Behind the Screen (a Tom Hiddleston Story)

15. Soggy Socks and Heavy Hearts

 A few short quickened, desperate breathes later and Kate and Tom had given up in their attempt to reach the other side of the lake and sat down on a tree which had been recently torn from its original position which was a few feet away from the pathway they'd been running along a few moments ago. Tom had clearly had enough as he was digging a hole with a stick he'd picked up from next to the lake. He attempted to whistle but it was raining heavier than Kate had ever seen before. It resembled something from the Amazon rainforest, except with bigger raindrops and minus the heat. Thinking of the heat of the rainforest suddenly reminded her that she only had a thin raincoat on and a jumper which was now soaked through to the bone, leaving her shaking uncontrollably as her body subconsciously attempted to increase her body temperature.

"Come here you," Tom breathed as he placed his arm around her small, juddering shoulders rubbing one hand up and down her right arm in an attempt to warm her up. Which of course was a nice gesture and everything but Kate couldn't help wishing that his arm was a heat pack or something more warming. A hot water bottle would do. She could feel her hands going numb and her feet were practically swimming in their own private pools as the rain had trickled its way down her sodden jeans and into her woolen socks.

"Its s-s-so c-c-ol-d To-m-m," she said on an inbreathe as she sensed her breathing hitch in her throat.

"I know and as soon as this thunder and lightning are far enough away we can walk over the bridge and back the way we came. We've just got to sit tight and wait with our stiff upper lip and all." He smiled as the plan for their survival reared its head as though it had taken him years to figure it out. His little joyous smile that graced his once worried face almost raised the mood until Kate realized what he had actually just said.

"Ur, you do realize that the lightning had struck the bridge remember? We are gonna have to swim back across."

"Shit ha, I forgot about that." His face sinking back down to earth as though reality had slapped it back into a realistic form to mirror the situation in hand. A frown.

Just as they were both about to jump ship, Tom spotted someone walking past the cow shed with a herd (yes a herd) of pigs following close behind them. Kate's dad was leading something that appeared to have walked straight out of a Shrek movie as the pigs may as well have been stood on their hind legs with lederhosen and German accents on their oinks as the sight was so ridiculous.

"Is this what a mirage looks like in a torrential downpour?" Tom laughed as he pointed to the oncoming traveling zoo.

"Its the farmer's version of a knight in shining armor." She giggled as she helped him to his feet, realizing his feet were sunk almost shin-deep in the mud he's stirred up enough to make it into a mini marshland. Almost removing them from their sockets, she pulled his arms as hard as her elf-like arms could muster until she couldn't pull anymore. Her dad had obviously stopped to watch this freak show that Kate was so kindly putting as entertainment for the duration of the storm to lighten the mood. Just as she was about to give in she felt him budge and pull himself out with her support as she moved her hands from his to under his armpit. As he was removed from the muddy mess he had managed to successfully abandon one of his wellies in his effort to escape.

"Bloody hell, they are my favorite too." He giggled as he steadied himself as the rain eased up a little.

"Alright, you two? What are you doing sitting out in the middle of the field when there are a barn twenty meters that-a-way?" He gestured to the rickety barn as Kate and Tom exchanged "We are such morons" looks. "And why didn't you just head back across the bridge?" Kate explained to her dad what had happened as the rain suddenly got more aggressive and the wind cut across the field rustling the leaves on the trees making it sound as though they were having their own conversation.