Storm

Tumbleweed Town, Oklahoma, 1994.

“A group of devastating tornados has summoned on the great heath 20 miles to the north of the Tumbleweed Town, residents inside should immediately keep yourselves in the basement, and leave a small gap between windows and doors; as for people outside, try to… ” The sweet and content voice on the radio became hoarse and blurred due to atmospheric disturbances. Eventually, the radio went completely dead, emitting an unpleasing electric sound.

The dark clouds gathered instantaneously, creeping through the sky like a tarantula composed of fatal tornados. Jones was absurdly lingering around his house, skimming at the windswept heath, waiting for someone from afar. His eyes narrowed as the forceful gust whirled all the sand, ash, and dust into his eyes pettily. His eyelashes were trembling panickily as if it probably would be the last dance. The telescope he hung around his neck was swinging like a pendulum. He could hardly stand his feet either. Still, he attempted to look at the horizon with his telescope, searching for any sign of Cliff. But what he could only see was the tumbleweeds stampeding, engulfing the plains from all directions. “This go is getting too risky, I must be crazy, I must be crazy!”, he murmured. He had his one foot inside of the porch, not forgetting to search for the last round worriedly.

Cliff, in his van, had been alarmingly aware of the dreadful tornado that is nearby, even though no information was given to him. His van was specially adapted to tornados since it was common for residents in Oklahoma to encounter one: its metalloid shell was tougher than a stone, and it could anchor deep under the ground deeply, penetrating the roots of Shumard oaks. He was confident to survive the tornado-in fact, this one is actually not as big as the ones he combated on the borderless ranch. Plus, his van had already parked in a hinterland, safe and sound. However, his worry was Jones. If he didn’t make it to the dungeon of the fragile house, he could be pierced by the debris of the trees or the windows. He was anxiously reading the dashboard of his van, the exquisite apparatuses were capable of any measurements related to the extreme climate. He turned pale. The tornado was making a sudden change in direction, and it straightly headed to their house as if it had found out that Cliff’s van was indestructible. He kept pressing the key on his radio, repeatedly shouting, “This is Cliff, can you hear me? Get inside and hide, now!” But all that came out was the dissipated sound of electric currents.

The dense ozone scent choked every living thing on the plains, the water was falling down in the shape of a vortex.  Jones couldn’t bear himself hiding behind the door like a coward. He decided to go outside and turn on the lighthouse as the thunderstorm make the visibility so blurred and vague. He’d got his rubber shoes on, which resist lightning, and put on some protective glasses, never forgetting to take his driver’s license with him so that if an accident happened, it could be his proof of identification. He bowed and approached the lighthouse, both to show respect to nature and to keep his centroid low. The thunder was breaking his eardrum, and the wuthering wind was shaking the lighthouse. Jones doubted if it was a rational decision. “It is the wrath of nature.” He made himself up with morale and climbed up in the labyrinthine lighthouse. The comforting bulbs gleamed the soft light, like angel, in every direction as he operated the lighthouse, baptizing the dreadful smell in the atmosphere. Finally, he spotted where Cliff parked his van.

Cliff was blinded by the light, astounded, and totally freaked out. The lighthouse had never been tested by such strong a tornado, he had no idea if it is a safe place. He reached for the radio, but immediately he realized that he didn’t know if should Jones stay or go either. His palms got sweaty, heart felt like beating out of his chest. “If anywhere could be considered safe, it must be nowhere but this metal monster!”, without any hesitation, he left the hinterland and drove right forwards to the lighthouse. Hitting the pedal as hard as he could, the van is gradually losing the normal force to remain on the ground. The vehicle is dragged by the side whirl of a major tornado, lifted to the air at ease. What’s worse, the tornado is raging right forward to the lighthouse. “How greedy, it’s gonna get both of us.” Cliff thought desperately. Jones lost track of him, so he leaned on the bullet-proof glass on the front of the lighthouse, his eyes turned wide open as he saw the van spinning in the air. He panicked and froze there. They had their fingeres crossed simultaneously.

The whirlwind was trampling, 1000 feet, 300 feet, and 100 feet. The lighthouse was shaking at a higher and higher frequency, and none of them knew if they could survive. Jones was hiding down the panel, curled up.

Bang! All of a sudden, a deafening sound of glass being smashed into smithereens nearly caused him a heart attack. He found it was nothing but the familiar van that crashed inside!

Then the storm eye of the giant tornado arrived, where the sky was blue and the sunlight was golden.

Cliff has passed out, with his forehead bleeding. The tough tow thrust the thick glass hard. He dragged him out of the steel hero. “Cliff, cliff, can you hear me?” Jones screamed with tears, patting his shoulders. “Come on…”

“Is it paradise here?” responded Cliff, grieving. “No, no. You are in the lighthouse. Come on, the wind is coming back again really soon.” With great relief, Jones rationalized himself in a split second. Tears wouldn’t stop snaking down his skin.

They stared at the clear sky, with tender, warm rays projecting their mingled shadow. “This must be a miracle.” They were dazzled.

The tornado began to shake the lighthouse heavily again, envying their survival and the fact that it was going to dissipate and vanish. But this time, they were no longer afraid. They kissed and cuddled, fighting against the wrathful wind.

The wind gradually became a refreshing breeze, the birds started to twitter. Crawling outside of the little space under the operation panel, they helped each other down the staircase, calling, and shouting for help. The whole town on the other hill was completely ruined, people who got underground were fortunate, while some were not. They ceased to yell, shocked by the catastrophic scenery. The fire truck and ambulances assembled on the hill were astonished to find two people on this looted plains survived. Horning their sound, the firefighters and doctors got them at once. They gave them first aid real quick and thorough medical checks followed up. Luckily there weren’t any big deals. Their house was also ruined, so they settled in decent accommodations and donated a bunch of money to rebuild the community.

“Some say time heals everything. Do you believe in that?” Jones held his cup of warm chocolate tightly.

“At the end of the day, we still have each other. That’s all that matters.” Cliff closed his eyes, held Jones in his arm tightly, and fell asleep quietly.