• I live in Alabama, and I guess I should have expected this. My family does live in a hurricane danger zone. Hurricane Ivan destroyed much of our house and killed our dog. But the horrible weather phenomenon had also killed someone we cant replace, like a dog. The storm had killed my mother. She had gone out to help our neighbors, and was washed away in the flood waters. We waited to hear from the authorities that she was alright. But they contacted us 2 weeks later saying that they had found her body and she was dead. My father has hardly spoken since. Now a storm is going to break apart our family even more.
    The day that the new storm hit, it was summer. Or nearing the end. Approximately August 28. my dad was at work and i was babysitting my sister. Rain pounded the earth that day. Very unusual to my standards. When the thunder started Verity, my sister, ran in between my legs. I told her everything was alright. That was a lie because i didn't know if it would be alright. And it wasn't. The rain only got worse and soon the wind had cut out the radio reception.

    While Verity was watching television her show was cut off and a severe hurricane warning was sounded. I looked at the t.v. And grabbed and grabbed verity. She started to cry as i ran with her upstairs. As soon as i situated her in the attic i sprinted back downstairs and gathered food and blankets. Then i hurried my dogs to the attic. I took out my phone to try and call my dad.

    “ hello.” he answered the phone.

    “Dad there was a hurricane warning. Get to the Rec, Ver and i are in the attic safe.” i was starting to freak myself out.

    “May, sweetie, its alright, I'm okay. Just make sure you and your sister are okay.” dad was worried . If he could have come home he would.

    The only reason he wouldn't have come home is the fact that its too dangerous. A hurricane can and will be deadly. It forms in the middle of the ocean or near a coast. A hurricane is a severe tropical storm. It gains speed energy and power when it hits warm water. Evaporation of sea water only strengthens the power of a hurricane.

    “dad please stay there. Verity and i are safe. We are okay, don't leave. don't make us lose you like mom.” i said. It was the first time any of us had spoken about mom since Ivan.

    “...fine. But as soon as i can i will come and get you make no mistake.” he sounded ill. His voice cracked as we said goodbye and hung up. I noticed Verity looking at me, a cookie halfway to her mouth. Her dark brown eyes staring at me fearfully.

    I snuggled her into a blanket and turned on the attic television. All there was on though was hurricane warnings. And the authorities trying to evacuate. Soon i noticed Verity hiding her face and her shoulders shaking. She was crying. I took her in my arms and cradled her till she fell asleep. I turned the T.V off and took a book out. Without the noise of the box , i could hear the wind quite clearly.

    My phone went off, startling me.

    “May, are you okay?” Dad said as soon as i said hello.

    “Yeah dad we're ok. Are you?” i asked.

    “Yes, don't go downstairs, understand me. The flood waters have reached the first floor and basement of the houses near the Rec.” he spoke urgently, so i knew he wasn't joking.

    “yes dad. Dad is it going to be like last time?

    Or, well how are things looking at your end. I, im scared.” i admitted shamefully.

    “It, I'm sorry to say is going to be much worse. We should have evacuated. The storm they are now calling the storm Katrina. Lets hope she pities us.” the phone line went dead. I started to shake. This was a not so new experience for me. And i really didn't want to recall the last time.

    Mom left Ver with me, to find dad. We hadn't heard from him in hours. That was the last time i saw her. Dad came in about an hour later. When he heard what mom did, he became silent. He didn't know what to do. neither did i. She never came back.

    The wind howled outside. I decided to get up and move around. I walked over to the attic door and looked down the stairs. Nothing. It was like i was trying to trick myself into the thought that dad might be dashing up the stairs to give me a big hug.

    I closed the door and took a blanket. I curled it around my body and lay down. Soon i fell asleep. When i woke a few hours later, there was an eerie silence. I realized that the wind had stopped and the rain was no longer pounding on the windows. The sound of my sisters breathing was soothing me. I stood up and decided it was safe to go use the bathroom. I walked to the door and looked down. What i saw was not encouraging. In fact it was so terrifying i actually screamed. There was water flooding up to the stairs. Debris polluted the water. It threatened to make its way up to where my sisters and my safe haven.

    Verity was at my legs and looking down at the dangerously close waters. I picked her up and took the bag of food and blankets. We ran to the window and opened it. I lifted Verity out onto the roof, then threw out the bag. I then, took the dog and put him out into the sun. that was when i lifted myself out and shut the window. While i pulled myself out my hand was scraped. I fell out and crushed my leg. I then pulled Verity close to me and curled her close. I saw how the city was buried in water. Then i told Verity, “do you know why we are hit so hard by this bad weather?” she slowly shook her head. “well out by the water, is a place called the Bayou, we people have taken over it so much, and polluted it that it cant protect us from big tropical storms any more.” i learned this last year. Mom had told me. So it really is our fault that hurricanes are so bad. I saw many boats, rescue boats out. I stood and shouted “ Up here! Help!” i waved my hands, and one of the men in the boats saw me. He motioned for his colleague to turn the boat.

    That day we were saved. And soon we were taken to a hospital, i had acquired an infected cut and a broken leg. Unfortunately our father had gone missing. He had gone out to help some people in the storm. We never saw him again. Our Aunt Clara and Uncle James took us in. we never went back to that city. The lesson in this story is that it really is our fault