All characters in this story are at least 940 weeks old.
*****
"This is Gary Smithers with your K-M-O-T weather," the weatherman stated over the radio. "The low pressure front we have followed the past three days will reach our listening area in the next two hours and flash flood warnings are in effect. Between ten and thirteen inches of rain will fall within the next twenty-four hours. Compounding the problem is unseasonably warm late winter temperatures will speed the melting of the snow. This was a hard winter and the snow depths are the largest in the past fifty years. The combination of heavy rain and fast melting snow will raise all streams and rivers in Eastern Idaho and Western Montana to dangerous levels."
Todd turned the radio off. This was not the news he wanted to hear. He had ten days before his next book tour and planned to spend them at the family cabin. He looked to the east and saw the heavy cloud bank. It was rolling in fast. If it kept the same pace, in another hour the entire sky would be one continuous cloud. Constant lightning flashes made the clouds appear as if a giant strobe light was in their center and set on high. The rumble of distant thunder warned of the coming storm.
The cabin was less than half a mile from the Bitterroot River, a river not only dead center of the approaching cloud burst, but also surrounded by snow covered mountains. He glanced at the river as he drove along side it. Snowmelt produced whitecaps from one bank to the other. He watched a log race downstream faster than he could run. Already it was a raging river, and to this point not a single drop of rain had fallen. Todd was not worried about being washed away by any potential flood. The cabin was atop a small hill forty feet above the river and would be safe from racing waters. What did concern him was it would take only one of the three bridges that had to be crossed to be covered in water or washed away to strand them. Also worrisome was the fact the rest of the family would not be here until tomorrow. He arrived a day early to have everything ready.
The truck was parked in front of the cabin and he spent a couple of minutes inspecting the area, seeing if there had been any changes since the last family outing six months ago. Everything looked good to him. There was still the stack of firewood on the porch, covered by a heavy tarp to keep it dry. The rocking chairs were in place, decorated by elaborate spiderwebs. Despite the rising temperatures, the ground still wore a four-inch blanket of snow. He went to the door and unlocked it. Once opened, out of habit he flipped the light switch on. Of course, nothing happened. The generator would have to be running before there would be any power. That would be the first order of business. Several trips were made from the truck to the small storage shed. Five-gallon cans of gas were set against the back wall. A funnel was taken off a shelf and moved to the generator. He used the last can of gas to fill it.
The better part of an hour was used emptying the bed of his truck and filling the cabinets. The last item he brought in was a three-ounce bag of marijuana. It was of the best quality. He only purchased the highest THC content. His parents warned him someday they would be raided and hauled off to jail. His parents also were the first to take a toke when he passed the joint around.
Once finished stocking the supplies, he took a couple of beers out of the ice chest. There was a stick close by he used to remove the spider webs. A quick inspection was made to verify there were no spiders in the chair, then he took a seat on the covered front porch and watched the clouds make their steady advance. After half an hour, he stood to go back inside when it started to sprinkle, tossing the now empty beer cans into the trash bin. At the same time, he heard an approaching vehicle. He looked to where the road disappeared around a sharp curve and saw his sister's jeep coming at him. She was a day early, but he was glad she was here.
"Kirsten!" he shouted in joy as he met her when she parked.
"Hi, Todd," Kirsten responded, giving him a tight hug. She enjoyed the feel of his muscled chest pressing against her.
"You're early," Todd stated.
"Yeah. I wanted to beat the storm."
"What about mom and dad?"
"They are on their way, but their plane will not arrive until tonight. They suggested I head on up instead of waiting for them. They will rent a car as soon as they land, but if what the weather people say is right, it will be pouring by that time. When I drove across the last bridge to get here, water was already starting to trickle over it. If there is any rain at all it will flood out and keep them on one side of the river and us on the other."
"Well I am glad you came. I love this place, but being stuck here all alone would get old, fast. The boredom would make me crazy."
"Help me unload before the rain gets serious."
They worked together and within ten minutes emptied the jeep and had the supplies Kirsten brought inside. They had no sooner placed the last item on the kitchen counter when bright blue-white light flashed in the sky and a tremendous clap of thunder shook the cabin. The downpour started with the lightning.
The two stood in the doorway, amazed so much water could fall from the sky so fast.
"Todd, I have one more thing to bring in."
"You stay here. Tell me what it is and I will get it."
"No. You wait. I'm a big girl, I'll get it."
She opened an umbrella and leaped into the storm. Todd kept a worried eye on her. Even though the jeep was only twenty feet away, she was almost completely hidden behind the curtain of rain.
Kirsten could not have planned this any better. It was as if the forces of nature knew her plan and conspired with her to carry it out. She opened the passenger door and found the item at once. Then instead of hurrying back to the dryness of the cabin, she held the umbrella to the side where it offered no cover. She stood still for several seconds, making positive she was soaked from head to foot. She had selected a thin white blouse and had no bra underneath it. She knew if the blouse was wet, it would be next to invisible. She had plans for her little brother. If they went the way she wanted, there would be no way he would ever get bored.