Snow | L.S.

Day One

"What do you mean he's not coming?" Louis almost swerved off the snowy, single-track road when his mother broke the news to him through his car's Bluetooth speaker. His sharp tone caused his labradoodle, Clifford, to perk up from his nap on the passenger seat.

"I mean, he's not coming to see us this year, babe," Johannah repeated with a sad sigh.

"Again?"

"I don't know what to tell you. I told him about our plans for Christmas last month and he said he'd come but he phoned me last night to say that something else came up."

Louis rubbed his eyes. He was unsure if it was his contacts making his eyes burn or the fact he had just driven eight hours with only one disappointing stop at Coventry's Welcome Break.

"What's the point of inviting him if he's going to keep bailing at the last minute? I'd just stop doing it from now on, then he won't keep letting us all down each year," Louis grumbled, squinting through the darkness ahead of him, trying to look out for his turn-off.

"Of course, I'm going to invite him. He's still your father!"

"Hasn't felt like it since this new bird."

Johannah sighed. "Look, Louis, I know things have been... difficult-"

Louis scoffed.

"-But he's trying... Just at the moment, her children are his first priority."

"Yeah, never mind his children, right?"

Johannah fell silent for a moment. Louis resented his bitter tone and he mentally chastised himself for taking it out on his mum.

"What time do you reckon you'll arrive here?" Johannah changed the subject with a chirpy edge to her voice.

"I reckon about one?" Louis replied taking the next left down another narrow country road into the clearing of woodland. He switched on his windscreen wipers when the snow fell heavier against the glass. "I'm in Cumbria now. Just down the road from the cabin."

"Well, you be careful, okay? The weather really is awful. They reckon there's going to be a heavy snowfall tomorrow morning and for the rest of the week."

"I doubt it. They say that every time we get snow, and then the next day, it rains and the snow turns to slush."

"Fair point. But still, make sure you wrap up warm. It's really cold out there, and just be wary of people around the woods wandering-"

"I'll be alright, Mum," Louis tried to reassure his worrying mother. "I'm in my cabin for the night with central heating. No weirdos are going to come knocking in the middle of nowhere. I'm safe here, okay?"

In front of him, he approached two brick pillars, marking the entrance of his cabin's driveway, with a sign on the left one, partly covered by fresh snow, reading: PINE LODGE.

"Okay." She seemed unconvinced. "Give me a bell when you're back on the road."

"Will do. I'll see you tomorrow, Mum," Louis said as he came to a stop in front of his cabin's garage.

"See you tomorrow. Love you."

"I love you, too."

When the call ended, Louis turned off the engine and he was plunged into an eerie silence. He rested his forehead against the steering wheel. "Bastard," he muttered.

A wet nose sniffed his ear and he sat back up, turning his head to see Clifford panting when he recognised where they were. Louis scratched behind his ears before exiting the vehicle and taking his keys with him.