I’d dropped my Jeep into four-wheel-drive a few miles back and was crawling through snow up to my bumper when I saw a dark shape in my headlights. It was someone struggling down the snow-covered road. I pulled up and hollered at them to get in. Taking the shoulder duffel and putting it in the back seat I helped them in and turned up the heater. Damn, they had to be nearly frozen.

Nothing was said as I kept on towards my cabin. I’d gone into town to shop when this blizzard hit hard. I had no idea where someone could be walking to out here in nowhere. Taking glances I did figure out it was a female but not much else.

I only got about half way up the driveway when it just wouldn’t go any further. Telling my passenger to grab her bag, I got the groceries in each arm and began wading through the knee-deep drifts. Fortunately the cabin wasn’t far but then I discovered that the power was out. Oh Shit! First thing was to turn on the battery-powered lights.

Leaving the cold groceries outside I grabbed some small pieces of wood from the big stack under the porch of the cabin and started a fire in the Heat-a-lator fireplace. Then I had to drain the water system so it didn’t freeze up. The well pump wouldn’t be working anyway. I also got out the PortaPotty to take care of that need for a few days.

Finally I could attend to my unknown “guest” who was working on the fire and had a nice one going. “Are you hungry?” was the first thing I said to her, still bundled up. She nodded so I put together some quick sandwiches and chips. She wolfed them down and I made another. Then she unwrapped her snow-wet coat and scarf and she was a young one. I’m in my late thirties.

“Hi, finally. I’m Ted. And you are?”

“Stel, short for Stella which I hate.”

“Where are you going out her in the wilderness?”

She stared at me in silence for a bit, “Here I guess.” No explanation and didn’t seem to want to give one either.

I replied, “Good thing I came along or you might be an ice cube by now. There is nothing else out here for a very long way.”

“Yeah, I guess.” More mystery.

I continued, “Good thing I prepared this place for the worst because we are about to get it, looks like. There is three feet of snow predicted and it won’t melt for four days. That’s why I ran into town to get more food but it was just for me. We’ll get by though.” She just nodded, staring into the fire.

I was busy putting the food away and tending to other little housekeeping tasks while she just stared at the fire. There was a big can of chili which I opened and put in a pot that could hang on an arm that swung over the fire and was soon warm enough to eat. Not as good as homemade but awfully good for the circumstances especially with the cornbread I’d bought.

It was getting late and something else needed to be done. “Stel, I could use some help.” That perked her up a bit. “Let’s bring the mattress here in front of the fire. There is only one bed and it will be warm enough that way. We’ll have to keep the fire going.” She looked at me, realizing that she’d have to share, but did help and we put extra blankets and comforter on it too.

I was cold in the bathroom where the PortaPotty was but you didn’t have to stay there long. I stripped down to my underwear and scooted under the covers after stoking the fire and bringing in extra wood to add to it later. Stel kept her jeans and sweatshirt on as she worked her way under them too. I kept my distance and she seemed tense. Sleep came quickly.

I awoke in the night and stoked the fire before I went back to sleep. She was snoring lightly.

It was cold at dawn as I awoke and felt her snuggled against my back. I didn’t want to get up to get the fire bigger but it was essential. So was peeing! I worked my way back under the covers and she woke up, surprised she was facing me now. “May I snuggle with you, Stel?” She made a face and then whispered, “I guess.” It felt good to someone who hadn’t been in a bed with another person in several years.

Then I was surprised when she uttered, “Are you going to fuck me?”

I didn’t reply immediately but pulled back, “I hadn’t planned on it. Why do you ask?”

“Because men always want to.”

“Do you want me to?”

“No.”

“OK, then I won’t. Let’s fix breakfast.” She went to pee and I got food out, boiling some water on the fire and making a big pot of oatmeal with raisins and dried cherries. She gobbled it up, as hungry as last night, it seemed.

The snow had stopped falling and was drifted almost up to the windows. Now to get it to melt. Still no power but we had a good fire and bottled water. I had a book to read which helped since we were out where cell service was non-existent. Really isolated. Stel looked through my small library and found something to occupy her time. Good. She didn’t seem to want to converse.

At lunch, sandwiches and chips, she was still withdrawn. Of course I was curious but being considerate was important. I had to ask, “Where can I take you when we get out of here?”

She had a rather blank look on her face, “I don’t know. To a town maybe.”

“Stel, what’s going on? I’m concerned about you. Your remark about raping bothered me a lot last night. I would never consider such a thing. Sure I like sex and it’s been months but my partner has to sincerely want it or I don’t.”

That softened her tense face a bit. “Do you really care? Most men I meet don’t.”

“You’ve been among the wrong kind but I understand that can happen. I hope you realize that I’m not and will do what I can to help you but I have to know how.”

Her face tightened up again, “Maybe you are just looking to find my weak spot so you can take advantage.”

“Believe me, considering the circumstances I’d have done it already, don’t you think? Would I really be talking about your concerns?”

She pondered that a bit. “You have seemed awfully nice but I just don’t trust men. I am running away from my stepbrother’s house where my step dad made me stay after my mom died. It wasn’t fun.”