Winters' 3 Dears- The 12: Book Three

28. The Fall

Tennessee awoke to a loud thud. He looked to his side to see Beatrice stirring from her sleep under the lean to. A roar passed through the forest and suddenly they were being hit with pouring rain.

Beatrice hastily gathered her things and got to her feet just as the lean to was snatched away in the gale. A branch swung by her, nearly knocking her in the face.

"Get into the trees!" Tennessee shouted. "There might be a crag in the rocks on the other side."

Beatrice ran with him into the towering pines where the winds abated. "Now what?" she asked watching the icy rain pouring.

"Come on, we need to find a safe place to take shelter," Tennessee said dripping wet. He put his pack on his back and led her through the woods. As they walked a distinct rushing sound reached their ears. "Do you hear that?"

"It sounds like a stream," Beatrice said. Just as she took one step forward lightening reached down from the sky and struck a series of trees popping from one to the next and splintering their canopies.

A loud snap passed through the forest followed by a groan. Lightning flashed again and Tennessee pulled them out of the way of a falling pine. Tumbling through the grass and underbrush they rolled down a rocky hill striking their limbs on rocks until they where pitched into the swelled stream.

Beatrice was forced to inhale the water when the shock of its coldness hit her. She struggled to the surface as they were pulled downstream in the sweeping current. "Tennessee!" she screamed as she splashed.

Tennessee tried grabbing onto rocks to save them but they were too slippery. He looked ahead of them and his heart leapt into his throat when he saw where the land broke off into a fall. "Hang on, Beatrice!" he shouted as they neared the edge. "Brace yourself!"

Beatrice closed her eyes as the current swept them over the falls. She felt water falling down on her then she felt it engulf her, roll her around then throw her away. When she broke to the surface again she was floating in a pool of water. When she discovered she could put her feet down she stood, leaving the water to come up to her chest.

There was a gurgling sound next to her and Tennessee broke the surface coughing. "Beatrice."

"Tennessee, you're alive!" Beatrice threw her arms around him nearly knocking him down. "I was so afraid."

Tennessee stood with his arms to his side, absorbing the full weight of her body on him. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her and Beatrice tightened her grip on him. The rain had stopped in the storm slowly passed letting the moonlight stream into the surrounding trees.

Beatrice raised her head and narrowed her eyes when she thought she could make out a square structure. She broke their embrace and pointed. "Look, I think it's a house."

Tennessee squinted in the light of the moon. Indeed it was a house, looking through the trees at the waterfall. "Well, let's hope they're hospitable," he said feeling his voice shiver. "We won't last in wet clothes."

Beatrice nodded and followed him out of the water. They stumbled through the woods until they reached the house. Standing this close now they could easily see it wasn't kept. She stood back as he knocked on the door.

"Hello?" Tennessee called and they waited for an answer. With a shrug of his shoulders he turned the knob and pushed the door open. Even in the moonlight they could see the dust and it was clear no one had lived there in a long while.

A rustle in the exposed rafter made Beatrice gasp as a barn owl took flight through an opening in the eaves.

"Good it has a fire place," Tennessee said. He forced her over to the mantle. "Please be matches," he said as he searched the shelves. "Yes."