Why was Kate Shelley's journey to the Moingona railroad station particularly dangerous that stormy night?

The storm had made the road to the station wet and muddy and very difficult to walk or run on.

A bolt of lightning struck a tree, which nearly fell on Kate as she neared the station.

The station was more than ten miles away and Kate had severe asthma, which made it hard for her to breathe.

She had to crawl across the Des Moines River bridge on her hands and knees to get there.