The Storm
Chapter Two
Everyone took their seats as class was called to order.
“Now for the rest of today, we will be reviewing for your test tomorrow. I would suggest that you take out a piece of paper and something to write with, and take down notes.” The instructor, Mr. Ferebee, snobbishly told the class.
Cassy fidgeted in her seat, nervous. She didn’t have any paper, so note-taking as a distraction was out of the question. Left with her thoughts, she wondered how close the storm was. She raised her hand to use the restroom, and as soon as she got there, she checked the weather again. Nothing new, but the line of severe storms were approaching at the predicted rate. Ugh, not good. She thought. I really don’t need this….
Walking back to the cafeteria, Cassy looked out, taking in a view of the dark sky. Class wasn’t over for another hour, and it could be hell unleashed before then. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down before flinging the door open. Striding over to her seat took more effort than she thought. Each movement brought with it a fresh wave of anxiety. Am I walking too fast? Or too slow? Do I look happy, or scared? She thought. All she really wanted to do was make sure her friends wouldn’t worry.
Gracie and another girl at their table, Morgan, looked up as Cassy took her seat. They both had those wordless expressions that made someone paranoid that their little secret had been busted wide open. But Cassy just gazed coolly back, and mouthed problem? They shook their heads and went back to paying attention – somewhat – to the lecture.
Sierra however, hadn’t missed a beat, again, and passed Cassy a note when Ferebee wasn’t looking.
‘Hey, wat was tht all bout?’
‘Nothin,’ Cassy scribbled in reply. ‘Guess lunch didn’t agree xP’
Sierra made a face when she read that, and didn’t press any further. She continued copying notes while her friend on the other hand, kept glancing out the window every other minute, and didn’t take a single note. She was too preoccupied on predicting whether or not they’d get out of here before the storm hit. Without warning, her phone vibrated, and she froze. That could mean one of two things: she got a call; or they just went under tornado warning. As much as she wished it were, it was highly unlikely that someone had called her. Everyone knew she was in class right now.
As if some connection alerted her, Sierra chose that moment to look up. There was no hiding the unmistakable fear written across her friend’s face. Something was very, very wrong.
She passed the piece of paper they had used earlier, ‘Wats wrong?’ scrawled a few lines down.
‘Nothin.’ Sierra hadn’t looked away from the paper, and now she looked up and met Cassy’s eyes. Her expression screamed ‘Liar!’ Cassy quickly erased the previous note and added in its place ‘we just went under a storm warning. I’ve been playing storm tracker again’ Sierra just nodded, than took the paper back.
It’s not a complete lie, Cassy reassured herself.
‘How bad?’ Sierra wrote back. But lucky for Cassy, the paper didn’t have a chance to make it back to her before nature answered for her. The lights flickered, and then the whole power went out.
Ahh…shit. Cassy grimaced.
“Now for the rest of today, we will be reviewing for your test tomorrow. I would suggest that you take out a piece of paper and something to write with, and take down notes.” The instructor, Mr. Ferebee, snobbishly told the class.
Cassy fidgeted in her seat, nervous. She didn’t have any paper, so note-taking as a distraction was out of the question. Left with her thoughts, she wondered how close the storm was. She raised her hand to use the restroom, and as soon as she got there, she checked the weather again. Nothing new, but the line of severe storms were approaching at the predicted rate. Ugh, not good. She thought. I really don’t need this….
Walking back to the cafeteria, Cassy looked out, taking in a view of the dark sky. Class wasn’t over for another hour, and it could be hell unleashed before then. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down before flinging the door open. Striding over to her seat took more effort than she thought. Each movement brought with it a fresh wave of anxiety. Am I walking too fast? Or too slow? Do I look happy, or scared? She thought. All she really wanted to do was make sure her friends wouldn’t worry.
Gracie and another girl at their table, Morgan, looked up as Cassy took her seat. They both had those wordless expressions that made someone paranoid that their little secret had been busted wide open. But Cassy just gazed coolly back, and mouthed problem? They shook their heads and went back to paying attention – somewhat – to the lecture.
Sierra however, hadn’t missed a beat, again, and passed Cassy a note when Ferebee wasn’t looking.
‘Hey, wat was tht all bout?’
‘Nothin,’ Cassy scribbled in reply. ‘Guess lunch didn’t agree xP’
Sierra made a face when she read that, and didn’t press any further. She continued copying notes while her friend on the other hand, kept glancing out the window every other minute, and didn’t take a single note. She was too preoccupied on predicting whether or not they’d get out of here before the storm hit. Without warning, her phone vibrated, and she froze. That could mean one of two things: she got a call; or they just went under tornado warning. As much as she wished it were, it was highly unlikely that someone had called her. Everyone knew she was in class right now.
As if some connection alerted her, Sierra chose that moment to look up. There was no hiding the unmistakable fear written across her friend’s face. Something was very, very wrong.
She passed the piece of paper they had used earlier, ‘Wats wrong?’ scrawled a few lines down.
‘Nothin.’ Sierra hadn’t looked away from the paper, and now she looked up and met Cassy’s eyes. Her expression screamed ‘Liar!’ Cassy quickly erased the previous note and added in its place ‘we just went under a storm warning. I’ve been playing storm tracker again’ Sierra just nodded, than took the paper back.
It’s not a complete lie, Cassy reassured herself.
‘How bad?’ Sierra wrote back. But lucky for Cassy, the paper didn’t have a chance to make it back to her before nature answered for her. The lights flickered, and then the whole power went out.
Ahh…shit. Cassy grimaced.