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KIM BALDWIN. Gable found a lone large sweatshirt amid the preponderance of mediums, and managed to get on a pair of Erin’s sweatpants
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Gable found a lone large sweatshirt amid the preponderance of mediums, and managed to get on a pair of Erin’s sweatpants. They were tight and several inches too short, but she felt worlds better. As she changed, she listened to the radio trafF c. It sounded as though things were F nally beginning to quiet down. She returned to the door.
“I’m back.”
“Gable, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for everything you’re doing,” Erin said. “Especially for staying with me.”
“I’m just sorry you’re stuck there till morning.” As soon as she’d spoken, Gable immediately regretted it. Why remind her she’s trapped,idiot? You need to be taking her mind off it.
She found a spot near the door where she could sit comfortably out of the rain. Though she’d rather have been in the undamaged portion of the basement, the rain was really coming down again, and if she got farther away she and Erin would have to shout so loud to hear each other they’d be hoarse in no time. Even sitting just a few feet from the door, Gable had to raise her voice to be heard over the frequent downbursts.
“I’d rather be anywhere else, that’s for sure,” Erin said. “I want to be out looking for Earl Grey. I keep hoping he’s just scared and holed up somewhere.”
“Well, if I’m not called away, I’ll go up at F rst light and have another look-see,” Gable promised.
“Do you think you might be called away?”
“Ya never know. It’s been a really wild, busy day. But I checked in not long ago and it sounds like things are quieting down. There haven’t been any tornados in a while. Not since it’s cooled off.”
“I hope you can stay,” Erin said. “But I certainly will understand if you have to go help someone else who needs you worse than I do. You know, I was amazed at how fast you got here, by the way. I couldn’t believe it when I heard your voice. The tornado had just hit the house.
Did you see it?”
“I sure did. It was coming right at me. I had to dive into a storm pipe.”
“Were you scared?”
“TerriF ed. Absolutely terriF ed. You?”
“I didn’t have time to be,” Erin answered. “I turned on the TV and saw we were under a tornado warning, but I couldn’t F nd Earl Grey. I
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was down here looking for him when the house blew apart. It happened so fast I hardly had a chance to register what was happening. Not until it was over did it really hit me. I still don’t think it’s really sunk in fully yet. Probably won’t until I get out of here and see what’s left of my house.”
“This half of the basement wasn’t badly hit. Everything in your bins down here is okay. And you might be able to salvage some things from upstairs. I saw a bookcase and some clothing.”
There was a loud groan as debris above them shifted. Gable ducked just as a portion of the ceiling near her fell a foot and then inexplicably stopped. She held her breath, waiting for it to fall farther. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. You shouldn’t be sitting here. It’s too dangerous.
But she felt compelled to stay within earshot of Erin. “How you doing over there?”
“Could be better.” Erin’s voice seemed to get a bit higher whenever the ceiling shifted.
“Let’s try to take your mind off where you are,” Gable suggested.
“First, get as comfortable as you can. How much room you got? Can you lie down?”
“More or less.”
“Got a towel or something you can use as a pillow?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Now I want you to close your eyes and try to relax.
Concentrate on your breathing. Nice deep breaths. In and out. Pretend you’re someplace nice and peaceful.”
“Okay.”
“Good. Now describe where you are to me. Really be there. What do you see? Smell? Hear?” Gable cleared a path in the debris around her so she could stretch out her legs.
“Hmm, let’s see…I’m lying on a beach. And that isn’t rain I’m hearing, it’s…the sound of the surf. The air smells like salt.”
“Very good. Now I want you to try to relax. Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”
“What do you want to know?”
“Start anywhere. Whatever you want to share.”
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FORCE OF NATURE
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