Chapter 14
Wyatt Woods
After we heard the large booming sound, my heart raced with adrenaline.
The sound of harsh winds dissipated, and all we could hear was the soft tapping of rain against the side of the house.
With the strength of the wind and the loud crashes against the house, I was afraid that we might end up trapped down here.
My hand searched for the flashlight that should be on the shelf.
When I set up the storm cellar, I tried to keep everything in its place, for emergencies, just like now.
As I grasped the handle and flipped the switch to the on position, I let out a sigh of relief.
Or at least I did until I attempted to open the door.
I tried several times, giving everything I could to push the door open.
It was no use, we were trapped. I didn’t want to scare Emily or Valerie, but I had to tell them the door was blocked, and we wouldn’t be getting out anytime soon.
“Ladies, we have a slight problem, so don’t be alarmed.”
“We’re stuck?” Valerie blurted out.
So much for trying to not alarm anyone, “Yes, but it’s only temporary.”
“Should we call 9-1-1?”
“None of us are injured. So, I wouldn’t consider that an emergency. Plus, I don’t have my cell phone. I left it in the truck.”
She pulled her phone out from her back pocket. “I called your mom’s phone number earlier and got a recording. So if the landlines are still down, I can message Devin to inform him about our situation and location.” I nodded, informing her to go ahead and try .
Valerie blinked her eyes. I realized she was trying to gain control of her emotions in the situation we were in. Both girls shivered as they were drenched from head to toe after running in the rain. I stood and began to rustle through storage boxes.
I had several blankets and old clothes that I intended to donate to charity. I gave clothes to both of them so they could change out of their wet garments. I put up two makeshift areas, a dressing room and a bathroom. Once they were changed, we huddled up to keep warm.
When Valerie sat down, I noticed she was holding her wrist against her body. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Come on, let me see.” I knew she slipped and fell, and now I feel like an idiot that I didn’t check on her sooner.
“It’s nothing.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. ”
She sighed and held out her hand. There was some slight swelling at the wrist. I was glad she didn’t wear jewelry, or I’d have had to remove it immediately.
The swelling would have been unbearable to deal with.
I pulled out the first aid kit, removed an instant cold pack, and applied it to the wrist.
“Hold this in place for as long as you can to help reduce the swelling.” She nodded her head.
I didn’t feel any noticeable fractures, but that doesn’t mean it would hurt any less.
More than likely, she has a bad sprain. I propped up her arm and found something to immobilize her wrist and wrapped it with an ace bandage.
“Try to keep from using it.”
Although I have camping gear down here, I refuse to use the propane tanks on the camping stove. Call me crazy, but I don’t want to create another hazard by using it without proper ventilation. We have plenty of blankets and sleeping bags if needed .
I’m praying we’re not stuck down here for hours, or longer. I’m just thankful that Valerie located Emily when she did. There’s no telling what could have happened to her. Maybe God for once, can be in my favor. Now, I only hope that Valerie’s text message made it through.
My thoughts ran rapidly, fearful for my parents and the residents of Skybrook.
Being stuck in here means I’m unable to help the people of my community.
As the minutes stretched into hours, I knew that hunger had set in for all of us.
I rummaged through a plastic tote and found forks and spoons.
I grabbed a couple of cans and a can opener from the shelf.
“I hope you like peaches?”
“They sound wonderful,” Valerie replied.
“Daddy.”
“Yes, precious?”
“Can’t we make something with the camping stove?”
“Normally I would, but right now, I don’t think it’s safe. Plus, all we have down here are canned beans, vegetables, and fruit.”
“Fruit sounds good, Daddy.”
“When we get out of here, I’ll get you anything you want.”
“Really?”
Thoughts of her at the cemetery by herself gave me second thoughts.
“Within reason.” After we ate, Emily nodded off an hour later.
Her head laid across my lap, and she looked peaceful despite the situation we were in.
I could still hear the pitter-patter of rain coming down outside and the wind chimes echoing in the distance.
It was so quiet that for a second, I even thought that Valerie had fallen asleep.
Valerie softly whispered. “Wyatt. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what? If anything, I should be thankful for you saving my daughter.”
“I, uh. I think I got the wrong impression the first time we met.”
“What impression would that be? ”
“I thought you were self-centered and overly confident.”
“I suppose you were right.”
“But there is a part I got wrong. I thought you drove your wife away and I assumed she divorced you. I’m sorry, I thought the worst of you.”
“You found out about Lauren?”
“And about Jacoby, but not the how. You don’t ever have to tell me how you lost them, it’s not any of my business.”
“Did you find Emily at their graveside?”
“I did.”
“Could you please tell me why you came on foot? Didn’t you have a car?”
“Can you believe that a tree fell and hit my car from the lightning? The impact left a massive dent on the roof, shattered the windshield, and crumpled the hood. Fortunately, no one was injured.
We live under the threat of earthquakes back home.
There are no warning signs, which makes them scary and unpredictable.
It’s so crucial to be prepared. I have an emergency kit and plan in place, hoping it’ll never be needed.
Honestly, I’ve never experienced a tornado before.
The falling tree forced us to retreat to your house.
Otherwise, I planned to return to the inn.
All I could think about was getting Emily back home. ”
It got quiet between us. I felt now was a good time to tell her what happened to Lauren.
I cleared my throat. “Lauren was killed by a driver who was under the influence of alcohol.” I heard Valerie take a breath when I made my confession.
“She was heading back from the city where she had an appointment for her sonogram. It was the appointment to indicate the sex of the baby.”
I took a breath and continued. “By this time, we had already decided on the names whether it was a boy or a girl.” I swallowed.
“Because I was working, I couldn’t attend the appointment, so she went on her own and took Emily with her.
The only thing that saved Emily in the crash was that she was in her car seat in the backseat on the passenger side.
Thank god she has no recollection of the crash.
I guess you can say I regret not going with Lauren.
Otherwise, maybe she’d be here right now. ”
“I’m sorry for your tragic loss. However, did you ever stop to think that possibly you wouldn’t be here right now?”
“Honestly, I never thought of it that way. I just thought if I was driving, she and Jacoby would be here right now.” She squeezed my hand to give me comfort and understanding. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. I flipped off the switch of the flashlight to conserve battery power.
Valerie’s words made me rethink my thought process. I’ve been a fool to believe that I could change anything that happened in the past. It felt as though the final shackles had been released, and I could open my eyes to a new world filled with hope. I let my eyes close and drifted off to sleep.
I stirred the next morning and heard the distant sound of my mother calling my name.
For a moment, I thought it was part of the dream I was having; all I could hear was the strained and shaky timbre of her voice.
I could tell how terrified she was. I woke up and realized it wasn’t in my dream.
I shook both Emily and Valerie awake, and all at once, we started shouting to let them know where we were.
I was thankful to know she was alive, and I couldn’t wait to get out of here.
The air was thick with a cacophony of voices raised in excited uproar, accompanied by the fierce roar of chainsaws gnawing through timber. I imagined it was a scene bursting with energy and anticipation, where the rhythmic buzz of machinery melded with the shouts that echoed through the area.
We stayed huddled together, away from the door and the opposite side of the home. I wasn’t sure how badly the house was damaged. Material things like the house and the truck can all be replaced. Frankly, the most important thing I cared about was right here beside me.
When they used the chainsaws to cut through the door, we saw slivers of light.
Once they were completely removed, it took a minute for our eyes to adjust to the bright sun.
We walked up the steps to see several people standing around, applauding and expressing their joy at our safety.
The sky was clear except for a few clouds here and there.
We were met with open arms by my parents. My dad choked up with tears. I felt arms surrounding me, and an outpouring of emotions I couldn’t contain burst forth from within. Emily hugged my mother, and we just stood there holding on as we were thankful we all made it through.
Somehow, someone was missing. I lifted my head to see Valerie was not with us. She was walking away; I can only assume in the direction of the inn. “Excuse me, Mom and Dad.” I ran and tried to catch up with her.
“Valerie!” Why does she seem to be walking away quicker from me? I ran a little faster and called out. “Valerie. Please stop!” Her feet stopped moving, and she turned back to look at me. “Where are you going?”
“I wanted to leave you with your family. They’re very concerned about you and Emily.”
I placed my hands on her arms. “They’re concerned about us all. If it wasn’t for you, we both wouldn’t be here right now. You saved us all. Come on, let’s see how much damage the house took from the twister.” I took her hand, and she walked back with me.
From what I can observe, one of the apple trees is what hit the house and caused us to be trapped. Aside from that, there was minimal damage to the side of the home. It didn’t affect the structural integrity, which I was certainly happy to see.
Out in the distance, I could see our horses in a field. I let out a sigh of relief, knowing they had made it through the storm. However, I can’t say the same for the barn or my tractor-trailer. My dad tapped me on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry, son, the important part is you’re alright. I have lots of time on my hands to help you.”
“Thanks, Dad, I appreciate it. Hey, I’d like to introduce you to Valerie Masterson. She works for Phoenix Construction.” His eyes fell on our intertwined fingers.
He held out his hand. “Ms. Masterson, it’s so nice to meet you.” She shook his hand, and a smile spread across his face. “Come on. I’m sure you’re hungry, let’s get some food in you.”
There were people who had volunteered to feed the rescuers.
My dad’s fifth wheel was being used to hold food and supplies as they traveled around town and were already in the process of feeding the volunteers.
“How bad is the rest of town?” I asked my dad, as Valerie walked towards the area where food was prepared.
“Most of the damage was taken by a few buildings here and there. The worst was our town library.”
“What about the people? Was anybody injured?”
“There were a few minor bumps and bruises. Unfortunately, we had one fatality.”
“Who was it dad? I pretty much know everyone in town.”
“It was Clay.” My heart felt heavy with sadness. “Son, there was nothing you could do. He was hit by debris, and they think he was killed instantly. So don’t feel guilty that you weren’t there to save him.” I nodded my head in agreement. He patted me on the shoulder and walked away.
“Are you okay?” Valerie could see I was visibly shaken .
“I will be.” She handed me a paper plate. As I glanced at Valerie, I realized I, too, had a harsh first impression of her the first time we met, when she was nothing but kind to my family and me.