Dylan's Story - Part 8

Hello Friday Fiction Fans,
I had to scramble this morning because I had completely forgotten that I didn't have anything ready to post. I had finished writing a short story last night, but it wasn't ready to be shared yet. And I hadn't picked another already published story either, so . . . I decided that I'd give you another part of Dylan's Story. I hope you won't mind. (Jesseca, you asked for it, so I hope you can read it.)

Last weekend was one of those crazy, busy things. On Sunday night I told my sister I had no idea what I needed to work on this week because we'd been so busy that I hadn't had time to even think about the coming week. :P We had a birthday party (okay, we celebrated 3 birthdays), a wedding shower, babysat the kiddos twice, had church, had choir practice, saw some friends I hadn't seen in a year, and somehow managed to get my last 500 words written so I could reach my 5k goal.

This week I need about 500 more words as well, though I'm hoping I can get 1,500 words written and reach 6k. I just don't know what I'll write this evening. Dylan's Story got stuck, Finding Joy needs some major work, Hymns in the Hills might work, I haven't tried it, or I might be able to start a new short story. Maybe one for Project 12. What do you wish I would work on?

Now I'll let you read. You probably didn't even bother reading this part, did you? Don't worry, I won't hold it against you.

Dylan's Story

Part 8

    “I will. And don’t let either of them go out in this rain! We don’t want them ending up in the hospital with pneumonia!”
    Autumn nodded, kissed her husband quickly, and then stood and watched until he disappeared into the rain. Turning back to the children, she saw Fern pressed against her brother. “Perhaps she is a little frightened at times after all,” she murmured to herself. Before, Fern had given the impression that nothing could bother her.
    “Aunt Autumn,” Fern whimpered when Autumn returned to their side, “I don’t like it in here anymore. Can’t we go back to the house?”
    “Uncle Scott went to get the truck. The wind and rain are too cold for us to go all the way back to the house on foot.”
    Clutching Autumn’s hand, Fern lifted dark eyes wide with fear. “Then won’t Uncle Scott get sick?”
    “Fern, he’s an Army man. Army men don’t get sick from rain and wind,” Dylan scoffed. “They’re tough.”
    “I don’t think he’ll get sick, Fern,” Autumn reassured the little girl whose eyes had remained fixed on her, completely ignoring her brother’s words. “He is more used to the elements than we are. Now, while we wait, let’s make sure the horses are ready for a long day in the stable.”
    As they worked, Autumn kept one ear open for the sound of the truck. In spite of her assurance to Fern, she couldn’t quite rid herself of the worry that nudged her mind. What if Scott slipped and fell on the way? Would he be able to make it all the way to the truck if he was injured? What if the truck became stuck in the muddy lane? It had happened before. What if–
    “Aunt Autumn.” Dylan’s voice brought her mind back into focus.
    “Yes?”
    “Is there anything else we need to do?”
    She looked around. There wasn’t anything else to do except to wait. Shaking her head, she smiled. “No, it looks like everything is ready in here. Let’s go watch near the door.”
    The time passed slowly to the three who were waiting and watching the falling rain. Fern pressed close to Autumn and even Dylan shivered. At her suggestion, they moved farther back and shut the door almost all the way. Conversation was almost non existent for the rain on the metal roof was loud. Suddenly a new sound was heard. Thudding like golf balls being dumped on a hard floor caused Autumn to catch her breath and look anxiously out the door.
    “What is that noise?” Fern’s voice was almost lost.
    “Hail.” Though she tried to hide her concern, Autumn wasn’t sure she had succeeded for Dylan moved up beside her and looked out at the small balls of ice bouncing around. Where was Scott? Had he even made it back to the house before the hail came? Autumn had no way of knowing.
    Finally the hail stopped and only the rain fell, though not as heavily as it had.
    “I’m glad we aren’t in the cabin,” Dylan remarked, sitting down on an overturned bucket.
    “I’m thankful you aren’t too!”
    Soon the truck was seen coming down the road. Pulling up as close as he could to the barn before stopping, Scott reached over and opened the passenger door. “Hurry in, kids!”
    Fern needed no urging but dashed for the truck and scrambled in. Dylan was right at her heels. Shutting the stable door securely, Autumn followed. There was barely enough room in the cab for the four of them to fit, but after Fern had wiggled her way across her brother and onto Autumn’s lap, it was less crowded.
    “Home, James,” Autumn ordered, her voice prim and proper.
    “Very good, ma’am,” Scott replied in some funny accent, pretending to touch a cap he wasn’t wearing.
    Fern giggled, and even Dylan smiled. They were all safe in the truck and headed for a warm house and dry clothes.

*

    Arriving at the house, Autumn said, “When we get inside, Fern and Dylan, I want you to both run up to your rooms and change into dry clothes. And make sure you put on dry socks, Fern.” Autumn patted the little girl’s knee. “You stepped right in that puddle.”
    “But my shoe is wet, so my dry sock will just get wet too.”
    “Do you have slippers?”
    Fern shook her dark head.
    “Well, I think I have something you can wear around the house.”
    “Bring any wet shoes down and we’ll dry them by the fire,” Scott promised before he opened his door.
    Quickly rushing inside, everyone scattered to their rooms to get into something dry and warm.
    Dylan shivered as he pulled on his last clean shirt. “I wonder if they have to go to town to wash their clothes?” he mused, pulling off his damp socks. “I should have looked for puddles before I followed Fern. Now where are my socks? Surely I have another pair.” Carefully he dug through his suitcase one more time. Nope. All of his socks had been worn and needed washed. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Dylan gave a sigh that was almost like a sob. He was tired of trying to be responsible for everything. “I’m only ten. I want to be a boy, not a grownup.” Sniffing, he let his shoulders sag and rested his chin in his hands. Why was life so hard?
    “Dylan! Lunch is ready!”
    The call from his sister brought Dylan to his feet. Picking up his shoes, he made his way downstairs where he left his shoes on the hearth with the other pairs. The warmth of the fire felt good to his bare feet and for a minute he stood warming his toes.
    “Dylan!” Fern’s voice was impatient. “I’m hungry, so come on!”
    “Fern, talk politely, please.”
    Dylan heard Uncle Scott’s low voice and turned away. He knew he’d better go before Fern got really upset. Besides, his breakfast had disappeared some time before and his stomach was begging to be filled again. The smell of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup quickened his steps.
    “There he is,” Aunt Autumn smiled as he entered the dining room. “We can–Why, Dylan, where are your socks? It’s too cold to be going around barefoot.”

Have you ever run out of clean socks?

Have you ever been stuck in a building other than a house during hail?

Do you like grilled cheese and tomato soup?