The two girls threw themselves at the door, only to find it locked. Hayley swore as she tried to force it open, but she could barely grip the handle that was slick from the storm. Melody pounded her fists on the door and shouted out in desperation until she could hear the locks being undone from within. The door swung inward to reveal a wizened old man, apparently surprised by these late night visitors.
"Please sir, you have to hide us," Hayley pleaded. The man looked unsure for a moment, but then nodded and allowed the frightened girls to enter. He had barely shut the door behind them when yet another person began knocking. The elderly man ushered Hayley and Melody behind a long desk before answering.
"Yes, what is it?" he asked, exasperated.
"I'm searching for two stowaways," the officer explained. "They ran down this way, have you seen them?"
"You mean those two girls? Yes, I've seen them," the man admitted. Hayley heard Mel's sharp intake of breath next to her; she had hoped the man wouldn't give them up. "They came bangin' on my door, causin' a nuisance, much like you. I sent them on their way of course. D'you really think I'd let in some nuts off the street!" Hayley relaxed; this man could be trusted.
"Thank you sir," grumbled the officer. "Sorry to trouble you." And with that, he left.
"Alright, you girls can come out," the man said, as Hayley and Melody peered over the top of the desk.
"We can't thank you enough!" said Hayley, rising to her feet.
"Yeah, but we better be going," Melody headed towards the door.
"Not so fast," the man put out an arm to stop them. "After all that, you at least have to explain what that was all about."
Melody opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say a thing, a mass of groggy-looking boys wandered down a flight of steps across the lobby.
"Kloppman, what the hell is going on down here?" demanded a tall boy with brown hair.
"Easy Cowboy, I'm still figuring that out myself," replied the man, whose name was apparently Kloppman. All eyes turned and focused on the girls.
"Hayl, you wanna take this one?" asked Melody.
"Actually I was hoping you'd talk," she whispered back.
"So your name's Hail? Like this stuff?" Kloppman brushed the ice from her hair. "You must be freezing. I'll find you girls some blankets."
"Um, actually it's Hayley," she said as he wandered off.
"Too long—we'll stick with Hail," the boy named Cowboy grinned. Hayley started to protest, but her friend cut in.
"Sorry to wake you boys up, but the cops were on our tail," Melody explained.
"And what's your name toots?" piped up a short Italian.
"Melody," she shot the boy a glare, practically daring him to try and change it.
"Well as thrilling as this all is, I'm going back to bed," declared a gangly boy with a crutch. As he limped back up the stairs, the other boys followed suit, yawning as they went. It was too early to be interested in anything.
"So where're you girls headed?" Kloppman asked and tossed the woolen blankets he had found to them.
"Um…" Hayley realized she had no idea. She looked to Melody for support, but her friend only shrugged. The man named Kloppman chuckled softly and shook his head.
"You girls can stay here for the night, and we'll get you on your way in the morning," he offered. The girls were too weary to argue, so they followed as he led them up the same stairs the boys had gone up. They soon found themselves in a large room, filled with rows of bunks. "There's empty beds in the far corner. Washroom's just past there, to the right. I'm going back to sleep." Kloppman proceeded back down the way he came, leaving the girls alone.