Sandi woke to the sound of rain hitting the windows and the howling of the wind. She sat straight up in bed and knew immediately that something was wrong, very wrong. A roaring ominous sound, like nothing she had ever heard before, sent chills up her spine! Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and the windows in the front room came shattering to the floor.
Sandi screamed and ran to Annie’s crib. Grabbing the little girl up in her arms, she literally dived into a closet as the wind roared through the house tearing pictures off the walls and tossing heavy furniture around. Crouching down low and as far into the back of the closet as she could get, she tried calming the hysterical child. “It’ll be alright, Sweetie. Mommy’s right here.” The noise was deafening, and she could barely hear the sounds of Annie’s voice as she cried into her mother’s breast. Sandi was far from calm herself; shaking like a leaf, she held her frightened baby, praying there in the darkness in a way she had never prayed before!
The tornado hit without warning in the early morning hours while the normally peaceful little community was still sleeping. It was stiflingly hot, and it felt like there was no air to breathe. Sandi’s nightgown and long hair clung to her warm skin.
As she huddled in the dark space she thought, Thank God that Joletta is not here, at least she is safe. “Oh, please, dear Jesus, if you are out there, please, please, protect us.” Joletta will not know what to do if something happens to us. She would have nobody to love her. “God, Please! Help me!”
Suddenly, Sandi began to feel an odd sense of calm. The wind still howled, screaming and screeching its way through the small town, but Sandi no longer felt the fear of just a few short moments ago. It was almost as if a warm arm was holding her and little Annie. She heard a voice that whispered in the wind. “It is all right, my child. Do not fear.”
“What? Who are you?” She could not see, and there was no response. The tiny room was so dark. She could not even see her hand in front of her face. On the other side of the door, the storm raged. Minutes felt like hours and as Annie’s cries quieted, there was one final crash and then total unbroken silence. Silence so complete you could have heard a pin drop.
When she tried to open the door, it would not budge. She pushed with both her feet and still it refused to budge. Sandi had no other choice than to stay huddled on the floor of the closet for what seemed an eternity, hoping beyond hope that someone would come to their rescue. She dared not move, fearing the walls might collapse around them.
Within minutes there were new sounds in the distance, the high-pitched sounds of sirens and dogs barking. Several times she thought she could hear voices calling out, but no one responded to her calls for help. No one knew she and Annie were there.
Realizing the storm was over and that they were still in one piece, she sat in shocked silence and thought about the warm feeling of comfort and the voice in the wind. Could it have really happened? Nothing felt quite real, but still, she had heard something. There was a voice… Something or perhaps, someone, had been with her in those terrifying moments. Could it be possible? She didn’t know exactly what it was that had happened, but she breathed a small prayer of gratitude, still not sure who she was praying to.
Surely this was just a terrible nightmare and she would wake soon. If only it were a nightmare, but Sandi knew she was already awake, and the nightmare was real!
“Annie, my precious baby. Is Momma’s little Sweetheart OK?” She felt Annie’s arms and legs, her head and body, to make sure she had truly not been hurt, kissing her over and over, and telling her again and again that she loved her and that everything was OK now.
When she tried to get up, she felt dizzy and realized her head had a large gash on it and sticky warm blood was running down her forehead. Something must have hit her as she ran to get the baby. It had all happened so fast she had not been aware of anything hitting her at all, but the blood continued to ooze down her face and into her eyes.
As she listened to the sirens in the distance, she began to assess their situation. By now, she realized they were not alone in their plight. She wondered about Jim and Susan and their other neighbors.
It was so dark. She had never feared the dark, but she longed for the bright sunshine. She tried to push the door once again, but no matter how she tried, it would not open.
“Help! Please, someone, help us!” She cried into the night. Finally, leaning back exhausted against the wall, she let tears flow freely down her cheeks. Holding Annie tightly, she prayed once more that someone would find them soon.
Eventually, Annie slept, secure in her mother’s arms and Sandi dozed fitfully, waking several times with a jerk, thinking every noise she heard was another storm coming.
“Sandi, are you there? Where are you?” It was Jim’s voice– and the sound of others that woke her. Although it was still very dark in the closet, Sandi could see sunlight creeping under the door. Hearing the sound of voices and debris being moved out of the way by the rescue workers, she called out.
“Jim! Oh, God! Jim, we are here! In the closet. I can’t get the door opened. Please, come help us.” Tears were flowing again, but this time they were tears of joy and hope.
“We’re coming, Darling! We’re coming!”
It took another several minutes to get through the rubble of what had been their home and then a crowbar to pry open the door, but, at last, they were safe in Jim’s strong arms.
“Oh, my Darling! I was so frightened. So afraid, of what we would find!” Jim’s voice was thick, and his own tears flowed. He held tightly to the woman he loved with all his mind, body, and soul.
As they stepped into the bright sunlight, Sandi’s hand went to her mouth–“Oh my! Oh, Jim, this is horrible, just horrible!” She clung to him, afraid to ask the next question.
Finally, she was able to speak. “Susan? What has happened to everyone?” Her voice was tight and barely audible.
The devastation was complete. Not a single home in the neighborhood was standing without major damage. The beautiful community of Summerset Hills was gone, just a jumble of downed trees and badly damaged homes.
“No one was killed in this neighborhood, that’s the good news, my Darling, if there is such a thing right now. There were quite a few injuries and unfortunately there were three people over at Tall Trees trailer park that didn’t make it.”
“Oh, Jim! How terrible– what about Susan and Joan? Are they OK? What about the neighbors?”
Jim stepped away and put his hand on her shoulder. “Susan has multiple injuries, but nothing life-threatening, she’s going to be OK. They took her to the hospital over at Vernon. It could have been much worse.”
“She managed to get herself into the basement, but not before the windows started blowing out. She was hit by parts of the framing as it blew in.” Gathering Sandi into his arms again, Jim continued, “She really is going to be OK, Hon. She’s more worried about you and Annie than herself!”
“What about everyone else?”
“Well, Joan wasn’t working, her neighborhood wasn’t affected, so they are all right. Johnsons down the street are both in the hospital.”
“Beck’s house was destroyed; no one in the family was injured, but Tina’s dog was found dead.”
“Oh, poor Tina, she loved that dog!” Burying her face in his chest, Sandi sobbed. “What is everyone going to do?”
“We’ll get through this, my Love. I promise. The main thing right now is to get you and Annie checked out.”
Sandi looked dazed as Jim led her to the waiting ambulance that would take her to the hospital. She had a large gash running from her forehead down the side of her face that would need stitches, and the paramedics would make sure that she and Annie had no other injuries.
Leaves, tree branches, and debris of every kind covered the green grass. The roof of someone else’s house, upside down but still intact, was in the middle of the road and a giant maple tree lay across the roof of Susan’s beautiful veranda. It would be a huge challenge, trying to figure out what to do first.
Families without anywhere to go were being housed in local churches until other arrangements could be made. The Red Cross had already set up food lines. Bedding, water, and other emergency supplies were already on the way.
The terrible storm was over, but there would be much to do in the weeks ahead.
As the ambulance drove around fallen trees and debris, people wandered aimlessly around the broken neighborhood, wondering what would happen to them now.