Read Online Riding the Storm by Heather Graves - Free Book Online Page A

‘It is February, after all. The wet season. Storms are to be expected at this time of year.’
    ‘Not like this one. Don’t you see how quiet it is out there? Can you hear any birds?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘That’s because they’ve all left. Birds and other wild creatures sense these changes in the weather. They know when it’s not safe to stay.’
    ‘You go on then, Ryan.’ She smiled serenely and patted his hand, making him wonder if it had been a mistake to let her take two of her sedative pills instead of the usual one. ‘I’ll beOK. I’ll just sit here with Tinka and wait till your father gets home.’
    Ryan didn’t know what to say. Although Peter’s funeral had taken place some months ago now, Joanne was still in denial concerning his death. She refused to believe he wasn’t away on some errand in town. Her short-term memory was already failing and, as Doctor Richards predicted, she was going downhill fast. Only in her mid-forties, she was already losing her grip on reality, reverting to childhood. Her closest companion was Tinka, the little Italian greyhound who was sitting beside her now, pressing against her legs. Tinka, who had sense enough to shiver in apprehension, aware of the storm that was on its way.
    Ryan smiled at the little dog, which looked back at him with trusting eyes. He still hadn’t found a way to tell Joanne that Tinka wouldn’t be allowed into the Evacuation Centre. The woman in charge there had been adamant when the question was raised.
    ‘Of course you can’t bring a dog,’ she snapped. ‘This refuge is only for people. It will be crowded enough as it is without the stink of animals, too. You and your mother should get here as soon as you can.’ The woman’s voice trembled and Ryan sensed she was holding herself together with some effort. ‘And do hurry! The latest reports say the storm is headed for Canesville directly. You’re right in the path of it.’
    Ryan knew then it would be useless to say that his mother’s security depended on that little dog. Her sanity even. Somehow, he’d have to get Joanne into the ute without Tinka, then make an excuse to run back and shut the little dog in with the fowls. He couldn’t think what else to do. Allhell would break loose when Joanne realized the little dog had been left behind. He could only hope she wouldn’t try to get out of the car.
    Joanne dithered, taking an age to locate her purse, and then she said she couldn’t find Tinka’s lead. This was when Ryan knew it was too late to go anywhere. The winds were already rising and it would be fatal to be caught out of doors. They must resort to plan B, taking the portable radio into the bathroom and hiding themselves under mattresses for protection. Hopefully, the old weatherboard home could withstand the storm and the torrential rain and floods that must follow.
    ‘What are you doing?’ Joanne complained as she watched her son strip the beds and stagger with the mattresses, forcing them into the bathroom. ‘I thought you said we had to leave now?’
    ‘Too late.’ He was grunting with the effort of heaving the two queen-sized mattresses through the narrow doorway, one after the other. After that, he gathered as many blankets and pillows as he could find. It all proved to be a tight fit, which was no bad thing. ‘We’re stopping here after all.’
    ‘Be careful with my mattress. It’s almost new,’ Joanne complained. ‘And it’ll be too hot. We could suffocate in there.’
    Ignoring her string of complaints, Ryan grabbed some bottles of water, packets of biscuits and the bags that had been packed to go to the Evacuation Centre. He had boiled a kettle earlier and filled a thermos flask with hot tea. Also he checked the strongest flashlight and located some spare batteries. The electricity could be off for some time.
    ‘Right. That ought to see us through in the short term.’ He smiled brightly at his mother to reassure her. ‘In you go then,with Tinka. We’ll be