rttokeephiminplace,staringuntillightbegantobreakthroughthetrees.Healwayslikedtopauseatdaybreak-therewasamomehevieectacular,asiftheworldwerebeingbain.Afterwardhebegantopaddlehard,woffthetension,preparingfortheday.

    Whilehedidthat,questionsdanhismindlikewaterdropsinafryingpan.HewonderedaboutLonandeofmanhewas,wonderedabouttheirrelationship.Mostofall,though,hewonderedaboutAllieandwhyshehade.

    Bythetimehereachedhome,hefeltrenewed.Cheghiswatch,hewassurprisedtofindthatithadtakentwohours.Timeallayedtricksoutthere,though,aoppedquestioningitmonthsago.

    Hehungthekayaktodry,stretchedforacoupleofminutes,aotheshedwherehestoredhisoe.Hecarriedittothebank,leavingitafewfeetfromthewater,andasheturowardthehouse,hehathislegswerestillalittlestiff.

    Themhazehadntburnedoffyet,andhekhestiffnessinhislegsusuallypredictedrain.Helookedtothewesternskyandsawstormclouds,thidheavy,faroffbutdefinitelypresent.Thewiblowinghard,buttheywerebringingthecloudscloser.Fromthelooksofthem,hedidntwanttobeoutsidewhehere.Damn.Howmuchtimedidhehave?Afewhours,maybemore.Maybeless.

    Heshowered,putonnewjeans,aredshirt,andblackcowboyboots,brushedhishair,adownstairstothekit.Hedidthedishesfromthenightbefore,pickedupalittlearoundthehouse,madehimselfsomecoffee,aotheporch.Theskywasdarkernow,andhecheckedthebarometer.Steady,butitwouldstartdroppingsooernskypromisedthat.

    Hedlearnedlongagotoneveruimatetheweather,andhewonderedifitwasagoodideatogoout.Therainhecoulddealwith;lightningwasadifferentstory.Espe