Chapter 34
Chapter 34
A loud clap of thunder wakes me to a sky still flashing with lightening. Rain pounds heavy against the roof. Water sprays in from the open window that I scramble to close. Another thunderous rumble rolls through, echoed by the frightened cries of kids.
"Asher!" I call out, shaking the water off of my arms and rush across the room to his bed.
The next lightening flash illuminates the room and I see him clearly. He's curled in the center of the bed, all wide brown eyes in a pale face. I throw back the covers and he scrambles up into my arms. I tug him up high on my hip and hurry us into the hallway were others are starting to emerge.
Bailey comes stumbling out in a large tshirt stretched over her swollen belly and her one year old clinging to her neck. I catch her arm, steadying her as another clap of thunder rumbles the house. Carol darts out of her room and rushes into the girls room with baby Easton held tight to her chest.
"Daryl!" I shout over all the noise, "Merle!"
Bailey pushes forward and I stay with her, acting as a support as she heads for her twins room. Their window was also open and a flood of water is building below. I release Bailey's arm and run to close the window, nearly slipping in the water. Asher slips a little but still has a tight grip on me so I don't drop him.
"Guys!" I shout again.
Merle appears in the doorway, shirtless and in low riding grey trousers. Lightening flashes, highlighting the scars peppered across his chest and shoulders. He hurries to catch Bailey who collapses onto the bed where her twins are huddled together.
I wave my hand at the water puddle, vanishing it away as I shout over the rain to him, "We need to get everyone downstairs to the sitting room."
It's a mad scramble to get everyone downstairs but we manage it. I pass Asher onto the couch next to Amber and her little girl. He grips my hand but eventually releases me when she pulls him close. Merle settles Bailey and her baby on the couch while Daryl passes over her twin boys. Carol and Danny have the girls cuddled between them on the floor by the plant wall. The storm is still raging loud outside, thunder and lightening chasing each other nearly constantly.
"It's right on top of us," Daryl says, glaring out of the front window where the black sky brightens a moment to show the front garden taking a beating.
"Do we just wait it out?" I ask, trusting the others to know.
"Can't go out in tha," Merle says, shifting so his back and it's scars are facing the kitchen instead of the room. "Imma get a shirt real quick."
"I'll get tha ol' lady," Daryl calls, patting his brothers arm as he passes him to head down the hallway. "An them cult chicks."
Bugger, I had forgotten about them. We were letting them stay the night in the sunroom since it still has the beds from before. It isn't safe though, all that glass. I move to follow Daryl but I can already see Mrs. Debra leading the huddle of girls towards us.
I do a quick headcount to be sure and all of our people are accounted for. Debra takes a chair and the girls flutter around her a moment before settling down on the plush carpet. The sky flashes and a second later thunder rumbles through. Merle comes back downstairs with a black tshirt on. He moves around the room, clearly doing a headcount himself before settling down in a chair.
"I think it's moving away," Danny comments, Emma still huddled against his side.
"Do we need to check on the others?" I ask to the room at large.
"Too dangerous," Daryl answers, nudging me towards the couch where Asher quickly grabs my hand. I scoop him up back on my side where he clings to me.
"We got them mutts in each house, don't we?" Merle asks. "They aughta be fine."
"I wish we could check on them," I grumble, more to myself than to them.
"We'll look for radios or something later," Daryl says, clapping my arm as he moves past me to head for the kitchen.
"How long will this last?" I can't help but ask.
While no one has an answer, it doesn't end until well after noon and even then the rain comes back in spurts and bursts til evening.
Amber tries singing a song and a couple of the girls try telling stories to help while away the time. We have lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sliced peaches. When the rain eases the first time, the brothers and I head out to check the other houses. While everyone was shaken up when it started, they're all doing fine by the time we check on them.
Overall, the day is a waste with everyone feeling restless but it can't be helped. No one can control the weather. All we can do is ride out the storm and clean up the mess when it passes.