Chapter Dos
"Oh my god, it is too windy," Paris says.
We walk quickly across the parking lot. Weaving between cars trying to avoid the wind, we fail miserably. When we reach the service road between E.S French hall and the plaza, Paris stops. She is searching frantically in her small purse.
"What's wrong?" I almost have to yell over the wind.
"I left my money in the pair of jeans I wore yesterday," she says, "I'm going to run back real quick."
I watch as she starts to run across the parking lot again. I continue to walk across the road and a large RV catches my eye. I walk behind it and the wind becomes less intense. I wait for Paris; the sky is becoming increasingly dark. I begin to worry. I hear cheers coming from the other side of the RV. I run around to see three large men wearing camouflage hats standing about 200 feet away from me pointing at the sky. A large funnel cloud is forming towards the ground. I look back and still don't see Paris so I start to run towards a paint shop. The three obnoxious men get into a truck and drive away. When I reach the shop the lights are off. I bang on the windows yelling for help. I stand back form the doors when it occurs to me that family owned businesses are closed on Sundays.
"Damnit," I bang on the glass one last time. I turn around and look at the funnel cloud I can see that it's on the other side of the train tracks. Despite the fact that it is at least 30 miles away it is dangerously close to the ground. I run as fast as I can against the wind across the parking lot. The lights in Family Dollar are still on. By the time I reach the door I am completely out of breath. I pull on the door but it's locked. I pull again as tears start to fill my eyes.
"Please! Someone let me in!"
Nobody comes to the door I turn around to see that the funnel cloud is a full on tornado. It's finally spinning on the ground. I can feel myself shaking as I keep banging on the glass door. I'm going to die, I'm going to die. I turn around and I see someone running through the tiny aisles. I hit the glass harder and yell louder with the breath that I have left. I turn one last time to see where the tornado is and I feel cool air come from the building as the faint bell rings signaling an open door. I run into the arms of a guy who is a few inches taller than me. I hug him and thank him repeatedly.
"Thank you so much! Thank you I thought I was going to die!" I cry.
As I pull back I look at the guy who saved my life and his face is overwhelmingly familiar. Confused I take a step back and it hits me.
"Are you alright?" Vic Fuentes says.