Thunder 'N' Lightning

         Karen huddled in the cabin’s den under a blanket, quaking with every crack of thunder and flash of lightning. Karen, David, Eric, and Emily had decided to go on a camping trip after Emily found a fantastic deal online and dragged the other three along. They all reached the cabin and found it had all the appliances they needed and it was nice and snug. However, Emily realized they hadn’t brought enough food to last the week, so she and Eric took the Jeep out to the nearest convenience store to get supplies. That left Karen and David alone at the cabin to “fend for themselves if bears came” Eric remarked before he went out. While Emily and Eric were out, an unexpected storm crashed onto the campsite and trapped David and Karen inside.

         Karen didn’t exactly know what to do, so she sat in the den. With the first crack of lightning, though, she immediately hid under a blanket to protect herself. David was in one of the bedrooms checking out everything and getting to know the cabin. Alone, Karen put up with one of her biggest fears: lightning storms. Suddenly, the power went out. Too scared to do anything, Karen stayed where she was. After what seemed like an hour, she poked her head out from under the blanket. At that moment, a flash light up the room in a deathly parlor and she immediately went back in her protective shell.

         After finishing his tour around the surprisingly large cabin, David noticed the pouring rain outside. Wondering where Karen was, he wandered into the den. Rounding the corner, he saw a large lump under a blanket and assumed that was Karen. He sat down on the couch next to Karen and sighed, looking around the room while trying to come up with something to say. Finally, he broke the silence.

         “So, Karen, are you okay?” The rumble of thunder drowned out the last syllable of his sentence, but Karen got the message.

         “Do I look okay?” she hissed.

         “Well, jeez,” David said. “I’m just trying to help.”

         Karen looked out from under her blanket. “Can I have a hug?” David could see the tears pooling in her eyes and he mentally sighed. Sometimes she could be just like Emily. Still, if it made her happier and improve the situation, she wouldn’t bitch to him later.

         Irritated slightly, he opened his arms, looking expectant. “Sure, whatever,” he said. Karen didn’t miss a beat and flew into him, wrapping her arms around his body and trying to feel secure. David winced at the amount of force that hit him, but he manned up and wrapped his arms around her, awkwardly patting her back. After a few minutes, he could feel her relax and her breathing slow down.

         “This isn’t so bad,” he thought. “Not as bad as I thought it’d be.”

                                                         ~*~

          “Bet you five bucks that David and Karen are cuddling right now,” Emily chuckled.

          “No way would that happen. David would reject anyone touching him,” Eric retorted. The two were currently sitting in the Jeep waiting the storm out with the food in the back. It was too dark to drive and the roads too wet. They’d probably slide in the mud.

          “So you’re saying David would let Karen go insane in the storm?” Emily countered. “She terrified of thunder and lightning.”

          “True enough,” Eric replied. He broke into a grin. “Looks like we did our matchmaking today, don’t you think?”

          “We’re genius,” Emily laughed. Sitting back, she gazed into the darkness that the light from the store couldn’t penetrate. “I wish this storm ended sooner.”

           “Nah, we gotta give those two some time.”

           “If you say so, Mr. Matchmaker."