Wayne Gray

This reminded me. It's trash day... I'd be in trouble if I forgot to take out the cans, so thanks, tim! Happy Wednesday to you, too.

External and internal pressure both seem to conspire to push our little crew into new circumstances. I'm glad you're enjoying their slowly deepening connection and the possibility of more, if they can get out of their own way... We'll have to see about that hope of yours. Thanks for reading and commenting. More to come.

Indeed. A lot of time for flying fish! But we'll have to see if that's the case. We do know a few things for certain, while other information has been heavily implied. Something I pride myself on in my writing: once the reader really knows what is going on, they can go back, reread, and see threads of that fact in the earlier chapters. Nothing is ever a surprise without some kind of warning. Now, did readers see the signs? Sometimes. And... sometimes not. But the signs were posted all the same. Thanks for reading and commenting!

I see what you did there... clever. But yes - they've done about all they can do. Are they ready? Can anyone ever really be ready for a supercell? I guess we'll see. Thanks for reading and commenting. Hopefully I'll see you here on Friday to find out if they ride things out without a scratch... Or if there's some damage.

I'm with you. Why feel guilt over one of the few pleasures of writing? Listening to the wails of readers feeds the soul, after all. Oh. That was out loud. Never mind that last part...

I would provide examples to the contrary, but I don't want to make you look bad. Yeah, that sounds good. I'm going with that.

Supercells are beautiful. And they're scary as hell, too. Reminders of how small and of how little control we have over nature.

Oh, no. No. Most buildings in the US, and even in Tornado Alley, are not rated to withstand an EF2, much less an EF3. Very specific fittings, construction techniques, and engineering go into making a building tornado-rated. Lots of buildings do survive them, but most are not rated for it. The buildings that survive just happen to be made of heavy, dense material. Of course, builders in those areas do consider the possibility of high winds, and that does influence their material choices. But Nasser has taken the additional step of building specifically to ensure safety for their people if they're ever hit by one. It cost more, but they're in it for the long haul. Ah, Cara. She's Branford's second in command, and he picked her for a few reasons. Her observational skills are among those. Thanks for reading and commenting. There's more on the way.

I'm from a farm in rural Kentucky. Very different from a giant ranch in Oklahoma, but there are similar elements, too. Fencing never stops it seemed. Our property was only sixty-seven acres, but we almost always had repairs to make. I can't even imagine how much more it'd be for a 100,000-acre ranch! Cowboy culture and work are pretty interesting, at least to me. I can extrapolate a bit from the farmers I've known over the years, and I think I'm getting close to the mark. Efficient, practical, and hard-working rule the day in both cases. Thanks for reading and commenting. More coming!

That's a pretty good wrap-up of everything we know for certain, coupled with some speculation from some astute readers. Nice job spelling it out, Dave. I do like the next chapter. There are others I like more, but it's pretty high up the ranks when it comes to this story. Each one has something to offer and pushes the tale along, and I like the interplay between the plotlines and how they culminate. While Ash and Taggert have so far been the focus, they do work with a group of guys with their own stories. And that'll become apparent as time goes on. Thanks for the comment and for reading, Dave. Chapter seven drops on Friday.

Good question! We know stormy weather is coming. Will Ash and Taggert mirror it? Time will tell. And there's so much more to come. Thanks for the read and the comment, Parker.

Thanks for the comment and for the read, Chris. Yep, the guys are growing closer to... something happening between them. What that'll be, we don't know. As the ranch prepares for hard weather, the guys spiral into a tighter dance. And we'll have to see who acts first on the inevitable... See you again on Friday for more.

We'll see about that. HEY! That's my line!

Great to hear you're enjoying the story! And your living in Scotland doesn't preclude you from enjoying the rough charm of cowboys slowly figuring things out. So hurray for those old cowboy films! We'll have to see if Ash and Taggert figure things out soon or at all. Of course, we hope they do. But men are stubborn beasts, so we'll have to see. Thanks for commenting and reading. More to come on Friday.

Well... you're throwing down the prediction gauntlet. We'll see if you're right! I've said this before, but sometimes I wish I could think as readers do. They'll make comments, and I'll say to myself, "Damn it. Why didn't I think of that?!" I say this a lot in my real-world job: the group is always smarter than the one. Okay. That is, unless there's a decision to be made, then the group can be the worst impediment to progress you've ever seen. Still, I'm eager to share chapter seven. I'll give you a tiny hint, and only a tiny one. It's called: Shelter Thanks for commenting and reading. See you Friday.

Things are slowly building. And those selected quotes are proof of that. Ash is becoming comfortable to Taggert. He has proven himself safe, reliable, caring, and earnest. It'd be awfully hard to stay aloof when you've got someone like that pulling on your orbit. I like that you noticed that Ash is catching on. That he can see and feel Taggert's interest now. And that he welcomes it. And yes. You, of all people, know foreshadowing is such FUN. Cast no stones here, oh She in a Pristine Glass House! I'm on a five-day posting schedule. So the next one is due Friday. And I'm sticking to it this time. No more gummy/boozy early postings. A guy has to prove he can display some self-control after that! Thanks for reading and commenting. More to come. And it'll be a fun one!

Indeed. We'll have to see what happens when the storm really lands. We already know there are only two places considered "safe" during a possible tornado strike. We know the ranch has worked hard on preparations, and that they're probably not done yet. But does Taggert trust Ash? It seems to me that Taggert's biggest issue with trust isn't with Ash. But I guess we'll see. Thanks for commenting and reading.

Yeah. But people often do it in spring/early summer in the US. The cowboys are keeping an eye on the weather. At the first mention of a supercell, they'll shelter in the buildings rated for survival. Because not even the bunkhouses are safe in a tornado. And in the background, they have people watching out for them. If the forecast turns during the night, there will be calls made. They won't be surprised unless everyone else is too.

Chapter 6: Before the Storm Mid-morning the next day, Cara chewed the end of her pen, her eyes on the screen. It was a bad habit, and she caught herself. Dropping the pen with a clatter on the desk, she went back to the predictions. "Thunderstorm, tomorrow afternoon. Possible supercell activity." She tapped her fingers on the desk. Her eyes went back to the screen, and she debated with herself for a moment. "Well, I know he's busy, but I need to check in." She pulled out her phone

Glad to hear you're enjoying the work! Taggert reacted intensely, and we don't know why yet. There are clues, but we don't know for sure. And yes, there's also that tension you've mentioned. It's getting to a breaking point, and you gotta wonder what that break will look like. Thanks for the comment and for the read. There's more to come tomorrow!

This is one more way they're not forgotten. A fitting tribute to your brothers in uniform.

Better late than never. Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was a fun exercise, and one that really took me by surprise. I love how it came out.

This is the fun stage of the story. Well. It is for me! Thanks for reading and commenting. More to come on Sunday!

Yep. That's how I see it. I like Grammarly for the most part. It's pushy at times, but I also don't just accept every single suggestion/change it wants to make. I do wish it'd remember my choices. If I ignore a suggestion, don't keep flagging it!

We'll see.