area to get away from the door and its freezing, cold drafts. He shone his flashlight around the room, and I watched him take in the torn papers, scattered pieces of bark from the firewood, burnt candles, blankets, and the phone on its side on the table. Then he noticed I was trembling. “What’s going on?” he said, almost gently.
“…I know this looks crazy… ” I could hardly bear to tell him what I was really afraid of.
Wouldn’t he just laugh?
He cut me off. “Doesn’t matter. I can tell you’ve gone through hell tonight.” He approached me slowly; as though afraid I’d bolt. “Get some of your things and bundle up. You’re coming to my house. I have plenty of firewood, candles and a warm place for you to stay until this is over, and I won’t take no for an answer.” His look dared me to argue.
I couldn’t. He was absolutely right. I didn’t have a prayer staying there. Besides, I was too frightened to consider the alternative. I simply nodded.
Focused on getting out, I began grabbing what I needed for the night. When I was done, I met Clay in the small hallway at the front door. He was holding Sneakers. He gave me last minute instructions. “Now, stay close behind me. I’ll carry the cat so you have better footing. It’s treacherous out there, even in the woods. My Jeep is parked down below on the dirt road, running with the heat on. Button up, hang onto the back of my jacket, and watch your step. Let’s go!” And with that, we were off.
I followed his instructions, and we steadily made our way around the house and down the deer path I had taken earlier. It was a slow descent. Ice and wind challenged our every step. Rain puddles, frozen solid, added to our slippery hike down, but we were lucky. The moon was out again, helping to guide us through the trees and underbrush. Not thinking, I took my eyes off the path for a moment, ducking to avoid a low-slung branch heavily laden with ice, and lost my footing. I fell to the ground roughly and cried out in pain.
Clay spun around. My hat, torn from my head, caused my windblown hair to briefly blind me, as I gripped my ankle, rocking in pain. How could I have been so careless? I was furious at my stupidity.
“Are you all right?” Clay hollered over the racket of the wind.
“I’m hurt.” I yelled up at him, panicked at the thought of a possible serious physical injury.
“Let me check.” He kneeled down and started gently but thoroughly running his hands over my ankle. “I think it’s only sprained, not broken. It must hurt like hell. I’ll carry you.”
He bent over to pick me up, but I swatted at him, pushing him away. “Sneakers,” I yelled frantically, swinging my arms about wildly.
“What are you worried about your shoes for?”
“My Sneakers, you idiot!” I screamed.
“I don’t give a damn about your shoes. Besides, you’re wearing hiking boots. We have to get out of here, or we will both get frostbitten.”
“My cat.”
“What about your cat?”
“I am not leaving without my Sneakers!”
“What do your shoes have to do with your cat? Are you sure you didn’t hit your head? You are not making any sense.” He swore something unintelligible, while the wind tore between us. He leaned in close. “I’ve had enough. Let’s go!”
“Sneakers is the name of my cat, you moron!” I shouted back at him. “And I am not leaving without him!”
He hesitated for a second, then quickly found and wordlessly grabbed Sneakers. He shoved him into my arms and lifted me off the ground. He started trudging down the path, carrying me to his awaiting Jeep. “What have I done?” he yelled out loud. “I should have known better and stayed at home. I’ve rescued a nut.”
For some reason, his words cheered me immensely.
As promised, his Jeep was there, its engine roaring, radiating heat. I was unceremoniously dumped in the front passenger seat and the door slammed after me. Sneakers clung to me. Clay quickly jumped into the
“…I know this looks crazy… ” I could hardly bear to tell him what I was really afraid of.
Wouldn’t he just laugh?
He cut me off. “Doesn’t matter. I can tell you’ve gone through hell tonight.” He approached me slowly; as though afraid I’d bolt. “Get some of your things and bundle up. You’re coming to my house. I have plenty of firewood, candles and a warm place for you to stay until this is over, and I won’t take no for an answer.” His look dared me to argue.
I couldn’t. He was absolutely right. I didn’t have a prayer staying there. Besides, I was too frightened to consider the alternative. I simply nodded.
Focused on getting out, I began grabbing what I needed for the night. When I was done, I met Clay in the small hallway at the front door. He was holding Sneakers. He gave me last minute instructions. “Now, stay close behind me. I’ll carry the cat so you have better footing. It’s treacherous out there, even in the woods. My Jeep is parked down below on the dirt road, running with the heat on. Button up, hang onto the back of my jacket, and watch your step. Let’s go!” And with that, we were off.
I followed his instructions, and we steadily made our way around the house and down the deer path I had taken earlier. It was a slow descent. Ice and wind challenged our every step. Rain puddles, frozen solid, added to our slippery hike down, but we were lucky. The moon was out again, helping to guide us through the trees and underbrush. Not thinking, I took my eyes off the path for a moment, ducking to avoid a low-slung branch heavily laden with ice, and lost my footing. I fell to the ground roughly and cried out in pain.
Clay spun around. My hat, torn from my head, caused my windblown hair to briefly blind me, as I gripped my ankle, rocking in pain. How could I have been so careless? I was furious at my stupidity.
“Are you all right?” Clay hollered over the racket of the wind.
“I’m hurt.” I yelled up at him, panicked at the thought of a possible serious physical injury.
“Let me check.” He kneeled down and started gently but thoroughly running his hands over my ankle. “I think it’s only sprained, not broken. It must hurt like hell. I’ll carry you.”
He bent over to pick me up, but I swatted at him, pushing him away. “Sneakers,” I yelled frantically, swinging my arms about wildly.
“What are you worried about your shoes for?”
“My Sneakers, you idiot!” I screamed.
“I don’t give a damn about your shoes. Besides, you’re wearing hiking boots. We have to get out of here, or we will both get frostbitten.”
“My cat.”
“What about your cat?”
“I am not leaving without my Sneakers!”
“What do your shoes have to do with your cat? Are you sure you didn’t hit your head? You are not making any sense.” He swore something unintelligible, while the wind tore between us. He leaned in close. “I’ve had enough. Let’s go!”
“Sneakers is the name of my cat, you moron!” I shouted back at him. “And I am not leaving without him!”
He hesitated for a second, then quickly found and wordlessly grabbed Sneakers. He shoved him into my arms and lifted me off the ground. He started trudging down the path, carrying me to his awaiting Jeep. “What have I done?” he yelled out loud. “I should have known better and stayed at home. I’ve rescued a nut.”
For some reason, his words cheered me immensely.
As promised, his Jeep was there, its engine roaring, radiating heat. I was unceremoniously dumped in the front passenger seat and the door slammed after me. Sneakers clung to me. Clay quickly jumped into the
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