Invisible

Chapter 19 When Walls Crumble

I get out and grab the gear, wishing I was anywhere else. I walk to the front door, ringing the door bell... no response. Okay then, I guess I'll get started.

The space is rather large and it takes me a good hour to map and document. Then I sit on the front step and think about how we are going to do this job. The sky darkens and it takes a few minutes for me to realize, it's the clouds, not the fading daylight.

I stand to go when his car turns into the driveway, what do I do? A rain drop hits my head.

"Hey, sorry. I didn't realize how late it got." He leaps out and grabs a paper bag from the back seat.

"It's o-"

A roll of thunder drowns me out and I bite back a scream.

"I really should get going."

"No, come on, come in."

"I-"

The sky opens up and both me, my notes, and Hunter are instantly drenched. He bolts through the rain and I step up to the awning at the front door. He unlocks it and ushers me in. Besides shuffling there's another noise and then a bark. I try to escape through the door I just came through.

"Leah, I don't believe you've met Cole yet."

"Um... I can really get going, we can reschedule for some other time."

"No, really, I've been looking forward to hanging out with you all week. I'm glad you came and not Tori."

"Okay... where would you like me to set up?"

"The living room, there's a coffee table you can use."

"Thanks." I wring out my hair and move farther into the house and take in the style and décor. I spread the damp paper on the table and check the camera to make sure it still works. It didn't get too wet.

"Here." I look over to where Hunter stands and a towel hits me in the face. "Oh sorry, I thought you would catch it."

"It's fine, thanks." I towel off my hair and my arms, as I do there's a clatter in the kitchen. "Hunter, what are you doing?"

"Just getting dinner started, don't mind me."

I look around but I have nothing to do. I see a tennis ball on the floor so I pick it up. The dog... Cole? Yes that's his name, I can't believe I forgot, Cole barks at me. "You want this?" I throw it and he tears after it. 15 minutes later Hunter strolls into the room.

"Alright, what do you have for me?"

I sit on the floor in front of the table, I'm comfortable there so I don't move to sit on the couch. Then he joins me on the floor and I almost jump out of my skin as our knees touch. For the next half hour or so I highlight ideas and I am able to forget about the rain.

A timer goes off and I move to collect the papers.

"You can leave that."

I look over at him in surprise. "Don't you need to eat?"

"Yeah, come on." He doesn't give me any room to decline, he stands and helps me to my feet. "I made gumbo, have you ever had it before?"

I shake my head.

"Well you're going to love it!"

I have no choice, I follow him into the kitchen. He'd better be right, I'm a very picky eater.

.....

"It's coming down pretty hard out there." Hunter looks out the front window.

"Yeah but I should get going." I can't stop shaking; the longer it stays dark, and with each boom of thunder and strike of lightning my panic notches up a little bit more.