Where Light Comes and Goes by Sandra Cavallo Miller

Author:Sandra Cavallo Miller [Miller, Sandra Cavallo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781948908955
Publisher: University of Nevada Press

15

The dome under Yellowstone Lake rose a little more, settled, then rose again. Such a wide placid lake, Abby thought, the surface buzzing with activity as people took scenic cruises, rented boats, caught fish. Not everyone appreciated that the lake existed because water filled a gigantic gaping caldera, the cavity from a massive eruption. Gases bubbled up from hundreds of ruptures on the bottom of the lake, discharging hot water and carbon dioxide. The magma stayed busy. And close.

Yellowstone Lake stood high on the list of places that might erupt.

Frequent subterranean tremors continued. Indolent geysers woke up and active geysers fell quiet. Fluids below ground shifted, flowed, rearranged. With summer now half over, Abby studied her calendar and counted the days, wondering if she would make it back to the canyon before the place exploded. If she talked about it, Gem shook her head dismissively while William looked a little too enthralled. Marcus just laughed. Needless to say, she did not bring it up with Pepper.

More than a few geological sites online noted that if Yellowstone erupted, there would be enough ash and lava to fill the Grand Canyon many times over.

“Take your lava and go fill something else,” Abby muttered, thinking of Pepper there.

When he called her, she could tell he’d been checking the YVO.

“This doesn’t look good,” Pepper said. “Makes me wonder why the park is even open.”

“They say it’s just breathing,” Abby assured him. “That when it lets off thermal energy like this, it’s actually a good thing. Keeps the pressure from building up.”

“Is that what William says?”

“William can’t be trusted because he sort of wants it to erupt. I keep reminding him that he wouldn’t live long, so what’s the point of seeing it happen?” Then Abby wanted to kick herself for saying that.

“Good logic. Disturbing, but good.” He paused. “I think you should come home. Now.”

“Very funny.”

“I’m not joking.”

“John. You’re overreacting. Do you really think I’m going to make them shut down the clinic, just because we’re jumpy?” She said we’re but meant you’re. “When everything else in the park is business as usual? Besides, then Marcus and Gem would be out of work.”

“I don’t think that closing down boardwalks is business as usual.”

“I’m pretty sure it happens all the time.” She had no idea whether that was true.

The next day, Abby had Marcus block the last two afternoon appointments so she could make a house call on Edna Dillon. That pleased Gem, because she wanted a few hours of peace and quiet at the clinic to reorganize supplies. Abby also planned to visit the mud pots, one of her favorite spots, and William would be there later, patrolling and giving a talk.

Abby found Edna outside her RV under a tree, tucked into a chaise with pillows and blankets despite the warm afternoon sun. A powder blue sky backed up fluffy clouds, like great piles of whipped cream, floating and melting. Mildred sat close by, reading out loud to Edna, with skeins of bright yarn in a box alongside.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.