The Outsiders Meet Katrina
Part 2
Storm
TWO BIT
I'm usually not the first person to admit that I'm scared. But, when the lights went out, and we couldn't see anything, I'll tell you, I was scared out of my mind.
This was definitely not the vacation that I had anticipated, and I'll tell you what, I don't think that I liked this change of plans.
Steve was sitting beside me, and he was quieter than I've probably ever seen him. You all know how much he can talk, and now he was silent. Of course, I was pretty quiet as well, and you know I can talk the hind end off a mule as well. I leaned over and tapped his arm. At least, I think it was his arm.
"Hey, Steve." I said, trying to speak above the crowd.
"What?" He answered.
"You alright?" I asked.
There was a short silence. "Yeah, are you?" Steve replied.
"I dunno. I'm pretty creeped out man. This whole thing is whacked." I said.
"I know what you mean. I wasn't expecting this when I left Tulsa." Steve said, slicking back his hair.
"Home isn't looking all that horrible right now." I said.
"Yeah man. I don't think I'll ever be happier to see that old DX man. I never ever thought I'd want to see that place again. I love cars, but I hate work." Steve replied, laughing a little.
"At least you get paid. You're doing something you like." I said.
"I'm gonna get another job once I get out of school." Steve said.
"Hey, is everyone else still here?" I asked, looking around in the darkness.
"I'm over here Two Bit." Pony's voice said to my right.
"Yeah, and me and Alyssa are over here." Soda's voice came to my left.
"Where's Darry?" Pony asked.
"Over here." His voice said.
"Ok, we're all here. So, now what do we do?" Steve asked.
"We sit here. Wait, sleep, talk…" Darry replied.
"I don't feel like sleeping." Alyssa said.
"No, me neither. I don't think I could even if I tried. It's just too weird in here." Steve said.
"Sleeping would do you all some good. I know that everything is really out of whack right now, but sleeping is a good thing to do." Darry said.
"Who would want to sleep at a time like this?" I asked.
"I'd say about 20 000 people." Steve replied.
"Well, I'm not one of those 20 000 people" I said, even thought I could feel myself getting tired.
"I think Pony is." I could hear Alyssa say.
"Why? Is he asleep?" I asked.
"Yeah, he's been out for about five minutes." Soda said.
"But he was just talking to us five minutes ago. You're telling me he said something and then passed out?" Steve asked.
"It would seem that way." Soda said.
"One down, five to go." Darry said, slightly sighing.
"You can go to sleep any time you want, Darry. We'll be fine on our own." Steve said.
"There is no way that I am leaving you guys here alone in this. Even if I am right here." Darry replied.
"So, are we supposed to just sit here in the dark and let this thing slowly kill us? I mean, if the storm itself doesn't kill us, the aftermath will. You realize we won't be getting out of here any time soon, and people will start to panic, and all hell will break loose, and we'll be all toast." Steve said.
"No, we're going to wait until the storm ends and get back to our normal lives. We're not going to die, and everything will eventually get back to normal. One thing I don't want is for anyone else to panic. Because that is the last thing that we will need. We are all stronger than that, and we know that we'll be fine, despite what anyone else may tell us. Does everyone understand?" Darry said, his voice slightly rising.
Steve shut up right away, and we all sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the rain, and wind outside. My eyes were starting to adjust, and I could see Steve and Soda beside me. Steve was kind of staring off into space, and Soda had his arm around Alyssa. I couldn't see Darry, but I knew he was right across from me.
"Man, how long is this storm going to last?" I asked, growing restless.
"As long as it wants." Steve replied.
"Thank you. That helps me a lot, because you know, that really answered my question." I said, with a hint of sarcasm in my voice.
"Well, it's not like we're having a temporary summer shower. We're in the middle of a class four hurricane." Alyssa piped up.
"Don't worry, Two Bit. They'll be plenty of puddles for you to splash in." Soda said, and that made everyone laugh.
"Yeah, but these puddles will probably drown him. It'll be like a swimming pool or something." Steve replied.
"A toxic swimming pool. Who knows what's going to be in that water." Darry said.
It felt so good to laugh again. We had all been so serious all day. Me being such a naturally humorous person, I needed to laugh again. Even if I was the brunt of the joke. I didn't mind.
I knew that I was bound to fall asleep pretty soon, because I was in that stage of consciousness where your brain starts to slow down, and you'll laugh at absolutely anything.
Me and Steve had our "beds" made up next to each other, so it would be easier for us to talk, and finally, I gave up the fight and laid down.
I hadn't noticed that Steve had gone down before me, but when my head hit the pile of clothes that I was using for a pillow, I looked over and saw him staring up at the ceiling.
"You tired too?" I asked him.
"Yeah, but I don't know if I can go to sleep." He said, and then yawned, which caused me to yawn. Whoever says that yawning is not contagious is on crack.
"This storm is messing me up big time. I'm not gonna get breakfast tomorrow, and my sleeping pattern is gonna be all messed up. Who even knows if New Orleans will be standing tomorrow? We could wake up dead or something!" I said, knowing that that had not made any sense at all. But I didn't care, I was too tired.
Steve didn't answer, and when I glanced over at him, I saw that his eyes were closed, and he was breathing regularly, and I soon realized that he was fast asleep.
I felt my own eyes drooping, and tried to fight all the urges my body was sending out , pleading me to go to sleep.
I yawned again, fighting to stay awake. Then my eyes closed, and the world slipped into blackness.
I'm really trying to write more often...I really am. I'll update soon...promise! Please R&R!
Jess