Outside of the tents, the palm trees bent underneath the fierce winds and the downpour of the rain. She huddled close to Nathan, looking around at the force of nature. In a way it was beautiful, but she would enjoy it much more if they were in safety. At the moment, that stunning bolt of lightning striking the ocean could be them. The trees bending in the wind would collapse and crush them. Perhaps these thoughts weren’t the best in the given situation, but she couldn’t help it.
“This way,” said Nathan, when he’d finally found his flashlight. He lit the way, a path towards the forest. It was times like these that tempted Bella to pray. They hustled through the forest, Bella being tossed this way and that every time a strong gust of wind swept through the path. Nathan had to grasp her arm a few times to keep her from being practically blown away, and as frightened as she admittedly was, the whole situation was rather hilarious. Who would’ve thought that after all she’d been through, she’d be killed by some tropical storm. “I think I see it,” said Bella, but the thunder muffled her words. “I think I see it!” she yelled, tugging on Nathan’s shirt and pointing dramatically towards a cave hidden in a distance. He grinned and nodded, pointing the flashlight that way. They hurried on, stumbling over fallen branches and slippery leaves. Bella’s heart was pounding every step of the way. They were almost there. The cave was partially covered by bushes and other flora. Bella suddenly wondered, what if they weren’t the only things seeking refuge in the cave. This land was native to panthers, jaguars and coyotes. Her heart raced, not just with fear, but with excitement. The rain was icy cold and fell so hard that it was almost painful. “Almost there,” Nathan yelled encouragingly. He pulled her up the small incline that led to the cave and at last they were sheltered from the tempest. Still, they both held their breath. Bella glanced around for any signs of animal life: footprints, bones, stored food… but they seemed safe for the time being. She couldn’t tell how deep the cave was, but for now they didn’t have to worry about that. Heaving a sigh of relief, she dropped her backpack onto the cave floor. Her clothes were soaked through and through and she was freezing cold. She wrapped her arms around herself and glanced at Nathan. They looked at each other, reading the underlying amusement in their eyes. It had been a scary journey but oh so exciting. Without any words shared between them, they burst into laughter. Bella laughed and laughed until her belly hurt and then she sighed deeply and tried to contain herself. “Now to survive the rest of the night…” she said.
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Isabella Kaylee DwyerWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2017
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