Dear Readers,

This combines more elements from my past unreleased work (based on the real Hurricane Leslie that I had written about at the time in 2012, before its path was known) and has been updated for spelling accordingly. It takes mostly place *before* the recent flashbacks. Enjoy and don't forget to review!

Chapter 6 A Storm Of Magnitude

I sat at lunch eating a chicken sandwich my mom made. It was soft, salty, and satisfying. That is, right until Leslie sat down with a chicken fried steak.

I didn't have any money, so affording one of these expensive luxury meals wasn't an option. My only hope was to eat from Leslie's plate without her noticing.

"Hey." She muttered sitting down.

"Hey."

"How was biology?"

I fiddled with my bland sandwich. "It was alright."

"Oh, come on Jess...What was it like?" "You and I are married." "That means no more secrets!"

Well, I had to pull open a frog. " I shuddered and hoped would make Leslie disgusted.

Her face frowned at me with a slight tinge of disbelief. "Oh..."

"If you're not hungry, I'll have that." I exclaimed going in for the kill.

"Sure..." She pushed the plate over and coughed into her hand.

"I'm glad I wasn't in your class, that's just horrible pulling apart little frogs..."

"I know." I said smirking while biting into the tender fried chicken.

"Little frogs..." She said to herself. "I wonder how they get them..."

The school bell rang; many kids rose from their seats and rushed down the school hallways.

"Mmmm" I grunted taking one last bite of steak and drinking my milk.

"I'll see you at math class!" I yelled to Leslie as I ran.

She nodded and lay face down on the table in thought about what I had said.

My teacher from the previous grade, Mr Williams, was now the teacher for the tenth-grade mathematics class.

His hair looks a bit *grayer*, but other than that, it was the same lethargically paced class I was used to.

The only thing keeping me awake was looking at Leslie's energetic face as she did her best in Algebra.

I could tell exams made her nervous, as I tried to reassure her from my small smiles every now and then when we glanced at each other.

Truth be told, I was even more lost than her.

"Mister Aarons." I heard Mr. Williams call.

"What?"

"What is 9 cubed divided by half plus one, and one half of three fourths."

"Ummm."

"Sit in the corner."

I looked at my teacher in shock. I had never been sent to the corner before.

"Now!"

I stood up and walked by Leslie. She too was surprised by this.

The rest of the class went accordingly. I, was sitting ashamed in front of all the kids, staring at a green wall with little animal figures on it. I wondered why the hell the decorator even put them there.

Actually, they were kind of cute. That's something Leslie would say. I was just blowing off steam over my embarrassing moment.

After school, I ambled to the bus, where all the kids were lining up to get on. I looked at the sky and sniffed the air.

"Whatcha doing?" Leslie asked with her cute face on.

"Oh nothing..."

"It's getting cloudy isn't it?"

I looked to the east. "Yes, it is..."

"I heard a tropical storm is on its way over Virginia." She explained to me.

"Oh?"

"Yeah!" "It's named after me!"

"Well, you must be proud." I said as seriously as possible but wanting to smile.

"I just hope it's as nice as me. I hope nobody drowns or anything."

I sat in my seat closest to the window and looked at her.

"It's a storm Les. It doesn't have feelings." I answered, remembering the accident Leslie had five years ago.

Then, I thought immediately of what Leslie had just said, which took my mind off the past.

Her eyebrows lowered. "I'm not THAT stupid."

Now I could no longer hold back my building smile. "Sure..."

The bus's doors shut, and [the bus] jolted forward.

"Do you wanna visit Terabithia today?" I asked to Leslie, who was writing something on a piece of paper.

She didn't notice my comment.

"Les?"

"Oh, what Jess?"

"Do you want to go to Terabithia today?"

She shook her head. "No... I have homework to finish up..."

"Then be over at my house." "You can have dinner with me and my family, "AND"... finish homework in my room."

She just giggled.

"What?" My expression by now was very confused.

"We're married." "You ARE my family."

"I knew that..."

"Sure...!"

A moment of pause later, she agreed.

In the recent times of our lives, a lot remained the same. Some things, didn't.

Leslie and I had an understanding with our parents that we could stay over at each other's' residence anytime we wanted.

Offering Leslie to spend the night in my room was no longer considered "awkward" for us to do.

As long as we didn't...

I laughed.

"Don't think about that." Leslie demanded.

"What?"

"Every time you laugh that way, you're thinking about sharing a bed with me. I hear it every time."

I turned my head in amazement while blushing. "Don't say that out loud!"

Leslie grinned.

"Gosh..." I pondered, "What don't you remember?"

The brakes on the bus slammed to a stop, and we got off.

I walked with her down our dirt road

Thunder roared loudly as light rain pebbled down.

"I'll come over to your house at 5!" She yelled.

"Okay, See you!"

I made my way to the front door, just before the rain started to pour.

This time, Brenda and Ellie's normal show was interrupted by the weather.

"Hurricane Leslie is approaching land with wind gusts up to 100 miles per hour." "Citizens on the coasts of New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C, Maryland, Virginia, and the surrounding seaboard area should stay indoors."

"Those who are not indoors, should seek a low point: under a bridge, in a drain. Anywhere you can get down and stay low from the winds." "Do not stay inside your ca..."

"Hey." I greeted. What did I have to lose I thought, since the duo didn't seem angry. I sat down and waited for an insult from either sister.

Brenda appeared depressed. Her hands supported her head, as her legs were crossed Indian style in a chair.

Ellie turned her head to me shyly and looked back to the TV.

This was a first. When did Ellie ever "not" insult me?

"What's going on?"

I turned my head and saw Mom in the kitchen. She was on the phone.

I stretched back on the couch and relaxed. "Hurricane huh?" "Les said it was a tropical storm."

Neither sister said anything.

I grinned.

Being ignored was great for a change!

At dinner, Leslie came over as she promised. Except, she brought her books, and homework with her.

I wished she had forgotten what I had said about her doing homework over at my house. Wouldn't having a dinner with me be a good enough reason to delay homework?

I sighed. Leslie's always been a great example to me. I need to start thinking more like her, and less like a careless solitary kid.

She's never late on anything. Always gets A+s in practically every topic, (which makes all the kids in our class jealous) and she's very determined. Even her work comes first now before Terabithia.

As I ate, Leslie studied barely touching any of my Mom's soup.

"Don't like your soup?" I whispered so my mom couldn't hear.

She smiled and kept reading.

I watched as rain poured down, trickling from the roof onto the windows.

The dirt road outside seemed moist and chilled from all the rain.

It was quite hypnotising; that is, watching the weather. After all summer, I enjoyed the cool look brought by the large Atlantic storm everyone was talking about.

I placed my spoon down on the table and lay back in my chair.

My life felt complete.

Les by my side, my family doing their business, Brenda and Ellie ignoring me.

Life is good.

A tremendous shockwave of thunder shook the house and caused the lights to flicker.

It made Leslie jump, (and me a bit too, but I won't admit that to Les.)

"That...was loud." she exclaimed.

"Yeah..." I said while trying to keep a calm voice, even though it sounded shaky.

Then both of us heard a loud snap.

Suddenly a car alarm went off.

"Is that Bill's car alarm?" I asked.

"Yes, it is..." Leslie said standing up. Her eyes were very large by now.

She and I stood in front of the window looking out.

The rain was coming down so hard, it was impossible to see out for more than twenty feet. Not far enough to get a look at the Burke's house.

A cry for help came in the distance.

Leslie ran out into the rain without hesitation.

"NO!" "Leslie!" "Oh sh..." I screamed. I looked back at my sisters and mother who were watching.

Maybelle came down the stairway and stared at me in a frightened way.

I stormed out of the door after Leslie. I nearly lost her once. I told myself. "I'll be dammed to let her out of my sight again."

I saw her "mud-prints" leading to the Burke's driveway. Then I saw her.

"Leslie!"

"Judy's stuck!" "Help me!"

At first, I couldn't see anything except Leslie and one of the Burke's Mercedes crushed by a nearby tree.

Then I noticed that the front porch had collapsed. Judy must have been waiting for her husband to come home.

I stood above Les as she pulled, then got down on my hands and knees; trying to drag Judy from out of the wreckage.

Her chest seemed to be covered in blood, but Leslie told me she was just cut a little.

I knew she wasn't.

I tried my best to carry Judy with the help of Leslie back to my house. It was very difficult especially when the wind resisted our every move.

"Call 9-1-1!" I yelled to my mom when Leslie and I came into the doorway.

"Power's out Jess!" She replied.

I looked around at my older sisters and then at Maybelle."

"Can I use your cell phone May?" "I'll give it back to you."

She nodded and went to her room to get it.

"Good girl." I said taking it from her when she handed it to me.

"Misses Aarons..." Leslie stuttered realising that was her last name as well, "May you find some bandage?"

"Shure..." "Jack's got uh first aid kit in the greenhouse."

"I'll get it Leslie." I said after dialling the phone.

"No Jess..." ""I'll be okay."

I shook my head.

"Trust me." She pleaded and looked at me in a very passionate way.

I quickly ambled over to her and kissed her lips.

"Be careful." I whispered.

She nodded and ran out the front door. I turned my glance from the last sight of Leslie to Judy laying on the couch. She was weeping softly.

I heard a voice speak. "9-1-1, Lark Creek Emergency."

"Um..." I muttered and then collected myself from the shock of the situation.

I took a deep breath. "My mother-in-law is injured. She's been in an accident and we need help."

"What's her address sir?"

"The Burke Residence. 12857."

"The nearest listed road is Copper Creek."

"Alright." "Stay on the line." "An ambulance is on the way."

I waited impatiently and soon heard sirens in the distance.

To my great relief, Leslie came running through the door.

I hugged her tightly, and then helped to bandage Judy.

"What was it like out there?" Brenda asked.

"I almost got blown over by a gust of wind." Leslie replied. She wrapped a bandage around Judy's arm. "Luckily I held onto the greenhouse's door."

"Were you scared?"

"Shut up guys." I yelled.

"We can talk if..."

"No Shut-up!" "I hear something.

Everyone was silent.

A distinctive howling of the wind could be heard.

"It sounds like..." I paused. "Tornado!"

Everyone in the room went into panic except Les and I.

I grabbed Les by the arm and ran into the kitchen.

I dumped all our food out of the refrigerator and took out the shelves.

Then I put the fridge on its side and opened one of its doors.

"Get in, you'll be safe." I explained.

"WHAT ABOUT YOU?" She screamed. "CAN'T YOU FIT IN THE OTHER SIDE?"

I looked at how small the freezer section was.

"Don't worry about me." I said calmly knowing I could not fit.

She was sceptical at first until I convinced her I'd be fine.

We both hugged and then I helped her sit down into the fridge.

"Stay low." I whispered into her beautiful little ear, just before shutting the door.

"I love you..." She replied.

"I love you too."

With that, I shut the door, and ran desperately into the living room.

"Jess!" I heard, and then saw Maybelle crying.

The loud wind sound grew louder. I could tell the tornado was travelling our way.

"Where did mom go?" I shouted.

"I don't know!" Maybelle cried.

I looked out the living-room window and saw the rest of my family with Judy out in the nearby shed. It was fortified more than the house was.

My mom was trying to get Bessie out of the pen area, to let her run freely.

"May, do you remember the lessons I went over with you and Les about tornadoes?"

"I don't remember!"

"Oh my god..." I groaned.

Our house didn't have a basement, and the dinner table was too flimsy to keep a person shielded.

I had no choice left but my bedroom.

The sound of the tornado was deafening. I truly could not hear anything but the howl of strong wind.

May and I made our way up the stairs to my room, but as I looked out the window, I saw a huge funnel nearing by the house, as it tore fences to shreds, and yanked at the roof's shingles.

I took Maybelle in my arms and bolted down the stairway, till I found myself in the kitchen again.

I quickly open the other side of the fridge door, and put May Belle in.

I immediately knew there wouldn't be room for me.

"Jesse!" May cried.

I slammed the door shut and put my arms around it.

I felt tears roll down my cheeks. I knew Leslie was right under me, but I could do nothing to hold her.

With Maybelle's loud crying, and the thought of Leslie, I tightened my grip.

I felt the air pressure change as wind stormed through the hallways and over my back.

Closing my eyes tightly, I prayed for my sister and wife to be safe.

Glass shattered, and rain spattered onto the kitchen floor. Lights stopped flickering and went completely out. The over powering sound of a tornado filled my ears, blocking out every other sound around me. It was comparable to a steam engine, yet much louder.

As I opened my eyes for a quick glance, I saw P.T's food bowl that I had left all these years skid and slam into the base of the kitchen counter.

In these seconds of terror, my mind went blank. I feared to move an inch, to move my hands, to weaken my grasp.

After these seconds past, I knew I was safe.

The tornado had dissipated. Slowly, the sounds of it quieted down. Almost to an eerie silence.

Just droplets of water pitter-pattered onto the tile floor.

Seconds past. Then minutes.

The thought of Leslie was soon upon me, and I wondered why I waited at all.

I ripped open one of the doors and found her crunched in tightly.

"Leslie!" I grinned more widely than ever before-at least it felt that way.

I held onto her tightly, as she kissed me all over.

Then we both heard a muffled call.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot you Maybelle." I laughed opening the second freezer door.

She hugged onto me firmly.

My sister, and wife...My Leslie, meant more to me than any other people in the world. They always would.

As we laid there in the kitchen, Judy was rushed to the hospital by ambulance.

-At this point in time, her immediate injuries were resolved but not without complication. Eventually, she developed phenomena, which the Burke family was told could successfully be treated. As a result, we all felt relieved of the entire disaster and thought little of it from then on. Life soon resumed to normal.