SHIFT EXCHANGE

Chapter 8

The wind was whipping tree branches and yard detritus across the driveway at lethal speed as Kara pulled in. She parked her car close to the side of the house and hugged the wooden siding for protection on her way to the barn.

The short jaunt between the house and the side door of the barn left her eyes watering and her face red with cold. Freezing rain bit into her skin and coated her short unruly hair. The warmth and relative calm of the barn was a welcome adjustment. Kara stood still for a moment just inside the doorway listening to the wind batter the wooden walls and taking deep breaths of the sweet hay filled air.

Merle and the ducks were safely squirreled away it their stalls to wait out the storm. Marvin had texted her last night to let her know he'd completed the task of rounding up her critters so she wouldn't worry.  Merle bleAted pathetically as she dug a scoop of grain out of the bin beside his cozy stall. He hated being cooped up.

"I know pal, but it's really nasty out there. Trust me, you are way better off just relaxing in here," She gave the little goat a scratch under the chin before attending to the ducks. They appeared to be perfectly happy with their hay filled nook.

When everyone was fed and she'd assured herself that things were well battened down, Kara took a deep breath and prepared to brave the short walk to her back door. Preparation did little to take away the shock and sting as ice pelted her face. By the time she reached her destination her ears were dead of any feeling and her nose a block of ice.

Tired as Kara was warming up was her top priority. She placed the kettle on the stove, pulled a mug down from the cabinet, and placed an herbal tea bag inside. The house was dark and quiet except for the whine of the wind and hiss of the gas stove. Kara settled herself against the counter to wait for the hot water.

The storm had started around midnight. The center was slammed with calls for downed tree, blocked roads, and power outages. At one time over a hundred calls were stacked up on her screen with no one available to attend to them. Slowly but surely, the officers and responders worked their way through the pile responding to the most life threatening first, then down through the rest.

By the time Kara's relief arrived they were down to 30 calls for service. The responders were still plucking along from incident to incident and half the county was out of power. Kara'd shamelessly bolted for her car.

The fact her home still had power was a blessing. Most of her appliances were gas, but that still required an electric ingniter. If all else failed, she could fall back on her wood stove. It wouldn't be the first time. Winters here could be harsh.

Kara rubbed her hands roughly down her face as the kettle began to whistle. She poured hot water into the mug and wrapped her hands around the warm porcelain. Her team had worked hard last night and she was proud of them. Thoughts of their tireless, relentless efforts made her smile. She was a blessed supervisor.

Another tired haggard face came to mind.

The patrol officers and deputies had all taken turns coming in for bathroom breaks and a cup of to-go coffee. Sergeant Mahon drug himself in just before shift change for a quick word of acknowledgement in regards to their efforts. He'd looked tired and worn out. He'd been surprised when she'd pointed out the small bit of pine tree that had attached itself to his beanie. Distractedly he brushed it away with a smile as he'd waved goodbye.

Kara breathed a sigh of relief that the harried frenzy of the night was over and she was looking at 3 full days off without work or guests. After a good sleep she had nothing on the agenda but relaxing days on the couch with a good book.

Kara double checked the front and back doors were still locked and secure before plodding up the stairs. If she was lucky, she'd get her face washed and her tea consumed before succumbing to her bed.