This is a collaborative story with a friend while we were talking on the phone one night -the ending is purely his.I read it in my writing class, they seemed to like it :).

"A Short Story by Simpson Kirk Aug 2014

It was raining harder than I have ever seen it rain in Vegas. The streets were starting to flood and the storm drains were over flowing. We had a fight. Neither of us are screamers but it was loud. I cannot even remember what started it or what was the final straw. I stormed out of the house, swearing and telling myself I needed to get away. I had to think about where this relationship was going. I started driving with no destination in mind; I just wanted to be away, to be alone.

I decided to drive to Mt Charleston and our cabin. We had bought the cabin, a couple of years back. Not in great shape, it was a divorce settlement fast sale of assets., but a great investment for us. It was still expensive so we had to rent it for a couple of years. Then did some improvements after a disaster renter, and rented it for another year. That did not go well; another not so happy renter, and we made the decision to start using it as it was intended.- our vacation retreat. We really enjoyed going up for weekends and even brought some work up with us. We had satellite Internet connection and television. Cell phone reception was hit or miss. We are working on that. A couple rentals in high season to select clients were all we really needed to pay the taxes and maintenance. It was perfect.

 Tonight it was a safe refuge I needed in a storm of emotions. Once I had made the decision on my destination I just wanted to fly there, to drive as fast as I could and be in the cabin, surrounded by its peace. However, that was not possible I had to drive slow and take my time and not hydroplane into one of the drainage ditches. Puddles were now lakes of water that I had to breech. Mt Charleston usually took an hour and 30 minutes to drive from Vegas; I was now close to three hours on the road. The traffic and weather reports were urging everyone to stay home and off the roads. Reporting mudslides on Mt Charleston, the Highway Police were closing roads.

 As I turned onto our road to the cabin I noticed the little creek had now become a torrent and water was up to the bottom of the bridge. I rolled down all my windows and unfastened my seat belt. If this car goes off the bridge, I thought, I am getting out. I decided to go as fast as possible over the bridge; I would worry about getting back after it stopped raining. With only my headlights to show the way I pushed the gas and flew over the bridge. Safe, I rolled up the windows. Now the 2 miles up our road to the cabin, I did not look back, I kept the car steady, blessing the decision to buy a four wheel Honda CRV. I fishtailed up the final climb.

The cabin was dark. Electricity was out but the propane kitchen stove was ok. I lit a burner to defeat the darkness and got out the hurricane lamps and candles. I lit them all to dispel the gloom caused by the storm outside and inside of me. Always leaving wood in fireplace, ready to light, I started a small fire and slowly it started to take the dampness away. Then I started the wood stove that would heat the bedrooms and main house. That was one of the improvements we made after that crazy renter burned our furniture in the fireplace for heat. We had stocked the woodpile last time we were here and it was nice and dry on the porch. I went out and brought in enough wood for the night. Next I went to get some water from the bottles we kept at the cabin. The electricity was off so the well pump did not work –but I needed something hot to drink. I got the instant hot chocolate out of the freezer; it would work in an emergency and this was. Put the water in a pan on the stove to heat and looked around.

 Maybe I should go back. No the Mountain roads are dangerous in this weather and it is really late. I am fine and safe in our little cabin. I just have to relax. But I miss her and maybe I was wrong. I know the fight was over the top.

 The water boiled and I made some hot chocolate only filling the cup half way the other half with room temp water so I could drink it right away. I am feeling calmer, but lonely. I should have never stormed out with out my computer and my cell has no signal. Darn.

I must have dozed off because the fire in the fireplace was almost out but the stove was going strong and the cabin was toasty. Then I heard it, a knock at the door. ‘What the heck,  it is 3am. Are you kidding me?’ I went to the door, trying to see outside but it was so dark. I opened the door. A woman in a slicker was standing there soaked, all muddy and covered in bloody mountain brush. Her hands and chest were a mess all scraped and bleeding. The rain had mixed with her blood covering the porch.

‘The car went off the road where the bridge was supposed to be. The roads are a mess but I had to come. I am so sorry about everything. I crawled the last two miles.”

.

I looked at my wife. A piece of windshield glass was sticking out of her chest that is where all the blood was from. I knew she had no idea she was hurt so badly in the car accident. The glass may have pierced her heart.

“Oh honey, I am so sorry.” I cried, reaching out and catching her, as she collapsed..

Holding her in my arms, I kissed her one last time, as she died.

The end."