own safety, from the freezing weather raging outside. He is protected, insulated from the deadly outdoors.
He is reading a book. Today, the topic is thermodynamics. It's hard for him to understand the second law; from his perspective he will always be warm, safe and content in this room. He will never have to feel the cold burning his clean, pastel skin.
His friend breaks the silence. They are concerned because they read something in the newspaper. Something about worsening weather conditions in the area. He discounted his friend's worry. They are warm here. They are comfortable.
His ears are engulfed in the wails of the irate gusts of gale, relentlessly slamming into the walls of the room. He could no longer see raindrops on the windows; only the rapid and chaotic emergent patterns of furious hail firing into the window. The wind is only interrupted by the boisterous boom of thunder, getting louder and louder with each passing minute.
He's scared. So's his friend. He thought he could stay warm, but now that thought is dismally unlikely. They can only stay close to the fireplace and hope for a miracle.
The sound of crunching ricochets through the room. Something has given way. The worst has come. The roof of the room gives way; twisting, contorting, and finally splitting in half. The shrieks of the wind bellow into a sinister crescendo, its choral resonance detached and sombre. The bitter, wraith-like hands of the cold reach through the gaps in the roof, reaching out for him and his friend.
They are plunged into the unfeeling cold, which washes over them like a mist of acid. A full body burning sensation ripples through their nerves, frostbite scratching at their eyes.
Whatever was left of the residual warmth of the room has completely dissipated.
Him and his friend hug each other, desperately clinging to each other's own body heat.
In the unforgiving cold of the winter, they only have each other to hold on to.
