-1Chapter one

Dorothy

1

The clock on the white washed wall slowly ticked forward. The teacher, Mrs. Balm, seemed to have been talking for what seemed like five hours. Eighteen year old Dorothy Gale sat at her desk at Clifton high. Her teacher, Mrs. Balm was discussing China’s cultural revolution. Her hair was set in a bun that would slip to one side which she would then correct at every other word. Her hands motioning as she spoke. Dorothy was slumped in her desk performing the amazing rubber pencil trick. She glanced up at the white wall to see the standard issue school clock ticking away at what seemed to be a glacial pace. “Music played a big part in the cultural revolution…” Mrs. Balm carried on. Dorothy dropped her pencil onto the floor not caring but instead decided to see what her fellow classmates were doing. Keith Johnston was staring at the back of Katie Newburg’s neck no doubt playing connect the dots with her freckles. Keith traced the air with his pencil with one eye shut. His mouth moved silently as he decided what he just had discovered. He once told Dorothy in Bio lab that he had found several different constellations on the back of Katie’s neck. After which Dorothy prayed the seating arrangement stayed the way it was. She didn’t want Keith playing connect the dots with what freckles she had or god forbid, taking whiffs of her hair. Dorothy looked back up to the clock, the bell was going to ring in two minutes. Her heart fluttered. Today was Friday and she had every intention of spending her weekend sleeping, eating and then going back to sleep.

Mrs. Balm had finished one sentence and was about to begin another when the class bell cut her off. Dorothy jumped from her desk and grabbed her green canvas messenger bag. People poured out of the classroom door and into the hall eager to start their weekends. Dorothy headed to the door but before she could make it out she heard Mrs. Balms voice call out to her. “Dorothy could you come here just a moment?”. Dorothy acted as though she didn’t hear her and continued to head out. Besides she new what it was about. She was getting a “C” in History. And? A “C” was passing the last time she checked.

Dorothy made her way through the busy halls to the front doors stopping to chat to an acquaintance she‘d seen passing through the hall. She came to the big red front doors and walked outside. The sky was clear and blue not a cloud in it. The sun shone down on the schoolyard ensuring the temperature would be at least in the nineties. She was wearing layers today. A black mini Tee covered a pink long sleeve. “Dumb-ass…” she patted herself on the back. Her hip huggers clung to her in the heat accentuating her hourglass figure. She flipped her chocolate brown hair and headed down the concrete steps. The school courtyard was full of students chatting away and waiting for the buses. Groups of students gathered under the what trees there were waiting for a parent or a friend. Some just basking in the cool shade. A group of students were lying on the grass near Clifton High‘s founder’s memorial oak tree. One of them called out to Dorothy. “DG!” The girl called out to her. It was Lucy Gates. One of Dorothy’s closest friends. Dorothy cut through the few people on the pathway and made her way over to Lucy. Lucy’s black hair was pulled into loose pigtails that fell onto her shoulders. Her green eyes were covered by Audrey Hepburn-esque sunglasses. Her index finger was stained blue, she was eating “Fun-dip” with it.

“Did you cut class all day?” Dorothy asked.

“Dorothy?” she replied in a do-you-have-to-ask manner while looking over her glasses. Its not that Dorothy disapproved she just knew better. She may have had bad grades but she went to class for those bad grades. Lucy on the other hand didn’t care.

“I went to home room but decided it was to nice of a day to waste staring at Mr. Bensons florescent lit head.” Dorothy had to agree. Mr. Bensons bald head could blind you if he stood at the right angle.

“Principle Gulch is going to have your ass.”

Lucy just shrugged this off.

“Are you going to the lake party tomorrow?”

“Hadn’t planned on it.”

“DG you need to get out of the house more often. You’re going to grow old and end up living with nine hundred cats. Like Gulch.”

Lucy dipped her finger into the blue powder.

“It’s the weekend. I wanted to relax.”

“Please come DG…I‘m going to be stuck with all of these people…” Lucy whined tugging on Dorothy’s arm. She glanced around her to the fellow students who were either listening to their ipods or contently dozing on the grass.

“These are your people…” Dorothy said sarcastically. A boy with a hat covering his face stirred from his heat/possible pot induced sleep.

Lucy released Dorothy’s arm.

“Whatever. Just call me later if you change your mind. You can borrow my really slutty two piece.”

“Great…” Dorothy replied. Lucy got up hugged Dorothy goodbye and went back to lazing under the oak tree. Dorothy made her way back to the sidewalk.

Buses lined up along side of the curb and students started piling in. Dorothy looked at this and shuttered, she used to ride the bus. Bus number 15, most of the windows didn’t open and Mike, the bus driver, never turned the air conditioning on. The majority of the defensive line up for the “Clifton Twisters“ rode the same bus, and showering after practice was no longer mandatory in most schools, after three years Dorothy realized Hell in itself was riding the “Clifton high” school bus in Kansas.

Dorothy crossed the street and headed over to the parking lot to her car. She loved her car. Her grandpa had given it to her. It was a Cherry red ‘71 Valiant. He had it restored for her sixteenth birthday. It had been sitting in the garage at the back of a house under a green tarp for as long as she could remember. She had admired it for a long time and took peeks at it whenever she could.

She walked up to her car and dug around in her bag for the keys. They jingled as she pulled them out. “Hey DG!” a voice called out to her. Dorothy turned around to see her friend, Daniel, calling over to her from his car. They had English together. “Hey!“ she called back. He quickly ran across the parking lot and over to her car. Narrowly dodging a car that was backing out. He ran up to her short of breath. The sun seemed to emphasize his features, his short cut black hair shined in the afternoon sun. Tiny beads of sweat clung to his lightly tan fore head. And his blue eyes were a brilliant contrast to his hair. Dorothy tried not to drool and silently prayed he wouldn’t notice slight sweat stains.

“Pretty hot huh?” he said wiping his forehead off with the back of his hand.

“You have no idea.” She replied.

“How’d you do on the final?” He said. The sun in his eyes.

“Good question…” She replied.

“Weren’t prepared?”

“Not as well as I hoped. But I think I’ll make it.”

He stood there for a moment. He was thinking of something else to say.

“I hope I pass. My mom will kick my ass-”

“Why are you doing this?” Dorothy interrupted.

“Doing what?” Sounding perplexed.

“This, bullshitting.” She said.

He looked away and chuckled.

“What gave it away?”

“When do we ever talk about academics?” She said making them both laughed.

“I actually wanted to know what you were doing later.”

Dorothy’s eyes widened. Daniel noticed.

“Yes I’m asking you out Dorothy.” He never called her Dorothy. It was either DG or ‘Hey…’.

“Well…” She started. She didn’t have anything planned for the evening. Did she ever? Occasionally she would go out with Lucy and her boyfriend but mostly she stayed home surfing the net or reading.

“Um…”

“Listen,” he grabbed her hand and began writing his number with a pen from his pocket.
“When you do know what you’re doing later, call me.” Dorothy looked at her hand.

“Sure. Okay I will.”

Daniel smiled and headed back over to his car leaving Dorothy feeling like an idiot. She stood there, keys in hand looking awkward. “That went well...” She said. She unlocked her car, got in and drove out of the school parking lot feeling a bit surreal.

2

The red Valiant pulled into the front yard of the Gale’s farm sending the loose chickens scattering. The Gale’s quaint little white house with green shutters and a green porch sat on four acres of rich land which Dorothy’s Grandpa farmed wheat. She loved her farm. She lived here her entire life. Her mother had passed away when she was only a baby and she never met her father. So her grandparents raised her like she was theirs and she loved them dearly for it. Dorothy’s Grandma was outside hanging a fresh load of sheets on the clothes line. Her gray hair, which she stopped dyeing at Dorothy’s request, was gently brushed behind her ear. Her soft skin had a wrinkle here and there but not enough to reveal her age just enough to show she was in fact a grandmother. Emily Gale had indeed aged well. And boy was she grateful. Dorothy got out of her car, grabbing her bag before closing the door.

“Hi Gran…” She said making her way over to the clothes line. She had called her that since she was five. The smell of the fresh laundry wafted by her nose. With the heat and the breeze carrying it, the sheets would be done in no time.

“How did it go today?” Emily said picking up the empty laundry basket. Dorothy dropped her bag in it and took it from her grandma.

“School is school.” she answered. They climbed up the green stairs and entered the little white house. The house was decorated accordingly to a grandmothers taste. Pictures of Dorothy as a baby hung on the walls among photos of other family members long since gone. Including pictures of Dorothy’s grandfather in the in the Navy and her Grandma, baring a striking resemblance to Dorothy, standing in a field of sunflowers. She must have been at least twenty. The wind making her soft skirt dance. They entered the cozy cream colored kitchen. Dorothy plopped the wash basket next to the pantry and headed to the table. She sat down and dropped her head onto her arms. Her grandmother pulled a pitcher filled to the brim with ice cold tea. “Do you want some tea?” she asked. She knew that she herself was going to drink at least two whole glasses. In just the little time she was hanging the laundry her mouth had dried up. It was something she was quite used to it being a native of this dry climate. “The heat…” Dorothy droned. “- is great, it’ll make the laundry easier for me.” Emily interjected. She finished pouring a glass of tea and pushed it over to Dorothy.

She lifted her head and sipped her tea.

“Principle Gulch called me today.”

“Oh yeah?”

She said in between sips.

“Your grades Dorothy…”

“-are all passing marks.”

She could interject too.

“Do you want to graduate Dorothy?”

“Do you want to ask rhetorical questions?”

Emily gulped down her tea. Her mouth and throat immediately cooling off. She poured another glass of tea.

“That woman has it out for your friend Lucy.”

“I‘m sure the feeling is more than mutual.”

This was usually how conversations went with Dorothy. One sarcastic comment after another.

“I don’t want you to get expelled. She would expel you now if she could pin something on you. And I don’t think Lucy his helping your case. You know I have nothing against Lucy. She just isn‘t making the right choices.”

“Gran, Almira Gulch has had it out for me since I started kindergarten. I don’t think keeping my ’Academic career’ devoid of Lucy is going to make a difference. If she wants to expel me she’ll find a way with or without Lucy.”

Emily surrendered. They could be sitting at the table for the rest of the day at this rate.

“Dorothy, sweetheart. All I as is bring up your grades for me. And use your best judgment. I know you have a good head on your shoulders. You better, raised you the best I could.”

Dorothy looked to her Grandmother. She was smiling at Dorothy. This look always made Dorothy feel guilty for being so sarcastic.

“I’m sorry…I love you Gran.”

“I know honey. Just try for me.”

Dorothy nodded sleepily. Emily got up from the table and gulped down her second glass of tea.

The rest of the day was spent gathering up all the dry laundry and folding it in the sitting room. Dorothy and her Gran sat on the little rose sofa and folded sheets, Dorothy regaling her Grandmother with the story about Daniel. The screen door opened and her grandfather walked into the kitchen. An, “Afternoon ladies…” came from the kitchen. Emily called back, “Henry, don’t forget about the committee tonight. We need to be there by six to be on time.” Henry popped his head around the corner. “Gotcha’” he winked. “Hi, kiddo.” he said before popping back out the screen door. “Anyway…” Dorothy continued. “His eyes Gran. Oh my God! They’re this intense electric blue color.” she finished dropping a folded sheet into the basket.

“Hansom huh?”

“That’s an understatement.” she melted.

“God forbid your Granddad find out.”

Dorothy recoiled.

“Oh I know! I mean I’m only eighteen. What was I thinking?”

Emily smirked.

“It won’t matter anyway if you’re going to the committee meeting tonight. It‘ll save me having to explain a boy in the yard.” she said folding a rogue pillowcase that had snuck into the sheets wash.

“What are you wild committee members up to tonight? She asked.

“Oh just discussing the crop rotation agenda for next year.”

“You rebels…”

Dorothy exhaled.

When they were done the stocked the linen closet with fresh linen and went into the kitchen and had each another glass of ice tea. Kathrine started something for Dorothy’s dinner since she and Bill would be eating at the community center with the rest of the committee. Dorothy made her way down the hall and into her room. A few band posters decorated the wall. And pictures of she and Lucy together at school and at the lake posing like “Charlie’s angels” were tacked to a corkboard. Even Daniel was in one of them. A light pink kimono hung on her armoire door. She plopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. It was covered in glow in the dark stars and moons. She pulled her cell phone out of her hip huggers and flipped it open. She opened her hand and then dialed Daniel’s number. The static ring began. “Burr…burr…burr…burr…” she was about to hang up when, “Hello?” Daniels voice answered. “Daniel, Hi.” She said sitting up on her bed. “Oh Hey Dorothy!” Dorothy again…. “I didn’t think you were going to call.”

“I wasn’t but you seemed so desperate…”

She said sarcastically. He laughed on the other end.

“Did you find out what you were doing later? Or are we still at ‘Umm…’?”

Sarcasm to rival her own.

“Believe it or not I was able to pencil you in.”

She was walking around her room.

“What time should I be there?”

Dorothy figured anytime after six. Her grandparents would be out of the house by then.

“Anytime after Six will be good.”

"What about your grandparents?" He asked.

"Oh, they're going to a meeting for the agricultural committee."

"So I won't have to wear a tie?"

"A tie. You can barely be bothered to come to class fully dressed."

They both laughed and chatted for a few minutes more, sarcastic flirting more than anything, and said goodbye.

Dorothy hopped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her and wiped the condensation from the mirror. Her wet chocolate brown hair looked stringy as the water clung to it. She walked out of the bathroom, a cloud of steam pouring out the door. There was a chill in her room and she shivered and shook it off.

“What to wear what to wear…” she said to herself almost hoping the closet would suggest something. After a few outfits she decided to just go with blue jeans and a aquamarine v-neck. She’s always liked this top it made her boobs look great. After she did her hair and chose a few accessories she went into the living room and flipped the TV on. She plopped down on the sofa and started flipping through the channels. Nothing was on but the news and they were talking about the weather. A blond man was explaining the weather with waves of his hands, “ Ninety seven degrees in Clifton today with a chance of thunder storms and a possible tornado warning for this evening…” Dorothy cut him off by changing the channel.

Emily walked into the sitting room looking for her purse. “Dorothy I made you something to heat up for supper. I put it in the fridge but when you get hungry just pop it in the oven for a few minutes.”

Dorothy looked up, “Thanks Gran. I’ll eat when I come back.”

“Okay well just don’t forget it.”

Dorothy nodded.

“Your Granddad and I are going to go run some errands before we go to the meeting. So we’ll be taking off.”

“Okay I love you.”

“I love you to sweetie. Don’t be out too late. I’ll see you when we get back.”

Just then her Henry walked into the room. A green truckers hat sat on his head. And his blue button up was tucked into his jeans. This was what he usually wore for committee night.

“Where you goin’ kiddo?”

Dorothy propped herself up on her arm. “Out with Lucy and Tommy. Just to the movies is all.”

“We’ll be careful. Check the oil in your car before you go out.”

He gave her a kiss on her fore head. And headed for the door.

“Alright.”

Dorothy looked up at her Grandmother and winked. She winked back, gave her a kiss and walked out the door.

Daniel showed up after seven as planned. His white truck pulled into Dorothy’s driveway kicking up dust. Dorothy looked out the window and ran to the hallway mirror to make sure her hair still looked okay after lazing on the couch. She grabbed a small black hoodie and met him outside. He was just coming up the stairs as she closed the door. He was wearing a light gray shirt and a black leather racing jacket with a single white stripe running across the back and the sleeves. Dorothy melted as she did so many times before.

“You look great.” he said. “I’ve never seen you wear that color before.” Dorothy mostly stuck to blacks, whites and pinks.

“Thanks…” She smiled. “You look good too.” This of course was an understatement.

They hopped in his truck and pulled out of the driveway.

They drove on passing the old drive in theater where she could see Tommy, Lucy’s boyfriend’s car. She knew they were either lazing around or doing what teens in the fifties used to do a the drive in.

“So what do you want to do tonight?” Daniel asked.

“I‘m not to sure.”

He looked at her and looked back the road.

“Anything you want.” He smiled.

“Okay.” She blushed lightly.

“Um, well I saw Tommy’s car back at the drive in.”

“Nah.” He said. “Let’s just keep it the two of us.”

She blushed even more.

“I know what we can do.” He said turning right on a red light.

They pulled up to the lake as sun was just beginning to set. In the distance dark heavy clouds loomed in the sky. Dorothy hopped out of the truck carrying a white paper bag. Small transparent spots covered the bottom half of it. More than likely from her large fries she ordered.

“This is great.“ Dorothy said grinning widely .

“Sorry it isn’t more romantic. This is Clifton after all.” Daniel said grabbing the soda and iced tea they ordered. She stopped him.

“No, I really like it.” she said.

He felt better when she said this.

They walked down the boating dock and sat down. Daniel made Dorothy sit on his coat making her feel spoiled. They sat on the dock eating their food chatting about school and people they knew. They laughed when Dorothy brought up Mr. Benson’s head and floor wax.

“How long have you lived with your grandparents?” He asked taking a drink of his soda.

“All my life. They raised me.” She took a French fry from the bag.

“And your parents? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“No it’s okay.” she swallowed her food.

“My mom died when I was only about a year old. If that. And my parents split up before I was born so I never met my dad.”

He felt bad for asking.

“Ever looked for him? Try to find out who he is?”

“No, anyone who leaves his pregnant wife and then doesn’t try to pursue a relationship with his child isn’t worth my time. He didn’t want me then so what would make him want me now?”

Now he felt really bad.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay I don’t care I have my grandparents who love he. He doesn’t matter to me.”

They sat in silence for a moment enjoying their food. The water on the lake was still but started to churn a little with the oncoming storm.

“I’m really glad you could make it tonight.” Daniel said. He stuffed his empty burger wrapper in the bag.

“Me too.” Dorothy replied. She chewed her French fry she had popped in her mouth.

“Why has it taken so long for you to ask me out.” She asked.

“I was nervous I guess. You can be a bit intimidating.”

She jerked back.

“Excuse me?”

He swallowed his soda and laughed.

“Just a little. Not very much.”

“Oh really?”

He smiled mischievously and bit into his hamburger.

“Well you’re droll and predictable.”

Daniel laughed and Dorothy took another bite of her hamburger.

“Well no matter how intimidating you may be. I also happen to think you are beautiful, funny smart, and the sweetest girl I’ve ever met.”

“Oh and you’re a kiss ass.” She shot back.

Daniel, not paying this any mind leaned towards her and gently kissed her lips. Dorothy kissed him back.

They spent the rest of their time together dipping their feet in the lake water and getting to know one another. The sun was gone and a few stars popped up in the almost black sky. Dorothy was having a fantastic time. They held hands joked with one another now that the kiss had broken the ice. Meanwhile the dark clouds had grown closer and bigger covering the few stars. It looked like for once the weather man had gotten it right.

“I guess I should get you home. The weather isn’t looking good.”

Dorothy looked back to the clouds and wanted to choke the blond weather man.

“Are you kidding? Its only going to rain.” She said.

“I’d like to go out with you more often so I‘m trying to be responsible.” He laughed.

‘No you don’t.” she said making him laugh.

They shook the water from their feet and slipped on their shoes hopped in the truck and drove off. They held hands again on the ride back to Dorothy’s house making Dorothy feel giddy. She thought about it, she may have put up a tough front but deep down she really was a giddy school girl. The dirt road she lived down was bumpy as always and the wind had started to kick up with the oncoming storm. She hoped that he didn’t leave right away and would stay for just a little while.

“Hey thanks again, I hoped you had fun even thought we got cut short.”

“I had a great time are you kidding. Cheeseburgers and a hot guy? Come on.”

“Now who’s the kiss ass?”

He said sarcastically.

“So we can do this again?

She smiled and squeezed his hand.

“Of course but next time I’ll pay better attention to the weather.” Then again the thought of kissing Daniel in the rain made her heart palpitate.

They drove on down the road and finally came to Dorothy’s driveway and turned in. She jumped in her seat. A lone police car sat in her drive way.

“What the hell…” she said letting go of Daniel’s hand.

“What’s going on?” He said coming to a stop and parking behind the cop car. They got out of the truck. The cop was sitting on the porch under the light she left on. She approached the house in apprehension her heart beginning to race and climbed the stairs. Daniel followed.

“Miss Gale?” He said.

Dorothy grasped her elbows.

“Please, Call me Dorothy. what’s going on?”

He gestured toward the door.

“Can we go inside please I have some news.”

3

She sat on the little rose sofa, blank faced. Daniel was sitting in the armchair opposite to it. The police officer left and had been gone for sometime now. The pendulum in the small clock on the wall was the only sound in the house. Even the wind kicking up the trees seemed completely silent. She felt sick she wanted to vomit she didn’t know if she would or not. Daniel sat on the edge of the chair, fingers interlaced. He didn’t know what to do for her. He went over to the rose couch and embraced her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried a river of tears into his shoulder.

He held her tighter as she cried. He knew this was the only thing he could do for her because he couldn’t bring her grandparents back from the dead.

“It was a drunk driver.” He said into the phone. “I can’t leave her alone tonight mom.” He was standing in the kitchen. “She’s a mess.” Kathleen Dobson was washing a coffee mug from morning breakfast when her son called. She froze when Daniel had told her about the death of the Gales. She knew Emily quite well she frequented Kathleen’s flower shop. Emily would come in and by perennials and new flower pots every spring and in the winter she came in and bought the wreaths for her house.

“Oh my god. Poor Dorothy. Just stay there and look after her and call me if you need anything.”

“Okay.”

They said goodbye and he closed his cell phone. Daniel rubbed his face and exhaled. A single tear dropped from his eye and he wiped it away. Daniel walked back into the sitting room where Dorothy sat on the rose sofa her head was in her hands. She wasn’t crying anymore. Daniel sat down next to her and she rose slowly and wrapped her arms around his neck..

“What a night huh?”

She said. Her voice raspy.

“Shh…”

Daniel quieted her.

“It‘s not fair. I loved them so much.”

Her tears poured again.

“Dorothy listen to me I’m not going anywhere okay? I‘m here.”

He brought her face to hers. Her tears streamed down her face. He wiped the them with his thumb. She wrapped her arms back around Daniel, her tears subsiding in the knowledge she wouldn‘t have to face the night alone. A small jingling noise came from his coat pocket and he slipped his hand in and brought it out reading the caller ID. “Mom” it read.

“Hey let me take this okay?”

Dorothy nodded and wiped her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her one more time and walked into the kitchen. She looked around the small sitting room and got light headed. The smiling faces of her grandparents looked down at her. She couldn’t take it she got up and headed into her grandparents bedroom. She turned on the small lamp on her grandmother’s nightstand, it filled the room with a very soft yellow light and she laid down on the bed. The scent of Emily and Henry invaded her nostrils. Why? They were all she had. Why did they have to die? She was sick with anger and grief. The closet and dressers of clothes and knickknacks in the room were all she had left of the two people she loved. What was she going to do? How do you continue to live day to day life without the two people that loved and cared for you. Heavy salty tears soaked the red comforter on the bed.

“You’re out of the woods, you’re out of the dark, you’re out of the night…”

Dorothy sung quietly to herself. Emily had sung this to her when she was younger. It made her heart ache.

“…step into the sun step into the light…”

She continued. Her eyes were heavy and she had a massive migraine from crying. She closed her eyes to shut out the light. And within a matter of seconds she slowly slipped into sleep, tears still slipping out from her shut eyes. Outside the wind howled and heavy rain had begun to pour.

“I’ll drive her over to the hospital in the morning so she can make arrangements for the bodies. Jesus I wish she didn’t have to do this.” Daniel said to his mom.

“Daniel don’t swear. I want you to call me in the morning and I’ll meet you there. I have no idea what else we can do but help her with the funeral arrangements.”

Daniel rubbed his forehead and exhaled.

“Okay I will. But listen I’m going to get her to take some aspirin and go to bed and I’ll think I’ll do the same.” His head throbbed lightly with onset of a headache.

“Okay honey. I love you sleep well.”

“I love you to mom. Bye.”

They hung up. He slipped his phone into his coat with the thought of how much he loved his mother and how he would never take her for granted again.

Daniel had checked on Dorothy after he had a glass of water. She had fallen asleep on her grandparents’ bed. The little lamp glowed yellow. He went in and folded the blankets on Henry’s side of the bed over her, kissed her forehead softly, turned off the light and walked out leaving the door open. The pictures of Henry and Emily Gale stared down at him. He took his coat off and tossed it on the armchair and laid down on the rose sofa listening to the rain and wind beat against the house. He swallowed a nervousness about the weather and eventually he fell asleep.

The shutters outside slammed against the side of the house. Daniel jolted awake a bit disoriented. Where was he? He thought for a moment and remembered he was at Dorothy’s. The storm outside had grown immensely violent. He looked at his cell phone, the digital numbers read “11:00 PM” He had been asleep for only a few hours. Daniel jumped up from the sofa and checked on Dorothy. She was still asleep on the bed. She stirred a bit pulling the blankets over her even more. The wind howled outside. He knew this weather. It was the weather that he and his family had lived with all their lives. He walked through the sitting room and into the hall to the front door, opened it and was met with rain and a strong gale. Daniel went out on the porch, rain soaking his t-shirt. The wind made the large tree in the gale’s yard sway violently. Then he heard it. The sound of a freight train speeding down the tracks. But it wasn’t a freight train. He looked into the distance and lightening flashed revealing a huge funnel shape twisting toward the house. The color, if you could see it, had run from his face. He turned to run back into the house with the still sleeping Dorothy. But before he could set a foot in the door. Something big and heavy jumped from its place on the porch and struck him; Sending him flying over the railing and crashing into the flower garden below. The tornado screamed and the winds grew stronger. Daniel got up and struggled to keep his footing. His nose was bleeding and possibly broken. The blood was bitter in his mouth. The wind kicked up and sent him flying again this time into the side of the storage shed. He lay there trying to retain consciousness. Mud and rain pelted his face stingingly. He closed his eyes and fell into blackness.

The tornado came upon the small ranch sending debris into the air and up rooting the trees that grew in the yard. With the strength of the wind the foundation of the Gales’ small house gave way and lifted into the tornado.