Glass: Reader Requests

Common Room IV

A gentle knocking stirred them from sleep. Margaux was the first to wake, forcing her eyes open in a haze of confusion only to realise she'd been sleeping with her head on Sherlock's chest. She sat up as another knock rattled the door and nudged him in his side.

"What?" he grumbled.

"Someone's at the door, go and answer it," she whispered.

"Why me?"

"Just go."

He groaned and reluctantly forced himself out of bed, wandering sleepily across the room and running a hand through his hair.

Margaux watched from the bed as he opened the door, relaxing slightly at the sound of a kind, familiar voice.

"Sorry love," said the woman from the desk. "We're just going 'round all the rooms due to check out today to let you know we're pretty much completely snowed in."

"Snowed in?" Margaux replied, rising to her feet and joining Sherlock at his side.

She nodded sympathetically. "The roads are blocked, car park, everything."

Sherlock's brow furrowed. He turned around and rushed to the window, pulling back the thin curtain and squinting as he looked out. There was nothing but snow; thick, impenetrable walls of crisp, sparkling white. It had hidden the road and swallowed the fences and walls, buried the Jeep up to the door handles as it sat in the car park below.

"They've had trucks and gritters 'round trying to clear it but it's completely frozen over," the woman continued. "The Met Office put out an amber warning about an hour ago. It looks like you're not going to be able to head out today."

"No, no no no no," he muttered to himself.

"That's why we're going 'round now, to let everyone know."

"No, this is... this is not good," he continued.

"This room's yours until you're able to leave. We won't charge for the extra nights."

"Thank you, we appreciate that," said Margaux.

"And we'll be putting on dinners as well as breakfasts."

"How long?" asked Sherlock as he returned to the door. "How long is it going to be like this?"

"We're still waiting for today's forecast. I honestly don't know, we haven't seen weather like this in years."

Margaux folded her arms. "Well thank you for letting us know."

"No worries, love. Sorry again for disturbing you."

The woman left and Margaux closed the door, turning around and leaning back against it. Her eyes followed him as he paced the floor, covering his mouth in disbelief.

"Didn't I say last night we'd end up snowed in," she said.

"I can't stay here."

"It's just an extra day. Maybe two."

"No, you don't understand, I need to get that toothbrush to London-"