The Complex Art of Rosie

Chapter Nineteen

Snowbound Souls

As the week progressed, the Winter weather grew increasingly hostile. Heavy snowfall blanketed the landscape, while an icy wind pierced the skin with chilling precision. Rosie, finding it nearly impossible to traverse the accumulating inches of snow, resorted to driving her car to work.

Within the library's walls, an unusual stillness prevailed. The inclement weather had forced cancellations, rendering classrooms vacant. Battling the biting cold and the relentless snowdrifts, only a handful of visitors sought refuge in the library's sanctuary each day.

Grateful for the library's warm embrace, Rosie shed her sweater, revelling in the comforting radiance. Nestling herself behind the clerk's desk, she immersed herself in the solace of a book, seeking refuge from the dreary day.

Nightfall approached, signalling the end of her shift, when the lights above began to flicker erratically. She glanced up, anticipation lingering as she hoped for their stability.

Yet, the flickering persisted, refusing to relent.

With a sigh of trepidation, Rosie redirected her gaze to her book, endeavouring to ignore the erratic dance of light. However, before she could fully immerse herself, the flickering returned, intensified and abruptly ceased. Darkness engulfed the library, and error messages flashed across the dormant computer screens.

Rosie rose from her seat, a sense of panic surging within her as the inky void consumed the once-illuminated space. Peering through the expansive windows, her eyes strained against the ferocity of the blizzard. The wind roared, its gusts spiralling the snow into an impenetrable whirl. The whiteout had swallowed the world outside, devoid of any sign of life. The neighbouring buildings stood shrouded in darkness, their inhabitants also succumbing to the power outage.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Rosie resolved to retrieve flashlights from the storage room located at the library's rear. Yet, as she prepared to embark on her quest, a familiar figure appeared.

She squinted through the dimness, her vision adjusting gradually until she recognized the approaching silhouette. "Blaze?"

Blaze's eyes rolled in a mild annoyance upon realizing he was trapped in the library and, worse, trapped with Rosie. However, a sense of resigned acceptance mingled with his exasperation.

He had entered the library mere minutes ago, slipping unnoticed past Rosie, engrossed in her reading. Blaze's presence in the library was necessitated by the urgency of printing a last-minute paper due the following day before impending class cancellations due to the worsening weather.

"Just printing some things," he offered a feeble explanation, raising his stack of papers as a weak defence.

Rosie's brow furrowed, observing him as he passed, heading toward the exit. "It's bad out there," she voiced, unable to suppress her concern.

With an air of dismissiveness, Blaze scoffed, his gaze still averted. "Do you expect me to be stranded here with you all night? I'll take my chances with the weather."

Blaze grasped the library door, attempting to pull it open, only to find it stubbornly wedged shut. He tugged with increasing force, but the door remained obstinate, refusing to yield to his efforts.

His abrupt turn caught Rosie off guard, his eyes filled with a flicker of panic that mirrored her growing concern. Without hesitation, she hurried to his side, nudging him aside to open the door. Indeed, it was just a simple prank. But her efforts proved futile as the door remained stubbornly shut, defying all attempts to free them from their confinement.