by Trinity Hart
Lightning Strikes
By
Bonnie McCune, Kim McMahill,
Carlene Havel, Trinity Hart,
& Josie Riviera
Copyright 2012 Prism Book Group
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Cover Art by Joan Alley
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are the product of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Published by Prism Book Group
First Edition, 2012
Published in the United States of America
Contact info: [email protected]
www.prismbookgroup.com
Foreword
Thank you for downloading Lightning Strikes. This short story was written in round-robin style by numerous Prism Book Group authors during a promotional event. The authors had lots of fun writing this story and we hope you enjoy it as well. Visit our website for Rachel and Luke’s next free short story!
www.prismbookgroup.com
CHAPTER ONE
Indeed, it’d been one of those days.
Hunger pangs sliced through Rachel Harman’s abdomen. As a direct result of unavoidable, back-to-back business meetings, she’d skipped lunch. Breakfast had consisted merely of a granola bar and half-bruised banana consumed in a rush on the way to work.
The microwave glowed in Rachel’s dim kitchen, spinning her pathetic, man-sized frozen spaghetti meal. But as famished as she was, she couldn’t even think about visiting the grocery store, much less cooking something more appealing.
Her laptop waited on the table, more work to be done before the night was over. Emails that required responses, a column due first thing in the morning. If she was going to make assistant editor soon, there could be no slacking.
She leaned against the counter, tapping her fingers against the laminate impatiently.
The unexpected rumble of thunder threatened and she glanced out her patio doors to discover dim, eerie skies. All at once, it was pouring, lightning flashing rapidly.
She rushed across the room to shut down her laptop. Boom! It seemed as if the entire building quaked a moment before her condo abruptly fell dark and the life zapped from her computer.
“Great!”
With a disgusted half-sigh, half-groan, Rachel fished around in the kitchen for a flashlight then also lit a candle. Next, since there was nothing to be done about the situation, she checked on her meal. Still half frozen in the darkened microwave.
“Can’t I catch a break?” she grumbled to herself and slammed the microwave door, leaving the half-cooked meal inside. “What else...?”
Opening the unlit refrigerator, she reviewed her choices. A rotten apple. Lunchmeat turkey, but no cheese or mayo or bread for that matter. Nothing that could be cooked without the use of her stove or microwave.
She shoved the door shut and considered her options. Go out to eat? But it was pouring. So order in.
Fishing her cell from her purse, she first dialed the electric company. The automated system informed her she could expect a very long wait. Threatened by the blinking battery light on her phone, she hung up that cause and called the local pizza shop, only to learn they weren’t taking orders until the power was restored. Then, in a cruel twist of fate, her phone died.
Her stomach knotted in pain. What now?
She sat at the counter, determined to believe this unfortunate event couldn’t last long. After all, they rarely lost power in this part of the city, and it was always returned promptly.
Minutes ticked by. Somehow she managed to rest her head on the table and drift asleep. She awoke to a battery clock blinking seven o’clock in a stuffy, hot room. Without the air conditioner, the summer heat had slowly saturated her home.
At least the rain had slowed. She went to the patio door and cracked it slightly. In wafted moist air and the overwhelming scent of steaks sizzling on the grill.
Overcome by the compelling urge to shake her fist and rant and rave at the neighbor who lived in the condo above her, she clenched her teeth against hunger. The man was insufferably pleasant. Always smiling and upbeat and cooking out on his grill while blaring Christian tunes on his stereo system. Did Luke Ashton even work? Not much, if at all.
Now minus his music, he hummed and shuffled about. She heard the lift and fall of the grill lid and eyed her own grill in annoyance, which had run out of propane two years ago and she hadn’t touched since. She was far too busy with work and preferred meals that involved little prep and even less clean up.
Despite the annoyance of Luke’s presence, the inside of her apartment had grown far too stuffy. Craving fresh air, she slid the door open wider and stepped out.
“Hello neighbor,” he called down. “The storm was incredible, wasn’t it? So beautiful. I love watching lightning shows, the more intense the better.”
Incredible? Beautiful? Was he crazy? How could he be so outright cheery at a moment like this? She couldn’t work, couldn’t eat, couldn’t even watch television or take a hot shower. And if she didn’t finish that column, her boss would have her head. It would definitely cost her the promotion.
“Yeah, well, I love electricity,” she grumbled.
“Rumor has it a transformer blew. It’s a big deal. Could be out six, seven hours. Maybe even until morning.”
“Until morning? Are you serious?” The breeze threatened her bun, whisking hairs from its neat containment as her empty stomach protested loudly. “I guess I better go out to eat then. Thanks for the information.”
She started to head inside, but his words stopped her short. “I don’t imagine too many places are going to be open for business without power. Besides, a whole new set of storms is due to roll in momentarily. Could get real nasty out. The weatherman is talking tornadoes. Come on up. I’ve fixed plenty enough for two.”
“Oh I couldn’t...” Didn’t want to, either. She considered her situation a moment and quickly found a more appealing alternative.
Gage, one of her coworkers, lived on the other side of the city. Surely he still had power. They’d hit it off from the start and though it was nothing serious yet, they’d dated recently. Perhaps a drop-in visit, a more down-to-earth evening in contrast to the classy restaurants he escorted her to, was just the thing to boost the relationship to the next level.
Then again, maybe it was too soon for that sort of intimacy.
“Thanks for inviting me, but actually, I have something else planned for this evening.”
In the distance, vicious thunder cracked as if in warning.
The sizzle of mouthwatering meat filled the air as he once again lifted the grill lid. “Whatever suits your fancy. But I’d hurry, before you get caught in the next storm. Offer stands, should you change your mind. Otherwise, it’s going to be a lonely night.”
Rachel gritted her teeth. Why not? She was so hungry, she feared she would pass out in a moment. So she called up, “All right. Since you already have dinner going, I’ll accept. I’ll have to take the stairs. See you in a moment.”
