A/N: Welcome to another story from the A to Z whump challenge. As always, I tried to research the subject but please forgive any inaccuracies. I fortunately have no first hand experience with any kind of natural disaster so... this is all fictional. Except for the mention of the tornado in 1909 in Ballarat, which unfortunately indeed happened.
This is unbetaed, so if you notice mistakes, feel free to drop me a line. I wanna thank the wonderful folks at the TDBM discord server and on Tumblr who helped me with some facts and details about life in Australia. You are the best 3
T is for Tornado
„Ready to go home?" Blake asked as Charlie settled down in the passenger seat. He waved at his mom standing across the road in front of the house and then turned away, facing the road.
„Yeah, let's go," he said with a sigh.
Blake gave him a curious look, but started the engine. He honked the horn as they passed by the house Charlie's family now lived in and he too waved at Shirley.
Charlie watched the figure of his mom vanishing in the rear-view mirror. He thought he spotted one of his brothers coming out of the house, but he wasn't sure. Not that it mattered anyway. This whole visit seemed to be one misstep after another.
Last week, when the Doc mentioned having to visit an old friend in Melbourne for the weekend and asked Charlie if he wanted to hitch a ride with him, Charlie thought it was a great idea. He hasn't spent that much time with his family lately. Hell, his youngest brother must've grown a few inches since his last visit, especially with the growth spurt hitting him. So after a phone call to his mom to make sure she didn't have other plans, Charlie agreed to share a ride with Blake.
The trouble of course started almost instantly. As soon as Blake dropped him off, Charlie was confronted with the fact his family was now living in Bernie's house. Their house, as Ray was quick to point out with a glare. Charlie bit his tongue and decided that the smartest thing will be to keep his thoughts to himself for the duration of the visit.
He almost managed for the first day. Most likely because Bernie and Ray were off training and Charlie had a chance to catch up with his mom. It was a pity that his younger brothers already had weekend plans however. Mikey was now seventeen and deeply in love with a girl, which meant that if he wasn't with her, he was fawning over her. Charlie wondered if they should have another talk, but seeing as his kid brother seemed to have more luck on the love front than himself, the conversation was over fast.
"You know Charlie, if you ever need some advice... I'm here. Just call," Mikey said with a wink, patted Charlie on the shoulder and excused himself to the bathroom. He had a date after all and needed to look good.
Charlie decided not to kill him at that point, mostly because Mikey was otherwise cool. He was the only one of Charlie's brothers who didn't take his leaving personally. Even Joey, who was normally ecstatic to see his oldest brother seemed to act a bit cold towards him. Maybe that one hurt Charlie the most.
He thought they had understood when he left. He had been helping out his mother and providing for their needs ever since he turned fifteen, when his father was killed in service. While his mother got a pension, she had to take care of four boys. She couldn't take on that much work because both Joey and Mikey were too young to be left alone. So Charlie stepped in, first delivering the paper in the early mornings before school, then later on getting some weekend jobs at the shipyard, while his mom took on nightshifts at the local factory.
It was a hard few years for the whole family, but Charlie worked his butt off to step into his father's shoes and provide. Keeping up the good grades became priority when he decided to join the police. But of course, Ray didn't see that. Or rather he forgot quickly. He thought that Charlie had left them to get rid of the responsibilities... so when Bernie came in and started caring for them all... Ray had decided who to put his trust in.
Charlie thought he made his peace with Ray after the whole fiasco with the dead boxer. But as much as he might've accepted Bernie as Ray's couch, he couldn't really give his blessing for the man to become his father.
The thing was though... except for his mother, no one really seemed to care anymore.
It was during the Saturday dinner as they were all sitting around the table, chatting about their day, that Charlie realized something.
While this might've been his family in blood... he wasn't really a part of it anymore. There were inside jokes being traded between Ray and Bernie, with Mikey popping in. His mother was serving food to the man, and each time she passed him, there was a touch or a smile between them. It was when Joey asked Bernie to pass the potato salad and he called him dad when Charlie excused himself to the bathroom. Because no one had noted the slip up. No one batted an eye. And Charlie just couldn't... he couldn't imagine his father would be alright with his youngest son calling the man he once put behind the bars his dad.
Of course, while no one really noted Joey's slip up, they all noted Charlie's absence. Or rather his tight pressed lips and stiff posture when he returned.
The atmosphere seemed to turn colder and Charlie couldn't help but feel as the one who didn't belong.
He didn't start a fight that night, excusing himself to bed early. But the next day, when Joey glared at him during breakfast and Ray vanished for training before Charlie even got up, not to be seen for the rest of the day, Charlie felt he overstayed his welcome. Not even his mom's cheery attitude and homemade lunch could change that.
"Everything alright, Charlie?" Blake asked and Charlie blinked, turning away from the rear-view mirror. They were long gone from the familiar streets and well on their way out of Melbourne.
"Yeah. No. I don't..." Charlie shook his head, then ran a hand over his face. "It was just strange," he said finally, hoping that Blake won't start asking questions. Right now he would probably just rant and then regret his words. It was better to calm down first. "What about you, Doc? Visit went well?"
Blake threw him a look. It was clear he knew Charlie didn't feel like talking.
"It was alright," he said and Charlie felt grateful when there were no questions.
"Reggie had found himself a lovely wife, who is willing to put up with his ridiculous love for dogs. And while I do love those beasts... I don't understand how he can keep eight of them. I mean, I spent two days at his house... but I will never get rid of all the dog hair!" As if to prove his point, Blake showed his arm under Charlie's nose. Charlie noted the otherwise pristine coat littered with white fur and couldn't stop the chuckle.
"You know it will be Jean who will have to deal with it, right?"
Blake's eyebrows furrowed.
"Hm, yes. Maybe we better stop at the shop and buy her some flowers."
"Or a box of chocolates," Charlie offered, catching a glance at Blake's pants as well. While less visible, he could still see the reminders of the four legged companions.
"Yes well... unfortunately it was only upon my departure that I found out the guest room I slept in was usually serving as the dog's bedroom. Which would at least explain why the beasts were so inclined to try and get in all night long."
Charlie chuckled, feeling his mood lift a bit. When he caught the smile on Blake's face, he eased back into his seat. It was funny how he only realised how tense he was these last few days when the tension finally left his shoulders.
He wondered whether leaving for Ballarat was a mistake... or a blessing in disguise. Was it the right choice? He kept looking out the window, following the road. He wasn't gone that long, but even the streets of his hometown had changed. How could he have expected his kid brothers to be different?
As if to underline his dark mood, the weather seemed to be joining in. The sky in front of them was turning dark.
"Looks like a storm might be coming," Charlie sighed.
"Well, we better get home before then," Blake said and it was clear he would prefer not to have to drive in the rain. Charlie couldn't fault him for that.
"How is your mother doing?" Blake spoke casually and Charlie knew it was genuine curiosity and not just Blake growing tired of the silence. Still... Charlie found it hard to answer.
"She's... she's doing alright. They all are," he added.
Blake shot him a look.
"Why does it sound like it upsets you?"
Charlie startled.
"What?"
"Why the long face, Charlie? Did something happen?"
Charlie shook his head.
"No, nothing happened. They are all absolutely fine."
There was a moment of silence.
"Without you?" Blake added softly and Charlie looked at him, wide eyed.
"I never said that, Doc," he frowned.
"You didn't have to. And there's nothing wrong with feeling that way. Lord knows..." Blake sighed and Charlie noted the farewell look in his eyes. "I am faulty of the same thinking. While I am immensely happy my daughter is happy with her family, I can't stop but feel... forgotten in a way."
Charlie thought about it.
Forgotten or ignored... in this case it was the same.
"It's like I don't belong anymore," he said softly, turning his head back towards the window. There was a hand giving a reassuring pat to his shoulder.
"You do belong, Charlie. And they didn't forget. They just... adjusted. As did you."
The hand squeezed his shoulder then let go.
Charlie nodded silently, his thoughts still in a whirlwind but at least the rock in his stomach felt a bit lighter. They drove for a few more minutes in total silence, but the sky was becoming a dark grey and the atmosphere in the car a bit stifling.
Charlie opened the window on his side, taking in a whiff of fresh air. It smelled of rain... and soil.
Blake turned on the radio and the car was filled by the enjoyable sounds of rock and roll. Charlie was softly humming to the rhythm, while Blake was tapping his fingers. Until he reached up and rubbed at the bridge of his nose, grimacing.
"You alright, Doc?" Charlie asked, concerned.
Blake waved him off.
"Just a bit of a headache. It feels like the pressure's changing or something." Blake reached out and turned down the volume of the radio, though he still left it playing. But he also rolled down his side of the window.
"Do you want me to drive?" Charlie offered. He understood what the Doc meant by the change of pressure. His ears had felt stuffed as well for a moment, but it passed.
"No, thanks. It's not that bad, just a tad annoying."
"Alright. My offer stands," Charlie said and frowned. Along with the dark sky, the wind seemed to be picking up as well. The gum trees around them were waving more and more. After few more minutes when Charlie had a few leafs land on his lap and the front window was becoming a graveyard for small insects, Charlie rolled up his window.
"I hope we don't end up in a storm," he muttered.
As if on cue, the radio crackled. Both men startled at the weird sound. Charlie had reached out instinctively to turn it off altogether, when the crackling stopped. The song had also ended and instead of it there was the voice of a reporter.
"We are bringing a special weather warning for the area of Meredith and Ballan. We have reports of strong winds heading from Meredith up north. There is a strong chance of hail and lighting. Folks, if you are around Ballan, close up your windows and stay clear of high trees, least they fall. This was a weather warning from 3DB at 1030kHz. Stay safe, wherever you are. We will keep you updated on the situation. Now back to our regular programming-"
Charlie and Blake exchanged a look. They had just passed Ballan. It was maybe an hour drive to Ballarat. The darkness was coming from the south, as the reporter announced.
"Well, let's hope it passes us. There's hardly any place to find shelter right now, and I'd rather not have hail pelting my car," Blake grumbled. Despite being a gas chugger, Blake was still very attached to his Holden.
Charlie couldn't but agree. Something about the dark sky just didn't feel right. It didn't look right actually. One patch in the distance seemed to be much darker. Trouble was, however much Blake stepped on the gas to shorten their journey, the dark patch of the sky kept following them... even gaining on them.
The radio stayed on even though it started crackling more and more. Charlie didn't dare to turn it off however until he heard another report. Unfortunately, it was when the announcer sounded once again with a weather update when the radio signal fell out totally. The car was filled with a screeching sound that sent both men lunging for the dial to turn it off.
"So much for keeping us in the picture," Blake said and also rolled up his window. It was starting to rain.
It wasn't a normal rain however. The wind was getting stronger and the rain drops were being pelted against the car. The visibility was fast becoming a problem.
"Uh, Doc? Maybe we should try to wait this out somewhere?" Charlie advised, starting to feel uncomfortable. He didn't like bad weather while driving, even less so if he wasn't the one in control of the vehicle. And it wasn't helping that there were literal goose bumps on his arms and back. It felt as if the air was filling with pent up energy.
"I'd love to park it somewhere Charlie, but I don't really see any sheltered place. And I can't stay on the road. In this visibility, another car might easily miss us and crash right into us."
Charlie had to agree with that. There were gum trees along the road but those would hardly offer any protection. On the contrary, during a strong wind or a storm they were more of a hazard. The few bushes Charlie's eyes caught sight of weren't any better. The rest was just ankle high grass hiding who knew what creatures. It was a rather sparse looking road, easy to lull one with its normalcy and bareness.
"Let's just drive then. Maybe we can leave the storm behind," he said with a sigh.
And that's what they did. Or at least tried to do.
For a short while it seemed like the dark clouds were easing up, as if the storm was changing directions. Even the rain had eased up so they could see better.
But that lasted only shortly and they didn't get much relief. Another car had passed them and Charlie wondered whether it was heading to a worse situation than them or not. For the past ten minutes he couldn't let his eyes off the dark patch on the horizon. Was it just his imagination? It didn't seem to move at all... but it must've been moving. If nothing else following them, because the size didn't change.
Charlie had a bad feeling about it and he knew Blake was also looking out for any kind of shelter he could spot. The fact it was barely noon, yet Charlie had to squint to see the time on his watch inside the car was scary.
The rain had picked up again.
"I think I can see a house, Charlie," Blake said suddenly, but Charlie didn't pay him much attention. He caught sight of something he wasn't sure was even real. The dark patch seemed to have jumped over a small hill and even through the rain, Charlie could finally identify it.
"Charlie? Are we stopping there or should I keep driving?"
"Doc-" Charlie's mouth opened in a silent O and while he could sense Blake's frustrated look, he couldn't take his eyes off the dark patch. It was gaining and there was no mistake. It was heading straight at them.
"What's wrong?" Blake asked when Charlie still haven't answered and then he followed Charlie's gaze.
The car swerved.
"Dear Lord!" Blake cursed and righted the car, his eyes as wide as Charlie's own.
"Is that..." Charlie started, but shook his head. Nah. It must've been the rain playing tricks on them.
"Whatever the hell that is, I'm not staying on this road!" Blake turned the wheel and the car drove off the main road, onto a dirt one. Charlie felt the car jump a bit and start shaking and protesting at being driven on such terrain at such a high speed. His teeth clanked together at one point and he momentarily lost sight of the thing chasing them as Blake's driving seemed to be a more imminent threat.
"Bloody hell!" Blake swore and slammed on the brakes, the car turning and coming to a halt mere inches from an uprooted gum tree blocking the road.
Charlie smashed against the door with a pained grunt, while Blake ended up somehow dazed on the front wheel.
For a moment no one moved. There was no sound, except for the rain and the wind. Then they both heard a strange rumbling.
A tree branch smacked against the front window, bringing Charlie back to reality.
"We need to go," he said, but his voice sounded unnaturally silent.
"Doc! Come on!" he tried again, this time much louder.
Blake jerked, raising his head from the wheel and looking at Charlie. There was a small trickle of blood running down his chin and Charlie hoped it was just a busted lip and no serious injury.
"Doc? We need to go," he repeated frantically.
"You alright?" Blake finally asked and Charlie nodded with relief.
"Yeah. But that... thing!" He pointed back and Blake followed his finger.
There was no mistaking it.
Charlie had never before seen a tornado in real life. He never imagined he would.
But here it was. A dark funnel, seemingly standing still maybe a few kilometres farther from them. Charlie wasn't fooled by the feigned calmness of it. He could see the trees around them bending. Things were flying around. He swore he spotted a bird being swept away at a speed of light, and he kind of hoped it was a magpie. Would serve the beast right. He half expected a kangaroo sailing through the air as well, almost wished for it. Maybe then he would realize this was a bad nightmare and wake up.
It was real though. He knew it, because Blake saw the same thing.
"Tornado?" he uttered in disbelief. "Charlie, we need-"
Charlie just nodded and tried to locate the farm. Blake had seen a building. Maybe there was a storm cellar or an old bomb shelter. Hell, even just four walls might pose a better shelter then a small tin can on wheels surrounded by trees.
"Where?" he asked frantically as he couldn't spot the building.
"There, Charlie!" Blake grabbed Charlie's shoulder and physically turned him towards a shadow that looked like a house.
They took one more look towards the black funnel. It seemed to be in place. But the trees bent down lower.
"Run!" Blake shouted and so they did.
Opening the doors of the car was a struggle and as soon as they were out, the doors were slammed shut by a gust of wind.
The house seemed to be farther than ever. The wind was strong, coming at them from the side. Charlie found himself being swept off his feet more than once and Blake was also struggling to stay upright. The rain kept pounding down on them with abandon and within seconds they were both drenched to the bone. When Charlie turned his face to look back at the tornado, to make sure it was still away, a gust of wind splashed more water on his face. Coughing and spluttering, Charlie gave up on trying to locate the threat. Instead he was trying to keep his eyes on Blake's form. The man had somehow managed to get ahead of him, leading the way. Charlie was thankful, because he had no idea where they were heading. He could see the building coming up closer and he was just praying that there was some shelter, that they would make it in time.
With a spurt of energy at making out a door in front of him, Charlie managed to catch up with Blake. Just in time to see something big and heavy flying right at the man's head. Without thinking, Charlie dove forward, shouting Blake's name. The wind took it from his mouth, but Charlie managed to push Blake out of the way at least.
Something heavy smacked into his shoulder, throwing him to the ground. All Charlie felt was a strong pressure, then the wet ground grinding against his face, rain and soil filling his mouth and nose.
He wasn't sure where was up and down anymore. He spluttered and flailed, feeling as if he was being drowned instead of being swept by a tornado. When he was starting to think that this was it, he would never get to breathe air again, a hand grabbed his arm and pulled.
Charlie was back up on his feet, being manhandled and pushed forward. He could hear a voice screaming at him, but the words were lost to him. The sound of the nature became too overpowering.
All he was aware of was the struggle with gravity and the wind. Blake... it must have been Blake... had a deathly clutch on his water logged shirt and was dragging both of them towards the side of the building.
Charlie finally managed to make out the structure ahead of him as a two storey building. His heart sank when he realized the thing didn't stand a chance against the force of nature that was heading towards it. That they didn't stand a chance.
Until they both quite literally stumbled over a cover by the side of the building. At first moment Charlie didn't realize what it was his foot caught on, but when he slammed down onto his knees and hands, feeling a jarring pain shoot through his whole body, he recognized the thing as a crude door handle.
Blake tugged at his arm again, shouting more and pulling him towards the fake safety of the house, but this time Charlie didn't budge. He pulled Blake back and instead of trying to explain, slammed both their hands against the steel surface of the door.
Blake stopped fighting with him. Something heavy slammed a few feet from Charlie and he saw what most likely used to be a fence shatter to pieces. Swallowing down a cry of surprise, Charlie focused on what now seemed to be their only chance at survival.
Both he and Blake tugged at the handle, pushed, tried to find a lock. It didn't budge. Until Blake found a latch.
The intensity of the rain had suddenly changed. It felt as if it become one steady stream of water. Charlie's hands were shaking uncontrollably... his whole body trembling. He didn't know if it was the cold, the wind or simply fear taking its hold over him. But he wasn't alone and Blake took hold of the door. He pulled and the gust of wind did the rest. The door slammed open, almost taking Blake's fingers with it. Luckily the man had pulled back at the last second. In front of them was a dark hole. Charlie spotted few stairs leading down, but there was no real light and they didn't have time.
Without a word, Charlie jumped into the hole. He was lucky. It wasn't all that deep and he managed to land without breaking his legs. He stood up shakily and his head was at just about the level of the door. Blake stood there, momentarily frozen.
Charlie didn't understand why he wasn't jumping inside as well, but he didn't plan on asking. Behind Blake he could clearly see the funnel heading towards them. Around it a swirl of debris.
"Doc!" Charlie screamed, and Blake snapped out of his stupor. He glanced backwards, then grabbed at the door that was now slamming against the wall of the house as the wind was playing with it. Blake then followed Charlie's example and jumped in, using his own weight against the wind to pull the door closed over their heads.
It shut with a heavy slam. Charlie's hands shot up, his shoulder giving a loud protest. He had to find something they could use to lock the door in place before it was torn open by the tornado.
His fumbling fingers found the latch just as something heavy started falling down from the sky.
On the steel door it sounded like a rattle of a machine gun.
It was loud. In the total darkness of their shelter it sounded terrifying.
Charlie felt the water dripping down his fingers. He felt the body next to him shiver violently.
"Doc?" he asked, surprised that he could even hear his own voice through all the noise. There was the rumble that was coming closer and closer. "We should get down!" he shouted, a bit disconcerted by the rattling of the door. He was hoping the thing won't just be ripped out, leaving them out in the open and facing the tornado. Getting deeper down seemed to be pertinent. But Blake wasn't moving... wasn't saying a word.
"Doc!" Charlie shouted, grabbing at the shoulder and giving it a prompting shake.
The man pulled away as if he was burned, giving a startling scream.
Charlie jumped back on instinct as the arm he was holding swung at him.
"What the-" he couldn't even finish.
Blake must've lost his mind.
Instead of going down, the man was trying force his way up the stairs, fingers clawing at the steel in an attempt to get the door open.
Blake was screaming something, but Charlie didn't understand the words. He wasn't sure they were even spoken in English, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that if Blake managed to open that door, they were both as good as dead.
Charlie lunged forward and without much thought wrapped his arms around the now struggling man.
Blake was bigger than Charlie. He might've been older, but he was also a soldier used to combat. And right now he was most likely stuck in one of his nightmares from war.
Charlie couldn't fault him for that. The sounds... the darkness... he felt terrified to his core and he didn't even have any war experiences. But he wasn't about to let them both die either. He dug his fingers into Blake's coat, not unlike as the man did just a few minutes prior, drugging Charlie from the mud. He pulled.
Blake showed against his sudden constraints, managing to dislodge one of Charlie's arms.
"Bloody hell, Doc!" Charlie shouted, rage and fear mixing as the sound of hail and oncoming disaster became almost unbearable. "Wake up!"
Blake wasn't asleep. But that didn't matter. Charlie felt that Blake was slipping out of his hold. A knee or an elbow had somehow connected with his stomach, leaving him breathless. This had to stop.
With all his might, Charlie grabbed whatever part of Blake he could reach and pulled.
His foot, shoes wet and muddy, slipped on the stone stair and before he knew it, he was falling.
They were falling. Charlie still had Blake in his grip and as the gravity took hold and Charlie lost any footing, they were both airborne.
It felt like a long time, but in truth Charlie didn't even manage to cry out at the horrible sensation. He managed to somehow turn so that when he finally landed it wasn't on his head.
It didn't spare him from the agony however.
Charlie thought he might've been hit by lightning. There was a flash of brightest light as his shoulder connected with the hard ground, followed by the rest of his body.
The light turned into an all encompassing pain which managed to silence even the tornado.
It didn't last though. It became dark quickly and Charlie found himself struggling for breath, feeling the added weight of Blake on top of him. The rattling sound above them was drowned out by what Charlie could describe only as an oncoming train. If that train was ten times its usual size and instead of rails it was tearing up the ground. Or the house.
There was the sound of wood and concrete being ripped up.
Charlie and Blake huddled in a pile on the bottom of the stairs, not even breathing as above them the world seemed to come to an end.
Despite the darkness, Charlie's eyes were wide open. He figured if his time had come, least he could do was face death.
The roaring swished over, shaking the ground itself.
The darkness stayed.
The train seemed to pass right over them... followed only by the sound of falling debris.
It couldn't have taken more than a few minutes at most from the moment they left the car.
Charlie felt as if whole days had passed.
Suddenly, there was nothing but deafening silence.
No tornado.
No debris.
Not even rain.
The only sound was the ragged breathing of the two of them. They were still alive.