(This whole story is told in Stevie's point of view)
Uggh. Kansas sucks. My great grandmother is really sweet, and I love her to bits, but why did she have to live in Kansas of all places. It was boring, it felt like everybody was stuck in the 1950's and worst of all it was tornado season so we were all stuck indoors.
My brown curls sit lightly on the shoulder of my ripped MOTOR CITY t-shirt, with my ripped skinny jeans and black high tops. My maroon beanie dangles off of my head. My mum was still confused as to why, in summer, I was wearing a beanie. It just makes me laugh how out of time my mum is with the world.
The only good thing here, is that my great grandma installed wifi, so I can watch online movies, like The Hangover (that I'm watching now). My cairn terrier, Patch, sits on my lap as we both watch the movie. Even through my earphones I can hear my great grandma singing opera while she does the chores. That's it. I need to get out, so I grab my earphones and shut my laptop. I grab my loose denim backpack, pop Patch into the top section where she likes to sleep and sling it over my back carefully.i put the laptop, earphones and my phone in the front pocket. I hop out of the open window and run through the garden, trying not to hurt Patch.
This place is seriously deserted. Everyone is inside because of the tornado warning. I've been coming to this place every year for 14 years (I'm 15) and according to my math that's pretty good odds. I lay down in the paddock of the neighbour's farm. Then, suddenly I hear a siren. In the distance, I see a swirling cloud of dust.
Which may explain why I failed maths.
I lift Patch out of my bag and zip it back up, holding Patch tightly while he whimpers in fright. I remember the tornado safety run through, that I'd seen every time I came here. If you happen to be outside during a tornado, make way to the nearest shelter. DO NOT go to your own house if another house is closer. It is vital that you are safe straight away.
I dash into the barn of the paddock and bust the door open, then slam it shut and lock all the padlocks. A chicken jumps up startled as I huddle next to it, trying not to listen to the sound of the tornado getting even closer. About 500m away. I lay down on the hay, and hold tears back. This is so frightening. A song is blasting from the radio on the table next to me, by Carrie Underwood, I think.
Shatter every window
Till its all blown away
Every brick
Every board
Every slamming door
Blown away
Till there's nothing left standing
Nothing left of yesterday
Every tear-soaked
Whiskey memory
Blown away
I reach over to my back pack and pull out my phone, and ring my great grandma. Almost immediately, she picks up the phone.
"Stevie! Oh darling, where are you?! You need to come home right now!"
"It's okay, I'm in Ned's barn, I'm safe. I just can't come home until the tornado passes through."
"…Okay dear. Please be very careful. If anything were to happen to you…"
"I'll be fine. Bye. I love you." I hang up the phone. I lied. I don't know if I'm gonna be okay. Probably not. Tears drop down my face and splash on the end of Patch's nose, who looks up at me, then snuggles into my chest. I hold him close as I hear the tornado just outside the barn. I hear the final line of the song.
Blown away.
I feel the pressure of the wind as it breaks the walls of the barn. Then I black out. What now…