Hurricane Gregory

H U R R I C A N E G R E G O R Y� Part 20

“Hurricane Gregory is now a powerful category three hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of over one-hundred and twenty miles per hour. The storm is moving north at nine miles per hour, and it is currently located about fifty miles south of Gulf Breeze, Florida. The hurricane is expected to make landfall early tomorrow morning. All residents of Gulf Breeze and surrounding communities of Pensacola and Navarre have been ordered to evacuate. All residents and visitors should have followed evacuation orders, promulgated by the Escambia County Sherriff Department. Shelters have been opened in Santa Rosa County and in Washington County. Residents along the southern coasts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana are strongly advised to monitor the storm closely” the TV announcer said.

“The hurricane… It’s going to make landfall tonight…” Jamie said, as he continued to stare at the door. “It will pass through the state tomorrow morning…”

“Wow… Am I glad you’re here with us!” Greg sighed.

“That’s the thing!” Jamie whispered. “I need to find a way to get out of here!”

“Why? You can’t leave us here! Besides, you’re supposed to stay inside the shelter at all times!”

“If I stay here, then I won’t be able to help people who’re stuck outside! I have to be able to get out of here in the morning…”

“You’re going to get a flu shot in the morning, dude!”

“No, I won’t…” Jamie answered. “Besides, Wes is supposed to bring me my suit. I’ll have to find a way to get out of here, so I can fly around the area in case I need to help someone in trouble. I’ve tangled with this storm once already and I barely managed to get a lady and her son to safety in their SUV, before the bridge, that they were on, collapsed!”

Greg folded his arms and held them in front of his chest.

“I thought you said you were on vacation, and that you didn’t want to be Superboy at all this week! Here you are, and you’re planning on wearing your suit and going out to do super stuff after all!

“I didn’t know about this hurricane!” Jamie replied, spreading his hands expressively. “Besides, Greggy, what would YOU do in my position? I have to be outside, so I can be ready to help if someone needs it!” Jamie laid his palm on Greggy’s’ shoulder. “And bro, I really, really need you to help me get away from here from time to time.”

“Okay… Well… I guess we’ll need to find some way to get you outside, so that…” Greg responded, just as the two boys turned the corner. Suddenly, Jamie froze in his tracks. They were staring at Jake, who was standing right in front of them.

“What’s that?” Jake sneered at Gregory. “No one leaves the shelter, do you understand, young man?”

“Oh, great…” Greg grumbled. “It’s the warden…”

“I’m serious! I’m keeping an eye on you two!” Jake said, while pointing his finger at the boys.

“Why am I beginning to feel like this is a prison, instead of a hurricane shelter?” Greg said, while rolling his eyes.

“Because, it is! You can’t go outside! There’s a hurricane blowing out there! You’ll get killed! You boys are going to stay in here and behave because you won’t be allowed to leave here unless I say so, is that understood?”

Both Greg and Jamie nodded submissively at the big security guard.

“And you… Alex…” Jake said, as he turned towards Jamie. “I’ll come looking for you in the morning. You’re going to get your flu shot.”

Jamie just gulped. He needed to avoid having to go to the nurse’s office at all costs!

After that, the boys walked back to the classroom where the rest of the family was staying.

“I’m going to get out of here tonight” Jamie whispered to Greg, as he sat down on his sleeping bag, which was laid out on the floor in the middle of the classroom. “I’m going to fly around and see if I can help minimize the damage from the storm a little bit…”

Early next morning, Jamie got up from his sleeping bag, put on shorts, t-shirt and sandals, and he began to wander around the halls of the school. As he strolled around the building, he overheard voices other early risers. Most evacuees in the shelter were very concerned about their homes, their businesses, and their families. He also picked up on several radio news broadcasts, and some evacuees had brought portable TV sets with them. Everyone was watching the news that morning, hoping to see where the storm had struck and how soon it would pass over the area so they could return to their homes and businesses.

“Hurricane Gregory has made landfall, and is traveling over Pensacola at a forward speed of 12 miles per hour. The storm has maximum sustained winds of one-hundred and twenty miles per hour. This is a dangerous Category Four hurricane, and all residents are strongly advised to remain inside of the shelters or in their homes…” the announcer said. “The eye-wall has just reached land at Pensacola beach. Please remain indoors, at all costs, until emergency personnel have given the all clear to leave your homes or shelters. Flying debris, downed power lines, flash flooding and possible tornadoes pose a significant ongoing threat in the primary strike zone.”

Greg was lying on the cot, against the outer wall of the classroom. Carrie was still asleep, and Herb and Amy had just gotten up and moved to another classroom set up as a coffee and refreshment lounge, which was equipped with a large flat screen TV set.

Greg was startled by a tapping sound on the window right above his head. He got up to investigate. He gasped out loud, when he recognized the familiar figure of a tall, ebony boy, who was floating just outside his glass window.

“Wesley!” Greg exclaimed. Greg turned the latches, unlocking the window. He pushed up the window to admit his flying friend.

“Hey Greg…” Wesley said to him. “How are you? How are things down here?”

There was a light rain outside, and Wesley was had been drenched by the rain.

“Come on in, Wes… You’re getting soaking wet out there!”

Wes passed through the window and settled down onto the floor. He pulled out a plastic bag out of his backpack.

“Where’s Jamie?” he asked Greg.

“Jamie must be wandering around. Do you want me to get him?”

“Yeah! I need to talk to him!” Wes answered.

“Who’s that?” Wes whispered to Greg, while he pointed at the little girl, who was asleep on the sleeping bag on the floor.

“That’s my little sister, Carrie…” Greg told him. “Don’t worry; she knows who you and Jamie are. She won’t talk…”

To be continued


My website contains my works of science fiction and fantasy.

Check out my website at http://www.superfantasystories.com