by Laura Dragon
Hollis vanished into the hall. He found Jonas coming down from the attic. A tall, thin boy, Jonas wore his black hair in jaw-length braids. Gee liked to call Jonas names like “Pencil” and “Spaghetti” because of his lankiness.
“Hey, Blues,” Jonas said.
Hollis stopped wondering what Jonas had been doing up in the tiny, hot attic. “Told you to stop calling me that. It’s stupid.”
“Why? You lookin’ miserable as always. Blues fits, so Blues it is.”
Hollis’s talk with Gee came back to him. “You could make me feel better.”
“Why would I wanna do that?” Jonas said, laughing.
Hollis didn’t answer.
Jonas stopped laughing. “Okay, how? Ya got me curious.”
“You could tell me about when Dad left. Gee said you chased him.”
Jonas’s face darkened. With a wave of his hand, he turned away. “No point bringin’ that up. He’s gone. Let be.” He headed off down the hall.
Hollis watched him go. Just like I said. Always goes quiet. Then he remembered why he was in the hall. “Hold up! I’m s’posed to help finish getting the boards on the windows.”
“Well, come on! We gotta clear the yard, too. Bikes, toys, lawn chairs.”
“Yeah, those chairs are light. They’d fly all over.” Hollis sent another curious glance up at the attic door before following Jonas down the hall.
Chapter 3
Anticipation
Dinner was the pizza Gee had been saving for Hollis’s upcoming birthday. After a sleepless night at Darnell’s house, the work bringing everything in from outside, and the job of nailing the rest of the boards with Jonas, Hollis was ready for bed right after dinner. His eyes drooped as he snuggled his cheek against his pillow. Jonas turned out the light and told Algie that if he farted as much tonight as he did last night, he was locking him out in the storm. Hollis never even heard Algie’s reply.
WwhoooeeeeeoOOOOoooooooeeEEEEEOOOOOOoooooOOO!
The wind’s howls echoed through the small bedroom. Hollis opened his eyes and checked the clock. Midnight. The house shuddered and creaked, as though it were afraid. A sniffling sound caught Hollis’s attention. He turned on the light at the side of his bed. It was Algie.
“Why you awake, Algie?”
“I never went to sleep,” Algie said. “Is this the h-hurricane, Hollis? I-it gonna kill us? The people on TV said the hurricane is gonna k-kill everyone.”
Hollis made a mental note to tell Gee not to let Algie watch any more news reports.
“What?” Jonas rolled over in bed and rubbed one eye. The wall next to his bed rattled. He flinched. “What!”
“All the noise’s got Algie scared,” Hollis said. “This can’t be the hurricane. Too early.”
A knock at the door made all of them jump. Leta peeked in.
“We heard talking. Gee wants to know if y’all are okay.”
“Yeah,” Jonas said. A loud thud sounded against his wall. “Except for that kinda stuff.”
“Y’all come on down to our room. We couldn’t sleep. Then we can all play cards.”
“Algie might,” Jonas said. “He’s scared.”
“Am not,” Algie said.
“Well,” Hollis said, “he was scared. Why’s it so noisy outside?”
“It’s a feeder band,” Leta said.
“What’s a ‘freeder b-band’?” Algie asked, his eyes huge.
“Piece of the hurricane,” Leta told him. “Y’know they’re round?”
Algie nodded.
“Some pieces are way ahead of the storm. That’s what this is.”
“Is the rest of the hurricane as bad as this?” Algie asked.
“No,” Hollis said. “A hurricane is a lot worse—”
“Than a regular rainstorm,” Jonas interrupted him. “Won’t be as bad, Algie.”
“Come with us, Algie,” Leta said. “We’ll keep you safe.”
“I’m not sleepin’ with no girls,” Algie huffed.
“Okay. Come down if you change your mind.”
“Get out, Leta,” Hollis said, throwing his pillow at her.
Leta caught it and shut the door. “Thanks,” she said through the wood.
“Leta!” Hollis yelled.
She opened the door, threw his pillow back in his face, and slammed the door again. The boys heard thudding footsteps retreating down the hall.
“You think it’s g-gonna be all right, Jonas?” Algie asked, his face puckering up again. “I’ve g-got my shoes on, in c-case we have to run.” He pulled one foot from under his blanket, revealing a Spongebob tennis shoe.
“Course it’ll be all right,” Jonas told him. “Take those shoes off, Algie.”
Algie shook his head.
Jonas tried convincing him but soon gave up. Once Algie’s mind was made up, no one could ever get him to change it.
“Fine. Keep ’em on if you can stand it. But if there’s water everywhere, shoes won’t do much good. Now go to sleep or go down with the girls. No scaredy cats in here.”
Algie lay down. Before he could ask any more questions, he was asleep.
“He trusts you,” Hollis whispered. “And he shouldn’t. That hurricane is gonna be way worse than any feeder band.”
Putting a finger to his lips, Jonas said, “That’s need to know, and he don’t need to know.” The wall by his bed shook again. “Don’t think I’m gonna be able to sleep.”
Hollis nodded. “Wish we could see what’s going on. The stupid boards are in the way.”
“Be glad. Windows probably woulda broke by now.”
“I wonder if old man Joseph brought in all those gnomes he’s got in his garden. Wouldn’t wanna see no gnome flying through the air at me.”
“You’d pee your pants. They might be flyin’ around out there, but they can’t get in here.”
“I don’t know. Some of them gnomes’re heavy. Come right through the wall.”
“Attack of the vampire garden gnomes?” Jonas pretended to have fangs.
Hollis rolled his eyes. “Sounds quieter outside. Guess it’s over.”
“For now. It’ll get loud again, closer the storm gets. Time to sleep. You leavin’ that light on?”
Hollis shook his head and switched it off. He lay back in bed and watched the fan spin over head.
It took a while, but as Jonas predicted, the noise outside started up again. At three o’clock in the morning, the fan stopped spinning. Hollis tried the light.
“Electric’s out,” Jonas said.
Hollis jumped. “Thought you were out cold.”
“Tried. Too noisy. Sounds bad again.”
The bangs were louder and more frequent now.
“World War Three out there,” Jonas said. “Got your flashlight?”
Hollis nodded.
By seven o’clock, in spite of the noise and Jonas’s vampire-gnome stories, Hollis was finally nodding off. Something solid slammed into the board covering their bedroom window. The two boys bolted up, their mouths open.
“Sounds like the gnomes really are trying to get in,” Hollis said. “This it?”
“I’d say so,” Jonas said. “Never heard nothin’ like this before. Good thing Algie’s asleep.”
“Can the house take it?”
Jonas glanced at the shaking walls. “I don’t know.”
Chapter 4
Just Another Day
Click.
Hollis shone his light around the room until it rested on Jonas’s face. “I’m getting’ up.”
“Yeah,” Jonas said, shielding his eyes. “Stop wastin’ batteries!”
The door opened and Leta came in with a battery-powered lantern in her hand. Hollis turned the flashlight onto her.
“Hollis! Turn that off!” She looked past him to Jonas. “I knew y’all would be awake. Scary, huh? Gee looks nervous.”
“How long d’you think this is gonna last?” Hollis asked.
“The news said the storm should be gone by noon.”
The brothers stared at each other, aghast.
“That long?” Hollis asked.
Leta didn’t answer. “Gee says get dressed for breakfast. I’m gonna go get it started.” She closed the door.
The two boys got out of bed. Hollis shook Algie.
“Wha-at?” Algie mumbled and buried his face in his pillow.
“Come on, we’re gonna eat.”
“Not hungry,” Algie said. “Lemme alone.”
Hollis rubbed his little brother’s head.
“Let him sleep, I guess.” Jonas shook the little boy, too. “We’ll be in the den.”
Algie nodded but didn’t turn over.
Hollis and Jonas scrambled into their clothing, using the flashlight to find what they needed. When they were dressed, they headed down the hall, Jonas carrying the light.
“Dark,” Jonas said. “Can’t see much.”
“Gee’s acting like this is a regular day. Breakfast!” Hollis scoffed.
“You not hungry?” Jonas asked. “I am. Best to act normal. For Gee, anyway. She was shakin’.”
“What?”
“At dinner last night, her hands was shakin’.”
“Yeah?”
“Bet she’s tryin’ to stay calm for us. I’m gonna do that. No point bein’ scared—nothin’ we can do.”
Hollis sighed. “I don’t think it’ll be that easy for me.”
“Try meditatin’. You know, like Chinese people do. Say ‘Ohm.’”
“Ohm.”
“Not like that. You gotta drag it out. Oooooohhmmmmm. Over and over. You’re supposed to close your eyes, too, but I don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”
“It won’t make much difference. It’s so dark already. How’s this s’posed to help?”
“Makes you calmer. One with the universe or somethin’.”
“If I’m one with the universe, can I make it take the storm back?”
“You can’t control the universe. Just, maybe, understand it.”
Hollis ohmmed all the way into the dining area, where Leta had set out cereal and donuts. He didn’t feel any calmer, though.
The golden glow of Gee’s camp lamp, supplemented by a dozen or so candles, transformed the dining room into a warm, cinnamon-scented place that, for a moment, made Hollis forget the noise outside. Jonas tucked his flashlight into the back of his pants, took his place at the table, and inhaled deeply.
“Mm, those candles smell good enough to eat.”
Leta appeared at the door, heaving Gee’s chair as the carpet bunched and blocked the rotation of the wheels. Hollis ran to help, and as he pushed, he checked out Gee’s hands. Sure enough, when she let go of the chair’s wheels, her hands shook like the washer did when it had too many clothes in it.
“Thank you, children,” Gee said, the candlelight flickering across her face.
“You’re welcome,” Leta said as she and Hollis sat down.
“Jonas,” said Gee, turning in her chair. “Where’s Algie?”
“Still sleepin’.”
“Good. All this noise outside’ll just make him nervous. Pass the donuts to Hollis, Jonas . . . thank you. And watch those extensions around the candles.”
Jonas put a hand up to his braids. “Ah, Gee, I’m fine.”
Gee shook her head. “Can’t get used to all that hair on you. And why you wearin’ your new clothes?”
Jonas looked down at his FUBU shirt and long jean shorts.
“Whole neighborhood’ll be in the street checkin’ out the damage after the storm. Gotta keep up my rep. Leta, pass the milk.” He took the carton she handed him. “Thanks.”
Hollis covered his mouth with his hand.
“What?” Jonas asked.
“Since when do you ask for something to get passed? Usually you just stand and grab.”
Gee grinned. “We should have more hurricanes. Makes us remember our manners.”
“No thanks,” Hollis said, glancing over his shoulder at the dark edges of the room. The whistling wind sent something clanking along the outside wall. Turning back to the table, he re-entered their little well of light, and the threat of the storm receded.
Finishing his last spoonful of cereal, Hollis picked up the bowl and drank the sweetened milk. He stood and collected Jonas’s and Leta’s empty bowls, clattering them in a stack to take to the kitchen. Leta rose as well, picking up the spoons. She snatched the donut box away from Jonas’s groping fingers.
“There’s only two left, and they’re for Alg—”
A tooth-rattling boom cut her off as it shook the house.
Chapter 5
Disaster!
Everyone froze.
“Could a transformer have blown out?” Gee mused, gazing at the ceiling.
Jonas frowned. “That was an awfully loud blast for a transformer.”
A faint noise began. The sound was like the hiss and chug of a train hurrying along a track toward them.
“Do transformers sound like that?” Hollis asked.
More loud booms shook the house, but underneath Hollis could hear smaller bangs and crashes, as if the train were running into things on its way to find them.
“What is that?” Gee asked, still focused on the ceiling.
“It’s getting closer,” Leta said, her voice quivering.
The sizzing sound grew louder and became a huzzing sound, which expanded until it was all around them. The noise plucked at Hollis’s nerves, and he covered his ears. The sound just got louder.
Suddenly, the house jolted. Hollis staggered. Leta fell to her knees as she screamed and pointed at the front door. Hollis jerked around. Water, spraying like a geyser from underneath the door, was shooting into the room. As he watched, mouth open, eyes wide, the door burst open, and a two-foot-high battering ram of liquid blasted into the house.
“Jonas!” Hollis yelled over the noise of the deluge. “Gee!”
“Get to the attic!” Gee screamed, struggling to turn her wheelchair.
Jonas stood frozen, staring at the water pouring in. Hollis pulled Leta to her feet, and they staggered to help Gee turn her chair. Hollis pushed at the stubborn chair, his head twisting around as he wondered if there was anything else he could grab. Water hissed at him everywhere he turned, curling around his ankles and slowly licking at his knees. He gave up trying to think.
Grunting with effort, he and Leta each pushed at a handle, their toes digging into the soggy carpet, their shoulders flexing. Jonas, out of his paralysis at last, darted past them to the hall. With his knees pumping and his long legs stomping at the torrent, he held the lamp over his head to light their way. Hollis tried to hurry, but the water clutched at his legs, slowing him to a slog.
Jonas reached the attic door and grabbed the cord that opened the trapdoor in the ceiling. Yanking it down, he reached up to jerk the wooden stairs open.
“Get her!” Leta yelled to Jonas. “Put the lantern in the attic and help her up.”
Gee sat in her chair as though frozen. Her eyes, wild and unfocused, stared at the water. Although her mouth hung open, she didn’t seem to be breathing.
It’s like she’s already drowned, Hollis thought as he stared at her in horror. Water gurgled at his hips.
Jonas pulled Gee out of her chair into an embrace and backed up the stairs. Leta struggled with Gee’s legs. Hollis had just moved to help when they heard a scream.
“Algie!” Leta gasped.
“I’ll get him,” Hollis yelled.
He clicked on his flashlight and struggled toward the back of the house.
“I’m coming, Algie!” he shouted. “Don’t worry!”
He plowed into the hall. A few feet more and he would be in the room. A pang of fear arrowed through him. The chest-deep water would be higher than Algie’s head. I know Algie can swim.
A new noise reached his ears—scrabbling sounds punctuated by little grunts and groans. Algie’s in trouble! Hollis surged into the room, his eyes searching for the little boy. He
saw him, still in his Spongebob pajamas, standing on the water-covered bed and trying to climb up onto the thin headboard.
“Algie!” he called.
Wading into the room, he tripped on the edge of a dresser that had fallen over and was hidden under the water. He caught himself and stepped onto the dresser to get closer to Algie’s bed. Algie wobbled across to the end of the mattress and flung himself at Hollis, grabbing him around the neck and knocking him backwards off the dresser.
“Help!” he screamed as Hollis struggled to keep his footing.
“Algie, stop kicking! And don’t hold on so tight—you’re chokin’ me.”
Algie tightened his hold. Hollis turned around and pushed his way out of the room. The water lapped at their necks by the time they reached the attic entrance, where Jonas waited halfway up. He bent down and hauled Algie out of Hollis’s grasp and up into the attic. Jonas and Hollis scrambled up the ladder behind him.
His chest heaving, Hollis stared at his dripping family. Everyone was huddled in the center of the attic, the only place where the ceiling was high enough for anyone to stand. The sides of the ceiling slanted downward, roofing nails spiking through the wood. Gee lay flat on the floor next to the others, her wheelchair left behind in the flood.
“Wha-what was that?” Hollis gasped.
“The water,” Leta said, sinking down to the floor. “There was so much water.” She coughed. Algie joined her and they put their arms around each other.
“Levee broke,” Gee croaked, out of her shock at last. “Jonas, bless your strong arms. I never woulda been able to drag my bones up that ladder.” Her voice cracked and tears streamed down the sides of her face.
“Not bad for a broom straw, eh Gee?” Jonas knelt to hug her. He helped her sit up and lean against a post.
“You hurt me, Jonas,” Algie said, examining a long scrape on his arm.
“Sorry, Algie. Couldn’t be helped.”
“I got a scratch on my leg,” Leta said, rubbing at it.
