Evacuation
A/N: Had this idea in my head for a while now and finally started to write it out. Here is the first chapter, it's short but it's a start to get the ball rolling. Hope you guys enjoy and as always feedback is appreciated.
August 29th, 2005
Tybee Island, Georgia
A pothole in the road jolted him awake. He had fell asleep in Alabama as soon as they had got back in the car at the rest area. Rubbing his eyes, Beau looked at the clock in the car which displayed 1:33am. His mother was having a conversation on the phone in French, he assumed she was speaking with his grandparents back in Houma, Louisiana.
"I still can't believe we left New Orleans, mom we live in Uptown and sit higher than other parts of the city I doubt we'd get much flooding from Katrina."
Fleur looked over at him "Look, the mayor said to evacuate and I'm doing what I think is best for us. Your father is in San Antonio with the New Orleans Saints, I talked to him yesterday and even he agreed we should go and stay with his sister in Georgia and that's exactly what we're doing."
"Well hopefully we'll be back home in a few weeks."
His mother let out a yawn "I don't know Beau, they are saying this is gonna be a big one. It could be weeks, months, or maybe a year before we return home."
"Okay and what about grandma and papa in Houma, they aren't with us are they gonna ride it out?"
"You know them, there isn't anything we can do to change their mind once they made their decision. I told them to call me when they get a chance to. I'm gonna get some gas, use the bathroom and call your dad and let him know we made it so I might be a minute or two."
Trying to get comfortable back in the passenger seat again, Beau leaned back in the seat "How far away are we?" Beau asked as his mother pulled into a gas station. She put the car in park and killed the engine.
"That's her house right there." She pointed to a white two story house, that was lit up by outside lights. The first level being a garage with the living area being on the second floor.
Beau let out a yawn "Okay, great I'm gonna walk to it then."
"Lookout for cars." His mother reminded him.
Opening the backseat door, he grabbed his suitcase and carried it over his left shoulder as he walked to the side of the street and looked both ways for any oncoming traffic. Not that there would really be any traffic at this time of night anyways. Despite that, he still quickly ran across the street and made it to the other side.
"I'm good." Beau yelled out to his mother "See you at Aunt Julie's!"
Beau shook his head to the right to get his moppy brownish-blonde hair out of his face. The night air was still quite warm but the humidity had dropped as a gentle, cool breeze cooled him off a bit as he walked. The house itself was at least two streets down but the lights outside were bright which caused it to stick out in the dark. Beau switch shoulders with his suitcase as his left side was getting tired and sore from the weight. As he approached the first street, Beau came to a stop to stretch out his shoulders.
"Fuck I'm sore!" He said out loud, looking back at the gas station to see if his mother had possibly heard him. He didn't see her but he could see the gas nozzle in their car and he assumed she had went inside the store. Just as he was about to pick his suitcase backup, a twig snapped somewhere in the darkness to his right and he froze up for a second. The sound of a lighter sparking and catching flame caused him to jump back a bit. Once the flame lit, it moved revealing a face, that of a girl.
"I reckon you must be sore carrying that thing around like that, why don't you just use the straps and carry it on your back?"
A wave of relief washed over him, for a second he thought he might be about to get robbed, stabbed, kidnapped, or killed. Instead it was just some girl in the early hours of the morning holding a lighter.
"Just trying to get some reps in you know." Beau tried to play off his soreness.
"You ain't foolin' anyone around here, just where y'all come from?"
"New Orleans."
"New Orleans, ain't never been there before." She let the flame go out on the lighter "Just for the record you are quite loud at this time of night. Don't you know it's heel to toe when you walk?"
"How do you know I'm with someone?" Beau asked "And yes I know, look I'm just tired okay?"
"Well." She began "I was reading in my tent and I thought I heard a car coming so I climbed out and looked and saw you go by. You and your mom I suppose, pulled up to get gas and you are going to your Aunt Julie's."
"Very perceptive of you."
"I got ears you dummy, y'all are loud as hell."
Beau picked his suitcase back up "You said you're living in a tent?"
"Mhm."
"Why?"
"Well it beats listening to my parents argue when they've been drinking and using drugs. So I come out here in my tent in the yard and it seems to drown them out. Besides I'm used to living in tents, we've had to do so from time to time and I'm sure we will again."
At hearing that, Beau felt sympathy for the girl. He knew what it was like to have a alcoholic as a parent, his dad drank and when he did he got angry and got into arguments with his mother. Never hit her or anything but it was enough to steer Beau away from ever being like that and the only time he can recall that they got 'violent' was when his dad half-ass tripped out of the front doorway and bumped into his mother causing her to fall down the front porch steps.
"That sucks I'm sorry, I kinda know what it's like but not like you do."
"What's your name?" She asked.
"Beau, Beau Devillier."
"Macey Evans but some people end up calling me Lacey for some reason so whichever you wanna call me is fine."
"It's nice to meet you well I'll be living here for a while, got a hurricane headed to New Orleans so for the time being I'll be staying-"
"In the white house, I know who your aunt is. She sometimes makes me dinner and sandwiches incase I get hungry as my parents have been known to forget to go grocery shopping." She cut him off "You sure you don't need help carrying that suitcase?"
"I got it thanks." Beau switched hands with the suitcase "Maybe I'll see you around."
"Why wouldn't you? Tybee Island can only fit so many people and you live two streets up from me, common sense would tell you that."
"Okay well, bye."
"Goodnight Beau."
"Goodnight Macey, oops I mean Lacey." Beau retorted in a sarcastic tone as he started walking.
"Smartass." Macey replied.
"Right back atcha." Beau felt a smile forming on his face as he continued his walk towards his aunts house, and little did he know Macey had the same smile on her face as well.