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Determined not to give up, I considered my options and came up with only one solution. I had to return to the ranch and get my horse. It would be a long process, but it was my only chance to navigate the narrow trail and reach Anna.
I climbed back into the truck and attempted to call Anna again. The phone rang but then abruptly cut off. My heart sank. I couldn’t tell if Anna was all right, and I couldn’t keep driving.
But my resolve was unshaken. I had to get to her no matter what it took.
If it meant riding my horse in this storm, I would ensure Anna’s safety and prove that my feelings for her were genuine despite my past mistakes.
19
Anna
The wind whistled outside the shed. Rain battered the roof.
I opened my eyes, waking up from sleep. I looked around, recalling how we had made patchwork repairs in the shed after the last storm hit but never got around to completely fixing it.
My fingers gripped the blanket tightly. I pulled it to my chest as the wind whistle became a howl.
How will the storm damage the ranch this time around?
I shivered, not wanting to dwell on the thought.
Before long, rainwater started trickling through the cracks in the roof.
There was no point staying in the shed any longer. I had to dash to the truck before things got worse.
I grabbed my phone, a flashlight, and the blanket and sprung to my feet. Quickly, I wrapped the blanket around me. It would shield me from the rain as much as it could.
But as I turned and stepped to the door, a gust struck the shed. An old oak beam, which was already fractured, cracked, and snapped.
Splintered wood and fragments of insulation flew about. From the corner of my eyes, I saw falling debris and ducked, covering my head.
As the beam fell, the roof gave way. A big chunk directly above the door crumbled inwards. Wood and metal came tumbling down, barricading the exit. I was trapped with nowhere to go.
Panic surged through me. While trying my best to dodge the falling debris, I retreated to a corner. I had to think fast or be buried in the debris. There was a spot at the inner part of the shed where the structure was still intact. It had a table that could act as a shield against the falling debris too.
Clutching the items I’d gathered earlier, I dashed for that section, my feet slipping on the wet floor, I slid under the table, ensured the blanket was covering me properly, and then tried to call for help.
Ethan, Jake, and Beth’s numbers weren’t connecting. I noticed missed calls from Max and immediately tried to reach him. The call didn’t go through.
The reality of my isolation hit me. It might take a while before anyone realized I was in danger. I was truly alone in this mess.
Since the shed continued to fall apart around me, staying put was no longer an option. The door and window were a no-go because they were blocked by heaps of wreckage. That was also the section of the shed where the most debris was falling.
Then I looked up and saw a gap in the roof. I could climb through it. It was risky but better than the alternative.
Bracing myself, I crawled out from under the table. I put the phone and keys in my pocket then wrapped the flashlight in the blanket before tying the blanket around my waist. My hands needed to be free for the climb.
I climbed on slippery and unstable wood. My heart hammered as I carefully maneuvered, avoiding sharp edges and unstable beams.
I was almost at the narrow opening when a loose piece of roofing and a broken beam gave way under my weight. Losing my footing, I tumbled backward. A sharp metal edge sliced deep into my leg, and I landed with a sickening thud.
Pain exploded through me. It was a searing, white agony that blotted out everything else.
I screamed then looked down. My heart sank at the deep, gaping wound that bled profusely. The way the blood pumped out with my racing heart told me it was bad. Very bad. I might have hit an artery.
Panic clawed at my throat, its icy fingers wrapping around my throat.
I was alone, injured, and losing blood fast.
