If you haven't read the rest of the story start with Chap. 1

Chapter 4

                                                                         Copyright © SavedGirl

                Crystal and Mary ate their dinner in silence. After dinner Crystal tried to lift Mary's spirits by playing a game with her.

                "Crystal," Mary said as they lay on the floor.

                "Yes?" was the absent and troubled reply.

                "Is something the matter? You aren't paying attention to the game."

                "What.. oh I'm sorry. I guess I just miss Daddy is all." With that she tried to turn her attention to the game. She talked and laughed but as it neared bedtime she grew nervous. She was tempted to delay bedtime but she knew that her father would want her to go to bed at the usual time.

                "Come on Mary, we need to go to bed."

                Mary made a face and slowly moved to clean up the game. At any other time Crystal would have told her to hurry but tonight she didn't want to go to bed any more than Mary. When Mary was finally ready to go up the stairs Crystal followed her with a heavy heart.

                After she had prepared for bed Crystal sat in front of her mirror brushing her hair.

                "Crystal," she heard Mary say by her side.

                Crystal jumped, "Yes."

                "Where do you think Daddy is right now?"

                "He is probably on the plane on his way to the airport," Crystal said as her fingers deftly braided her hair.

                "What do you think he is doing right now?"

                At this time of night he is probably sleeping," Crystal said a bit exasperated. "Now you need to go to bed."

                As the little girl moved to obey she said, "I miss him."

                Crystal rose from her seat and hugged Mary. "So do I," she whispered.

                Mary flashed a smile at her and dashed off to bed.

                Crystal reseated herself and finished her braid.

                She stood up and surveyed her beautiful nightgown. Her mother had made it for her, which made it doubly beautiful in Crystal's eyes. Her eyes misted as she fingered the soft, cream material.

                With a sigh she turned off her light and climbed into bed.

                She lay there for a few moments and then her eyelids slowly closed and she fell asleep.

                Suddenly a slight noise awakened her. She listened intently for a few minutes and she heard it again; a low creaking sound.

                Crystal slid out of her bed and grabbed her flashlight. She crept carefully down the stairs shaking with fright. She checked all the locks on the doors and, satisfied that there wasn't anyone in the house, sank into a chair. She took a couple of deep breaths and ascended the stairs.

                As she climbed back in to bed she still felt nervous and after reading a little bit of her Bible to help her go back to sleep, she again fell asleep.

                Suddenly she was awakened by a flash of light followed immediately by a loud BOOOOM that shook the house. She burrowed under her covers and looking over at her door, to her horror saw it open ever so slowly.

                Crystal screamed and buried her head under her pillow.

                "Crystal, it's me," she heard Mary's say.

                Crystal sat up and said, "What do you need?"

                "The storm woke me and I'm scared. Can I sleep with you?"

                "Sure," Crystal said pulling back the covers. "Get in."

                The little girl climbed into the bed and snuggled up to her big sister.

                As flashes of lightning and sounds of thunder and pounding rain went on outside, Crystal started to become nervous. "Mary I think that we should probably go down to the basement."

                The girls left the bed and grabbed some blankets to keep them warm.

                The Pennings had a finished basement with a television and some sofas. Crystal and Mary curled up on one of them and covered themselves thickly with blankets. Crystal clicked the remote and turned the TV to the weather channel.

                The weatherman was saying, "-e now do believe that there is a tornado on the ground right now in Carlstown that is headed toward Phillipsburg and then it should hit Carrville-"

                "Crystal," Mary exclaimed, "That is where we live."

                "I know. Shhhh."

                "This is one of the worst storms I have ever seen in my career of meteorology."