The guard coughed. The air was always smoky around the warehouse, and it didn't help that a winter cold front had come and made the air crisp. His breath rolled out visibly before him as his rasping cough continued.
He leaned against the doorframe, rubbing his hands up and down his cold arms. He wished he could be in the tavern two streets over, enjoying warmth and some drink, but he was bound to his post until his replacement arrived.
He heard footsteps, and he turned his head to see a tramp. Or at least, the guard thought he was a tramp. His clothes were a bit cleaner than might be expected, but the guard didn't notice. He only saw that the tramp was waving at him.
"Good sir, could you direct me to the nearest pub?"
"Yeah, yeah. Down the road, left, and three blocks down."
The guard's words were plagued with coughs, and the tramp cocked an eyebrow.
"Are you all right? That's a nasty cough."
"The cold's getting to me..."
"I have a solution."
"Really?"
"It involves fire. Plenty of trash an-"
"Absolutely not!"
"Why? You're cold, aren't you? Wouldn't warming your hands by the fire be so-"
"I can't!"
"But,"
"This is a gunpowder warehouse!"
He leaned against the doorframe, rubbing his hands up and down his cold arms. He wished he could be in the tavern two streets over, enjoying warmth and some drink, but he was bound to his post until his replacement arrived.
He heard footsteps, and he turned his head to see a tramp. Or at least, the guard thought he was a tramp. His clothes were a bit cleaner than might be expected, but the guard didn't notice. He only saw that the tramp was waving at him.
"Good sir, could you direct me to the nearest pub?"
"Yeah, yeah. Down the road, left, and three blocks down."
The guard's words were plagued with coughs, and the tramp cocked an eyebrow.
"Are you all right? That's a nasty cough."
"The cold's getting to me..."
"I have a solution."
"Really?"
"It involves fire. Plenty of trash an-"
"Absolutely not!"
"Why? You're cold, aren't you? Wouldn't warming your hands by the fire be so-"
"I can't!"
"But,"
"This is a gunpowder warehouse!"