Driven in Love

Chapter Nine: Thunder Storm

Chapter Nine

Thunder Storm

Just when the group decided to risk resting for the evening, a big storm was rolling in.

"Don't even unpack," Cole told his crew. "I have a feelin' we're gonna be up all night chasing cattle. Some of these Texas storms are pretty mean and scare them crazy Long Horn. Our job is gonna be to keep them as calm as possible and grouped together."

"Is it gonna just be our group?" Jim asked.

"Naw," Cole replied. "It's gonna take us all. The trail boss, Joe, will keep our lead steer, Judas, up front. He will work him to keep the herd as collected as possible," he stated. "Asides', who could sleep in a storm with rain a pourin' on him?"

When the sun set, a glorious mound of clouds were vibrantly displayed. Black bottomed anvil clouds were streaked with pinks and blues and intermingled with purple. Deep indigo blue sliced through the symphony of colors in an ominous warning.

Minutes rushed by and the breeze kicked up. The air temperature dropped notably and felt good against Abby's hot and dusty skin. She continued to watch the beauteous danger of the storm developing.

As nightfall continued to deplete the cascade of colors, it became increasingly harder to see. Lightening snaked out from the black thunderheads that were only visible when electrified. At times, it looked like a game in the sky. The cowboys readied their horses and donned their rain gear. Shortly, everyone was mounted and prepared for action. At last, a deep, ominous rumble shook the ground, and the cattle began to mill.

"Get ready, men! The Long Horn are gettin' restless," Cole warned.

Everyone was astride their horses, Stetsons pulled low, and lariats readied. Whips were taken out to hopefully offset the cracks of thunder. The atmosphere's orchestrated drumline was humbling and astounding.

The wind began to pick up. Abby was glad she kept her hair in a braid. The whistling anger wasn't as likely to thrash the strands in her face when they were plaited, and she'd need to see!

The next sonic BOOM had the cattle panicked, and they began to stampede. Abby's heart was in her throat, but soon she was too busy to think about fear. When a thousand head of cattle scattered with the next crash, men and horses were blazing everywhere. Then the skies opened up and poured buckets of water. Torrential sheets drenched the ground and blinded everything that moved.

Abby was chasing a group of about ten big steers, doing her best to cut them back into the fold. However, lariats and whips were ineffectual against the great cracks of thunder. She was as close to the panicked beasts as she could get and be just out of reach of their daggers. Abby was so close that she could see the whites of the steer's eyes lull in their fear.

Just as the head steer was turning back in the direction she wanted, a whip came out of nowhere and slashed across her thigh. A cry tore unknowingly from her lips, and Smoky whinnied in fright. Abby could feel the bite of the cut. The sharp edge of the whip had sliced her jeans and split her skin. She was sure by her horse's reaction, he'd taken a hit as well.

Another whip burned into the skin across her leg again and that of Smoky's. This time, her horse nearly went down as he slipped in the mud. She balanced precariously on his back until he found his footing. Through his mounting terror, the obedient horse continued to turn the longhorn. The next crack of the whip hissed by but didn't find its mark. Abby turned to see what was going on.

"You've gotta be kidding me," she growled. She looked over into Ray's mean face. His eyes were slits against the rain, but the hatred etched there was purely visible.