Trapped

Chapter 1

Snow had covered the trees and fields with a soft, white blanket. Sparkling snowflakes had turned the countryside into a giant Christmas enchantment. She didn't want to close her eyes, because she wanted to enjoy this spectacular scenery. She was walking barefoot in the snow which started to fall at dawn. Barefoot? How come she didn't feel the biting cold on her feet.

She saw a snowy owl watching her from a high branch about twenty meters ahead of her. She stopped moving as she didn't want to scare the animal away. Its feathers had turned into an elegant white winter coat which made it difficult to spot against the snow.

She was dressed in white too. White duffel coat and ski trousers. But barefoot? She looked around, searching for a house or cabin, but there was no sign of civilization as far as the eye could see. She slowly progressed through the thick layer of snow, heading for the next hill. Perhaps she would find a village on the other side. What she wanted most was a hot glass of milk. And pastries!

By the position of the sun, she guessed it must have been early in the morning. Time for a substantial breakfast. How long had it been since she'd eaten her last meal? She couldn't tell but she was starving.

Suddenly a whisper came out of nowhere. It sounded like a human voice. No, more precisely, a human sigh. She looked everywhere around her, not daring to speak aloud, but hopeful, whoever it was, had a snow mobile. She hoped someone would come by to give her a lift to the nearest inhabited place. She desperately needed to eat. And find some shoes. Where the hell did she leave hers anyway?

She startled when she heard a little click. Was that the sound of a gun? Now she was getting scared. What if there was a hunter in the woods? What if she was mistaken for a prey? She crouched down behind a small heather bush, but was too tall to hide her whole body.

Why not call for help, and reveal her presence to whoever was out there? What if it was a dangerous criminal on the run? She tried to look over the vegetation, but she couldn't spot anyone. What if she was dreaming all this? No, she wasn't dreaming. She was starting to get cold, not because the snow was turning her feet into ice blocks. She was afraid.

Another metallic sound. Like keys being dropped on a table. Table? What table? In the woods? Okay, girl, snap out of it. This is not a dream, it's a nightmare! And you're gonna wake up any time now. Okay? Right. Now get up. That's it. Open you eyes. Look around. The snow's gone. See? You were dreaming. And it's pitch dark.

She sighed silently.

She was awake. What a weird dream!

Yet the sounds were still there. She didn't dare to move. She held her breath. There was someone in her room. The curtains were not entirely closed and the faint moonlight allowed her to see a silhouette in the doorway. By the body shape, she guessed it was a man. A man! She grabbed the first thing she could put her hand on, the book she'd been reading earlier and flung it on the intruder. She heard a cry. She had hit the target!

She sat up and switched on the light. There he was, about 6'1", dark blond hair freely going down his neck. He was wearing a brown jacket, a pair of jeans and unlaced tennis shoes. He had just dropped his keys on the table - That was the metallic sound she'd heard! - and his travel bag on the floor.

"Ouch! Hey, what are-"

"What are you doing in my room?" she shouted, jumping from her bed and snatching one of her walking sticks, which happened to be the closest thing she could use as a weapon. She shook it at him, ready to hit.

He raised both hands in a surrender gesture.

"Don't! I just wanted to sleep."

"In my room?"

She tightened her grip on the stick.

"Hey, I just got here, the reception told me that this was the room they had booked for me. I couldn't open it with the key, so I tried the handle and it wasn't locked."

"I never lock myself in!"

"Yeah, but how could I have guessed there was already someone in here? I figured they had forgotten to lock it, that's all. I'm truly sorry. This is a misunderstanding. I'll go back down and ask for another room. I'm really sorry, Miss."

He started to retreat.

She lowered her improvised weapon.

"I'm... I'm sorry," she said in a shameful tone. "I thought... Whatever. Er... are you OK?" she asked, pointing at the bruise starting to turn red on his forehead.

He raised a hand to the place where the book hit him and rubbed gently.

"Yeah. I think so. What did you hit me with?"

He bent and picked up the book.

"Lord of the Rings. No wonder it hit me so hard!" he smiled and gave her the book.

"Thanks. I'm really sorry, but try to imagine yourself in my place. How would you have reacted?"

The man coughed once, and hoped he wasn't blushing.

"Er... I'd have been... " he was about to say 'flattered' - "I'd have been as surprised as you, I guess."

"I don't wanna be rude, Mr... "

"MacGyver."

"Tanya Giovanni... If you don't mind, I've had a hard day and I'd like to..."

MacGyver was sure he was blushing now. She was wearing silk pajamas that was showing just enough for him to guess she was quite sexy. But still, he was in a woman's bedroom at two in the morning, without having been invited in the first place.

"I'll get these back to the reception," he said grabbing the keys, "and ask for another room. Seems thirteen isn't my lucky number."

"What do you mean, thirteen? This is room eighteen."

He looked at the keys in his hands and checked the number on the door. Thirteen was the woman's room all right, the keys he held were marked eighteen. He suddenly found it hard to breathe properly and choked trying to find a valuable apology.

"I'm awfully embarrassed. I was sure... You see, I've asked this room each time I come here. And I ... Please, trust me, I didn't do this on purpose. I was..."

"Tired. As much as I am. What do you say we call it a day, or even better, a night, and go get some rest, both of us."

MacGyver retreated as if he faced a squadron ready to shoot him. He felt stupid, confused.

"Good night, Mr MacGyver."

"Er... Good night."

He walked backwards, closed the door gently and headed back to the reception.

Alone again. She put the book back on the night table and went to bed. She didn't switch off the light right away. She folded her arms under her head and thought about the intruder. She smiled.

Well, Tanya, the fortune cookie you got last week was right. "The path to a new life may take you in unexpected directions." That much is certain. What an unexpected encounter! In the middle of the night! I wasn't prepared for that one, even if I find the man rather handsome, even cute. OK, forget it. You're not here to find a man. You're here to find yourself. Well, sort of. I wonder if he's gonna stay for a couple of days. If he just checked in, there is a good chance I'll see him at breakfast tomorrow. Forget it. Go back to sleep.

She switched off the light, a glimmer from the moon passing through the curtains. She tried to remember his face in the dark but fatigue took hold of her will. Gradually, she let herself slide in the sweet and warm abandon of sleep.

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TBC

(Well, please tell me what you think. This is an oldie I found in my archives; as it's almost finished, I thought I'd post it as it is. No BR. Mistakes are all mine. Thanks for R&R)