Chapter Text
John Smith pulled up to the run-down cabin in his old Land Rover, smiling at the sight of the dilapidated building. After spending two hours on the road, he was itching to get out and stretch.
He surveyed the outside- the roof was still holding up, but only just. The garden was a tangled mess of overgrown weeds and grasses, tall stalks blowing gently in the breeze. The porch sagged and the entire place had an abandoned, disused look about it. He grinned. Fixing up the old place would be a summer project he could handle. Far from the hustle and bustle of Manchester, it sat on a mostly unused section of wooded land.
He pulled a key out of his pocket. The rickety porch groaned under his weight and he smiled as the old key slid into the lock. A musty smell of dust, dirt, and closed up air assaulted his nostrils as he walked across the cracked linoleum floor. Within a few moments, he’d pushed the fuses back into the power box and hesitantly turned on a light. The bulb flickered and came on steady, a golden glow filling the dank darkness of the cabin.
The ancient refrigerator, complete with worn cloth cord, started up as soon as he plugged it in, and within a few minutes was blowing ice-cold air, humming away merrily. He opened all the windows, hoping to remove some of the musty smell. John surveyed the scene in front of him; he’d definitely have plenty to keep him busy.
By the end of the day he’d managed to get the well pump running, had swept out and mopped the cracked flooring in the kitchen, and tested the decades-old stove and oven combination. Satisfied it was all in working order, he smiled. The water from the sink faucet was finally starting to run clear, too; all in all, not a bad day’s work.
He set up a cot on the kitchen floor and stretched out, watching the stars from the dusty window. He wondered what the summer held in store.
~OOoOO~
Rose sat on her hands, biting her lip nervously. Her boyfriend Jimmy had asked her to stay part of the summer in a caravan park where his band had been hired to play the weekend dances. She’d jumped at the chance, mostly to spark outrage in her mum. It was hours away from London, way up north, and seemed like a grand adventure. Now she just hoped they’d make it there alive. Jimmy swerved in and out of traffic, muttering under his breath about the trip taking too long. They drove for hours before he finally pulled into the caravan park.
“C’mon, Rosie,” he grinned, leading her to his family’s trailer. “Just you and me in here. It’ll be cosy, right?”
Now that they were safe and Jimmy’s second-hand car was parked, she smiled. It would be cosy…they would be a proper couple, living and spending time together.
Rose nodded, “It’s going to be great.”
Jimmy pushed his suitcase into her arms, causing her to nearly drop it. “Careful, Rose. All my stuff’s in there.” He picked up a two bed pillows and smiled. “Let’s get this put away. Then you can fix us tea.”
She stared after him, slightly annoyed. They’d only been in the caravan park for ten minutes and he was already bossing her about. Her hand tightened around the suitcase handle, but when he glanced back and gave her his patented cheeky grin, she felt the annoyance slip away.
~OOoOO~
His first week had been productive. John sat back in the recliner, surveying his progress. It’d cleaned up rather nicely. True, it still needed work, but was well on its way to becoming a livable little dwelling.
He’d replaced the mattresses on both beds. The tiny bedroom held one queen sized bed and one full sized bed. Although the bed frames were old and a bit rickety, they were still in fair shape. He cleaned them carefully, adding a nail here and there to sturdy them up. In an hour, both were serviceable. The same could not be said for the mattresses. One had a hole near the bottom, which, he found, was home to a family of mice. The other was dirty and sagged badly in the middle. With the old mattresses tossed and the new ones in their place, he finally had a decent bed to sleep in. The cot had been sufficient, but nothing compared to a good night’s sleep in a real bed. John wandered outside, looking over the property.
Twilight was quickly approaching, and with it, a sense of fond remembrance; a stringer of fish, scary tales told in the firelight, and a creaky old porch swing that had been gone so long that two rusted eyebolts were the only proof it ever existed at all. He’d spent much of his childhood here, running about outside, fishing with his father and grandfather, and staying up late playing cards. After his grandfather passed, he’d come up with his father. They reminisced about the good times, had a few beers, and left after only one weekend. Two years ago, his father passed away suddenly from a heart attack. He’d inherited the property, but hadn’t had it in him to come back until now.
In the back of his mind, John thought about the place every now and again, a niggling sense of guilt ever-present. He knew his father wouldn’t approve of the cabin sitting empty. Hell, it could have collapsed for all he’d known. John just paid the taxes on the place, and the occasional bill from the electric company, for keeping the service on. The more he thought about it, the more believed that going up for a few months was the right decision. So, he closed up his small practice for the summer, referred his patients to a friend, and packed a few bags.
He opened a beer and sighed softly, feeling at peace. Coming up to the quiet tranquility of the cabin had been the right thing to do. True, he might be a bit lonely, but he had plenty to keep him busy. Quiet reflection, he mused, also had its own appeal.
~OOoOO~
It was late, but Jimmy wasn’t back yet. Rose decided to sit out the show since she already had a headache. They finished playing at midnight; it was now five minutes after two. She bit her lip and fluffed her pillow, trying to ignore the nervous fluttering of her heart. In truth, he’d been more distant this week. Three days ago a beautiful girl with dark brown hair and amazing legs named Pippa had come to stay at the caravan park. Her green eyes had all the boys tongue-tied, but she seemed to have a thing for Jimmy.
Rose sighed. Jimmy was Jimmy- and she knew him well. He was getting drunk or high, or possibly both with his band mates. She rolled her eyes at worrying over nothing and flipped over, finally permitting herself to drift off.
The next morning he strolled in, smelling of stale cigarettes and beer, telling her he’d stayed at Mike and Dan’s trailer and didn’t want to wake her in the middle of the night. He ate a little breakfast and meandered back out, insinuating he’d be practicing with the guys.
She spent the afternoon trying to fix something different for tea. Since they’d arrived two weeks ago, Rose’s limited cooking skills had ensured a steady diet of tinned food, sandwiches, and beans on toast. After speaking to Bet Larsen, the kind elderly woman in the caravan next to theirs, she’d come back with a bit of minced beef and a packet of instant potatoes, hoping that Jimmy would appreciate an almost-homemade shepherd’s pie. Rose fixed it carefully, following the written instructions provided by Bet. She didn’t have an oven, so it couldn’t bake, but when she was through it looked nice enough.
He hadn’t been back since breakfast. Rose stood outside the trailer and scanned the caravan park for Jimmy’s gray tee-shirt. He was nowhere to be found. Longingly, she looked back at the Shepherd’s pie, hot and steaming on the counter. It had been a long wait since lunch and her stomach was rumbling. Making up her mind, she covered the dish with a bit of aluminum foil and carefully closed the door, ready to find him.
She set off at a good pace, knowing exactly where Jimmy would be. Rose knocked on Dan and Mike’s caravan. Mike answered the door, smelling of weed and stale booze.
“’S happenin’ love?” he asked her.
Rose wrinkled her nose. “Lookin’ for Jimmy,” she smiled. “Just made tea and thought he might like to eat while it was hot.”
“He hasn’t been around all day. We thought he’d been shacked up with you all afternoon,” he said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.
A cold little lump settled in her stomach. “No,” she said softly. “He left this mornin’ sayin’ you were going to be practising. I haven’t seen him for hours. He stayed with you guys last night, right?”
He looked confused. “Uh…well…” he trailed off.
“He wasn’t here?” Her stomach flipped.
“Maybe I just didn’t notice,” he offered up lamely.
Rose put her hand on the side of the caravan to steady herself, and took a deep breath. “’Kay then. Thanks.”
Mike gave her a sad smile.
Rose turned and left without waiting for him to come up with another excuse. They both knew where he was.
The wind picked up and the skies started to turn gray as Rose walked towards Pippa’s caravan. She didn’t even need to open the door. Through the screened window she could see and hear all she needed to know. Pippa’s long legs were wrapped around Jimmy and he was slowly pushing himself in and out of her. He whispered something in her ear and she whimpered as he kissed her neck.
Rose stifled back a sob, feeling sick. Jimmy, her Jimmy, was cheating on her... Right here. Right now…right now he was having sex with her. The world started to spin and she gasped for breath. Inside the trailer, Jimmy groaned in pleasure, causing her to close her eyes. She couldn’t compete with a girl like that. After all, she was just a girl from the estates with no A-levels. A chav.
She had to get out. Rose took off running. She climbed the disused path behind the caravan park to the woods on the top of the hill. She ran blindly, wanting to put space between herself and the situation. How could she be so stupid? Why had she agreed to come along? She’d been nothing but a servant to him for the two weeks that they’d been there. She couldn’t call her mum- her mobile barely had reception up here…but even if she could, what would she say? Her mum was the whole way in London, hours away. She had no car or other way of getting home; she was essentially trapped. She kept running, not knowing or caring where she was going. After awhile the burn of her lungs and the pumping of her legs almost seemed therapeutic. It wasn’t until the sun sank low in the sky that she realized her predicament. Rose wasn’t sure where she was- or how to get back.
She turned to see the path where she’d came from and was surprised that there was no path; she’d just been running through the woods. As darkness fell, she found herself tripping over roots and branches that lay low on the floor of the forest. Leaves rustled in the trees and she felt nervous- what were you supposed to do in this sort of situation? Keep walking?
She continued on cautiously, picking her way through the darkening dense wood. The crickets started chirping noisily, and along with the crickets came swarms of hungry mosquitoes. She was defenseless in her shorts and vest top. The noisy insects droned and buzzed around her, sampling her as they saw fit. Frustrated, scared, and emotionally exhausted, she tried running away, hoping she could find relief by fleeing the tiny nuisances. She only made it a few steps before feeling her foot catch on something, followed by a sharp pain in her left ankle. Rose fell to the forest floor, grabbing her leg. She whimpered, overwhelmed by the throbbing sensation. The mosquitoes she’d tried to escape found her easily and resumed their feast. Thirsty, hot, and in pain, Rose began crying earnestly. Would Jimmy even try to find her? Did he know she was missing yet? …or was he still wrapped around Pippa?
~OOoOO~
John listened as an owl hooted in the distance, and smiled to himself. The mosquitoes had been thick the past few nights, but since he’d replaced the window screening, they weren’t an issue anymore. A fan in the corner kept a breeze circulating and he sighed feeling quite content. Sleep would come easy tonight.
He rose early, stumbling out to the little kitchen where he put the kettle on. He surveyed his food supply and frowned. The radio called for fair weather in the morning, but strong storms by the afternoon and evening. Gusty winds and even hail were possible- a rarity in these parts. It was best to make a run to the grocery store. After enjoying a lightly-sweetened mug of tea and a piece of toast, he locked up the cabin and set out for town, a good twenty-five minute drive.
He returned an hour and a half later, armed with a healthy stock of groceries as well as a cooler filled with ice, should the storms knock out power and cause the refrigerator to temporarily fail. The air was thick, heavy, and still. He didn’t like it.
~OOoOO~
It had been a dreadful night. Rose spent half of her time trying to swat away the bugs and the other half dozing on and off. Twice a twig cracked in the darkness and she’d startled awake, certain she was about to be killed by a wolf or some other wild animal. When nothing appeared and the chirp of the crickets returned, she finally relaxed, leaning herself up against a tree. Wearily, she slapped at mosquitoes until exhaustion took over, allowing her to drift into a fitful sleep.
The thin gray light of morning woke her, along with a cacophony of birds. Rose rubbed her eyes and stretched. Her back cracked in protest and she groaned softly. Her mouth was pasty and thick; if only she had a cup of water. She again wondered if anyone was looking for her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car engine turning over- she was sure of it. It was to the left, a good ways off, but that meant people were nearby. She struggled to her feet, trying to keep most of the weight off of her injured ankle that was now swollen and stiff. She tested it gingerly, hissing at the pain, but managed to take a few experimental steps.
Fifteen minutes in, Rose realized this wouldn’t be an easy task. Walking was difficult and painful and she had no idea exactly where she was going or what she’d find when she got there. The caravan park was supposed to be one of the only populated places in the area. What if no one found her? Would she die out here, alone?
She shook her head; this would never do. One step, then another…and another. She encouraged herself, silently cheering with each pace. Little by little Rose headed in the direction of the engine she’d heard. It returned some time later and she groaned. She’d been a bit off- the sound was now coming in a direction more to her west…but still, it was much closer than before. A car door slammed, and she licked her lips. Slowly, steadily, she made her way to the sounds. In fifteen minutes, she could see a clearing. A dilapidated old cabin stood in the clearing, a faded black Land Rover parked next to it. She’d made it.
~OOoOO~
John was unbagging groceries and setting his foodstuffs up on the little shelves when he heard a woman call out. He paused, sure he’d been mistaken, when she called out again.
“Please- please is someone there? Can you help me?”
It was faint, but distinct. He put on his leather jacket and stepped out on the porch, scanning the woods around his cabin.
“Hello?” he called out experimentally. “Is someone there?”
Rose gasped when a man in a black leather jacket stepped out of the run-down cabin. She eyed him warily, feeling very uncertain. She didn’t know this man- what if he was a murderer…or a rapist? She bit her lip; it wasn’t like she could sprint away if he came after her.
He called out again. “Is anybody out there?”
She closed her eyes and said a little prayer. “I-I’m over here,” she said quickly, hoping to God she’d made the right decision.
He walked towards her voice and finally caught a glimpse of the young woman, peeking out cautiously from behind a tree. She looked tired and afraid. Her clothes were rumpled and had smudges of dirt ground into the left side. Mosquito bites covered her arms and legs. She looked miserable.
“C-can I have some water?” she asked softly.
He nodded, incredulous. “How long have you been out here? What happened?”
Rose bit her lip. “I got lost.”
“You spent the night in the woods?”
She nodded her reply.
“C’mon in, then. I’ll get you something to drink. ‘M sure you’re probably hungry, too.” He walked away from her, towards the house.
Rose took two limping steps before he looked back.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, concerned.
“N-no,” she said warily. “’M fine. Leg must’ve fallen asleep.”
Her stance was wrong- her right leg was supporting all of her weight. She had to have injured her ankle. John looked up and saw the trepidation in her eyes- it dawned on him why. She was young, hurt, scared, and alone…and she didn’t know if he would take advantage of that.
“I’m a Doctor,” he said quietly. “I can see you’ve been injured, just by the way you’re standin’. I won’t hurt you, I promise. Name’s John. What’s yours?”
She swallowed thickly. “Rose.”
“Rose. It’s nice to meet you. What brings you up to this part of the country? You’re from London?”
She licked her lips. “Yeah- yes…from London. I’m staying at the caravan park.”
He gave her a surprised look. “The nearest caravan park is at least seven miles from here. You walked all that way?”
She nodded.
He looked up at the sky and back down to Rose. “S’posed to storm this afternoon, you know. Come on. Let’s get you inside.” Cautiously, he walked over to her and picked up her arm, wrapping it around his shoulder. He felt her body tense. “Relax, Rose. Just lean in and use me for support, alright?”
Slowly, carefully, they made the trip back to the cabin.
“Are you really a doctor?” she asked.
“Yes. Have my own practice in Manchester.” He pointed to the ground. “Careful, there’s a hollow right here. Don’t want you turning your other ankle, too.”
She avoided the small obstacle and looked up. He was handsome, she decided, but not in a conventional way. He had high cheekbones and a large nose that somehow worked well together. His ears stuck out a bit too, but also seemed to suit him. Close cropped brown hair framed his face, but his eyes were what she noticed most. They were bright blue, and twinkled when he smiled. A few creases at the corners added rugged character. Somehow, everything melded together perfectly, creating the attractive man who was helping her.
They reached the cabin door and he helped her through to the table, where she collapsed on a kitchen chair. “First things first,” he said, pulling a bottle of water from the tiny refrigerator. “Try to drink it slowly. Just a few sips at a time, okay?”
When the first drop hit her lips, it was all she could do to keep from downing the water in one gulp. She took three big swallows, half emptying the bottle.
“Take a break,” John said, resting his hand on the plastic bottle. “Drinking it too quickly will upset your stomach. You can have as much as you want, Rose. I promise. Just not so fast, alright?”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“How long were you out there?”
“Since yesterday. Saw somethin’ that upset me and I just started running. I s’pose that sounds stupid, but I was angry and I didn’t know what else to do, so I ran. Ended up realisin’ I was lost when it started to get dark, but by then I didn’t know where I was or where I’d come from. Then the mosquitoes came out.” She rolled her eyes. “I tried runnin’ away from them. Sound mental, I know, but they were just everywhere and I couldn’t get away.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, it was dark and I tripped and…” she indicated her left ankle.
He slid his chair over till he was across from her. “Okay if I look it over?”
“Yeah,” she said softly.
John bent over and untied her shoe, carefully slipping it off. He removed her sock and cocked an eyebrow. The injury was evident, her ankle not only swollen but also bruised.
“Your ankle turned in when you rolled it?”
Rose nodded. “I stepped down on the outside of my foot, yeah. Heard it pop.” She paused a moment. “It really hurt.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it did. Can you lift it up? I want to make sure it’s not broken before I do anything else.”
She nodded, lifting her leg and lowered her foot to rest on his knee.
John carefully felt around the area. Without an X-ray he couldn’t be sure, but it didn’t appear that she’d broken anything. He gave her a smile. “Well, you’ve given yourself a nice sprain, Rose, but it doesn’t look like anything’s broken. I’d like for you to elevate and ice it for awhile, then I’ll wrap it for you.” He stood up and disappeared into a tiny bathroom, bringing out a first aid kit. He handed her a little packet of paracetamol. “Take these, they’ll help with the swelling and the pain.”
She swallowed them down obediently with another sip of water. The bottle was nearly empty. “Could I…” she trailed off.
“Of course.” He pulled another bottle out and handed it to her. “Slowly, remember?”
Rose nodded.
He pulled out a pink bottle of calamine lotion and a few cotton balls. “This,” he smiled, “will help with all the mosquito bites. Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many on one person. If the itching starts botherin’ you too much, I do have some Benadryl. But first, let’s get that ankle taken care of and try to make you more comfortable.”
Soon Rose was sitting on a sofa, her ankle propped up on two pillows. The Doctor walked in with an ice pack and a towel. “Here we are,” he said cheerily, gently setting it down on the injury. He shook the bottle of calamine and picked up a cotton ball. Within a few minutes, the soothing lotion had been applied to all of her mosquito bites.
“Sixty-three,” he said. “If anything else, Rose, you’re thorough. Won’t just settle for one or two bites.” He winked. “What is it they say? Go big or go home?”
She laughed. “Think I’d’ve rather gone home.”
He sobered. “You’ve been missing since yesterday afternoon? They must be looking for you. Is there someone you can ring? Reception isn’t great, but you should be able to make a call.”
Her eyes widened. Jimmy. “Yeah, yeah. Can you get my phone? I left it on the table. I couldn’t get a signal last night.”
John shook his head. “It’s spotty out here, but I can almost always get a signal. If your mobile won’t pick up service, you can use mine to ring someone.”
She checked the phone. Two bars. Hesitantly, she rang Jimmy’s mobile. He answered on the second ring.
“Rose, where are you?” He sounded annoyed. “I didn’t see you last night at all. You didn’t even leave a note.”
Her lips pursed. “I got lost, Jimmy.”
“Lost? What the hell do you mean lost? It’s a caravan park.”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “Lost in the woods, Jimmy, not in the caravan park. I spent the night outside. I hurt my ankle.”
He sighed heavily. “Leave it to you. Can’t you just walk back? I mean, you can’t have gone far. You might want to hurry. S’posed to start storming soon.”
Rose swallowed thickly. “You don’t even care, do you? You don’t care that I was hurt or that I was lost and that I slept in the woods last night…”
“Aw, Rose, that’s not what I-”
“I did find my way to a house,” she interrupted him. “So don’t worry about me…not that you were. I won’t bother you again.” She hung up the phone.
John, who had overheard the entire conversation, cracked his knuckles. Her so-called boyfriend wasn’t even worried about her. Rose going missing seemed more of an inconvenience to him than anything. He saw her blinking rapidly, trying to hold back tears. After everything she’d been through- getting herself lost, injured, spending a night alone in the woods…now this.
He cleared his throat. “Hungry?” he asked. “When did you eat last?”
She shook her head, looking miserable. “Lunch yesterday,” she mumbled. “I don’t feel like eating just now.”
He set a box of tissues beside her, changing tactics. “Why not have a kip? ‘M sure you didn’t sleep much last night. You must be exhausted.”
“Okay,” she said softly, sounded defeated.
He helped her slide down into a sleeping position on the couch, ensuring her ankle was still elevated properly. He removed the ice pack. “We’ll ice it again, later, but it’s been about twenty minutes. I’ll wrap it for you.”
John pulled out an ace bandage and carefully bound up the injured ankle. “Now, you get some beauty sleep. I’ll fix us something to eat once you’re awake again.” He pulled a fleece blanket out from the corner cupboard and covered her. “If you need something, just let me know.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “’M sorry for all the bother.”
He shook his head. “No bother at all, sweetheart. I mean it.”
Rose nodded, her eyes bright with unshed tears.
John smiled and walked into the kitchen, setting the chairs back into place. The faint sniffles and quiet little sobs that carried from the other room broke his heart. Poor girl. She’d already been through such an ordeal and then that bastard boyfriend of hers hadn’t even noticed…or cared.
~OOoOO~
A crash of thunder woke Rose from her nap and she sat up, startled. The sky had turned dark and she called out hesitantly. “John?”
He didn’t answer. Rose sat up and flinched as a bright bolt of lightning flashed through the sky. The cabin was dark and quiet. She stood up cautiously, wincing as her ankle protested the weight. Slowly, using the walls for support, she made her way through the little dwelling. “John?”
The gray clouds swirled above his head and he prayed the worst of the storm would pass to the south. It hadn’t started raining yet, but the power had already cut out and the weather reports the radio had given set him on edge a little. Could this old place stand up to a severe storm with raging winds? A loud clap of thunder made him jump and he turned around. Rose was standing in the doorway, looking nervous and uncertain.
“You shouldn’t be walking on that yet,” he said, concerned.
Rose chewed on her lip. “Looks like its going to get bad.”
He ran his fingers through his close-cropped hair. “Yeah. Power was cut a bit ago. We’ll be okay, though. This place is old, but it’s still sturdy. C’mon.” Moving alongside her, he picked her hand up, putting it across his shoulder. “Just like before, remember? Lean against me.”
She walked towards the kitchen table, but he shook his head. “Let’s go back to the living room. I want you to keep that sprain elevated. How’s it feeling?”
“Okay,” she said hesitantly, as another streak of lightning shot across the sky, followed by a loud boom of thunder.
Once settled, John looked back her direction. “If things get bad- and I mean really bad, we’ll need to get to the bath. It’s going to be the safest spot.” He smiled. “But I don’t expect it to happen. Usually the weather misses this old place; the worst of it, anyway.”
He gave her a quick smile and disappeared into the kitchen, returning moments later with two sandwiches. “No allergies, right?” he asked her.
Rose shook her head.
He smiled. “Good! Tuck in, then. You’ll feel a little better after you’ve eaten, I’m sure.”
Rose stared out the window and watched the dark swirling skies as she nibbled on the sandwich. It was peanut butter, which she wasn’t used to eating, with slices of banana. An odd combination, but it did taste good. Her stomach rumbled and she took another bite. “I’ve never had a sandwich like this,” she said, smiling. “Mum never bought much peanut butter.”
John laughed. “In my second year of uni, I was assigned a random roommate. Turned out, he was from America. These were his specialty; I grew rather fond of them myself.”
He was interrupted by a blinding flash of lightning and a deafening boom of thunder.
Rose dropped her sandwich and nervously dug her fingers into the fabric of the easy chair
“Bit too close,” he said softly, letting out a breath. “I’m surprised it hasn’t started raining yet.”
As if on cue, the wind picked up, blowing with such a force that it shook the windows in the cabin. The glass rattled in the panes as the gust front came barreling through. Another bright flash of lightning zipped across the sky, hitting a tree just off the property. John held his breath as the tree tottered and fell. It groaned and splinted, falling into the garden with a loud crash.
The rain started plinking off the glass windows, slowly at first, but soon it was an out and out deluge. The wind’s ferocity seemed to intensify and John was beginning to seriously worry about their safety when hail started banging off the old tin roof. He swallowed.
“Rose, I think it’d be best if we went into the bath now. I’m sure we’ll be fine, but-”
He was interrupted as a hailstone broke a window in the kitchen, sending bits of glass across the floor.
She let out a little shriek.
“It’s okay- the hail broke it but c’mon…let’s get away from the windows.” He cursed his luck. Rose was visibly scared, her skin pale and her hands trembling. Truthfully, he didn’t blame her. He helped her into the tiny bathroom and went back into the kitchen for two chairs. At least they could sit while taking refuge. Two wooden chairs were promptly removed from the table and set in the windowless bathroom. He brought a battery operated lantern in and turned it on, filling the space with a warm glow. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he said softly. “Well both get through this just fine.”
~OOoOO~
The storm raged outside, but Rose and John were tucked away safely in the little cabin. As the hail battered the roof and the lighting and thunder crashed around them, she confessed why she’d run and what she’d seen. He listened without judgment, finally telling her what she already knew- she shouldn’t go back. Not now, or ever. Jimmy made his decision and now she needed to make hers.
She listened as he shared stories of coming to the cabin as a boy. She giggled and smiled at the happy parts, and felt genuine sorrow when he spoke of his granddad’s and then his father’s passing.
The wind died down a little and the rain started to taper off. John opened the door and peered out a window. Another cell was building. Within a few minutes it started all over again, lighting and thunder, rain, wind, and eventually, hail.
Rose closed her eyes, wishing it would be over. He comforted her, reassuring her that they would be alright, that the cabin would hold, and that she would definitely see her mum again. She slipped her small hand into his larger one, leaning against him for support. Without realising it, Rose began easing his loneliness and gave him a sense of belonging.
This was only the first of many storms that they would weather. Outside, the wind howled and the skies rained down their fury, but they could not undo what the universe had done…which was bring John Smith and Rose Marion Tyler together.
The End