wind. “There better be something out there my friend,” he warned the dog. Carn ignored his master’s admonishment and took off like a shot, racing down the stone stairs with both men in pursuit.
* * * * *
Audrey was cold. And wet. She frowned, trying to make sense of what was going on. The last thing she remembered was falling to the floor. She managed to pry her eyes open but she couldn’t see much in the dark.
Why was it dark? And rainy?
She was outside. But that was impossible. She’d been lying on her bedroom floor only moments ago. She pushed herself upright and squinted to see through the dark and driving rain. The wind battered her. Her clothing offered no protection against the elements and she shivered as the cold sank into her bones. She had to find shelter. She could figure out what the heck was going on once she was safe and dry.
It wasn’t easy, but with the help of a nearby bolder, she managed to drag herself into a standing position. Its bulk helped to shelter her from the driving wind and rain while she squinted and tried to get her bearings. There should have been tons of lights around. After all, she lived in New York, the city that never slept. But there were no buildings, no streetlights and no people. Only impenetrable darkness.
“This isn’t possible.” Her mind might be telling her that but her body was shivering with the cold and wet. That was all too real.
One thing was certain. She couldn’t stay here. She stumbled forward, praying she was headed toward civilization of some kind. The heavy wind was making it difficult for her feet to find purchase on the uneven ground and she tripped and fell in the mud, just managing to catch herself in time to keep from striking her head.
Her lungs ached and her limbs were heavy. Audrey wanted to simply lie down on the ground and rest but she knew that wasn’t smart. She could die if she didn’t move. The longer she was exposed to the elements, the more the cold drained her energy.
Was she dreaming again? She didn’t know. The biting cold and driving storm felt so real. She couldn’t take the chance it wasn’t simply a figment of her imagination.
She pushed onward, half crawling, half walking, searching through the darkness for a light, a building, something. Anything. The wind tugged at her clothing and skin. The rain came down so heavy it made it almost impossible to see. Still she persevered.
Time lost all meaning as she trudged through the stormy night. She put one foot in front of the other, dragging herself to her feet every time she faltered.
A faint sound broke through the unending night. She stopped and listened but heard nothing. “Is anyone out there?” she called. The wind stole her voice, silencing it before it got beyond a few feet.
She was soaked to the skin, her head hurt, her muscles ached and, worst of all, she’d stopped shivering. In her muddled mind she knew that wasn’t a good sign. She’d seen a show on television about hypothermia and knew that was one of the first signs of trouble. “Please. Help me.”
Desperate now, she tried to run but her feet were uncoordinated and she staggered, almost falling. If there was someone out there she didn’t want them to miss her. “I’m over here.” She wanted to raise her hands and wave them but they were simply too heavy. She wished she had a flashlight, something she could use to signal whoever was out there.
She heard the noise again. Was that a wolf howl she heard? She shut her mouth in a hurry. What if it wasn’t a person at all? What if it was a wild animal coming after her? After all, she had no idea where she was.
Nothing made sense. She should be in her bedroom in her apartment. Maybe she was there. Maybe this was nothing but a nightmare.
“Wake up,” she whispered. She stumbled and fell to the ground. It was soft and spongy with the rain and mud. This time she didn’t get up. She’d exhausted all her energy reserves.
It saddened her to think she
* * * * *
Audrey was cold. And wet. She frowned, trying to make sense of what was going on. The last thing she remembered was falling to the floor. She managed to pry her eyes open but she couldn’t see much in the dark.
Why was it dark? And rainy?
She was outside. But that was impossible. She’d been lying on her bedroom floor only moments ago. She pushed herself upright and squinted to see through the dark and driving rain. The wind battered her. Her clothing offered no protection against the elements and she shivered as the cold sank into her bones. She had to find shelter. She could figure out what the heck was going on once she was safe and dry.
It wasn’t easy, but with the help of a nearby bolder, she managed to drag herself into a standing position. Its bulk helped to shelter her from the driving wind and rain while she squinted and tried to get her bearings. There should have been tons of lights around. After all, she lived in New York, the city that never slept. But there were no buildings, no streetlights and no people. Only impenetrable darkness.
“This isn’t possible.” Her mind might be telling her that but her body was shivering with the cold and wet. That was all too real.
One thing was certain. She couldn’t stay here. She stumbled forward, praying she was headed toward civilization of some kind. The heavy wind was making it difficult for her feet to find purchase on the uneven ground and she tripped and fell in the mud, just managing to catch herself in time to keep from striking her head.
Her lungs ached and her limbs were heavy. Audrey wanted to simply lie down on the ground and rest but she knew that wasn’t smart. She could die if she didn’t move. The longer she was exposed to the elements, the more the cold drained her energy.
Was she dreaming again? She didn’t know. The biting cold and driving storm felt so real. She couldn’t take the chance it wasn’t simply a figment of her imagination.
She pushed onward, half crawling, half walking, searching through the darkness for a light, a building, something. Anything. The wind tugged at her clothing and skin. The rain came down so heavy it made it almost impossible to see. Still she persevered.
Time lost all meaning as she trudged through the stormy night. She put one foot in front of the other, dragging herself to her feet every time she faltered.
A faint sound broke through the unending night. She stopped and listened but heard nothing. “Is anyone out there?” she called. The wind stole her voice, silencing it before it got beyond a few feet.
She was soaked to the skin, her head hurt, her muscles ached and, worst of all, she’d stopped shivering. In her muddled mind she knew that wasn’t a good sign. She’d seen a show on television about hypothermia and knew that was one of the first signs of trouble. “Please. Help me.”
Desperate now, she tried to run but her feet were uncoordinated and she staggered, almost falling. If there was someone out there she didn’t want them to miss her. “I’m over here.” She wanted to raise her hands and wave them but they were simply too heavy. She wished she had a flashlight, something she could use to signal whoever was out there.
She heard the noise again. Was that a wolf howl she heard? She shut her mouth in a hurry. What if it wasn’t a person at all? What if it was a wild animal coming after her? After all, she had no idea where she was.
Nothing made sense. She should be in her bedroom in her apartment. Maybe she was there. Maybe this was nothing but a nightmare.
“Wake up,” she whispered. She stumbled and fell to the ground. It was soft and spongy with the rain and mud. This time she didn’t get up. She’d exhausted all her energy reserves.
It saddened her to think she
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