Chasing The Storm (Published)

Prologue

A/N: This is a story I have been working on for a while. I'm really excited about this story and hope you will enjoy it. This story is inspired by some of my favourite tornado chasers, such as the Twister Sisters and Team Dominator, as well as some inspiration from the film Into The Storm.

Please let me know what you think of this story.
________________________________

There was no warning for the approaching tornado. No sirens at all to warn us to get to safety. The only warning we had was the sound of the roaring freight train.

The hotel staff run around the lobby like headless chooks, unsure what to do as they scramble to get people on the ground floor to take shelter. With the power out, the manager was unable to alert the ones who weren't in the lobby. No one is prepared for this or train to know what to do. There was no safe place for us to take cover. Not in the little time we have. We follow the staff' orders to stay away from doors and windows, crouch down against the wall, cover our heads, and hope for the best.

I stay close to my parents as we huddle together with other guest staying at this hotel. No one says a word as we wait for the tornado to hit us. You can literally feel the panic in the room.

Debris can be heard as they thump, scrape and slam against the building as the funnel cloud gets closer. Glass shatters. A roaring sound fills the room. The air is suck out. I'm unable to breathe. I couldn't hear myself think as the roaring wind rips through the building. The nails rip out of the walls, tearing apart the floors above us. Objects shatter as they are used as missiles. Screams of terror are heard over the loud whooping and roaring noise. My own screams drown in the noise.

I squeeze my eyes shut. Something hits my back, a throbbing pain shooting up my spine. The wind tugs on me, threatening to pull me along. I hold on tightly as my knuckles turn to white, my hand hurting from gripping so hard. I loosen my grip a little to ease the pain, but only to hold on tighter again as the power of the wind pulls on me. Its strength was much stronger than me that I feel myself slipping from my mother's grip.