The window beside me shook like it was seizing. However, I couldn’t see the storm outside. Mr. Dundon had closed the blinds at the beginning of the period to avoid further distraction from the weather. Unfortunately, my teacher couldn’t drown out the howling wind and crashing thunder. The student in the next row turned to me and said, “How much do you wanna bet the parking lots empty by the end of the day?” I wouldn’t have been surprised if the kid had been correct. I had never heard so much strong wind. I was in my double period Anatomy class and we had been learning about pineal gland hormones. I really didn’t care one bit. I tried to remember if I had brought my dog Sadie inside.
I imagined my puppy sitting in front of my porch getting soaking wet, and her crying all day. Suddenly an announcement from the school intercom bellowed over my teacher “Due to current weather conditions New York state has announced a state of emergency. Our buses can’t leave the garage and we advise against anyone driving until the storm dies down. All students are to stay in their assigned classrooms until further notice”. Everyone in my classroom began to moan and complain. I was tempted to look out the window, but the rest of my class beat me to it. As soon as everyone saw what it looked like outside they backed away with concerned looks on their faces. I got up to look after the last of them pulled away, I was astounded as to what that wind had done to our school grounds. Tree branches blocked the roads, newly planted spring flowers were strewn madly across the field mixed with the black turf. I took my phone out of my pocket to check my messages and realized that the towers must have been down, I had no service. Someone in the back of the room must’ve just done the same thing. I heard complaining and felt the panic that started to spread through the room. “If you all sit back down and calm yourselves I’ll put the news up and we can see when this will all end” My teacher said sternly.
I imagined my puppy sitting in front of my porch getting soaking wet, and her crying all day. Suddenly an announcement from the school intercom bellowed over my teacher “Due to current weather conditions New York state has announced a state of emergency. Our buses can’t leave the garage and we advise against anyone driving until the storm dies down. All students are to stay in their assigned classrooms until further notice”. Everyone in my classroom began to moan and complain. I was tempted to look out the window, but the rest of my class beat me to it. As soon as everyone saw what it looked like outside they backed away with concerned looks on their faces. I got up to look after the last of them pulled away, I was astounded as to what that wind had done to our school grounds. Tree branches blocked the roads, newly planted spring flowers were strewn madly across the field mixed with the black turf. I took my phone out of my pocket to check my messages and realized that the towers must have been down, I had no service. Someone in the back of the room must’ve just done the same thing. I heard complaining and felt the panic that started to spread through the room. “If you all sit back down and calm yourselves I’ll put the news up and we can see when this will all end” My teacher said sternly.
Even the cable was terrible and choppy. Mr. Dundon got to the local news station, but much of what was said was a mystery due to the static. My teacher tried to find a national station. We just happened to be the number one news story at the moment. “Unexpected storm slams the north east” read the flashing caption at the bottom of the screen. Fox News flashed disturbing videos and pictures of buildings that had already been destroyed a couple towns over. A flash of lightning cut through the blinds, and almost immediately afterwards a huge crack of thunder made everyone in the room jump. I started to think that it wasn’t too safe to stay in our classrooms. Of course the basement wasn’t big enough for all 1,000 students, but I knew it would be the safest place for me. Without thinking, I raised my hand high. “Yes Miss George?”
I immediately regretted my decision, “Umm, can I just run to the bathroom across the hall?” I watched as Mr. Dundon grunted.
“It really can’t wait?” I shook my head no, and felt reassured when he said “make it quick and don’t let anyone see you”.
I immediately regretted my decision, “Umm, can I just run to the bathroom across the hall?” I watched as Mr. Dundon grunted.
“It really can’t wait?” I shook my head no, and felt reassured when he said “make it quick and don’t let anyone see you”.
In the hall I could hear the chatter of students and news reporters from each of the class rooms. I had never felt so alone in my big high school. I was the only person in the hallways, while everyone else took refuge in their rooms. As more thunder cracked I had to decide the smartest route down to the basement. I figured that the elevator would be a bad idea in case of a power loss, so I headed towards the staircase to my right. One of my favorite teachers worked in the art department which occupied half of the basement, that’s where I’d go. I made it down the first flight of stairs and realized that I would no longer need an excuse for crashing their art class… I felt the building shake and a terrifying noise sounded from above. Something had hit, and I was thankful that I left when I did. I heard voices heighten as students flooded the halls upstairs. I picked up my speed and ran down the second flight. I was soon accompanied by an assistant principle, and the school nurse. They both were rushing me down the stairs.
“Get into one of the rooms, stay far away from the windows, hurry we’ll have a lot more people coming down,” the nurse said to me as she pushed open one of the art rooms doors.
“Get into one of the rooms, stay far away from the windows, hurry we’ll have a lot more people coming down,” the nurse said to me as she pushed open one of the art rooms doors.
Concerned students looked up at me as I walked in and the other two continued down the hall. The art teacher Mr. Samson looked up at me and tried to manage a smile. “Do you know…,” he started, but I knew he was asking what had happened seconds earlier.
I just shook my head. The rain outside was being pushed by the wind to impact the windows at increasingly high speeds. We all dreaded what was about to come. The sound of rushing students became louder and the art teacher announced “We’re all going to have to make room.. Put all the materials away”. The students knew they didn’t have much time to do so. I grabbed a box of scissors and a role of thick paper, and followed the rest of the students to the closet where I was guessing these things belonged. I looked over when I heard the other students arrive. I recognized many of them from my previous class, I received confused glances when they noticed me. Mr. Dundon soon entered and pulled Mr. Samson into the corner to inform him of what had happened.
I watched the art teacher and tried to decipher his facial expressions. I noticed how dark it was getting outside, and the rain quickly turning into hail. At this point I knew if Sadie wasn’t inside she was probably unconscious laying in the yard. I wondered how my mother was doing. I could imagine her in her little office cubicle huddling with her co-workers. I was sure they were all worried about their children, and probably the well being of their homes. I heard another faint crash from the top of the building as the room continued to fill with students. It started to smell foul, and I really started to wish that sweating didn’t come with nerves.
The teachers finally ended their conversation and turned to the students, who all stared with complete attention. “Most of you all know that we had a couple of windows blow through upstairs. Apparently, they’re expecting this storm to continue and possibly get worse. All that we can do is sit here and wait it out,” Mr. Samson announced to the room. I could tell that some of the girls had been crying, and others bleeding, they must’ve gotten hit by the glass from the windows upstairs.
Suddenly I heard a boy who was standing closest to the window well. “What is that!?” Everyone turned their attention to the windows, and as soon as they did the mob began to retreat towards the door.
Outside the walls of the school was a growing dust storm, twirling and destroying everything that it touched. The building continued to shake as debris spewed from the storms mouth towards the school. Everyone was screaming, my ears were ringing, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I could feel sweat on the back of my neck, but I hardly noticed the pushing and pulling of the crowd.
I could see the wall beginning to crack, a quick breakage that lead to another, like dominoes it finished off the rest. I kept thinking about my dog, my poor Sadie… How upset my mother would be when she heard that her daughter had been crushed by the walls of the school she had once attended. I could feel the strong winds pull on my clothing as the wall began to separate. I almost felt at ease, so at peace as the world around me was chaotic. Then I heard it, a faint voice in the background. All of the noise was drowned out by a single, soft voice. It spoke my name, over and over. It was my mothers voice. The rain began to hit me, the storm no longer blew, but it pulled. The wind pulled me forward, towards the unknown. I was almost there, wasn’t even afraid. But I kept hearing my name, that soft voice would not leave until…
I just shook my head. The rain outside was being pushed by the wind to impact the windows at increasingly high speeds. We all dreaded what was about to come. The sound of rushing students became louder and the art teacher announced “We’re all going to have to make room.. Put all the materials away”. The students knew they didn’t have much time to do so. I grabbed a box of scissors and a role of thick paper, and followed the rest of the students to the closet where I was guessing these things belonged. I looked over when I heard the other students arrive. I recognized many of them from my previous class, I received confused glances when they noticed me. Mr. Dundon soon entered and pulled Mr. Samson into the corner to inform him of what had happened.
I watched the art teacher and tried to decipher his facial expressions. I noticed how dark it was getting outside, and the rain quickly turning into hail. At this point I knew if Sadie wasn’t inside she was probably unconscious laying in the yard. I wondered how my mother was doing. I could imagine her in her little office cubicle huddling with her co-workers. I was sure they were all worried about their children, and probably the well being of their homes. I heard another faint crash from the top of the building as the room continued to fill with students. It started to smell foul, and I really started to wish that sweating didn’t come with nerves.
The teachers finally ended their conversation and turned to the students, who all stared with complete attention. “Most of you all know that we had a couple of windows blow through upstairs. Apparently, they’re expecting this storm to continue and possibly get worse. All that we can do is sit here and wait it out,” Mr. Samson announced to the room. I could tell that some of the girls had been crying, and others bleeding, they must’ve gotten hit by the glass from the windows upstairs.
Suddenly I heard a boy who was standing closest to the window well. “What is that!?” Everyone turned their attention to the windows, and as soon as they did the mob began to retreat towards the door.
Outside the walls of the school was a growing dust storm, twirling and destroying everything that it touched. The building continued to shake as debris spewed from the storms mouth towards the school. Everyone was screaming, my ears were ringing, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I could feel sweat on the back of my neck, but I hardly noticed the pushing and pulling of the crowd.
I could see the wall beginning to crack, a quick breakage that lead to another, like dominoes it finished off the rest. I kept thinking about my dog, my poor Sadie… How upset my mother would be when she heard that her daughter had been crushed by the walls of the school she had once attended. I could feel the strong winds pull on my clothing as the wall began to separate. I almost felt at ease, so at peace as the world around me was chaotic. Then I heard it, a faint voice in the background. All of the noise was drowned out by a single, soft voice. It spoke my name, over and over. It was my mothers voice. The rain began to hit me, the storm no longer blew, but it pulled. The wind pulled me forward, towards the unknown. I was almost there, wasn’t even afraid. But I kept hearing my name, that soft voice would not leave until…
My eyes opened wide. I was drenched in sweat, I could feel it all on my back and down my legs. My mother stood over my bed with her hand on my shoulder. “You better get up and shower now before the storm starts, we have a tornado warning all day”.
END
Ricki Scordino was the 2011 winner of the Matthew Juser Memorial Scholarship
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Ricki Scordino was the 2011 winner of the Matthew Juser Memorial Scholarship
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