Chapter 1 #3
Without waiting for her to reply, I dash to the passenger side of the SUV and harness myself in, two straps over my shoulder and one across my waist.
Glancing in the side mirror, I’m relieved when I see the girl jump into her parents’ car.
Ruka flips every switch we have on the dashboard.
The radar and GPS fill the large screen, and I point where there will be a rotation. “That’s what Reina was talking about. This will definitely give us something. Let’s go!”
Ruka slams the gas, ripping out of the parking lot. Peeking in the rearview to see Millie right behind us. A buzzing sound has me turning my head to the left to see Jessica’s drone.
“Nari?” The radio crackles with Millie’s voice.
Snagging the receiver off the radio, I press the button to speak into it. “What’s up, Reina?”
“Trackers are behind us.”
I shut my eyes and take a deep breath, not wanting to lose focus. Evan has been a pain in my ass for so long, you’d think I’d be used to his behavior by now. Every time I see him, I only become more enraged.
“That’s fine. Let them. That’s all they are good for is following.”
Reina giggles. “You’re going to want to take the next left, and then we will only be a few minutes away.”
Ruka takes the turn at a sharp angle, the tires skidding on the pavement.
“First one of the season. Are you ready?” Ruka asks as we gain on the storm.
“I’m always ready.” Unhooking my camera from the strap, I take pictures of the supercell above us.
She’s beautiful.
“Take the next right!” Reina shouts through the radio.
“Whoa.” I’m jostled in my seat as Ruka takes another hard turn, and I have to steady myself by placing my hand on the window.
Rain pellets against the windshield, followed by skittle-sized hail. I aim my camera at the supercell, watching the beginnings of cloud rotation. I squeal, slapping Ruka’s arm over and over again.
“Do you see it? Look! Look! Look!”
“That’s our mesocyclone. She’ll give us something. Where do you want to park it?” he asks.
“I think this one can be a good attempt at seeing the inside of a funnel.”
He whips his head to me. “You’re sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure. This one won’t produce a strong tornado. It’s perfect.” I snag the receiver. “Jessica. Let Dusty rip. Hang back. Ruka and I are going in.”
“Sounds good, and be careful.”
Their headlights become dimmer as they slow down.
Dusty flies above the clouds to get as much data as we can on this storm.
It’s in the middle of nowhere with a few homes in sight, but depending on the strength and where the supercell heads, every piece of information we receive goes to the weather station, so they are informed.
“Shit. I think this is private property, Nari.” He points to the left where we need to go.
“Punch it, Ruka. We aren’t losing this. I don’t see a sign anywhere. Look, there’s a gate. I’ll open it.” He turns, the tires squelching in the mud.
Opening the door, the wind rushes against my face, the chain on the gate rattling from the force. I slip in the mud, the rain bearing down with so much force that it feels like I’m being stung by bees.
Water soaks me, the small pieces of hail causing me to hiss. I tug on the chain, groaning when I find it locked.
Not for long.
I’m getting into the field. I don’t care what I have to do.
Rushing back to the car, I slam the door and rub the water off my face. “Punch it. The gate is locked.”
“Nari…”
“Go, Ruka!”
“Fuck. If we get arrested, I am telling Mom on you.” He slams his foot on the gas, and the car lurches forward, smashing against the rusted gate with ease.
There are trails from other vehicles, and I’m wondering if this entrance is for emergency responders only. I’ll worry about the consequences later. What’s that saying? It’s better to ask for forgiveness instead of permission?
I’ll apologize until my throat is sore. I don’t care.
“A funnel!” I point towards the sky, the wind rotating the clouds into a gorgeous rope.
“Come on, come on. Touch the ground. Touch,” Ruka pleads.
We cheer when our first tornado of the season lands. The dirt immediately swirls at the bottom, creating a debris field. A wicked growl tries to warn us away, hail licking us as if we were an appetizer.
The car violently shakes. Uneven ground causes us to bounce. Lightning shreds the sky, a loud crack landing across the field. I snap a picture, knowing it’s probably one of the best images I’ve ever taken. The bolt landed right next to one of the most perfect ropes I’ve ever seen.
“Ready?” Ruka asks, driving towards the funnel.
The passenger seat is custom-made for me. With a press of a button, it spins around, the chair sliding towards the middle of the car, and I look through the shatterproof dome to see the swirling sky.
“Ready.”
Ruka drives ahead to get in the tornado’s path. “Anchoring,” he announces. The anchors cut through the dirt, securing us in our position.
The moment the twister hits us, the car shakes. The wind is an ear-piercing howl, rain beating the sides of the car. I tilt my camera up and into the dome, gasping at the sight before me.
I can’t see anything but the havoc of the clouds spinning and the rain slamming against us. The demonic snarl has goosebumps rising on my arms, the hair standing up on the back of my neck.
And then we are in the core.
The inside is beautiful and calm. The clouds circulate, creating a perfect funnel stretching up into the sky. It’s a split moment of clarity, being able to see through the break in the clouds, witnessing a small hue of blue.
I snap as many pictures as I can.
The tornado passes through us, traveling across the field, ripping up grass and dirt. It leaves a path of destruction that is very minimal.
“Holy shit,” Ruka gasps.
“Oh my god!” I shriek with excitement, fumbling with my harness to get out of the car. “Ruka! We did it! Oh my god! Holy shit.” The wind fights with me over the door as I open it.
Ruka runs around the car and picks me up, swinging me around in a circle. “Oh my god, Nari! You did it. We did it! Did you see it? It was beautiful.”
“I know! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything that could ever compare. Ruka, I got the images! We have to follow it.”
The tornado dissipates, leaving us alone in the middle of the torn-up field.
A horn blaring has us turn around to see Millie driving towards us. She parks, and everyone pours out of the van.
“I held my breath when I saw you in there. I thought for sure it was going to suck you up!” Millie hugs me first, squeezing me tight before making her way to Ruka.
“No way. It wasn’t strong enough. We were fine,” I explain.
“I got amazing data for us to analyze,” Jessica says.
“I think we could still follow the storm. It might produce more,” Reina informs, peeking her head into the van to watch the radar. “Wind shear is dying down, though.” The excitement flees from her voice, her shoulders slumping from the possibility of continuing the chase, not being likely.
“That’s okay. We got what we were looking for.”
“Amazing how the lightning made it easier to see. The sky was just lit up. Wow.” Ruka folds his hands behind his head and stares up at the sky. “That was awesome.”
The beat of hooves hitting the ground has me turning my head, seeing a cowboy come up to us on a very large horse.
“Uh oh. We’re in trouble.” Millie pushes her glasses up her nose, and Jessica takes her hand, kissing her wife’s cheek.
The man comes closer, riding up on a beautiful horse that has brown and white scattered all over. A loud neigh sounds when he stops a safe distance away.
I hold my breath, my heart slamming against my chest, when the cowboy and I lock eyes. He’s wearing a black cowboy hat and a long coat to match. Even in the dark cover of the sky, his blue eyes are bright and impossible to miss.
His nostrils flare when he sees me. “May I ask why you’re on my property?” he asks, swinging his leg over to jump onto the ground.
He towers over me in height. His broad shoulders are square underneath that coat, and all I want to do is trace my finger across his chest to see if he is as firm as he appears to be.
Ruka pushes me forward, and I stumble on the wet grass. The cowboy catches me before I can hit the ground. I inhale a sharp breath, my lips wet from the rain, and my hand finds rest in the middle of his strong chest.
Rain pours from the bill of his hat, his eyes searing into me. I swear, they turn red, but in the next moment, I’m staring into eyes so light, they remind me of how clear the sky becomes after a storm.
“You okay, ma’am?” His deep voice rumbles louder than any roll of thunder ever could.
Ma’am.
I scoff internally.
“Nariko,” I correct him, still dipped over his thigh. “Nariko Ohtani.”
“Nariko.” My name drapes over his tongue in a way that makes me wish I could taste it for myself.
Even though one storm ended, this one is just beginning, and it’s building inside my chest.
I know myself.
I’ll chase this feeling to the very end.
No matter the outcome.