Hurricane Gregory

H U R R I C A N E G R E G O R Y� Part 24

Jamie rescued several car loads of people stranded on the flooded roads in the low lying areas in the strike zone. He lifted the cars out of the water, flying them to higher ground and safety.

He also managed to rescue a family in a single engine airplane that had been caught on the edge of the storm. They had been forced to venture into the edge of the heavy weather to find a place to land. They had tried make for a divert field, but the aircraft had developed a fuel leak and they lacked the range to make it to a safe landing strip clear of the bad weather. They were on the western side of the storm with winds from the north that threatened to blow them out to sea. Jamie managed to intercept the aircraft which had just gone “dead stick” (i.e. the engine had died due to fuel starvation). He flew the aircraft to the Gulfport Airport on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and deposited it on the transient line at one off the fixed base operations located on the airfield.

There was no time for pleasantries with the family in the distressed aircraft. After a quick wave, he was off to the rescue of a school bus full of kids, which had gotten stuck in the rising waters. He lifted the bus and flew it to higher ground, before heading back to the shelter, which was located at the high school in Chipley.

Jamie landed outside the school, sighing with relief. He had been going non stop and he was actually tired, mostly from the stress of performing one life saving rescue after another. He realized he had been away from the shelter for way too long. He wondered how Greg and Carrie had been holding up, while he was outside.

Meanwhile, Greg and Carrie were staring out the window of the classroom, their temporary home at the shelter. Greg had a bad case of “cabin fever.” He was very tired of staying indoors. He was well past ready for the hurricane to move on out of the area, so he could get out of the shelter.

Presently, Greg and Carrie were startled, when there was a knocking on the door to the classroom.

When Greg walked over to the door to unlock it and to open it, he gasped and took a step back. It was Jake!

“So, is everybody alright in here?” Jake asked.

“Yes, sir… We’re fine,” Greg answered.

Jake looked around the classroom, and noted that Jamie was nowhere to be seen.

“So, where is your buddy?” Jake wondered out loud. “I don’t see Alex anywhere…”

“Uhmm… well… Alex is… He is…” Greg stuttered, looking for an answer.

“Alex had to go to the bathroom!” Carrie offered out loud.

Greg looked at his little sister in shock. But he quickly adjusted and gave Jake a nod. He decided to play along with Carrie, and try to cover up for Jamie so that Jake wouldn’t suspect that the super kid was missing from the shelter.

“Alex wasn’t feeling too good. He has an upset stomach…” the little girl explained to the security guard.

Greg was relieved that Carrie had said it, instead of him. Greg understood that Jake might not have believed him. But, since Carrie was the one who protected Jamie instead, he was more likely to believe them.

“Oh…” Jake groaned. “Well, tell Alex he needs to come and see me at the nurse’s station, as soon as he comes out of the bathroom, okay? He still needs to get his flu shot, and he’s not getting off so easily, this time!”

Jake then turned around and walked out of the classroom.

As soon as the door was closed, Greg turned to face his little sister.

“Way to go, Carrie! You saved Jamie’s skin, for the time being!” Greg said.

The boy embraced his little sister. He was delighted that Carrie had covered for Jamie so well. Although Carrie had told a bald-faced lie, Greg justified it on grounds that, in this case, it had been “an emergency.” He could only hope that Jamie would return soon. They had not realized that Jamie had just landed outside.

Jake wandered about the school searching in earnest for Jamie. “I’m gonna find that little scamp,” he mused. “He’s gonna get his flu shot and that’s all there is to it.”

Jake had determined that Jamie was using the same classroom as Greggy and his sister as his dormitory room. But the boy had not been in the room and Carrie had said he had gone to the bathroom. He found Jamie, just as he was stepping out into the hallway from the boy’s restroom.

“Hey, Alex!” he called to him. “Where were you? Were you wandering around outside again?”

“Aw come on…” Jamie sighed. He was getting tired of hearing about the nurse, the flu shot, and the fact that he wasn’t allowed to go outside.

“Alright, young man…” Jake said. “Time’s up. Now you’re coming with me!”

Jamie closed his eyes and heaved a deep sigh. He bowed his head as he pondered how best to handle this flu shot situation.

“Okay. But first I need to get something from my room.”

Jake stood back from the door, allowing Jamie to pass. He followed close behind the boy. He was determined not to let Alex out of his site, until he has finally gotten his flu shot.

“You’re going to get your flu shot, right now, and no more stalling or excuses,” Jake said.

Jamie entered the room and softly informed Greg of his predicament. He was cornered. Jake was determined to escort him to the nurses’ station for a flu shot right then and that he would brook no more stalling or delay.

Jamie walked out of the classroom wearing his long-sleeved crew sweater, grey sweat pants and sandals with Jake following right behind him.

When they arrived at the nurse’s station, they stepped up to the desk where Nurse Jenny was seated. She was talking on the phone, ordering supplies for the shelter. Presently she said “goodbye” and hung up.

“Well, here’s our friend Alex,” she smiled. “I guess you finally decided to get that flu shot, huh?”

“Yeah… I guess you can say that,” Jamie sighed.

“Come on, follow me, Alex…” Nurse jenny said, as she picked up a folder from the desk.

To be continued


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