We were face to face with death during the avalanche. The storm moved in fast and furious, the lights flickered, and suddenly it was dark. The snow was so heavy, we feared the roof would fall in. Now we’ve been snowed in for a week, and everyone has cabin fever. We’re out of sugar and coffee. Someone’s used all the milk. Our supplies have run out. I’m dying for some fresh air.
I thought I saw my father, but I must have been seeing things; he died twenty years ago. He was playing chess with his uncle. He was dressed in white from head to toe. When he saw me, he smiled. I asked him when he was coming back, I asked him but he didn’t answer. He just dropped two sugar cubes into his coffee, and blew on his hands to warm them up.
Sources: Collins COBUILD Primary Learner’s Dictionary, The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms