The horses in the stable went wild, they knew of the storm coming. The wind was picking up now as the dark clouds rolled in above. My parents still weren’t home. It was nearly 6:00 now, they should have been home over an hour ago. My little sister Tessa begins to cry in the next room, just as thunder began to roar outside. She was getting hungry and the goldfish crackers were no longer satisfying her appitite. My stomach also ached but I couldn’t think about that now, the news blared from the next room, it was tornado season in America and we lived on the western edge of Tornado Alley, in a farm town called Lamar. Though still a child my self, at 14 I was no stranger to big storms. Though Lamar itself, hasn’t seen a tornado since I was Tessa’s age. Again I looked out the window, towards the drive way. Still no sign of them. Dad had gone over to moms work for an awards ceremony, but they said they would be back for supper.

“Okay Em!” I thought, “Pull yourself together, your a teenager now.” I closed my eyes and filled my chest with 3 deep breaths just like gran showed me. “Alright Tessa, that’s enough, now stop your crying, and come with me.” I grabbed my school bag from the hall and dumped its contents on to the cold tile. Tessa ran after me, into the kitchen, I saw her lip quiver, I think she can sense my fear. I knelt down and took her little hands in mine. “Come on Tess” I say, “we are going to have a picnic, grab anything you want, and put in in this bag okay.” I see her eyes dart up with excitment and follow them to the top of the fridge. “Cookies” we both say in unison. It didn’t take much to fill my small bag, cookies, 3 juice boxes, some crackere and an apple. I sure hope that will be enough. The lights in the hall flickered, and then darkness. Tessa screamed and clung to me like cellophane. My heart pounded agaist my chest, It begged to compete with the thunderous roars outside. “Shhhh it’s okay, it’s okay Tessa. There is a flashlight by the front door.” Urged. “Noooo” Tessa whinned. Tessa was terrified of the dark, her feet were glued to the floor. “Come Tess! I’m getting a flashlight.” Still nothing. “Ugggh” 4 year olds can be so unreasonable, although they are pretty light. I grab her squirmy little body and throw her over my shoulder, as I feel my way down the hall. Now at the front door I place my screaming sister down and turn on the flashlight. Is this what it’s like to be an adult? I hope not.

Tess and I stood by the door, for quite a while. She was still scared, and kept crying for mom. I wanted her here too, I felt anger building in my chest, why didn’t they come home? Suddenly there was a shift in the atmosphere. Something changed. The horses, I couldn’t hear them. Why did they stop? I ran to the window, and in the distance ahead, I saw the big barrel of a tornado. “Emmy, what is it?” I whipped the curtain closed and grabbed Tessa. Her arms choked my neck as I swung the basement door open.

The basement was unfinished, and the cold from the cement floor felt wet on my socks. Our house was built in the early 1900s, and was previously used as cold storage. Mom and dad taught us that in the event of a tornado we were to go there until the storm passed. Once in the cellar I lit the small kerosene lantern and turned the flashlight off. I could hear the horses again, there screams more frantic then before. The shutters outside thrashed and the screen doors slammed open and closed. Tessa and I held each other close and I managed to sing a song to try and calm her. “Three little birds.. sat on a window” my voice cracked as I tried to get the words out. Tessa joined in “don’t worry…about a thing” the wind howled “cause every little thing….is gonna be alright”.

I awoke with a start. A crack of light illuminated the cellar door. It was morning; no noise, the storm was over. I woke Tessa, “Where are we?” She grumbled. “The cellar” I replied “come on sleepy head, the storm is over”. Still wrapped in her blanket she climbed on my back. As we opened the basement door we were greated with cool air from shattered windows. Our belongings were scattered across the house. We were both silent as we made our way to the front of the house. The front door was missing, the wind must have taken it. “Be careful” I say, lowering Tessa to the ground. Just as we step on the porch I see dads white pickup coming down the drive way. They’re home.