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Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

She pushed the heavy wooden door open and stepped outside. Icy air immediately bit her face, swept across the streets by a perishing wind.
Taking a deep breath, she set out for her journey.

Despite it was still early, darkness already crept over the horizon. Solitary snowflakes descended from the sky. Snow had kept on falling the whole day, but now the stream of white flakes tapered off. Still, it was bitterly cold, streets and houses were covered in white blankets.

She looked back at the imprints she had left in the untouched new snow. Besides her, there was not one soul in sight in the deserted streets. Only the glimmer of light shining from numerous windows broke through the dismal scenery. Everywhere people were sitting in their festively decorated rooms, enjoying the warmth of homely chimney fires or an unhurried cup of tea. Candles flickered and golden stars sparkled, supported by long chains of fairy lights.

With a sigh, she thought of her own warm room, pulled her leathern bag close and moved on. Snowflakes accumulated on her black woollen hat and her dark blue coat, resembling small stars on a night sky. The small park she was passing by looked as if enchanted; a blanket of snow covered plants and trees, frosting them like sugar coating.

A deafening crash abruptly severed her reveries; in horror she watched enormous icicles breaking from the roof edge of a house opposite the street, carrying down a good part of its rusty gutter. The buildings in the district she was approaching now where aged and ailing. Many lay empty, deserted by their inhabitants a long time ago. She passed several decaying office blocks and factory buildings. The plaster flaked off their walls in big chunks, windows were shattered or boarded up. Rusty doors hung askew in their hinges, uttering wailing squeals when they were moved by a strong gust of wind.

Instinctively she quickened her pace. She moved determinedly towards one of the old factory buildings. Its walls were grey and dirty, the windows blind. She opened a narrow, squeaking door, eaten up by rust as much as the big gate at whose side it was attached.

Once she closed the door behind her, she felt the wind cease. She sighed with relief, took the hat off her head and shook the snowflakes off her long curls. Her eyes catched another rusty metal door in the wall on her right. It was ajar, letting through a glimmer of light and the sound of muffled voices. Carefully, she pushed it open a little bit more and slipped inside. She had reached the factory's former production hall.

Yet, she was not alone. Amongst decomissioned machines and equipment were standing a handful of men. They clustered around a big metal barrel, in which they had lighted a small fire, providing light and heat. She looked upon the men's faces, lighted by the glow of the flames. Most of them were advanced in years, their features marked by harsh experiences which had left their imprints.

Finally, she beheld the familiar face she had been looking for. These eyes she would recognise anywhere. Their deep ocean blue now gleamed with joy when his eyes met hers. She smiled and walked up to him.

He was the youngest member of the group, barely older than herself. Yet, he looked incredibly lost and tired, standing there in his old dirty jeans and his raddled coat. Now he smiled at her happily.

"I didn't expect you to come", he said.
As a reply, she just smiled and produced from her bag a big thermos bottle full of hot, fragrant tea and a stack of mugs. Afterwards she handed him a large, coloured tin box.

With surprise he opened the lid and peeked inside. His hungry stomach rejoiced upon the sweet scent of self-made cookies. Speechless with delight, he looked at her with big sparkling eyes.

She kissed him gently on the cheek and softly said:
"Merry Christmas!"

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

She pushed the heavy wooden door open and stepped outside. Icy air immediately bit her face, swept across the streets by a perishing wind.
Taking a deep breath, she set out for her journey.

Despite it was still early, darkness already crept over the horizon. Solitary snowflakes descended from the sky. Snow had kept on falling the whole day, but now the stream of white flakes tapered off. Still, it was bitterly cold, streets and houses were covered in white blankets.

She looked back at the imprints she had left in the untouched new snow. Besides her, there was not one soul in sight in the deserted streets. Only the glimmer of light shining from numerous windows broke through the dismal scenery. Everywhere people were sitting in their festively decorated rooms, enjoying the warmth of homely chimney fires or an unhurried cup of tea. Candles flickered and golden stars sparkled, supported by long chains of fairy lights.

With a sigh, she thought of her own warm room, pulled her leathern bag close and moved on. Snowflakes accumulated on her black woollen hat and her dark blue coat, resembling small stars on a night sky. The small park she was passing by looked as if enchanted; a blanket of snow covered plants and trees, frosting them like sugar coating.

A deafening crash abruptly severed her reveries; in horror she watched enormous icicles breaking from the roof edge of a house opposite the street, carrying down a good part of its rusty gutter. The buildings in the district she was approaching now where aged and ailing. Many lay empty, deserted by their inhabitants a long time ago. She passed several decaying office blocks and factory buildings. The plaster flaked off their walls in big chunks, windows were shattered or boarded up. Rusty doors hung askew in their hinges, uttering wailing squeals when they were moved by a strong gust of wind.

Instinctively she quickened her pace. She moved determinedly towards one of the old factory buildings. Its walls were grey and dirty, the windows blind. She opened a narrow, squeaking door, eaten up by rust as much as the big gate at whose side it was attached.

Once she closed the door behind her, she felt the wind cease. She sighed with relief, took the hat off her head and shook the snowflakes off her long curls. Her eyes catched another rusty metal door in the wall on her right. It was ajar, letting through a glimmer of light and the sound of muffled voices. Carefully, she pushed it open a little bit more and slipped inside. She had reached the factory's former production hall.

Yet, she was not alone. Amongst decomissioned machines and equipment were standing a handful of men. They clustered around a big metal barrel, in which they had lighted a small fire, providing light and heat. She looked upon the men's faces, lighted by the glow of the flames. Most of them were advanced in years, their features marked by harsh experiences which had left their imprints.

Finally, she beheld the familiar face she had been looking for. These eyes she would recognise anywhere. Their deep ocean blue now gleamed with joy when his eyes met hers. She smiled and walked up to him.

He was the youngest member of the group, barely older than herself. Yet, he looked incredibly lost and tired, standing there in his old dirty jeans and his raddled coat. Now he smiled at her happily.

"I didn't expect you to come", he said.
As a reply, she just smiled and produced from her bag a big thermos bottle full of hot, fragrant tea and a stack of mugs. Afterwards she handed him a large, coloured tin box.

With surprise he opened the lid and peeked inside. His hungry stomach rejoiced upon the sweet scent of self-made cookies. Speechless with delight, he looked at her with big sparkling eyes.

She kissed him gently on the cheek and softly said:
"Merry Christmas!"