A Minor Fright

Jack moved along the corridor of the San, heading towards the office where the interviews were to be taking place. It was, at least in his mind, a largely academic exercise; Reg was almost certainly the best man for the job, but it had to be done properly all the same. After all, there was no guarantee that Reg would take the job on if it was offered to him.

Reg and the two other candidates -- one, a still wet-behind-the-ears, French, graduate doctor looking for his first post, the other a career hungry Swiss doctor whose curriculum vitae revealed no fewer than ten different hospitals worked at in a twelve year career -- were seated outside the office. As Jack approached, he could see all three engaging in nervous chatter -- from the cadence, the chatter was in French. Briefly, he wondered if that meant that the Frenchman's English had deserted him through nerves -- if so, that was definitely a bad sign.

A growl of thunder caught Jack's attention as he neared the office and he glanced out of the window in time to see a fork of lightning split the valley. The sky was black and the clouds hung heavy with the promise of rain. He gave a slight shiver. For a moment he wondered where Joey and Maddy were -- he knew Joey had been contemplating a ramble to Bertental and beyond, and he was moved to wonder if they had actually gone, or if Joey had changed her mind. He hoped she had, because it looked as if they were in for a real rip-snorter of a storm. Still, Joey had lived in the Alpine regions most of her life -- she would recognise the onset of a storm such as this.

He turned his attention to the three interviewees. "Good morning, gentlemen," he began. "I am Dr Jack Maynard, head of this hospital. Doktor Joseph -- I believe you're first. This way."

~*~

Under the pines near Bertental, it wasn't nearly so easy to see the lowering skies, particularly once they left the clearing where they'd had elevenses and had continued, so the first clue that Joey got that something was wrong was the sudden, unnatural hush surrounding them. Signalling to Maddy that she should stay where she was, Joey moved until she could find a piece of unobscured sky.

"Great Caesar's bathmat!"

"What's wrong?" Maddy asked.

"We shall have to run for it, Maddy, my girl," Joey replied. "There's..." But the rest of her words were drowned out by a loud growl of thunder.

Maddy squeaked. She had a terror of storms and the prospect of being out in one made her nervous.

"It will be all right," said Joey soothingly, guessing -- accurately -- of Maddy's fear. Catching Maddy's hand in her own, she continued, "We're not so far from Bertental -- if we run, we can make it to the Gasthaus there."

"OK." Maddy's response was small and frightened.

"Now, run with me, Maddy." So saying, Joey took to her heels and the pair of them ran pell-mell through the woods.

Later, Maddy would describe the headlong flight as the most frightening experience of her life. Beneath the pines, it was almost pitch dark, while the thunder was a constant source of noise. Then came the most alarming piece of the whole adventure. As they rounded a bend in the path, lightning forked down and struck a pine tree just yards ahead.

Maddy screamed. Even Joey, experienced in storms and adventures, was momentarily robbed of the powers of thought and speech. It was the smell of burning pine resin that brought her back to the situation at hand.

"Quickly, Maddy -- we simply must get to Bertental and warn them!"

"I can't!" Maddy sobbed.

"Oh yes you can," Joey responded, tugging her onwards. "It's not far."

But as it proved, help was even closer at hand. The villagers of Bertental had heard the lightning strike and even as Joey was urging Maddy onwards, a gang of village men were already on their way to see to it that any resultant fires shouldn't have the chance to reach the village before the rain that was sure to come could put them out once and for all.

As they rounded the next bend in the path, Joey found herself being caught by one of the rescue party.

"Frau Maynard!" he exclaimed. "Und das Kind! But this is not a time for promenades!"

"Tree -- lightning -- back..." Joey gasped out.

The man nodded sagely. "This we will see to. If you will permit, one of us will see you to the Gasthaus for Kaffee und Brotchen."

Joey could only nod, and found herself being somewhat unceremoniously picked up by one of the villagers while another one treated Maddy in similar fashion. A few moments later, and both were seated in the Saal of the Gasthaus being treated to welcome hot coffee and rolls as the rain started to hammer down.