I warily reached out and snatched it from his hand. He stood and turned away from the woods to leave.

“I wouldn’t go in there within the next ten minutes.” He said over his shoulder and started to leave. I watched him hesitantly then shouted.

“who are you?” he stopped and turned. “my name is Owen.”

“why aren’t you in the village?”

“I don’t live in Boron.” he laughed at my stunned expression but offered no explanation.

 “where do you live then, and why are you here?”

“I was looking for someone.” He looked at the darkening clouds in the distance. “it’s going to rain.”

“you are avoiding the question.” My eyes shot skyward as I heard a great booming sound so loud, I could feel it in the soles of my feet. Owen moved quickly toward the woods.

“come on we need to get to shelter before it arrives.”

“what is that noise?” I looked up at the sky searching for some other animal, but all I saw were gathering dark clouds.

“storm clouds. It’s an electricity storm.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the wood.

I followed staring up at the sky untill my vision was blocked by tree branches. Then I looked forward and followed Owen. What little light that was in the woods dimmed and the hairs on my arm stood up. I stopped, turned, and looked through the trees at the meadows. The clouds had rolled quickly over the grass and had just come upon the edge of the woods. I felt a great burst of wind and the trees started stirring wildly. Another bellow came from the angry clouds above and from its black belly a streak of light lit the darkness and struck the air like an angry tongue from a snake.

The cloud flashed and let loose another great belch. Another tongue came crashing into a tree which let loose a loud bursting sound and splintered it into burning shrapnel. I threw my arm above my head. I heard my name shouted and I turned to see Owen running toward me. he grabbed my arm and pulled me through the woods. I stumbled over logs and rocks dodging trees in our path hurrying to escape the raking tongues of fire. Suddenly a great barrier of brush stretched I in front of us I stopped cold. Owen disappeared into the wall.

I stared up in awe at the great seemingly impenetrable wall. I reached out my hand to touch it. Suddenly a hand broke out of the walls and pulled me through the wall of brush. After I crashed through, I opened my eyes. The wall of brush made a fortress-like courtyard. I scanned the area for Owen and found him above a great tree trunk in the center of the clearing. As I approached, I found that the stump was indeed a stone carved with great skill and intricacy to look like a tree trunk, even close up one couldn't tell it wasn't really wood. Owen lifted a hidden door on the top of the stump and gestured for me to climb into it.

“get in! I'm right behind you!”

“why should I trust you?” I yelled back at him.

“because of that!” he pointed up at the cloud bursting with light. When I still did not move, he shouted in exasperation.

“just come Mica! We don’t have time for this!”

I hesitated untill a nearby tree came crashing down in flames. Then I hastily clambered up the trunk and dropped down into the hole. He hurriedly followed me closing the door behind him cutting off what pinpoint light the storm had made. I stood nervously in the dark leaning against the wall listening to the thunder and crashing of trees above us. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I saw the outline of my hand against the wall. Were my eyes finally adjusting, or…no impossible! But, yes!

 The walls were glowing!