The challenge (<--link to the other stories.) I set was a simple one:
Write a piece (in any form you wish & any length) that includes at least TWO of the following weather terms... Snow, blizzard, tornado, sleet, hail, rain, hurricane, wind, thunder, thunderstorm, lightening, and sunshine.
Below is what I had envisioned when I started this all those months ago....
Before I get to the story, let me say this: Though this might read as being from actual life, because I'm writing in the “first person” (also, including a few recognizable “names” & circumstances)... Rest assured, this IS a piece of fiction. With that said, I hope & pray that life never imitates art! ;)
Wait 5 minutes
© 2011 Becky aka Lady Harley ©
If you don't like the weather, stick around 5 minutes and it will change… at least that is the saying here in Ohio. Today was no exception to that rule. Last I heard there might be a small chance of a pop up shower, but it was only 10%. No one had a clue as to what was about to unfold.
When I woke up, I opened all the windows in the house, turn on the radio, and went about my daily chores. I was happy for I knew there was not much to do and I would be able to sit outside, in the beautiful sunshine, to continue to on my novel, which I have been neglecting and avoiding.
I had no idea what this day actually had in store for me.
Melodies rang through the speakers as I hummed along. I was actually enjoying the tedious task of washing dishes, because I was able to look out the window and watch my two dogs romp around in the backyard. It was nice having a yard big enough for them to run around and chase each other or lay down under a tree, without worry of getting hit by traffic.
Taking a deep breath in an I could smell lilacs and wondered which neighbor had ones that were blooming so late in the year. I closed my eyes and sighed at the remembrance of the lilac trees on the farm where I grew up.
Sunny yelped, bringing me back to present day. With a quick glance up I realized she and Coleman were just playing. I giggled how Coleman could always gets Sunny to chase him. Thinking they should not have all the fun I put down the dish, picked up a towel to dry my hands, and started toward the door to join them. However, I was stopped in my tracks by the emergency tone blaring from the radio.
My ears perked up as I heard the words Tornado Watch, followed by my county name. Saying to myself, "That is odd. I did not think we were to have any storms and it's late October, has to be a mistake. Guess I better turn on The Weather Channel."
As I picked up the remote I heard rumbles of thunder. "Wow, that is really rolling in fast."
Next thing I knew both dogs were at the back door barking to get in. I dropped the remote before I could even turn the TV on. Went to let Coleman & Sunny in and was amazed at how blue the sky was.
I opened the door and both dogs shot past me & went straight for the bedroom. Mumbling to myself, "Hmmm, this is not a good sign. I best get my shoes on."
Before I put on my shoes, I decided to investigate where the dogs went to. Once again I had to giggle at them, because they were both hiding under the computer desk and were shaking. That's odd, usually Coleman is barking at the storms & only Sunny is the one to hide.
Taking note and recalling the emergency tone I just heard, I scrambled to find & put on my sneakers.
Walking passed the kitchen window I noticed the sun was still shining and thought either the tone was a false alarm, or something big was about to happen. Not knowing how true that thought would become.
Remembering how nervous Coleman & Sunny were acting, I gathered up a few supplies, just in case we had to high tail it to the basement. Since I still had some supplies from Spring still down there, I knew I did not have to grab but just the jug of water in the fridge, a jacket and the dog leashes. If it really does get bad, there would be no other way to get them to the basement without a little help.
Moving from room to room, I kept glancing out the window to see if I could view what might have spooked the dogs, who were still cowering under the desk. It was not until I reached the bathroom that I saw an ominous dark cloud. I was frozen captivation at the beauty of it's different shades of colors, until I saw a flash. "What was that?" I said aloud. A moment of clarity crossed my mind, it was a transformer blowing. The storm was upon us.
Knowing time was of the essence, I rushed to put the leashes on the dogs and had to nearly drag them both down to the basement. Wrapping each of their lines around different poles, but keeping the brakes loose so they could still walk around. Ran back upstairs to grab my laptop, cell phone & a flashlight.
I had forgot the radio was still on until the static blaring through the speakers. Reaching for the remote, I turned off the static and flipped the TV on. Being an avid viewer of The Weather Channel, it was already tuned to the right station. Then I saw on the red box on the TV scrolling the words: TORNADO WARNING for the following counties... & then the TV signal was lost.
At which point I dropped the remote, without turning off the tv or anything else and bolted down the basement.
Looking around for the safest place I noticed out of the corner of my eye, my 3/4 motorcycle helmet, we had put in the basement for winter storage a few days before. (It was the type that covers your head, ears & has a shield.) Oddly, a story I saw a year or so ago on The Weather Channel, about a little boy surviving a tornado by wearing his bicycle helmet, crossed my thoughts.
I grabbed the helmet, placed it on my head, without strapping it on, or pulling the shade down. I proceeded to sit on the floor with the wall to my back. Huddle around the dogs petting them to reassure them it we would be safe. Sunny curled up in my lap & Coleman began trying to lick my face, until a loud crack of thunder scared him. Instead of barking like he usually does, he tried to get between me & the wall.
As I was pulling him down & trying to hug him, the sound of a jet flew over head. First I thought, “Strange, why would a jet be flying in this weather?” Then I heard loud thumps as if someone was trying to kick in the door, followed by breaking glass. I knew then it was not a jet I was hearing, but a tornado.
My ears popped & even though the noise of the fierce wind was deafening, I could hear both dogs whining. Trying to comfort them was tough because I was flinching with the sounds of what probably was large hail hitting my house.
With each thud Sunny seemed to try to scurry further down in my lap until she was buried under my legs, making it very hard to hold keep Coleman from crawling over top my back.
After what seemed like an hour, but only a mere couple minutes, all the noise dissipated and was replaced with the chirping of birds.
Somehow Coleman had climbed over my back and had me hunched over. It took a few moments to pull him by the leash off of me so I could stand and let Sunny free from my legs. Once I stood and stretched, I had to laugh at the two of them wagging their tales at me.
Holding my hand up to signal them to wait, I proceeded to look around to see if there was any damage to the floor above me. Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, I climbed the steps slowly because I was scared of what might be on the other side of the door or rather what may not be there!
To my relief the door opened easily and at first glance it appeared we had escaped without any harm to our house. I continued out our back door to see if all was okay enough for me to bring the dogs up. A millisecond later something hurled out of the sky, hit my head, and knocked me to the ground.
Thankfully, I had not removed my helmet. Not taking time to see what just hit me, I stood quickly and rushed back into the house and to the safety of the basement, as a few more things pinged the roof.
I sat down against the same wall and began to curse myself for not remembering to wait long enough for the debris from the tornado to fall to it's final resting spot.
Even though I heard sirens whaling past my house signaling the end of the storm, I could not move away from the wall. As I rocked back and forth nervously, the dogs did not leave my side for what seemed like hours.
Only the ringing of my cell phone snapped me out of the seemingly trance I was in. It was my mom to check to make sure I was okay. Trying to hide my frazzled nerves, I assured her all was fine. When asked if we had any damage, I replied I didn't think so, but hadn't had a chance to really get to see yet.
I ended the call once I heard my husband calling out for me & the dogs. Yelling, “We're down here.” He opened the door and came down to check on us. I ran into his arms still shivering with fear.
“Are you ok?”
“Just a little shaken... but not stirred.” I joked.
He grimaced at my bad pun. “Why do you have your helmet on?”
“To protect my head, and glad I did too. Something hit me when I was outside.”
“You were out in this mess.”
“No, after the storm passed I went to go survey the damage, but only made it out the door a few steps when something hit me. Realizing stuff must still be falling from the sky, I rushed back down here. It was that, not the storm that really scared me.”
“Then that explains the dent in the hunk of metal up on the deck.
I reached up to remove the helmet only to find a huge divot on the crown of the helmet and realized how lucky I was.
By now the dogs were jumping up and down waiting for their turn of attention. My husband reached down and released them from their leashes. The three of them started climbed the steps while I stood in place. Looking back at me my husband realized I must have been in shock, because he grabbed my hand and guided me up the stairs.
Moving about the house, he said, “We actually lucked out, the tornado didn't knock any of our trees down, or damage our roof. We have a couple broken windows, probably from debris or hail. Can't say that about any of our neighbors.”
“How bad is it?”
“Bad. I'd say it was at least an EF3 or EF4 tornado.”
We proceeded to step outside and I was amazed at how our house was barely marred, yet each neighbor on either side of had nothing left. Had it been a city neighborhood, we would not have fared as well, because debris was everywhere.
Shaking my head, I muttered, "This was, without a doubt an EF5. I pray no one was seriously injured or worse!"
As I was walking around looking at the destruction, my husband held something up that looked like something from a car and said, “This must have been what hit you. Are you sure you're okay?”
Still holding the helmet in my hands, I nodded and said, “We can thank The Weather Channel for that!”
He looked at me and before he could ask, I reminded him of the story about the kid who was in a tornado and saved by a bicycle helmet.
The dogs started wandered off in the yard sniffing all the new smells as we sauntered over to check on our neighbors. All were either not home or down in their basements and were unharmed.
We all gathered back on our deck and started to recounted our each of our experiences. Knowing this will not be a day any of us would forget.
Listening to the radio, confirmed my suspicion it was an EF5. They called it historic, because no lives were lost.
Moments later I felt a cold chill. Followed by what I thought was rain drops, turned out to be snow flakes falling.
Prompting me to say: “Figures. Don't like the weather............”
© 2011 Becky aka Lady Harley ©
