Christian
I’m at the front door in seconds while Tom already has my mom on the phone. "I’m going to head out to the fields and start pulling in the animals!" Hunter shouts while already running toward the horses.
We have a shed that’s made to withhold Tornados that’s big enough for all of our animals. We’ve only had to use it once since we’ve lived here and all of the Animals survived so I’m praying it works this time too.
“They are at the top of the lane. They headed back as soon as they heard the alarm.” Tom's words bring me some much-needed relief but I’m still on edge.
“Oh thank fuck for that!” The squeeze that’s got a hold of my heart loosens slightly but still, it’s tight and I feel like I’m heading for a fucking heart attack. I feel like I'm holding my breath until the moment that I see my parent's old beat-up truck makes its way down the long road that leads to our front door.
“Call Callum and Jack, tell them to get their asses back here now!”
“Already on it.” I turn to face Tom to find his phone already to his ear. God love that boy in a crisis, all his years in the army come Straight to the surface when it’s needed.
“They are just leaving the bar and heading home. “
“Why are they at the bar?”
“When they heard the alarm they left the store and headed to the bar to lock it up and they managed to board up the windows. We know it may not help but they figured it was worth a try.”
"We'll least we know that Zack is covered for a ride." God love those boys too. I haven’t even thought about the bar. My mind was too consumed with worry for my kids to even think about the bar. As hard as it is for me to admit I’m worried for Molly too. Zack had arranged cover for today but had to go in for an emergency not even one hour ago
“Tom, what about Molly?” He turns to face me as he’s zipping up his coat and heads towards me in the doorway. “I’ll go get her.”
“Do you need me to come with you?” He gives me a strange smile before shaking his head. “No, I’ll be ok. She’ll be by the river. You get the kids and mom and dad in the shelter, we’ll be back soon.”
The urge to go and get Molly with Tom is strong but I push it aside and head for the truck as my dad brings it to a stop by the front steps. Tom shouts out his hellos to the others before he runs off toward the woods to bring Molly back to safety.
“Daddddyyyy!” Sophie’s cute little voice rings through the air as my dad helps her out of the truck and she runs straight for me. She jumps at me just as a gust of wind rips through the air, I catch her mid-air and pull her in tight to me with the biggest smile plastered across my face. Half of my smile is honest with the love that I have for my little girl but the other half is forced because I don’t want her to be scared.
“Daddy, Grandad said that a big storm coming in and that we get to hide out in his special den!” The excitement in Brody's voice tells me that my dad has made the storm shelter sound like a fun little play den and for that I am grateful.
“That’s right buddy. We’ve got lots of games and coloring books down there and more importantly we have loads of yummy snacks and drinks!” My Dad's voice is a bubble of excitement that has both Broody and Sophie yelling with excitement.
They both run into the house as my mom rounds the track with a sleeping Katie in her arms. The wind is getting stronger by the minute and I need to get them all in the storm shelter and safe ASAP.
I hope Tom has reached Molly because I can only imagine how bad the wind is out in the forest. As we step inside the house Callum’s big blue Ranger truck comes speeding down the drive stopping just inches away from Dad's.
They haven’t even closed their doors before they're both calling out to me. “Where do you need us?” Zack jumps out from the back of the truck and quickly catches up with them.
“I’m going to get Mom, Dad, and the kids into the storm shelter ready. Hunters out getting the animals into the shed, he could properly do with a hand.”
“We’ll take care of that. Where’s Tom?” Callum starts running towards the fields with Zack quickly behind them while Jack continues to talk to me. “He’s gone to get Molly.”
“How long has he been gone? Should I go after him?”
“He’s not been gone long. I offered to go with him but he said he’d be fine, said he wouldn’t be long.” He nods before giving me a stupid grin. What’s that about?
“You offered to go help him find Molly? But why?”
“What do you mean why?”
“We’ll you can’t stand her so I would think that going to help her would be last on your list of things to do right now.”
“I never said I can’t stand her. I distrust her there's a difference and I never said I care about her. She’s the one that decided to go for a walk with a storm coming so it’s her problem!”
By the time I’m finished talking im shouting and angry, not angry at Jack just angry and I’m not sure why. “ I never said anything about you caring about her Chris, but maybe you have just told yourself something.”
“What do you mean by that!” He smiles at me but doesn’t say a word. “I’m gonna go help Callum and Hunter. I’ve got my phone if you need me. “
“Jack!” I call after him as he runs towards the fields but he ignores me. What the fuck was that all about? Now is not the time to try and figure out what he meant so I choose to ignore his strange comment for now and head inside to get the kids sorted.
Not 10 minutes later I have both Mom and Dad in the storm shelter along with the kids. Mom is making them some sandwiches on her lap while Dad sets up a board game for them. Of course, once the storm really kicks in they won't be able to do any of that but it keeps them occupied for now at least.
Neither of them remember the last time they had to come in here. Broody was just three years old and Sophie one and it's both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because they were too young to realize what was going on so we managed to keep them calm but a curse because they have no idea of what to expect now, they'll be terrified I know that, and it's going to break my heart.
"Right, you two Daddy is going to help Uncle Cal and Uncle Jack to sort the animals and then I'll be back. make sure your good for Granddad and Grandma ok?" Sophie nods my way but doesn't say a word, she's too engrossed in watching my Dad set up the game. "We'll be good Daddy I promise but please come back quick before the storm comes."
Brody's words have me turn to look at him and the sadness on his face is just heartbreaking. I lean down in front of him and give him the biggest hug. "I'll be super quick buddy, I promise." He gives me a little smile and nods before I let him go and head back up the wooden steps and out of the push-up door.
As I get out and close the door I see Cal, Jack, Zack, and Hunter running toward me. The heavens have opened up and rain has now joined the wind in battering down on everything and everyone. "We've got all of the animals in the shed except for Lightening, he won't budge, and almost kicked Jack square in the chest,"
Fuck! That bloody horse!. "What can we do?" I dont want to leave any of our animals in danger even that pain in the ass stubborn horse." They all shrug my way unable to come up with an answer and leaving me stumped.
"Are Tom and Molly back yet?" Jack asks while zipping up his jacket. The wind is seriously picking up now, and already I can feel the rain making Its way through my layers of clothes. The wind is strong enough that it's rocking us all as we stand still, strong enough to start causing some damage at any second and we still have a missing brother, missing Molly, and a stubborn horse. Fuck my life!
My phone ringing brings my attention back to the now. "It's Tom." hell I hope everything is ok. "Tom, you ok?"
"Chris, is that you?" I struggle to hear him properly, the wind is hallowing through the phone and the noise from the rain on both ends of the phone is deafening.
"Yes, it's me, what's going on?"
"I need your help! Please dear god Molly, hold on Please!" His words make my blood run cold. "Tom, where are you?"
"Old Ackley Bridge. Chris, please help! Molly dont you dare let go!" The phone starts to crackle before quickly cutting out but it doesn't matter because I'm already running toward the forest with everything that I have.