Natural Disaster

by Erin McLellan

  Sarah prompted Seth Nguyen, who was forecasting live, to go to Guthrie.

  Seth seamlessly redirected his analysis of the southern storm to the water rescue. “And now, we’re going live to Guthrie Gale in the Gold Lakes neighborhood where there is a very dangerous high water rescue in progress.”

  Guthrie sucked in a bracing gulp and dropped into his professional voice. “Thank you, Seth. We’re here at the Harbor Street causeway between Bird Lake and Gold Lake where a vehicle has been swept off the causeway by rushing floodwaters. The car has come to a stop against a metal fence, and that appears to be the only thing preventing it from being pushed into the lake. The Oklahoma City Fire Department and other emergency personnel are currently on the scene.”

  “Did you see the vehicle drive into the high water?”

  “We did. Luke Masters and I have been following this heavy precipitation storm since earlier this afternoon. We were driving east on Harbor Street. There is a fairly steep hill, and we witnessed the vehicle drive into the water directly after cresting the hill. It was hard to see that the road was flooded until we came over that hill, and at that point it was almost too late. We were able to turn into the Gold Lake Golf Club parking lot, but this car didn’t react in time to avoid the high water. It swept the car off the road and into the fence within seconds.”

  Luke signaled to Guthrie to check behind him. He glanced to his left. The firefighters were anchoring a yellow rescue boat using tethers. “As you can see, the emergency personnel appear to be preparing to deploy a rescue boat.” Luke slowly swung the camera toward the firefighters, and Guthrie kept talking. “They are tethering it from several places along the bank of the flood, but preparations will take a while longer.”

  Sarah’s voice rang in his ear, speaking to Seth. “Seth, switch to Johanna with the tornado, and we’ll come back to Guthrie later.”

  “Thank you, Guthrie,” Seth said. Then to the viewing audience, he said, “We will continue to keep you updated on the high water rescue in the Gold Lakes neighborhood. We’re going to swing over to Johanna Gaudet, who is following the severe thunderstorm near Middleburg, which seems to be producing circulation.”

  Guthrie waited until Sarah let him know he was off-air before he sighed and relaxed his posture. He could hear her and the director talking, as well as Johanna and Seth, but the audio guy muted his output so they couldn’t hear him.

  “Did I do okay?” Luke asked.

  A funny, tender feeling spread through Guthrie at Luke’s earnest question. Luke had handled the camera like a pro. It was obvious his skills as a videographer were sharp as a tack.

  “Yeah,” Guthrie choked out. He wanted to flatter. To fall all over himself to tell Luke how amazing he was, but after the weirdness of the day, he was not going to do that.

  “Now what?”

  Guthrie shrugged. “We wait and keep an eagle eye on the scene. If I can grab anyone for an interview, we’ll record that. Once the rescue gets underway, we’ll go live again.”

  Luke shook his body, throwing the water droplets from the rain off his jacket. It was adorable and made Guthrie smile. Which made Luke smile. Then suddenly they were smiling at each other in the fucking rain.

  “You’re good out there,” Luke said into the awkward smiling silence.

  “I’m good on camera.”

  Luke frowned, his dark brow slashing across his wet forehead. “I meant on the road. You’re good at that. Calm. Measured. It’s nice.”

  Guthrie mirrored Luke’s frown. The storm chasers Guthrie had grown up with were the opposite of calm and measured, and they didn’t value those traits. It was one of the reasons he’d left that realm.

  “Thanks,” Guthrie said gruffly.

  “Sure.” Luke waved the thanks away like it meant nothing, but it meant a whole lot more than nothing to Guthrie.

  A sudden commotion had Luke shifting to aim the heavy camera. He had good instincts because he moved quickly enough to catch the car skidding five feet down the metal fence. All of the emergency personnel yelled and clambered to move faster.

  Guthrie’s heart jumped into his throat. He hated this aspect of storm chasing. Hated witnessing other people’s misfortune without a way to prevent it, to fix it. There was nothing he or Luke could do to help that old man in the sedan.

  Guthrie moved farther out of the camera’s view and prompted the audio guy to let Sarah know what was happening. There was enough light to see, but within the hour, it would be too dark for them to shoot usable footage. Even worse, it’d be substantially more dangerous to complete this rescue.

  Static crackled in his ear, and Sarah informed Guthrie that they would come to him live in a moment.

  “Luke, I’m going to be out of the shot for this but I’ll report on what is happening. We’ll keep a wide shot so we can see the whole scene. You shouldn’t have to move, unless something strange happens. Trust your instincts.”

  Luke nodded. His face had gone white as bone. Guthrie wasn’t sure if Luke was nervous about the rescue or the responsibility of shooting breaking news. Either way, Guthrie wasn’t going to leave him hanging. Because he wasn’t in the shot, he took two steps closer to Luke and patted him awkwardly on the back.

  Luke startled and glanced at Guthrie right as Sarah directed Seth Nguyen to go back to the water rescue. Guthrie focused on Seth’s transition.

  Seth said, “As you can see, the severe thunderstorm that Johanna has been reporting on is starting to break up as the northern edge reaches Norman. We will continue to monitor the storm front and keep you forewarned. In the meantime, we’re going to go live to the high water rescue underway in the Gold Lakes neighborhood. Guthrie, can you update us on this situation?”

  “Yes, Seth. The team of firefighters is scrambling to get the rescue boat tethered in all of the right locations. A few minutes ago, the vehicle was pushed farther down the metal fence by the floodwaters, which caused us all quite a scare.”

  “Can you tell us what else has changed on the scene?”

  Guthrie’s mind blanked. He’d been paying too much attention to Luke, thinking the rescue situation was static, when it hadn’t been. New details started to jump out at Guthrie.

  “Uh, sure. The main thing is that the car has moved, which means it is not locked securely against the fence. That makes this a very serious situation. The water has risen a couple of inches. When we first arrived, the water reached the middle of the driver’s side door. Now it’s to the handle, which I’m sure is frightening to the man inside.”

  “This is quite a dangerous situation, as Guthrie has indicated,” Seth said. “While this particular driver was surprised by the floodwaters after coming over a hill, I want to remind everyone at home to never drive into high water. If you can’t see through the water to the roadway, it is too high for you to cross.”

  The firefighters launched the yellow boat into the water, and two of them clambered into it with an extra life jacket.

  “Guthrie, can you explain what is happening on the scene now?” Seth asked him.

  “Two firefighters just climbed into the rescue boat. There are fifteen other emergency personnel along the waterline holding ropes attached to the boat. Some of the tethers have also been tied to poles or trees. This is to ensure the boat doesn’t wash past the vehicle. The water is very swift right here and hitting the broadside of the car.”

  A hush fell over the scene as the firefighters rowed out to the vehicle. Luke’s chest was rising and falling rapidly.

  “The firefighters are signaling for the driver of the vehicle to roll down the window completely,” Guthrie explained, in case the camera angle wasn’t picking up their hand motions. The old man rolled his window down and the boat drew nearer. Guthrie gripped his microphone so hard his knuckles hurt. “The boat has reached what appears to be the most violent and swiftest area of the flood as there is a drop-off into the lake on the other side of that metal fence. The firefighters holding the tethers are all straining and trying
to wrangle the boat into the correct position.”

  Once the boat was steady, the firefighter closest to the window passed the old man a life jacket. The man put the life jacket on, and the firefighter held his arms out and gestured.

  “Oh my stars and garters, here we go,” Guthrie said, breathlessly, forgetting his voice was on camera.

  The driver grabbed the hands of the firefighter, and the firefighter pulled him through the window. The man landed with a bounce that almost launched him over the side of the boat.

  Guthrie and Luke both gasped as the firefighter grabbed the man and yanked him into the middle of the dinghy. All of the voices in his ear breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief.

  “The man is safely in the rescue boat. The team of emergency personnel is pulling them to the bank, where I’m sure they’ll check to see if he’s okay.”

  “This was a very dangerous situation that had the best possible outcome,” Seth said. Guthrie was relieved someone else was talking because he was lightheaded. “We are thankful for all the firefighters and emergency personnel who put their lives on the line and courageously helped this man to safety.” Sarah prompted Seth to switch to another weather report as the man made it to the bank in the rescue boat. Seth finished, “A big thanks to Guthrie Gale for keeping us updated on this breaking news.”

  “Of course,” Guthrie said. He turned to Luke. “Gosh, I’m glad that turned out okay.”

  Sarah’s laugh in his ear alerted Guthrie to the fact he was still on the air. He closed his eyes and sighed as Seth said, “Us too, Guthrie. Now to the weather. The Doppler radar….”

  Luke grinned, water dripping down his cheeks. His hood had gotten dislodged while filming, and his bun was sagging under the weight of the rainwater. His hair looked black and inky as opposed to its normal golden brown. Guthrie had the urge to help Luke wring out all of that glorious hair, to touch it. Clench it in a fist. He took three quick steps away and almost fell ass over teakettle into a puddle. Luke reached for him when he stumbled, but Guthrie was out of arm’s reach before Luke could connect. Then the moment passed, washed away by the rain.

  Later, Guthrie was able to snag a statement from the driver, as well as the fire chief. By the time they had wrapped up, the rain had stopped and the sky was dark as pitch. Guthrie sent the interviews and all the footage off to the station and relaxed back into his seat in the truck.

  “Ready?” Luke asked.

  Guthrie nodded. He’d forgotten about the adrenaline drop after a day of storm chasing and how tiring sitting in a vehicle for hours at a time could be.

  “Not a bad first day,” Luke said. Guthrie grunted and closed his eyes, letting everything fade away.

  He jerked when Luke touched his arm a few seconds later.

  No, wait. They were nearing downtown Oklahoma City, so it’d been at least ten minutes.

  “I fell asleep.”

  “Yeah,” Luke said, his voice soft and warm. “Can I ask a favor?”

  “You can ask. Might decline.”

  Luke chewed on the edge of his thumbnail.

  His body language made Guthrie sit up straight and face Luke in his seat. “You okay?”

  Luke nodded. “Check out the lightning.”

  Guthrie didn’t want to look away from Luke’s face, from Luke’s sudden vulnerability, but a nearby flash snapped him out of it. The downtown Oklahoma City skyline was an imposing silhouette against a sky alight with streaks of lightning. When the clouds lit up, they were a vibrant mix of jewel tones—deep purples and velvety blues and perfect stormy grays.

  “It’s beautiful,” Guthrie whispered.

  “Can we stop up there?” Luke nodded toward the Skydance Pedestrian Bridge and the enormous metal sculpture of a scissor-tailed flycatcher that rose above the interstate. “I’d love to get some lightning pictures with the skyline and the sculpture in the shot. I know it’s asking a lot, but I only need a couple minutes.”

  “Uh, okay,” Guthrie said, his mind sluggish from the sleep. “If you want.”

  “Thank you.” Luke’s posture relaxed, and he smiled that sweet sunshine grin that Guthrie loved to hate. “I owe you one.”

  Luke exited the interstate and within minutes had parked in the Skydance parking lot. He jumped out of the truck and opened the door to the back seat, pulling out a camera and tripod.

  “Is that yours?” Guthrie asked. He’d assumed all the equipment back there was courtesy of KTTY.

  “Yeah. Always have it with me.”

  Guthrie whistled under his breath. Luke had a grade-A setup.

  Luke grabbed his stuff and hiked up the gentle slope onto the bridge. No one else was there, and Guthrie didn’t want to be alone, so he grabbed his bag of snacks and locked the truck.

  When he caught up with Luke at the mouth of the bridge, Luke already had his camera out and was setting up a remote release. Guthrie eyed the clouds above them. The worst of the lightning was not too close. Still, they were up on a bridge with huge metal sculptures soaring into the sky.

  “Not sure this is very safe,” Guthrie said.

  Luke must have pressed a button on his remote because Guthrie heard the rapid click of the camera’s shutter. With a smile thrown over his shoulder, Luke said, “Live a little, Guthrie.”

  “Fine.” Guthrie wandered closer. A spectacular display of lightning blazed behind the tallest building in the skyline, fingers of fire spreading out and painting a hot white flash on Guthrie’s retinas. “Wow.”

  “Fuck yes,” Luke breathed. His voice was full of awe.

  “What will you do with the pictures?”

  The whoosh of the shutter was constant as lightning illuminated the sky, dancing high up in the storm clouds.

  “Sell ’em. Need to make rent.”

  “Oh.” Guthrie didn’t make a lot of money as a reporter for KTTY, but contract storm chasers, like Luke, made even less. They were paid by the chase, and almost all of them had other forms of income. Guthrie hadn’t considered what Luke’s might be. “Is that your only other job?” Guthrie asked.

  “No.” Luke held a button down on his remote and captured another round of photos. Eventually he said, “I’m a fitness coach at one of those gyms that monitors your heart rate during the class. I facilitate classes every morning and work the desk.”

  Guthrie’s mind spun away from him, picturing Luke contorted in a million different flexible, sweaty positions. He had to shake his head to clear it.

  Luke kept talking. “Between that, the photography, and the storm chasing, I get by. The classes at the gym are at the ass crack of dawn, so I’m able to storm chase on bad weather days. Once tornado season slows down, I’ll pick up more hours at the gym, and that should get me through the year. It’s a good thing Oklahoma City has a low cost of living. Might have to get another job or do some freelancing, though, if it’s a weak storm season.”

  “What type of freelancing?”

  “Graphic design, website creation. That sort of thing. It’s what I did to pay for my college degree. I enjoy teaching the workout classes more.”

  Guthrie’s stomach growled so he dug an apple out of his bag. “Want one?”

  “Please. I’m starving.”

  “Me too. We missed dinner.”

  “Worth it, though, to catch a high water rescue. That was amazing,” Luke said, taking a big bite of the apple.

  Guthrie wished he were the one with a camera. He’d do anything to capture the vivid green of the apple skin against Luke’s plush lips. Luke had let down his wet hair, and it’d started to dry into wild curls. He was like something out of Greek mythology and probably just as dangerous.

  Guthrie had to get away from him. It was too atmospheric. The lightning, the skyline, the crackle of electricity in the air. The easiness between them after all their antagonism.

  He’d made this mistake before—desiring a chase partner, one who should have been off-limits. Wires got crossed when you mixed danger and adrenaline and time alone in a vehicle to
gether, but ultimately, those thrill seekers were all the same. Guthrie didn’t measure up to the rush of the chase.

  He made his way farther onto the bridge and leaned over the edge, peering down at the cars racing across the interstate far below. He glanced back at Luke, who was still firing away using his handheld remote.

  “Am I in your shot?” Guthrie asked. He didn’t want to ruin Luke’s view.

  Luke was staring straight at him, an odd expression on his face.

  “No. You’re fine.”

  They both took a bite of apple at the same time, and it sent a tingle to Guthrie’s toes. Their mouths probably tasted the same. Their lips.

  A flash of lightning struck a building on the opposite side of the bridge. Thunder boomed immediately, hurting his eardrums. The world went white for a brief tick of time.

  Guthrie gasped, and Luke yelled his name. Guthrie’s skin prickled and bright spots filled his vision.

  “Are you okay?” Luke said, touching his arm. Guthrie hadn’t heard him approach.

  “Yes.” Guthrie blinked. “You?”

  “I’m great. That was beautiful.”

  Guthrie faced Luke, and they were chest to chest, almost the same height. Heat arced between them where they touched.

  Some of Luke’s hair had lifted straight up from the positive charge, like he’d stuck his finger in a light socket. Guthrie soothed a hand over the crown of Luke’s head, trying to get the hair to lie down. They needed to move before there was another strike.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Luke asked, his breath shuddery.

  Guthrie took an abrupt step back. His stomach felt like it was full of firecrackers. What the hell was he doing?

  “We should go. That was too close.” Guthrie strode toward the truck. When he reached the passenger’s side door, he turned back to the bridge.