Reco nodded firmly. "And I'm naming him Lightning." Ryland laughed and tousled his hair. I reckon that sounds like a fine name. By midmorning though, the mood outside had changed completely.
The wind began to rise. At first, it only stirred the dust. Then it started bending scrub brush and rattling loose boards around the yard. The gray clouds overhead darkened until they looked nearly black. Far across the desert, thunder rolled like heavy drums.
Yara stepped outside and studied the sky. "A storm's coming," she said, her face tightened. "A bad one." Ryland joined her and followed her gaze. He had lived in Arizona long enough to know what desert storms could do.
They came fast. They hit hard. And sometimes they tore apart anything standing in their path. "Everybody inside," he ordered. Now the family hurried through the house, fastening shutters and checking the doors.
They had barely secured the last window when the storm struck. Wind slammed against the walls like a wild animal trying to claw its way inside. Rain exploded against the roof so violently it sounded like handfuls of gravel being thrown from the sky. Lightning flashed again and again, turning the room white for an instant before darkness swallowed it once more. The children huddled together in the parlor.
Sani's face had gone pale. "Is something bad going to happen to us?" She asked, her voice shaking. Ryland sat down beside them. "No," he kept his voice calm.
"This house is strong. We're safe in here." Then, a terrible crack split the air. A heartbeat later came a thunderous crash so powerful the floor trembled beneath their feet. "What was that?"
Daro shouted. Ryland rushed to the window and looked toward the center of town. His stomach dropped. The old community barn, the one dusty creek used to shelter animals whenever trouble struck, had collapsed under the storm. Horses, cattle, and goats were tearing through the streets in every direction, crazed by thunder and blinded by sheets of rain.
"Lord, help us," Ryland muttered. "The animals are loose. Through the window, he could see towns people spilling out of their homes, trying to catch frightened livestock before they disappeared into the storm. It was chaos. Cattle charged through muddy streets.
Rain came down so hard it was difficult to see more than a few yards. The wind shoved people sideways and ripped at hats, coats, and doors. "I've got to get out there," Ryland said, reaching for his hat. "I'm coming with you," Yara answered immediately. "No."
Ryland shook his head. "It's too dangerous." But Yara did not look away. Ryland. I grew up around animals.