Chapter 6

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Alan Eppes stood in the den watching CNN weather. The ringing phone startled Alan. He snatched up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Dad."

"Charlie! I have been trying to call you! Are you alright? Is Jordan alright? Where are you? Please tell me you're safe."

"Whoa, Dad, we're okay. Really. We are here in the cottage. We're going to try to ride it out. It's too late to evacuate. Everyone who tried to evacuate is stuck in their cars. Like one big traffic jam. We're safer here."

"I was hoping you two would have gotten out of there before this. Why didn't you leave before this?"

Charlie sighed. "We had no idea. Neither of us had seen the weather. Until today, neither of us had even turned the tv on, and Jordan listens to cd's instead of the radio." Charlie paused. "It doesn't matter the reason, Dad. We're stuck here, and I don't know how phone service will be later, so I wanted to call you before it hits."

"Promise me you will stay safe. Keep Jordan safe."

"Dad, I will do my best for the two of us to get home in one piece."

Alan sighed wearily. "I know you will. Your brother and I have been worried sick."

"I know. I'm sorry. Tell Don I'm sorry, and I'll talk to him when we get back. Okay? Dad, would you put Riley on?"

"Of course. Oh, Charlie?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"You get back here safely. Your daughter needs you."

Charlie paused. "I know that, Dad," he said quietly.

"Here she is." Alan said, and passed his eager granddaughter the telephone.

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Later that afternoon, Charlie walked outside for a few minutes to make sure there wasn't anything left outside that wasn't secured. He came back inside, looking nervous. He was drenched with perspiration. "The humidity is awful. It's getting bad out there."

Jordan was watching the weather. She turned and looked at Charlie. "It wobbled."

"What?"

"The hurricane. It wobbled. We're going to be hit directly."

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Within two hours, the gale force wind gusts had significantly picked up. Charlie watched from the window, fascinated at the degree the palms were bent in the wind. Sheets of rain pummeled the cottage. He moved away from the window. Moments later, the Eppes heard a loud crash. Running to the living room window to look outside, they saw a huge tree lying on top of the rental car. "Oh, shit." Charlie said quietly.

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Charlie and Jordan sat in the living room, watching the weather report, and drinking the rest of the iced tea. Suddenly there was a loud 'pop' and the electricity went out.

"Here we go." Jordan sighed.

Charlie put his arm around her. "We'll be okay."

Jordan looked into his eyes. "I hope you're right."

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The Eppes sat on the floor in the living room, playing cards, and nervously watching the windows. It was going to be dark soon. The wind and rain were horrible. Charlie kept hearing things hitting the cottage. He was amazed at how loud the storm was. Wind whistled through the ac and kitchen exhaust vents. The humidity was horrible. Charlie looked up at the windows. "Jordan, look."

Jordan watched as the masking tape on the windows started curling off from the humidity. "I guess you were right Charlie," she said quietly. ''Taping the windows did no good."

He frowned. "But I was thinking of the wind. I didn't factor in humidity."

Jordan couldn't help but chuckle.

Suddenly the Eppes jumped as they heard a loud, metallic crash. It sounded like a car crash... minus the sound of brakes. They ran to the window and looked out.

Inside the pool was a huge piece of metal roofing. Charlie felt his stomach turn.

Suddenly, they both felt the high pressure building, and knew instinctively that they had to get away from the windows.

"Come on," Jordan yelled, grabbing his arm and pulling him. "We need to get away from the windows!" They started to run.

Just as the Eppes' reached the hallway, it happened. The picture windows imploded. Millions of glass shards fanned out. The phenomenon of two different pressures; inside and outside, crashing together, then seeking to equalize themselves, threatened to suck the Eppes' out of the hallway. Doors slammed. Charlie and Jordan's ears popped, and their bodies reeled. Instinctively Charlie reached out, grabbing Jordan with one hand, and the door frame with the other. He heard Jordan scream, as every pore, every nerve ending signaled to his brain that his body was under decompression. Bricks and tile blew into the cottage, soaked and dusted with splinters of glass.

Charlie pulled Jordan into the second bedroom, and tugged the mattress off the bed. He pushed Jordan to the floor, and pulled the mattress on top of them. They laid on their stomachs, side by side. Charlie held both of Jordan's hands. Suddenly they both felt and heard the roof shudder. Charlie immediately felt a wave of fear wash over him. Beside him, Jordan was trembling, and she began to pray. Charlie silently prayed with her.

Hours passed.

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Charlie woke up. He was soaked with perspiration, and he felt like he was suffocating. The air under the mattress was hot and stale. Jordan lay next to him, asleep. Even in her sleep, she clung to him. Charlie patted her.

"Jordan?"

She woke up, and looked into his eyes. "Is it over?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'm going to go look."

"No! No, don't go out there!" Jordan grabbed both his hands.

"It's fine. I'll be right back. You stay here, alright? Don't move."

Charlie pushed the mattress up to crawl out. Fresh air hit Charlie. It felt wonderful.

He listened. The wind was still gusty, and it was still raining, but the worst had passed. Charlie stepped out of the bedroom. Water had seeped into the hallway.

He stepped back into the bedroom, and lifted the mattress off of his wife. He helped her up.

Miraculously, the roof was still on the cottage. But everything was covered with foliage and mud. Chunks of brick and tile were imbedded in the paneling. The living room furniture was ruined; soaked and sliced with glass, and covered with muddy debris.

Charlie found it interesting that there were a few things that were left completely untouched. The stereo in the bedroom was slightly wet, but otherwise clean and still in good shape. A potted plant near the door was untouched.

Human nature led the Eppes' outside to look around. A large piece of someone's shed rested in the front yard. The power poles were all down. Charlie noticed there were no more fences. They were gone.

Charlie put his arm around Jordan, and led her back into the cottage. They went into the kitchen and drank some of the water Jordan had stored. It wasn't cold, but it tasted wonderful after spending a night under a mattress.

Breakfast was dry cereal, and the rest of the orange juice from the fridge.

After breakfast, Charlie pulled out his cell phone. He couldn't get a signal. He looked at Jordan. "I am going to try and find a way to call Dad, and let him know we're alright."

Jordan shook her head. "Charlie, I doubt you can call. I'm sure all the lines are down, and the cell towers too."

"Probably. But we need to find a way to let Dad and Don know we're okay. Maybe if I try in a different area, it'll go through." Charlie thought a moment. Charlie looked at Jordan intently. "It would be safer if you stayed here though."

Jordan looked wide-eyed at Charlie. "Charlie I am not staying here by myself. We need to stay together."

Charlie shook his head. "I disagree. We know it's bad out there. But at least if you're here, I know that you're inside, and safe. We still have a roof, and we have water. We don't know exactly how bad the conditions will be like out there. Jordan, I need to know that you're safe, okay? I'll get back as soon as I can, I promise. There's a bike in the shed. I'll take that, and head over to the university. I'll get back as soon as I can."

Jordan's worried face told him plainly, that she didn't like it. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Be safe, Charlie. Please."

He promised.

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Charlie slowly made his way to the university. What normally would have taken him maybe thirty minutes, was stretched into over two hours, as Charlie rode along the muddy, debris covered streets; carefully avoiding flooded areas, downed power lines, and then stopping to lift the bike over fallen trees, limbs, and rubble. He saw many damaged houses... many with trees on them, or with roofs missing. Some streets were completely impassable, and Charlie had to take a different road. It was horribly hot and humid. He was relieved when he finally arrived at the university. He leaned the bike against the building, and went inside.

The university's back-up generator was powering the emergency lights. Charlie was glad to talk to the staff and some of the students. The phones were working, and Charlie was able to call the cottage owner, the car rental agency, the airport, and finally, his Dad.

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Alan Eppes grabbed the phone on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Hi, Dad."

"Charlie! Oh thank God! Are you alright? Is Jordan alright? Where are you at?"

"We are both fine. Jordan is at the cottage. I'm at the university, but I'm on my way back now. Umm, I called the airport. It is still closed, but should be open by tomorrow afternoon. Our flight is still two days away. If anything changes, I'll let you know."

"I'll be glad when you're both home. Where are you staying now?"

"We're still at the cottage. We didn't lose the roof. We have food and water. We'll just try and wait it out there until we can get home."

Alan breathed a sigh of relief. "Charlie, I am so relieved that you're both okay. Listen, you'd better get back to Jordan. People tend to get kind of crazy after things like this. She doesn't need to be left alone. Please be careful."

"I promise. How's my girl?"

"Asleep. She's fine though. She misses you both."