Status: Sorry I havn't updated it in a while......I forgot. But I'm back :-)
Hurricane Adam
The Darkest Day
It was January 22, 1992, I lived in Key West, Florida. I was seventeen, and had everything a teenage girl could ever even think of to ask for. I had great friends, I was getting straight A's, and I had the best boyfriend in the world. His name was Henry, and we planned on getting married once we were eighteen. I dreamed about becoming Mrs. Malorie Pennington.
I was on a beach at the very tip of the island. I could feel the soft, white sand beneath my feet. The sun was just beginning to set, the water was so clear, it could be one hundred feet deep and you'd be able to see all the way to the bottom. It had felt like life couldn't have gotten any better. Just then I heard something, it was loud, and it almost made my heart stop. The hurricane warning. I quickly ran to my bike, and didn't stop peddling until I was at the front door of my house. I ran in and yelled, "Mom!" I ran through the hall opening and closing doors as fast as I could. "Mom where are you?!" Just then she came into the kitchen, I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. "Everyone is already in the basement!" she said. "Come on Malorie, we have to go!" We both ran downstairs to the basement. Once we were down under the stairs, I just sat there, silent. My brain could barely process what was happening.
We were there for a day and a half, just waiting for the hurricane to stop. When we heard the wind and rain stop, we slowly started to come out from under the basement stairs. Everything was filled with a foot of water. There was furniture and my little brother's toys scattered everywhere.
Eventually, we were able to dig our way out. Once we were at the surface, we could see that our entire house was gone. Everyone just stared. No one could believe what was happening. We climbed on top of the only car we could find that wasn't upside down, and waited.
Finally, a group of people in a boat came, and got us. Once I knew I was safe, and my family was safe my brain started to work a little better. I thought of Henry. I went up to one of the rescue team members and asked "Have you found a Henry Pennington?" Just then a sad look came upon his face. "One of my team members found the Pennington family this morning. His father was alive, but Henry and his mother were pronounced dead a few hours ago." At that moment, I almost thought I was having a bad dream. I knew I was awake, but it just didn't seem like anything that bad could ever really happen. "I am so sorry." he continued. But I wasn't paying any attention at all. It had felt like part of me had died with him. At that point my brain was trying to come up with the most logical explanation. Then, I thought out loud, "There must be some mistake, uh.. there's more then one Pennington family, his parents are Marilyn and Thomas Pennington." I argued. "Yes, that's the family we found. Once again, I am very sorry." Then, everything went silent. I could no longer hear the sirens, the people shouting and crying, complete silence. I turned around and started to walk away. Once I was back with my parents they asked, "What's wrong?" At that point everything was still quiet, then my hearing came back on. My mom asked again more concerned now, "Malorie," she paused "Honey are you okay?"she asked. "Henry and his mother were found dead today at 12:30 p.m." I plainly said. "There must be some mistake." Mom said. "That's what I told them, there isn't." I said, still calm on the outside, but on the inside about to burst into tears. Everyone just stood there in silence for a few minutes. Then my mom wrapped her arms around me and didn't let go. I know parents don't usually like your boyfriend, but they were close to him and his mother and father too. Then, my mom started to cry,... but I didn't.
I was on a beach at the very tip of the island. I could feel the soft, white sand beneath my feet. The sun was just beginning to set, the water was so clear, it could be one hundred feet deep and you'd be able to see all the way to the bottom. It had felt like life couldn't have gotten any better. Just then I heard something, it was loud, and it almost made my heart stop. The hurricane warning. I quickly ran to my bike, and didn't stop peddling until I was at the front door of my house. I ran in and yelled, "Mom!" I ran through the hall opening and closing doors as fast as I could. "Mom where are you?!" Just then she came into the kitchen, I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. "Everyone is already in the basement!" she said. "Come on Malorie, we have to go!" We both ran downstairs to the basement. Once we were down under the stairs, I just sat there, silent. My brain could barely process what was happening.
We were there for a day and a half, just waiting for the hurricane to stop. When we heard the wind and rain stop, we slowly started to come out from under the basement stairs. Everything was filled with a foot of water. There was furniture and my little brother's toys scattered everywhere.
Eventually, we were able to dig our way out. Once we were at the surface, we could see that our entire house was gone. Everyone just stared. No one could believe what was happening. We climbed on top of the only car we could find that wasn't upside down, and waited.
Finally, a group of people in a boat came, and got us. Once I knew I was safe, and my family was safe my brain started to work a little better. I thought of Henry. I went up to one of the rescue team members and asked "Have you found a Henry Pennington?" Just then a sad look came upon his face. "One of my team members found the Pennington family this morning. His father was alive, but Henry and his mother were pronounced dead a few hours ago." At that moment, I almost thought I was having a bad dream. I knew I was awake, but it just didn't seem like anything that bad could ever really happen. "I am so sorry." he continued. But I wasn't paying any attention at all. It had felt like part of me had died with him. At that point my brain was trying to come up with the most logical explanation. Then, I thought out loud, "There must be some mistake, uh.. there's more then one Pennington family, his parents are Marilyn and Thomas Pennington." I argued. "Yes, that's the family we found. Once again, I am very sorry." Then, everything went silent. I could no longer hear the sirens, the people shouting and crying, complete silence. I turned around and started to walk away. Once I was back with my parents they asked, "What's wrong?" At that point everything was still quiet, then my hearing came back on. My mom asked again more concerned now, "Malorie," she paused "Honey are you okay?"she asked. "Henry and his mother were found dead today at 12:30 p.m." I plainly said. "There must be some mistake." Mom said. "That's what I told them, there isn't." I said, still calm on the outside, but on the inside about to burst into tears. Everyone just stood there in silence for a few minutes. Then my mom wrapped her arms around me and didn't let go. I know parents don't usually like your boyfriend, but they were close to him and his mother and father too. Then, my mom started to cry,... but I didn't.