Page 13 of Arrested By the Orc

He grins, turns around and stomps off down the hall.

Chapter 5

Sadie

Deputy Smith drives everyone back to their businesses and homes.

In a very short amount of time I’ve left Townhall and I’m back at my bakery to assess the damage and luckily find everything is fine. All I can see on the streets is enough hail to make it look like a dusting of snow, but it’s already turning to slush.

Lila and I have already been exchanging a flurry of texts and I know that Cora and Sheri are also perfectly fine and at home, reuniting with their own families. My parents and other siblings have checked in and our whole family is safe and sound. This is what’s important.

I put up a sign saying closed today and tomorrow. Then I drive to Lila’s house in the hills. My apartment is over her garage. It's very nice and completely separate from the main house by pathways and landscaping. How lucky am I to live here? I’ve been able to put the money I would have put toward rent, instead into a series of investments which are now returning nicely.

Lila is home and she’s already got the kids with her. I rush up and we exchange hugs. The four of us assess the damage to the house, which is light. I quickly learn that no one was hurt in Silver Lake and the nearby towns and the damage seems to mainly be roofs, trees and other stuff. No buildings were smashed and no vehicles took flight.

Lila and the kids tell me their stories and I share mine.

“Wow. That’s crazy. We had the warnings and went to the storm shelter. There was roaring wind and hail, but no tornadoes touched down in our town. There were tennis ball sized hail the next town over, though. The tornado tried to touch down right over us,” Lila explains, “but it didn’t fully hit. It got really bad for about eight minutes and then stopped.”

“It wasn’t too bad here,” I say.

The worst was that the trash can blew across the yard so we spend some time picking up trash. Apparently three streets over in the neighborhood the damage was extensive. Trees are down all over, pulled up from the roots. But everyone is okay, no deaths or injuries reported, just some wind damage.

Lila and I spend time looking at and sharing pictures in the town’s social media group. I learn again that everyone was okay and we commiserate over Mrs. Babcock’s downed trees and someone’s large back patio that was torn off and crushed.

We turn on the news and see Bowen answering questions. And then of course Lila finally remembers the fact that she had me arrested by Sheriff Underwood and starts grilling me about what happened.

“Are you going to marry Sheriff Underwood?” my niece questions.

A blush spreads across my face. “I think so.”

“Oh wow. That is so cool,” my nephew says. “He's like a superhero or something. He's strong.”

“You're not wrong.”

And then my cell phone vibrates and I see there's a message from Bowen. I'm busy with work are you safe?

I smile. Yes. Made it home. No one's hurt. Everyone's fine. Don't worry about me. You do what you need to.

And then he gives me a thumbs up emoji.

In the middle of the night, I get another text. Still working through the night.

I understand. And I also send a heart emoji. The generator has been on all night. That thing is worth its weight in gold. I switch off a light and go to sleep.

Bowen shows up in his black SUV the next morning. There's a tap on my door. He's still in his uniform and looks exhausted. I feel kind of bad because I slept great and even showered and put on some makeup. I literally feel bright-eyed and bushy tailed. But, this just means I’ve got plenty of energy to help out the orc who stayed up all night, using his considerable strength to help out everyone in this township, and the next and the next one too.

“Have you slept?”

He shakes his head.

“Have you eaten?”

“No, but between me and all the other first responders in all the agencies the county is safe.” He points at my light. “And the power is back. Finally, I can rest.”

“I saw on the news that you saved someone. You lifted a car?”

He shrugs. “I am stronger than the average human.”

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