Bhí Niamh agus Cillian ina suí ina seomra beag dorm.

Niamh and Cillian were sitting in their small dorm room.

Bhí mí Lúnasa a chríochnaigh cúpla mí ó shin ag tabhairt a gcéad samhradh na hollscoile chun deirí.

The month of Lúnasa had finished a few months ago, bringing their first college summer to an end.

Bhí siad ag pleanáil fillte abhaile don tSamhain.

They were planning a return home for Samhain.

Lasmuigh, bhí stoirm gan choinne ag réabadh.

Outside, an unexpected storm was raging.

Bhí gach rud socraithe acu.

Everything was arranged.

Bhí ceapairí pacáilte ag Niamh, agus bhí Cillian ag tnúth go mór le béilí baile a fháil.

Niamh had packed sandwiches, and Cillian was looking forward to getting home-cooked meals.

Ach anois, stop an stoirm gach gluaisteán agus eitleán.

But now, the storm had halted all cars and planes.

Bhí aerlínte curtha ar ceal agus traenacha gan siúl.

Airlines were canceled, and trains stood still.

D'aois siad ar an mbealach abhaile, ach bhí fórsaí an nadúir glan in éadan a dtoil.

They were on their way home, but the forces of nature were firmly against their will.

“Cad a dhéanfaimid anois?” d’fhiafraigh Cillian, ag cur an seomra beagachasamhraidh in áit ina mhála taistil.

“What will we do now?” asked Cillian, putting the small summer room in place into his travel bag.

“Níl aon slí eile abhaile?”

“Is there no other way home?”

“B’fhéidir go mbeidh orainn fanacht anseo,” a dúirt Niamh, díomách, agus a súile dírithe ar an bhfuinneog tríd an bhfeidhm rua, ag féachaint ar an sciobol lasmuigh ag cúrsáil faoin ghaoth láidir.

“Maybe we’ll have to stay here,” said Niamh, disappointed, her eyes fixed on the window through the rusty pane, watching the barn outside being tossed by the strong wind.

“Ach b’fhéidir gur seans é le haghaidh rud éigin nua.”

“But maybe it’s a chance for something new.”

Bhí díomá ar an mbeirt no, ba bhreá leo dul abhaile.

Both were disappointed; they would have loved to go home.

Ach bhí an ollscoil fós ann, lena suaimhneas féin.

But the university was still there, with its own peace.

Agus mar sin, shocraigh Niamh agus Cillian go mbeadh siad fágtha ann chun an laethanta fóillíochta a chaitheamh le mic léinn eile a bhí fágtagtha chomh maith.

And so, Niamh and Cillian decided to stay there to spend the idle days with other students who were also left behind.

D’oscail siad a gcuid ballaí crochta de phóstaeir agus d’iarr ar dhaoine eile a bheith páirteach leo.

They opened their hanging walls of posters and invited others to join them.

Bhí an stoirm lasmuigh ach uaireadóir chloig.

The storm outside was just a matter of hours.

Bhí Niamh ag ligean le huirlisí bíocha ag damhsa ar an stac iad, cinnteach ar a bealach teach ná fágtha go fóill.

Niamh let instruments play on their stand, sure she hadn't left the house just yet.

Bhí an samhain speisialta tagtha, agus ar deireadh, bhain Niamh taitneamh as an t-am a caitheamh le cara nua, ag fáil an tuiscint nach oileán í ina haonar é an baile.

The special Samhain had arrived, and finally, Niamh enjoyed the time spent with a new friend, realizing that home is not an island by itself.

Mar a bhí an stoirm tagtha i dtír go deireadh an tseachtain, bhí bannaí déanta, agus an choireán chlementíne shundna a bhí, bhí an lasmuigh anois mar sholas gealstaír sa dorchacht.

As the storm subsided towards the end of the week, bonds were made, with the bright clementine halo outside now shining as a guiding star in the darkness.

Bhí an Aonach Cíosa ag ceangal anois.

The Aonach Cíosa was now tying them together.

Faoi dheireadh, thuig Niamh nach raibh deireadh an shéasúir go dtí gur tharraing sí leis an Aonach deas chéile an bhaile – ifreann ní haon áit amháin é, ach na daoine ina dtimpeall.

In the end, Niamh realized that the end of the season wasn't until she drew it with the fair of a close-knit home community — hell isn't just one place, but the people around it.