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Out of the Wind
(c) 2014 D. Ed. Hoggatt
Carly Simmons
As he walked across the stage in his graduation gown and cap, I could tell Boyd was proud of himself. With a shake of his head, he smiled at me, and I blew him a kiss across the restless crowd. I can’t believe my boyfriend is a high school graduate.
Now, with the graduation ceremony just ending, I can’t wait to see him again. Like so many of the other graduates, Boyd is going to spend the day with his mom and extended family, but I’m going to meet up with them all, later tonight, after church. I give one last wave to Boyd as he gets into his family’s minivan.
One more year, and I’ll be the one walking across that stage. Then I will able to join Boyd at the University of Arkansas. I can’t believe it’s that close.
“Hey, Carly!” It’s my friend Madison. Maddie. “Can I get a ride? Eric’s gonna celebrate with his buddies.”
“Of course,” I tell her. She only lives a few blocks from my house, so it’s not inconvenient at all. Besides we’ve been best friends since third grade. We haven’t spent much time since she started dating Eric.
We cross the parking lot to find my car, and just as I touch the door handle, an obnoxious siren pierces the air. Don’t overreact, Carly, I tell myself. It’s probably another false alarm. I start the car and we head toward our neighborhood on the other side of town.
Hailey Kelly
I jump at the emergency signal on the TV. I’ve never been scared of storms or any mention of storms, but when the TV makes that awful sound, it makes me jump out of my skin. I know, right?
Still, I’m not upset that the weatherman has interrupted my TV program again. I hadn’t noticed before, but there’s a pretty big wind blowing outside. I haven’t heard any thunder or seen any lightning yet, and hey, it’s not even raining. The skies are cloudy, but it doesn’t look any different from most other spring days.
I know I’m only 11 years old, but I want to be a meteorologist when I grow up. I pay attention to the weather, even keeping a weather log on the nightstand next to my bed.
“This is Meteorologist Talor Norman,” he begins. Why does he always have to introduce himself? “I want to update you on the storm situation just coming into the Joplin metro area. The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for Jasper and Newton Counties. Radar indicates there is some rotation to the west of town, but the storm is rain-wrapped and really difficult to pinpoint. I think the biggest rotation is in this area.” He points to the entire lower portion of the blotch on the map of Joplin. Normally, I can see a hook on the southern part of the storm, but between the weatherman and me, all we see is a big mess.
“If you are in this area, please do not hesitate to make your way to a safe location in your house. Get into an inner room, and stay away from windows. This is a dangerous storm, capable of producing hail, strong winds, and large tornados. If at all possible, please find your way to a…” The electricity flickers and then goes off completely.
Dad rushes into the house from the garage, sweating and dirty from working in the garden. “Well, I broke the blade,” he tells Mom. “I need to run to Wal-Mart for a new one.”
Mom looks at him sideways. “But what about the storm? We just lost the electricity.”
“It looks to be north of us,” he says. “Besides the sirens stopped. If I leave now, I can get back from Wal-Mart in time to shower and still get to church at before 6:00.”
Before Mom can protest, Dad kisses her on the lips, me on the cheek, and runs out the front door. I hear his truck rev in the driveway, and then it fades as he drives down our street.
Carly Simmons
We practically fly across town to get home before the rain starts. I am not fond of driving in the rain, and with the wind picking up and the skies darkening, this could be a heavy one.
Maddie checks her text messages and chatters on and on about the graduation ceremony. She is oblivious of the skies.
I pull into the parking lot of a little strip mall mattress store and reach into my purse for my cell phone.
“Where are you going?” she asks. “What’s going on?”
Punching the speed dial button for Home, I listen as the line crackles and sputters. The phone rings one time and then goes silent. Hanging up, I try once again, but the phone only clicks and a recorded message plays.
I’m wasting time when I should be driving, I tell myself.
“What’s going on?” Maddie repeats.
I look at her, amazed that she has to ask. “Don’t you see storm that’s coming? Didn’t you hear the sirens?”
“Oh, yeah, that. Well, you know they sound the sirens all the time. I don’t see any tornadoes,” she says with that flippant attitude that grinds on my nerves. “Don’t get so nervous, Carls.”
I roll my eyes. Putting the car into gear, the tires squeal as I pull out of the parking lot onto Range Line Road. Something tells me I need to get home.
At least the sirens have stopped.
(c) 2014 D. Ed. Hoggatt
Carly Simmons
As he walked across the stage in his graduation gown and cap, I could tell Boyd was proud of himself. With a shake of his head, he smiled at me, and I blew him a kiss across the restless crowd. I can’t believe my boyfriend is a high school graduate.
Now, with the graduation ceremony just ending, I can’t wait to see him again. Like so many of the other graduates, Boyd is going to spend the day with his mom and extended family, but I’m going to meet up with them all, later tonight, after church. I give one last wave to Boyd as he gets into his family’s minivan.
One more year, and I’ll be the one walking across that stage. Then I will able to join Boyd at the University of Arkansas. I can’t believe it’s that close.
“Hey, Carly!” It’s my friend Madison. Maddie. “Can I get a ride? Eric’s gonna celebrate with his buddies.”
“Of course,” I tell her. She only lives a few blocks from my house, so it’s not inconvenient at all. Besides we’ve been best friends since third grade. We haven’t spent much time since she started dating Eric.
We cross the parking lot to find my car, and just as I touch the door handle, an obnoxious siren pierces the air. Don’t overreact, Carly, I tell myself. It’s probably another false alarm. I start the car and we head toward our neighborhood on the other side of town.
Hailey Kelly
I jump at the emergency signal on the TV. I’ve never been scared of storms or any mention of storms, but when the TV makes that awful sound, it makes me jump out of my skin. I know, right?
Still, I’m not upset that the weatherman has interrupted my TV program again. I hadn’t noticed before, but there’s a pretty big wind blowing outside. I haven’t heard any thunder or seen any lightning yet, and hey, it’s not even raining. The skies are cloudy, but it doesn’t look any different from most other spring days.
I know I’m only 11 years old, but I want to be a meteorologist when I grow up. I pay attention to the weather, even keeping a weather log on the nightstand next to my bed.
“This is Meteorologist Talor Norman,” he begins. Why does he always have to introduce himself? “I want to update you on the storm situation just coming into the Joplin metro area. The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for Jasper and Newton Counties. Radar indicates there is some rotation to the west of town, but the storm is rain-wrapped and really difficult to pinpoint. I think the biggest rotation is in this area.” He points to the entire lower portion of the blotch on the map of Joplin. Normally, I can see a hook on the southern part of the storm, but between the weatherman and me, all we see is a big mess.
“If you are in this area, please do not hesitate to make your way to a safe location in your house. Get into an inner room, and stay away from windows. This is a dangerous storm, capable of producing hail, strong winds, and large tornados. If at all possible, please find your way to a…” The electricity flickers and then goes off completely.
Dad rushes into the house from the garage, sweating and dirty from working in the garden. “Well, I broke the blade,” he tells Mom. “I need to run to Wal-Mart for a new one.”
Mom looks at him sideways. “But what about the storm? We just lost the electricity.”
“It looks to be north of us,” he says. “Besides the sirens stopped. If I leave now, I can get back from Wal-Mart in time to shower and still get to church at before 6:00.”
Before Mom can protest, Dad kisses her on the lips, me on the cheek, and runs out the front door. I hear his truck rev in the driveway, and then it fades as he drives down our street.
Carly Simmons
We practically fly across town to get home before the rain starts. I am not fond of driving in the rain, and with the wind picking up and the skies darkening, this could be a heavy one.
Maddie checks her text messages and chatters on and on about the graduation ceremony. She is oblivious of the skies.
I pull into the parking lot of a little strip mall mattress store and reach into my purse for my cell phone.
“Where are you going?” she asks. “What’s going on?”
Punching the speed dial button for Home, I listen as the line crackles and sputters. The phone rings one time and then goes silent. Hanging up, I try once again, but the phone only clicks and a recorded message plays.
I’m wasting time when I should be driving, I tell myself.
“What’s going on?” Maddie repeats.
I look at her, amazed that she has to ask. “Don’t you see storm that’s coming? Didn’t you hear the sirens?”
“Oh, yeah, that. Well, you know they sound the sirens all the time. I don’t see any tornadoes,” she says with that flippant attitude that grinds on my nerves. “Don’t get so nervous, Carls.”
I roll my eyes. Putting the car into gear, the tires squeal as I pull out of the parking lot onto Range Line Road. Something tells me I need to get home.
At least the sirens have stopped.
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