Simple Sweetness

Chapter 12

He had spent many weekends out here in the rocks over the years, this was his favourite place to escape to. His place to find solace and think when his life got to crazy. Over time he had mapped the maze of caves, gulleys and twisting open tunnels, of over head archways in his mind. The rock formation was an amazing natural phenomenon of weathered stone. Resembling that of the grand canyon and a huge piece of petrified swiss cheese all mixed into one.

Racing through the darkness, listening with pity to Serena's terrorfied sounds as the storm raged over head. The freezing rain pelting them, soaking them to the bone, as the intense wind popped their red frozen ears. Twisting and turning through the labyrinth, Darien's guts were twisting with anxiety. Wondering if the Tornado's were going to strike the ground nearby or keep hovering threateningly over top the canyon. They were chaotic creations of wind and heat, unpredictable and deadly. With the whistling of their approach echoing around them. He turned down a narrow corridor of stone coming up to the mouth of a small cave. He quickly ducked inside, pulling a now deathly quiet Serena along with him.

It was a deep elongated hole, that descended into a shallow bowl like room further in. Darting further into the welcomed alcove of stone, they both released held breaths. Darien guided his scared, trembling girl over to the back corner, before tracking down his battery powered camping lamp. Setting it down before her at the very back of the cave. In moments the small area was glowing in a soft yellow light. Sadly, he took in her huddled, soaked form leaning against the back wall of the cave. Holding herself tight, as she muttered softly to herself. Her golden buns long since pulled loose by the rain and winds. Her hair now laying in a wild tangle about her head, stray strands of wet hair falling in limp swirls around her head and over her face. She was utterly water logged and the most emotionally fragile he had ever seen her.

"When the rain hit, he jumped or fell off the wall. I don't know if he just left me or..." She whispered to herself, starting to rock back and forth as the fear began to overwhelm her.

Darien was in action, swallowing his rage concerning Simon. Needing to take care his most precious person, darting for his back pack ignoring his own chill. Pulling out his spare white t-shirt and a pair of dusty blue boxers.

"Here, Sere. Get out of those wet clothes." He knelt in front of her, offering her his clothes with a warm smile.

She blinked in confusion for a moment, as the whistling outside died. Now replaced by an intense roar of wind, as if a jet engine was hovering outside. The fierce wind was now sucking the air out of the cave. As the inside began to heat up, a stale smell wafting from the walls. As a fine dust began to churn and billow in from the mouth of the cave. An invisible monster of dirt, stones and fine debris began to attack them.

"Darien!" She screamed in complete mind numbing terror, falling onto her stomach and wrapping her arms over her head. Screaming in panic, as the roaring dust cloud overtook them.

Darien stuffed his clothes back into his pack, before snatching up his sleeping bag from beside it. Unzipping it so it made a huge heavy blanket, scrambling to her side and laying himself partially over top of her small, lithe body. Using the sleeping bag as a shield over them both, against the debris cloud now filtering in from the maelstrom of wind converging over the valley outside.

He wedged her tight against the back corner of the cave, bracing himself in the small space with his powerful legs and arms. Holding her tight against him with one strong arm, while keeping the heavy sleeping bag over top of them both with his other arm. Creating a comforting cocoon of his own body to shield her from the tornados now driving mercilessly through the canyon. His ears were popping painfully from the sudden change in air pressure. He knew she wasn't fairing any better, her muffled sounds of pain reaching his ears.