THE STORM©

By Richard A. Falb

 

It seemed it couldn't make up its mind and neither could we. The clouds were dark, or at least some of them. There was even some distant thunder, although no lightning was visible to us. This threat of a storm had come up in a hurry and caught us by surprise. We were on an afternoon hike down an old logging road from the big cabin. Actually it was really a lodge.

It tried to rain for a few minutes. Not very seriously. Kind of lackadaisical, actually. A few drops here and there. You could literally run between those raindrops. We were in a quandary. We didn't know if it was a hint of what was to come, or if it really wasn't serious. Maybe it was saying, "Just teasing." That was what I was hoping.

We couldn't be sure, that is why we went into the old cabin by the side of the road. We hadn't paid any attention to how far we had gone from the Lodge.

We were a group of young people who didn't have much experience with the woods. I was now sorry I hadn't paid attention to how far we had gone. I should have, I had been in the woods for a couple of weeks one summer. Of course I was really young then.

This cabin wasn't much, but it was shelter. For a few minutes the storm seemed to get more serious. It wasn't raining hard, but it definitely was raining. Then it started to get really serious. Coming down harder. I'm glad we decided to stay put temporarily. We can stay dry here, although it would be much more comfortable in the big cabin with its big fireplace. It would be fun to be sitting in front of that fireplace with a roaring fire and listen to the rain on the roof. The big cabin is really snug. It was built for snowy winters. I have grave doubts it will be much fun in this cabin, even though it has a fireplace.

It's teasing us again. It sounds as if it is letting up, just daring us to start back for the big cabin. Then it opens up again and comes down hard. It still is not a pouring rain but we don't know. It could open up at any time. This one had been strange.

We came out on the hike because we thought it was going to miss us to the north. We weren't predicted to get any rain. Of course we hadn't checked with anyone. A group of us just started out. Tip had talked Cindy into coming with us. That looks like it was a big mistake. She's the youngest, at least she looks like the youngest, maybe fifteen or sixteen. She was the most obviously scared at the moment. None of us were looking particularly brave. None of us had any experience being out in the woods in a storm.

It stopped now. Can hear a drop now and then. That could be dripping from the trees. We were surrounded by trees. Actually we were in the middle of a big forest. The old road we came down, really only an old logging road, runs in front of this cabin. The road runs from the big cabin down here and only a little ways beyond.

They had plans for building more cabins when they built the lodge. Why I don't know. It really is in the middle of nowhere. The stream that used to run through here is pretty much dried up now. I think they had plans to deepen and widen the stream but it didn't make any sense. All this is past history. That is why this cabin we are in is kind of rundown, although in this weather provides adequate shelter. It was only meant to serve as an emergency shelter when needed.

It is starting to get dark, so we have to make up our minds quickly. Do we stay the night here or do we try to get back to the big cabin. We didn't tell anyone where we were going or how long we would be away. I doubt that anyone will think to come looking for us. Unfortunately we only have one flashlight and that is a real small one. Not much good for this country. We had planned to be back to the big cabin well before dark. We hadn't considered the storm might move in.

It stopped raining, but it's really dark. It would be stupid for us to try to find our way back in the dark. I'm hoping Joanie is awake. She'll raise a hue and cry and make them take the big torches and look for us. They even could come down the road in the jeep and the pickup truck. The jeep is covered and the pickup is an extended cab. We could all crowd into those.

Let's face it. I'm just dreaming. No one would bother to come looking for us. They probably won't miss us until morning. That is unless Joanie is awake. She was taking a nap when we left so we got away without telling her where we were going. Kate was busy in the office and didn't notice. Neither of them would consider we would be stupid enough to get this far away from the Lodge. They knew none of us had any experience in the woods. That is why we were all up here. We were planning to just go a short distance down the road. We got to talking and fooling around and didn't pay attention to how far we had gone. We just lost track of time and distance.

Well there went our chances. It is starting to really lightning and thunder and it was pouring down. We were going to be here for a while, I realized. I decided we had better find some candles. We needed some light in the cabin. Being out here in the dark could be real scary especially in a storm. There was no electricity.

I don't think anyone else thought of that. No one else was doing anything. They were all standing around and looking scared, almost as if they were petrified. I knew there were some candles in this cabin. Then we would also have to check and see if there was some wood, out in back, for the fireplace.

This cabin did have a fireplace and I remember hearing they often stored wood in back in case someone had to use the fireplace. Maybe it wouldn't be so scary if we had some light and a fire going. I didn't want any of the girls getting really scared and throwing a fit.

It was looking like I had to take charge. Mark, Stan, Tip and Hefty were standing around looking bewildered and just a slight bit scared. Maybe it wasn't just the girls we had to worry about.

It was getting pretty dark in the cabin. Mark and Stan, I know, had no experience with the woods. It was surprising Hefty had been allowed to come up here. He had given me the impression he was kind of a momma's boy. I really didn't know, it was just my impression. Tip was just hanging around Cindy. She was the cutest of the girls. He had talked her into coming along. She was looking real scared, but Tip didn't look any better. I probably could count on some help from Tess and maybe Connie. Actually they looked less scared than the guys. Cel was an unknown quantity as far as I was concerned. She had been the quiet one.

I scrounged around in the cupboards and found some candles and some candle holders. I had to do something to keep up my own courage. I lit a few and put them on the counter so I could see. Luckily there were an adequate number of candles and some dishes we could use as improvised candleholders. I had matches and a lighter, although I never smoked. I found out Tess had some matches also so I set her to lighting some more candles and having the rest put them around the cabin to light up the place a little. I figured I could trust them to at least do that much. Make it a little cheerier at least. They did give a little flickering light.

After we had the candles around, I took a look at the fireplace. I could see there was a little kindling and some logs by the fireplace. There wasn't enough for the night, even I knew that. I got Tess and Mark to go with me to the back door. It took some talking go get Mark to go.

The door had big wooden latches keeping it closed. I got Connie to stand by the door with a candle to keep the door open and a little light to see with. Luckily there wasn't much wind and the cabin provided some shelter. Tess had a candle and she and Mark came with me out back. I'm glad Tess came willingly, it kind of bolstered my courage. I saw they had plenty of wood out there and it was under the eaves and still dry.

Tess held the candle while I loaded Mark with an armful of wood. Then I got an armful of wood and Tess went before me back into the cabin. Mark only made one trip and didn't come back out. He just stood around in there and shivered. I just shook my head, looked at Tess and shrugged. Tess and I made several more trips and then I got a bucket and got two loads of kindling. I figured that should last us through the night with what had been in the cabin.

When I came back in, I looked around before I started the fire. Cindy looked like she was going to break out crying at anytime. I think she was the youngest of the group. Tip tried to sidle up to her and put his arm around her. She took a swing at him and really meant it. He backed off in a hurry. Actually she was taller than Tip. She just looked young.

Tess was a worldly-wise eighteen-year-old and I was nineteen. She probably had more guts than I did. Actually, Mark and Stan were twenty, but you couldn't tell that by the way they were acting. Connie looked less scared than the guys. She was a petite little thing. Actually she was about five seven. I was six-three. I guess that is why I thought she was a little thing. She was slim.

With the candles glowing the cabin looked a little more inviting, but not much. I got the fire going good and that provided both some more light and a little warmth. It really wasn't that cold, but everyone except Tess and I were shivering. Of course we were the ones doing all of the work. Connie had a little smile on her face when I glanced at her. She was trying hard to look brave. At least she was trying. This was fairly wild country, but not that bad.

Tess gave me a little smile when I got the fire going good. That helped. I was hoping I had calculated right about the right amount of wood, so it would last until dawn. I really didn't want to have to go out in back in the middle of the night. I really wasn't that brave. I knew there were both wolves and bears in these woods although not a lot of them. I think that is what had us all scared, we didn't have any of the staff with us.

We did get the fire going good and the cabin started to warm up. I figured we were here for the night, but I didn't expect to get any sleep tonight. Cindy came over and sat close to where Tess and I were. Tess was tall and attractive, but Cindy was really attractive and almost as tall as Tess. I was surprised at that. I guess from the time I first saw her, she looked young, so I hadn't noticed she was actually taller than all the girls except Tess. Of course, Tess was a little over six feet tall. Mark actually topped me by a half and inch, but he was thin and gangly. I wasn't heavy, but I wasn't thin either.

I kind of looked over the group. Connie looked short in this group because she was petite. Cel could be classified as a big girl. She was probably five nine and stocky built. Hefty was about the same size except heavier. That's how he got his nickname. Tip was nervous and skinny, but he was what most girls would say as good looking. He also had a glorified view of himself. That is until we got him out here in the woods. I think he was really scared. I think Cindy realized that and that is why she took a good swing at him when he tried to move in on her in the cabin. She kind of got disgusted with him, because he wasn't doing anything to help.

Cel had a slightly worried look on her face, but I realized it wasn't any worse than that on Tess' face. I was trying to put up a brave front and a good chatter. I told them I was sure Joanie would light a fire under everyone at the big cabin including the caretaker and his helper. They would probably come looking for us as soon as the storm started to let up. The trouble is I didn't believe that. I figured I had to somehow keep awake and keep this up the rest of the night. Make sure the fire kept burning good. I wasn't trying to be a hero, just being practical. I didn't want any of the group to break down completely. I thought that could happen. I had no idea how any of them would react in this situation. I knew that keeping busy was what was keeping me under control.

It was about midnight or a little after when the storm seemed to start loosing its strength. In fact, it sounded like the rain had ended. It would be nice if I was wrong and they did come looking for us before dawn. I tried to look and sound more hopeful than I was. I figured I had better.

There were two windows in the front of the cabin and they faced the road. They had shutters on them but there was space between the slats. Every once in a while I glanced that way, hoping. Partly because I wanted to appear hopeful, and partly because I really was hoping for a miracle.

Suddenly I noticed lights shining through the slats. Then there was a knock on the door and John's voice boomed out.

"Rescue party is here." John was the caretaker. As he opened the door, Tess practically threw herself into his arms. I hadn't realized how hard she had been fighting not to look scared. Cindy just broke down and cried. Joanie came in and swept her up into her arms.

It was Cel, who just had a small smile on her face. I did a quick revision in my mind of how I saw her. She might have been the bravest of all of us. However, it was obvious she was glad to see them. Of course the guys started acting brave, but it was obvious none of the girls were buying that and they were making it obvious that they weren't.

After John gave Tess a big hug and let her stop shivering, Tess started to talk non-stop.

"If Karand hadn't taken charge, found the candles, got us to put them around after lighting them, then finding the wood and starting the fire in the fireplace, we'd all be still shivering in the dark. Everyone else was petrified of the storm and being out in the woods. The guys were useless. They were worse than the girls." Mark and Tip started to protest, but Cindy and Cel cut them off.

"Karand had to practically drag Mark out to help get some wood and then he only made one trip, then came in and stood around and shivered," Cindy said. "Tip was absolutely useless," she added looking disgustedly at him. Hefty and Stan didn't say a word.

Cindy ran to Joanie and started tell her all about it. I began to look like a real hero the way the girls were telling it. Now that it was all over, it was a little embarrassing. I was trying hard not to shiver myself.

"I just though everyone would feel a little better if we had some light and heat. I remembered John had said there were candles in the cupboard and wood in back. I thought we might have to spend the night here," I said. I tried to make it sound like it was no big deal and I was as scared as the rest. I could see that Joanie and Kate weren't buying that. They both had disbelieving smiles on their faces.

John said, "It's a good thing you lit the fire. We could smell the smoke and figured you were in the cabin, so we came straight here. The weather was heavy so the smoke stayed close to the ground. The wind was blowing our way. We thought you had started out this way." No one was saying any thing about the fact we didn't tell any one where we were going as we should have.

All this while, Connie was in serious conversation with Kate. I learned later, Kate grew up in the woods before she went to college. Her father was a forest ranger. She had an idea how we must have felt stuck out here in the woods in a storm and at night. Especially, as none of us had any real experience with being out in the woods.

I went over to the fireplace and started to try to bank the fire so it would burn out. I felt I had to do something. I didn't want to start shivering like the rest. I felt, if I did something I might get away with it.

As John came up to me, gave me a smile and a gentle pat on the shoulder, I asked, "Will it be safe to let the fire burn itself out?"

"Yes, don't worry about it. That fireplace is a safe one and it will burn itself out in an hour or two, Karand. You won't have to worry about it," John told me.

After Joanie and Kate gave all the girls a hug and ignored the guys, they both came over and gave me a big hug.

Joanie whispered, "It's obvious who got all the responsibility for finding the candles, getting the fire going and keeping everyone from going into a big panic." She held on to me for a few minutes, giving me a moment to unwind. I did let go and shiver for a moment. She knew I wasn't feeling as brave as I had been acting.

Joanie and John herded all the rest out as I started to collect the candles and put them out. I don't know why I started to do that, just something to do, I guess. Kate came and helped me. She had a big torch.

When she and I finished putting the candles back into the cupboard, we were alone in the cabin. She walked up to me, turned off her torch, slipped her arms around me and gave me a big hug and a long kiss. I mean a real kiss. Naturally I put my arms around her and hugged her. She didn't object a bit and didn't try to move away until I had released my hug. She was about six feet, nice and slim and attractive. I hadn't figured I would ever get this close to her. I wasn't complaining. In fact, I started to relax.

"You must have really had a rough time with that group. Tess was probably the only one that was any use to you and then only if you told her what to do. Joanie and I could see the panic written over the faces of all the group except you, Karand."

"I didn't have any choice but to keep it under wraps, Kate," I replied. "If I didn't we'd have drowned out the fire." Kate started to laugh, put her arm around my back, pulled my arm around her back, turned on her torch and started walking me toward the door.

They had gotten everyone settled in the two trucks by the time we got out the door. They put the guys in one truck and the girls in the other. The girls had insisted on that. They weren't having anything to do with the guys. I kind of felt sorry for the rest of the guys, all that is except for Tip, I figured he deserved it. He had been acting the big shot, ever since he got to the Lodge.

I found I was riding in the back of the jeep with Kate. I sure wasn't objecting, especially as she kind of cuddled up to me with a smile and took my arm and put it around her back. I never had it so good. It was really looking like my work in the cabin, with little or no help from the others, was really worth it. I really hadn't planned it that way. I hadn't dreamed what I had done would get this kind of reaction. I really had done it to keep my own courage up.

When we got back to the big cabin, Joanie got the cooks to fix some hot food and hot chocolate for us. Boy that really sounded good. I went over and dropped into a sofa by the side of the big fireplace. There was a nice fire burning in it. I felt I could really use a little warming up. I still hadn't completely unwound. I hadn't realized I had gotten wound up so tight.

As soon as I sat down, Cindy came over with a smile and pushed me toward the middle of the sofa. Then she snuggled in on one side and Tess came and snuggled in on the other. I was really going to get warmed up. Connie folded herself up on the floor in front of me and leaned back against my legs. I got a big smile from all three of them.

I wasn't objecting a bit. I hadn't gotten a lot of attention from any of them up to this time. I guess I was kind of shy and not especially good looking. Not the kind the girls particularly noticed. I figured I might as well enjoy this while I could. It would probably only last a day or two.

 

THE END