Storm Shelter

Chapter 2- Wonders Never Cease

Anna stumbled up to the large blue sliding door. There was a soft light glowing through a window to the left. She peered inside to see a wide hallway lined with stalls on each side. To be expected of a barn she guessed.

There was a sharp kick right behind her belly button.

"Shhh" She whispered, stroking her stomach slowly. "Please wait. A barn is not the introduction to the world you want. There are much nicer ways. Like a garden shed, or a laundry room."

She didn't have time to laugh at her own joke. The next contraction was bearing down strong. She just wanted to scream but all that came out was a sharp hissing sound that lasted through the pain.

Here it will be I guess.

Panting, she pushed open the sliding door just enough to slip inside. Dimly she registered how lucky she was that it opened for her. Why wouldn't it be? No one would expect a thief way out here, let alone a runaway pregnant woman.

The warmth inside made her moan with relief. It was eerily silent inside the barn, except for the slight buzzing of the light bulb hanging in the center of the wide hallway.

She walked over to a stall at random and looked inside. There was a cow and her calf sleeping blissfully despite the storm, which howled loudly like a living thing.

Anna backed away and leaned against the stall across the aisle. She slid into a squat and dropped her head between her knees.

"Now what?" She said aloud. "I'm here and its warm and dry, but I still can't do this on my own." What's your answer for that God?

She heard a shuffling noise and a snort from behind her and then the large head of a white horse came through the stall opening.

"Ahh!" She exclaimed, jumping back. Then quickly regretted it, when the baby protested.

"What was that for?" She scolded, stepping back towards the horse. "There was no need to scare me."

The horse only cocked his head to one side and eyed her suspiciously, yet not unkindly. She stepped even closed and extended her hand palm up. The horse eyed her again, but reached out anyway to inspect her hand and search for possible treats presumably.

"Sorry buddy. I don't even have food for myself." She sighed and dropped her hand, resuming her previous position.

The horse stomped and nickered softly, then  began to lip and nibble on her hair. She swatted him away and leaned farther forward to put her head down between her knees again. She knew another contraction was coming soon.

"If only my mama could see me now. I don't know how I let this happen to me. I'm thousands of miles from home. There is practically a hurricane outside. My baby decides to come right now and to top it all off I'm talking to a horse!" She was almost hysterical, at a weird point between laughter and tears.

The horse just ignored her pained ranting and started to chew at her hair again.

"Would you stop that? I'm in bad enough shape without you slobbering all over me." She waved her hand at the beast again, laughing despite herself. The situation was so dire, yet so humorous, laughter was called for.

Then the next contraction was upon her and she couldn't think of laughing anymore. As she was coming down off the pain, she heard someone clearing their throat.

She snapped up her head to see a gangly, tall man-child step towards her from the opposite door that she entered from. He stared for just one more bewildered second before saying.

"Who are you?" His eyes were full of amazement and confusion.

Anna gasped as the last of the pain passed. Panting she tried to smile, but grimaced and looked upward.

"You just have an answer for everything don't you?" She accused.