(START READING FROM THE BEGINNING)

Whenever there was a storm the rain would fall through the cracks in Seth’s room and rattle on the tin-plating that his father had hung up over the holes. For a while Seth lay in bed and tried to ignore the sound. He refused to close his eyes for fear of remembering.

After every flash of lightning Seth would count out the seconds until he heard the thunder. He knew that every number he said aloud represented the miles between him and the storm. At first he was able to count to ten, but now he could barely reach two. The closer the lightning, the brighter the flash and louder the crash that followed. The beating on the tin-plates was hard and fast. He could also feel the wind sneak in through a crack in the wall.

He had completely forgotten about everything but the storm and his growing fear when Emily appeared at his door. The thunder was so loud that he didn’t hear her ask her question and she had to repeat herself.

“Seth, do you want to sleep in my room?”

It amazed him how much softer the noise sounded when she closed her door. Lying on the floor with the pillow and blanket she gave him, he once again tried to count the distance of the storm. Speaking aloud with Emily, they counted. One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three…

Emily stopped counting once she realized her brother was asleep and whispered, “Good night.”