Page 17 of Resilience on Canvas

Robert started to pull them back, moving slowly so as not to rouse his companion, but the moment his feet left Henry’s thighs, Henry stirred.

“Sorry,” Robert whispered. “I was too comfortable, I think.”

Henry cleared his throat. “Oh, uhm, it’s fine.”

Christ, how awkward that must have been for Henry.

Robert tried to change the subject. “Is it night now or..?”

“Yeah, I saw the sun settin’ not too long ago. I think the storm passed. Visibility still seems poor, though. It was like the last bits of sunlight were shinin’ through a bedsheet.”

Robert sat up and rubbed his forehead.

“Goddammit,” he said. “I need to find a way back home.”

“We will,” Henry said. “I think we can make it together. We can leave now, if you want. Try our cars. Or walk. I’ll walk with you.”

“Yeah?” Robert said. “Well, we better put some rags over our faces. I have one in my pocket from walkin’ to church earlier. Got to find you one, too.”

Henry stood. “Hope we can locate a lamp.”

“We’ll search together,” Robert said, standing up next to him. He took Henry’s sleeve.

After a few minutes of searching, they found a couple of rags and a kerosene lamp, one that had a bit of fuel left in it. They managed to light it and then worked together to force open the front door. The son-of-a-bitch storm had pushed huge mounds of soil right up against the house. Luckily, with both of them shoving their weight against the wood, they were able to push it open.

They considered heading back to town to try their cars but were too worried that the engines might short out, and so, they began walking to Robert’s instead. It wasn’t easy to navigate the roads and fields, what with the visibility being so poor. Even the light from the kerosene lamp was barely helping. Dust was still lingering everywhere, blowing this way and that, settling like falling snow. Neither of them talked much on the way. Robert was saving his breath. Maybe Henry was too. With how bad it was outside, Robert was worried that once they started talking, one or both of them might begin coughing, and then, what if it caused one of them to faint? Robert had seen that happen to folks in storms that were even less intense. No conversation was worth that. Although...

Robert had to admit that he was enjoying his time with Henry. He was really starting to like the man. Henry wasn’t too bad for a son-of-a-bitch coward who had broken off his engagement. Hopefully the two of them would have the chance to talk plenty in the future.

It took Robert and Henry a long time to reach Robert’s home. Probably close to one hour. Once they arrived, Robert found himself wheezing a sigh of relief. All the windows were shut, and he hoped that meant his family had stayed safe during the horrible black blizzard. Even though a bunch of soil had settled against the house, it was mostly on the north side, and not so much near the front, which faced west. Getting inside would be easy.

Robert tried his best to stay silent as they made their way into the house, turning the knob with care, but the floorboards still creaked beneath his feet when he entered. While Henry was rinsing that injury of his with water Clara must have brought in earlier, Robert stood nearby watching. As Henry finished up, Clara emerged from the bedroom. The moment she and Robert locked eyes, she rushed over.

“Thank the Lord,” she said, throwing her arms around Robert’s neck.

He hugged her back with one hand, still holding tight to the lamp with the other.

“We found some shelter in a farmhouse,” he said. “How’s everyone here?”

“Asleep. Except for Pop. He never came back from wherever he was.”

“Bastard,” Robert snarled before catching himself. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine, Robert. I feel the same way,” she said, releasing him.

Clara and Henry nodded at each other, and then Henry’s eyes fell to the floor.

“Evenin’, Clara,” he said. “Robert was real worried for you, and so, I thought I’d come with him to check that y’all were safe. I hope you ain’t upset that I’m here?”

“Not even a little,” she said. “I thought I told you that we could be friends.”

Henry smiled bashfully. “Right, yeah. I remember.”

Robert cocked an eyebrow. Friends? Clara must have been bein’ truthful when she’d told Robert that she wasn’t feeling heartbroken, then.

Clara began twirling her hair. “Robert... I checked the crops earlier, and I think we’ll have a lot of shovelin’ in the mornin’.”

Robert blew out a breath. He’d expected as much.

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