It was hard to sleep that night. I had a headache, like a low pressure thing. My head on Magnus’s chest, pillows propping up all my heavy parts, under my belly, between my thighs, behind my back. My view was the glass windows of the door blocked by a piece of plywood on the other side. It felt claustrophobic. I was thinking about the horizon, the distant shore through time where my friends were all centered, and the winds that were bearing down on me bringing so much change.
Magnus’s hand tightened around my shoulder. “Ye awake, mo reul-iuil?”
I nodded.
“What are ye thinking on?”
I paused for a long time then said, “I don’t really know. It’s a weird feeling I have. Like we’ve been waiting for surprises for a long time, but now we’re waiting for big changes that are coming and we’re tracking them, watching them arrive. We know everything is about to change and it feels very...”
“Aye, it feels verra onerous.”
“That’s a good description.”
“Tis. And in a few days we will be on the other side of it. The change will hae come. We will think back on this moment and twill be a memory. We will be living in the new life with the bairn and Archie and all that will come with it—”
I said, “Diapers and breastfeeding and wailing and carrying on.”
He joked, “Aye, will be good tae hae the joyful noise of a bairn in the house again.” He kissed the top of my head. “Tomorrow will be the hurricane, we will weather it here or go tae the inn ye hae reserved for us.”
The room was dark, but I could hear a bit of wind outside, a whisper. “I wish I knew what to do... I wish they would tell us to leave or tell us not to leave. Then I could just follow orders.”
“Then we should go. Let us go tae the inn so we winna worry on it.”
The next morning, we all woke in the dark long before the dawn. Rain was pouring and the wind was gusting, making the rain whip back and forth pelting the plywood over the windows. The wind had begun to howl making the whole house seem like not the safest place in the world. We congregated in the kitchen and got busy gathering our things. Zach was loading food into coolers and he and Magnus loaded them into the back of James’s truck. We were using it to carry our gear. None of us looked at the weather channel, we were making our own decisions now.
Magnus said, “Tis dreich like Scotland. I am feeling verra comfortable.” The wind howled outside and he grinned. “Let us carry the boys tae higher ground.”
Emma said, “And the pig.”
“Och, aye, daena forget tae carry the pig.”
Mookie was bundled into a luxurious cat carrier. We were all dressed in our rain gear or covered in plastic bags and we all raced to James’s truck arriving at the doors sopping wet. The wind was shoving against the side of the truck, gusting us up into the seats, we piled in. Archie burst into tears as I belted him into his car seat.
I buckled myself in.
Zach said, “Okay, I can’t see anything, but we’ll just drive over it.”
Between the two car seats, I talked soothing sweetnesses to the boys. The windshield wipers were going, but barely helping. There was zero visibility. Zach yanked off the radio and pulled the truck out to the road. We could only tell it was the road because we made out a mailbox just in time to swerve around it. A gust of wind pummeled the truck. I whimpered.
The truck rocked side to side. We were completely blind, just grey and water, the windshield wipers doing absolutely nothing but swiping back and forth. We crept along at one mile per hour, another rocking gust, and Archie started really wailing. I said, “It’s okay, Archie, it’s okay, we’re just going to a hotel.”
I closed my eyes and tried to go to a happy place, my seatbelt above and below my rounded tummy, my hands clutching it, holding on. Emma shrieked. A sound I had never ever heard her make before.
I asked, “What’s happening?”
“A fucking palm tree—” Zach slowed the truck to a stop. “Damn, a river is running across it.” And that’s when Zach said, “Fuck this shit. I mean, frick this — whatever I’m supposed to say.” He u-turned us on the road with a crunch. “What the hell was that?”
Magnus, his hand clutching the dash, said, “Twas a mail box, ye hae bludgeoned it with the truck.”
“James is going to fucking kill me, but that’s okay, this is not going to happen. We’re going to have to fucking shelter in place.”
Ben wailed. Zach, unable to take his eyes off the road said, “Daddy’s sorry he used the F-word, Daddy’s driving in a hurricane, Ben, give daddy a break. I’m taking you home. You ready to go home?”
He pulled the truck up into our driveway, over the landscaping, and up to the front steps. “Everyone out!”
I unlatched Ben and passed him to Zach. I unbuckled Archie and Magnus pulled him up and helped me out of the back seat. Emma carried the pig and we all ran up the steps and into the house with a rush of wind blowing us through the door. Big wet puddles pooled around our feet. We stood there dripping and drenched, Zach shaking his head. “Fucking mistakes were made. In hindsight we should have left about eight hours ago. That was not smart.”
Magnus shrugged, “Tis but a bit of dreich weather. We hae m’castle tae shelter in. We will be safe enough.” He wouldn’t let any of us help him bring in the coolers and he loudly proclaimed the weather perfect and beautiful whenever he returned. So that as I pulled off my wet clothes and changed into dry, warm, comfortable clothes my mood got better.
I said, “The good news is, it’s still a voluntary evacuation. We don’t have to go. That means that this is just a big storm. I mean, look around, how many big storms has this house weathered? A hundred? Maybe more? We just have to wait it out.”
The lights flickered. Archie crawled into my lap and clung to me.
I smiled down at him. “This is going to be okay, your Kay-be has weathered many many storms.”
The lights went out.
Emma asked, “Why isn’t the generator kicking in?”
We all sat in the dark listening to the wind howling, waiting for the lights to turn back on.
Zach finally groaned and said, “Fucking generator. What’s going on with it, where’s James to fix it?”
The rain pelted. Zach found a handful of flashlights and a battery-powered lantern which he placed on the coffee table in front of me and Emma with little boys cowering on our laps.
Emma said, “Well, this is going to be fun, huh? Like camping.”
The wind howled long and loud.
Zach called from the kitchen, “Who wants Apple Jacks?”
We spent the next few hours sort of quietly doing things. The kids got bored of being on laps and would start a game, but the roaring wind noise would reassert itself and they’d come rushing back. We stayed on the ground floor in the back downstairs room that had very few windows. They were all boarded up and looked like they would remain that way, but at around mid-morning the wind grew so loud, the howling noise deafening, the storm’s power seemed terrifying — Emma stood. “Everyone in the closet, right now!”
We all rushed into my walk-in closet. Zach and Magnus remained out in the hallway for a moment longer, then followed us. Zach said, “Yep, we should stay here for a bit. Hanging out with the shoes.”
Magnus said, “Tis nae enough stone on these walls. I need more fortification.”
Zach slumped down the wall to sit beside Emma. “Well, now we have science and engineering. We know the walls don’t have to be thick, they just can’t be broken or torn — like a sail on a ship, the wind will blow against it, move around it, but if there’s a tear all hell breaks loose.”
“Aye, I was sewin’ the tears on the ship with Fraoch.”
“You know. We put the plywood all around, it will keep us intact and it will be fine.” He put his head back on the wall and closed his eyes.
Magnus wouldn’t sit. He stood, feet planted in the middle of the closet, in front of the door, listening to the creaks and moans of the hou
se.
About thirty-five minutes later there was a crashing noise. “I need tae go and check the house.”
He left the closet as I said weakly, “Stay away from the windows.”
Emma was reading a board book to Ben and Archie for the billionth time, with Mookie in her lap, when Magnus returned. “The tracker has been signalin’ it looks like Quentin’s vessel has arrived.
Zach said, “Fuck.”
“Aye.”
I said, “He’s laying in the sand in this?”
Magnus nodded. “I canna imagine gettin’ tae him, this is a...” Magnus shook his head as the wind howled outside. A piece of plywood was smacking on the side of the house, bang bang bang.
“How did James and Beaty not get to him in time?”
“I daena ken.”
I looked down at Archie’s face, scared, his fingers in his mouth. To him and Ben, I said, “Don’t worry about Quentin, he’s strong and smart and he’s going to be okay. He’s in a house, just like this, sitting in a closet, waiting for us to come find him.”
All of us grownups met eyes. There was no way that was true. There were no houses, not really, and the ocean was up. The wind was too fast for him to even stand up, much less walk, the — I couldn’t bear to think about what was happening to him.
Zach said, “When the eye of the storm comes, we’ll go get him. As soon as it hits, we run.”
The howling noise was intense, like a coyote howl, wailing through the house. Then a ripping sound. I looked up at Magnus who was headed out of the closet with Zach behind him. “Stay here!” Magnus called over his shoulder.
Thirty-five - Magnus
The house was bowin’ under the wind, the corners shakin’. The roof banged, as if a portion of it had been torn up and gusts whipped waves of rain intae the house. We couldna see outside, but twas verra much as if the sea was crashin’ upon us.
Chef Zach went tae tell Kaitlyn and Emma that they should remain in the closet. I stood in the living room, watchin’ the tracker. Quentin’s vessel’s symbol was there. I prayed tae God he would find the strength tae use it again tae jump away from this time, but it remained there — impossible to get to, though only a short distance away.
Chef Zach returned with two pairs of work gloves and tossed me a pair. He carried a shovel on his shoulder.
“Dost we need a chainsaw?”
“Possibly, it’s in the garage.”
We both stood, watching the tracker, waitin’ by the door.
Then there was an abrupt calm. The howlin’ ceased and the bangin’, and then it grew warm and oppressively quiet.
Chef Zach called “Emma! Kaitlyn!” They rushed in. He pressed a screw gun intae Emma’s hand. “Fix that plywood,” he pointed at the windows on the front of the house.
“How many screws?”
“So many screws — go fast. We’re headed for Quentin.”
I pulled the door open and Zach and I rushed to the truck. Its tire was up on the front step of the house.
Zach drove as fast as he could with debris, sand, and water coverin’ the road. The truck was slammin’ up and down over the riverbank that had formed over the road. He said, “Hold onto your arse,” and wheeled the truck up onto the sand. He pulled tae an abrupt stop, and we fell from the doors callin’, “Quentin!”
Chef Zach said, “The water level was up to here, he must be this way!” We ran, tryin’ tae cover ground, up and down the beach, until I saw a huddled form behind a low tree. “Quentin!” I raced to it. He was collapsed, wet, covered in sand. I brushed sand from his face. “Quentin!”
His eyes fluttered. “Boss?”
“Aye, is there anythin’ hurtin’ ye?”
He moved his feet. “What the hell was that?”
“Twas a hurricane, we are in the eye. Where is yer vessel?”
“I don’t...”
I looked up and down the area around him. “Tis nae here.”
“Ugh.” He started to sit up as Chef Zach made it to us. He and I each threw a shoulder under Quentin’s arms and lifted him from the sand and rushed him tae the truck, trudging across the sand.
I asked, “Should we search for the vessel?”
“We can’t. We need to get back before the back wall of the eye gets here, shit will really go down.” We shoved Quentin into the truck, climbed in, and Zach drove around in the sand, and over the dunes to the road.
When we arrived home we piled from the truck.
Quentin was still shakin’ but asked, “Need help?”
“Nae from ye, Master Quentin.” I gave him my shoulder and helped him up the steps and dropped him ontae the couch in the living room.
He said, “There’s a hole in the roof.”
“Aye, the wind absconded with it, we will need tae be wearin’ our raincoats inside.”
“Why isn’t the generator running?”
“We daena ken. I will return in a moment.” I rushed outside tae lend a hand tae Madame Emma and Chef Zach who were hangin’ the last piece of plywood over a window.
“Where is Kaitlyn?”
“She’s in the closet with the boys.”
Zach pressed in the last of the screws. There was a bank of clouds growin’ above us. “We need to get back inside.”
Thirty-six - Magnus
We closed the door just as Zach said, “Here comes the backside of the wall,” and the wind slammed intae the house, the deafening roar just behind it. The house creaked and moaned against the onslaught.
We helped Quentin intae the backroom, down the hall tae the closet. And we all collapsed ontae the floor beside Kaitlyn.
Emma said, “Thank God, Quentin, I can’t believe you were out in that, what happened?”
His eyes were dazed. He was wet through. “That was not good.” His head sank back tae the wall and he closed his eyes. “I was in the water. It was dragging me out to sea.” He groaned. “The good news is, your go-go potion works, Emma. If I hadn’t had it, I’d be drowned right now.” He added, “I need some warm clothes.”
“Yeah, man,” Zach said, “let me get you something from my drawers.”
Quentin asked, “Where’s Beaty?”
“She went to get you, with James.”
With his eyes still closed he said, “That’s not good... it’s not safe back there. It’s... no—” He tried to stand. “We gotta go get them—”
“What is happenin’?”
“An army is gathering at the castle walls.”
“Who?”
“We don’t know. I came for weapons, and to warn you.”
I said, “We canna gather weapons in a storm, we will hae tae wait until it passes.”
Quentin dropped his head back to the wall. “It’s not safe for her. And James is with her? This is not good.”
Emma said, “Speaking of Beaty, here’s Mookie.” She pushed the pig into his lap.
Quentin sighed. “Right. My pig.”
Emma said, “Yes, indeed.”
I glanced at Kaitlyn, her eyes closed, her face concentrating.
“Are ye all right, Kaitlyn?”
There was a long pause where she brought in air and said, “I actually don’t feel very good.”
Everyone turned to her.
“It’s probably just a...” She moaned, low and guttural.
“Och, ye are havin’ the bairn.”
Emma nodded in agreement.
Kaitlyn asked, “Can we go to the hospital now?”
I said, “There is nae way tae go north, the roads are impassible.” The wind amplified its howling through the room, loud and frightenin’ enough that everyone went quiet for a few moments.
I asked, “Can we call for an ambulance tae come for her?”
Emma said, “Too dangerous.”
Quentin opened one eye and joked, “I want to go on the record as saying that I was promised Sunday family dinner.
Chef Zach returned with a stack of clothes for Quentin to change into. “Miss anything?”
&nbs
p; I said, “There is an army at m’family’s walls. Kaitlyn is goin’ tae have a bairn durin’ this infernal storm.”
“Fuck, Katie, think you could wait a little, like til tomorrow?”
She began to pant, little breaths and then a moan.
Archie said, “Kay-be read book?” He pushed a book ontae her knees.
She groaned. “I’m sorry sweetie, Kay-be is...”
Quentin climbed to his feet. “I’m going to go dry off. We should probably get my pig out of here. Let’s meet in another closet.”
Zach said, “Hey boys, let’s go to my closet. I’ll grab a basket of toys on the way, plus some snacks.”
Emma said, “I’ll be here with Katie if you need me.”
I asked Kaitlyn, “Dost ye need anything?”
Kaitlyn wiggled her hand. “Water.”
I passed her a water bottle. She drank down some gulps. “What dost ye want me tae do?”
“Just carry on. I’m just going to rest here for a few minutes. This is going to be fine. I’m just going to do this, then the storm will stop and we’ll fly me by helicopter to the hospital. Right?”
Emma said, “Right. But just in case I’m going to go get my first aid kit.” She crawled from the closet.
Kaitlyn and I sat quietly for long moments. I listened, outside was the storm, howling, inside, Kaitlyn’s soft moans.
Emma returned and asked, “How’s it going?”
Kaitlyn groaned and then seemed to sleep for a bit. We spent a long time waiting. She would awake tae moan and then drift away intae her mind, or was wide awake and talkin’, only tae stop and moan again.
After a couple of hours, she asked, “Magnus?”
“Aye,” I whispered.
Her eyes closed, she crawled from her place against the wall to put her knees on my lap and leaned forward her head against my shoulder. “Say something, why aren’t you talking?”
I said, “I was tryin’ tae be the mountain.”
Our Shared Horizon (Kaitlyn and the Highlander Book 10) Page 16