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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] Tellie was hard at work on her last day at the feedlot. It was a sweltering hot Friday, and storm clouds were gathering on the horizon. The wind was moving at a clip fast enough to stand the state flag out from its flagpole. When she went to lunch, sand blew right into her face as she climbed into Marge s car to drive home and eat. The wind pushed the little car all over the road. It wasn t raining yet, but it looked as if it might rain buckets full. She turned on the radio. There was a weather bulletin, noting that a tornado watch was in effect for Jacobsville and surrounding counties until late that afternoon. Tellie was afraid of tornadoes. She hoped she never had to contend with one as long as she lived. She ate a quick lunch, surrounded by Marge and Nell and the girls, since it was a teacher workday and they weren t in school. But when she was ready to leave, the skies were suddenly jet-black and the wind was roaring like a lion outside. Don t you dare get in that car, Marge threatened. Look at the color of those clouds, Nell added, looking past them out the door. The clouds were a neon-green, and there was a strange shape growing in them, emphasized by the increasing volume and force of the wind. While they stood on the porch with the doors open, the sound of a siren broke into the dull rumble of thunder. Is that an ambulance? Dawn asked curiously. No, Nell said at once. It s the tornado alert, it s the siren on top of the courthouse. She ran for the weather radio, and found it ringing its batteries off. There was a steady red light on the console. Even before it blared out the words tornado warning, Nell knew what was coming. We have to get into the basement, right now! Nell said, rushing to the hall staircase. Come on! They piled after her, down the carpeted stairs and into the basement, into the room that had been especially built in case of tornadoes. It was steel-reinforced, with battery-powered lights and radio, water, provisions and spare batteries. The wind was audible even down there, now. They closed themselves into the sheltered room and sat down on the carpeted floor to wait it out. Nell turned on the battery-powered scanner and instead of the weather, she turned to the fire and police frequencies. Sharp orders in deep voices heralded the first of the damage. One fire and rescue unit was already on its way out Caldwell Road from a report of a trailer being demolished. There came other reports, one after another. A roof was off this building, a barn collapsed, there were trees down in the road, trees down on power lines, trees falling on cars. It was the worst damage Tellie had heard about in her young life. She thought about J.B., alone in his house with memories of his grandmother dying in such a storm. She wished she could stop caring about what happened to him. She couldn t. He was too much a part of her life, regardless of the treatment he d handed out to her. I hope J.B. s all right, Tellie murmured as the overhead light flickered and went out on the heels of a violent burst of thunder. So do I, Marge replied. But he s got a shelter of his own. I m sure he s in it. The violence outside escalated. Tellie hid her head in her crossed arms and prayed that nobody would be killed. Several minutes later, Nell eased the door open and listened for a minute before she went up the staircase. She was back shortly. It s over, she called to the others. There s a little thunder, but it s far away, and you can see some blue sky. There are two big oak trees down in the front yard, though. I hope nobody got hurt, Marge mumbled as they went up the staircase. Call the house, Tellie pleaded with Nell. Make sure J.B. s all right. Nell grimaced, but she did it. Argue they might, but she was fond of her old boss. The others stared at Nell while she listened. She winced and put down the receiver with a sad face. The lines are down, she said worriedly. We could drive over there and see, Dawn suggested. Tellie recalled painfully the last time she d driven over to J.B. s place to tell him about a disaster. She couldn t bear to do it again. We can t get out of the driveway, Marge said uneasily. One of the oaks is blocking the whole driveway. Give me your cell phone, Nell told Marge. I ll call my cousin at the police department and get him to have someone check. The joy of small-town life, Tellie was thinking. Surely the police could find out for them if J.B. was safe. Tellie prayed silently while Nell waited for her cousin to come to the phone. She listened, spoke into the phone, and then listened again, grimacing. She thanked her cousin and put down the phone, facing the others with obvious reluctance. The tornado hit J.B. s house and took off the corner where his office was. He s been taken to the hospital. My cousin doesn t know how bad he s hurt. There were some fatalities, she added, wincing when she saw their faces go white. Arguments and disagreements aside, J.B. was precious to everyone in the room. Tellie spoke for all of them. I m going to the hospital, she said, if I have to walk the whole five miles! Eleven As it happened, they managed to get around the tree in their raincoats and walk out to the main highway. It was still raining, but the storm was over. Marge got on her cell phone and called her friend Barbara, who phoned one of the local firemen, an off-duty officer who agreed to pick them up and take them to the hospital. When they got there, J.B. was in the emergency room sitting on an examination table, grinning. He had a cut across his forehead and a bruise on his bare shoulder, but his spirit seemed perfectly unstoppable. Tellie almost ran to him. Almost. But just as she tensed to do it, a blond head came into view under J.B. s other arm. Bella, in tears, sobbing, as she clung to J.B. s bare chest mumbling how happy she was that he wasn t badly hurt. She drew back and Marge and Nell and the girls joined her, out of sight of J.B. and Bella. You go ahead, she told them. But...don t tell him I was here. Okay? Marge nodded, the others agreed. They understood without a word of explanation. Go on out front, honey, Marge said gently. We ll find you there when we re through. Okay. Thanks, Tellie said huskily, with a forced smile. Her heart was breaking all over again. As Marge and the girls moved into the cubicle, Tellie walked back to the front entrance where there [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |