As storms swirl around us in the lower states, I thought I'd take a quick break from my series to write this quick little tale. They're college age and about to weather a wicked storm. Enjoy!
Britney stared out at the playground of the elementary school she attended a decade ago. It was deserted now, when children should be in school; a series of tornado warnings had the schools closing early as families hunkered down in their bathrooms and closets to be shielded from the harsh weather.
Not Britney. She found the weather terrible and thrilling, and had no problem watching the approaching clouds from this view. From this vantage point, the ground sloped a little past the fence of the playground and she could see overtop the homes scattered around – straight into the oncoming storm.
She swung back and forth lazily as the clouds approached, figuring that when it got worse she could duck around the building and stand at the employees entrance until the things blew over. She didn't exactly have anywhere else to go.
The town's siren began to sound as the weather eased up. The calm before the storm. She inhaled deeply.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Britney turned to see a man park a large red pickup pull over on the side of the road and get out. He must have yelled from the window and when she didn't move, he had decided to come over. Staring at the truck, she saw the fireman's emblem on the door and cursed under her breath.
Fate would have to put someone official in her path.
"Hey!" The deep voice called out when she turned back to watch the storm.
"Are you deaf? You have to find cover."
Britney waited until the man was just beside her before she turned to look up at him.
His face quirked in an odd way then his eyes widened. "Britney Owens?"
Well hell. Josh Quinn.
They stared at each other for a moment before Josh finally spoke. "I thought... Britney... I thought you were dead. I went to your funeral. I saw them... I saw them put a casket in the ground."
Britney nodded. "Yeah. I saw that too."
Josh had trouble speaking after that.
Britney laughed bitterly. "You
would
have to be the one who spotted me, wouldn't you Josh. Couldn't be a stranger. Had to be you." She looked up at the clouds. "You better get to shelter."
Josh was pale. "Are you... are you a ghost or something?" He started to reach for her slowly.
Britney beat him to it and grasped his hand yanking him toward her. His shocked face was inches from hers, so she inhaled and grinned, laughing again as she gave a gentle shove and let him stagger back a few steps.
"So you're not dead. Then what...?"
"None of your business, Josh. Now, go. I want to watch the show."
Josh turned to see the clouds starting to move ominously closer. He cursed under his breath and looked at the truck then back to her.
"Look, I have a feeling I'll be called out once this is over, but you should come with me. My house is a block or two away and we can hide in the basement until it passes."
"So you don't live your parents?"
"Damnit, Britney, ask all the questions you want, just move your ass while you do it."
Britney looked up at him and studied his face for a moment. He had dark hair that he'd let grow out since high school. She always hated the buzz cuts boys her age wore; hair was so much sexier when there was enough to grab hold of. He had a chiseled face now that some of his boyish baby fat was gone, and if he had a fireman's truck in this small town he probably had lots of time to play at the gym while waiting for someone's cat to get stuck on the roof.
She stood, walking past him without a word. He jogged after her and was in the truck and opening the passenger door when the first blast of wind hit them. Britney climbed into the truck with the speed of someone who wasn't in that big of a hurry. Josh peeled out and drove toward his new home.
Britney stared out the window and asked, "You live in town?"
"Second street. Bought the old Davis place. Fixed it up. Don't suppose you hear the town gossip from wherever you're hiding."
"I'm not hiding," Britney said flatly. "And no. I don't hear gossip."
"Well that's refreshing," Josh said, ducking when hail started to rain down on the truck. It was small hail, but it was enough to make him curse and check his paint job. "Me and McKinley were supposed to get married two years ago. Caught her in bed with Luke Reed. Town was abuzz for a year since Luke's dad is a preacher over in Bethel. I didn't take it too well." He glanced at her. "I'm better now."
Britney nodded and looked out the window. She knew he was probably expecting the traditional response of "I'm sorry," but false responses didn't come to Britney too easy.
He continued, "What about you? You join the CIA or something? Have to fake your death? I figure if you were found, the whole town would have heard."
Britney watched the clouds roll over them as they turned onto Second.
"Do your parents know you're alive?"
Figuring if she didn't say anything the word would get out that she was alive, Britney answered truthfully. "They do. They staged the funeral at my request." Not that they had put up much of an argument.
They pulled into a house that used to be white but was now dark gray with red shutters. The little yard was neat, had a few plants growing in the front, but not many flowers. No woman's touch.
Josh cut the engine and they jumped out of the truck and ran for the back porch which looked newly built. The pale wood was abundant, the empty deck a perfect size for a grill and a table or two, and was currently collecting hail that was starting to rain down the size of gumballs. A few hit them as Josh unlocked the door and led Britney inside.
They both laughed shakily as they made it to safety and Josh lead the way to his basement. It was bigger than Britney expected, and unfinished except for a sofa, recliner, and massive TV attached to a number of video game systems. There was even a kitchenette in one corner.
Josh walked over to the fridge. "Soda? Water? Beer?"
"Aren't you on duty?"
"Yeah but one doesn't do much to me."
"Then why drink it?"
Josh got a look on his face that told Britney he really wanted to say "Why not?" but he thought better of it. He nodded and grabbed a water, tossing another one to her. She caught it easily.
After a moment of silence, he turned on the television and changed the channel to a station giving the weather report. The meteorologist was telling everyone that there was hail.
Yeah. Got that message already.
Britney studied the wave of storms coming their direction, the first right on top of them followed by two more. Maybe it would have been stupid to watch the storm from a playground but after the fight she had had with her parents, she didn't really care.
She glanced at Josh. Britney wondered why he didn't go to college. He probably had a number of scholarships from football and his grades were good enough for him to be in the BETA club, yet here he was, fireman of their small hometown.
Britney stared forward and pondered if she could go through with this. She had a number of targets, and she wanted to get it over with as fast as possible, but she really didn't know if she wanted the experience to be with Josh. Josh was a nice enough guy and she was pretty sure he was the type would wouldn't mind spontaneity, but it would have been easier to have met up with Michael Farrell or Chris Waters. Even Jamie Mapother would have been better than Josh.
"Josh?"
"Yeah?"
"I need you to keep my non-death a secret."
"Figured. Gonna tell me why?"
"Nope."
"Figured."
"I will tell you I don't get much time off. I never do actually. But I had to come home for... well it doesn't matter now." Britney looked at the swirls of possible tornado action dancing in place over where they were. "I picked a stellar time to come home."
Josh sighed and laeaned back against the sofa. "Gotta say, it's weird seeing you again. Your hair's... blonder."
