The trip from the container store to his home normally took Tommy twenty five minutes. That was one of the reasons why he decided to work there. He hated sitting in hour long traffic jams like he had to with his last job. He enjoyed the relative short trip to and from work that working at Sonny's offered.
But today the trip took roughly seventy minutes. One excruciating long hour spending most of his time moving at a snail's pace. Though a few times he thought as snail would manage to make it to his home faster.
Fortunately as he neared his neighborhood traffic lightened up and he actually reached thirty miles an hour.
"I'm at my neighborhood." He said to Bradley.
"So you good?" Bradley asked.
"Yeah I'm good." There were only about eight cars ahead of him right now and they were moving at a good pace. He would be to his destination in a matter of minutes much to his relief.
"Call me if you need me." Bradley said.
"I will." Tommy said. "And thanks again."
"You're welcome again." Bradley said. "Bye and stay safe."
"Bye." He disconnected and sped up as the car in front of him turned down a side road. A group of cars past by him going the other way. He thought how there will a lot more heading that way in the next few hours.
If not sooner.
Which means I can't take my time packing. I have to get packed and get on the road pretty quickly or risk but stuck in traffic with the thousands of other people who were trying to escape.
Half hour to pack no more he thought. And even that will be pushing it but I don't have much choice if I want to leave with everything the dogs and I will need to survive the next couple of days.
Tommy then eyed an gray one story house that had been his home for the past three years. He felt a rush of emotion as he wondered if there would be a home to return. Or would the water and winds from Ingrid destroy his home and he would find himself displaced.
Once again.
He did not stop at the house but kept driving. He had to go his parents house which was three miles further down the road. He needed to stop there first, collect their five dogs, and a few other things before going to his house to pack.
All in thirty minutes he thought. Don't take longer than thirty minutes. It's all you can afford to take.
A few moments later he saw the sign for the Neptune Community where his parents lived. It was a mile stretch of land that was between two creeks whose source was the Chesapeake bay.
He pulled into the driveway of the fifth house on the right which sat on the shores of Melancholy creek. Once he stepped out of his car he was met by a chorus of barks and howls from the second floor window. A smile crossed his looked at the excited dogs a couple of which were pawing at the window.
Hang on guys I'm coming he thought.
Tommy looked at his phone and hit the clock app and then the timer icon. "Thirty minutes." He said to himself as he set the timer and hit the button beginning the countdown. Though he would probably not spend about fifteen here getting the dogs and everything he needed for them and the last fifteen getting his stuff at his place.
But instead of heading into the house he found himself compelled to walk around it look at the water. Even though the hurricane was hours away the water was already turning angry. Boats rocked back and forth against their peirs as the tide began to rise. Water was covering the small beach and crashing the wall that separated the beach from the property.
It's going to get much worse he thought
In his mind eye's could see the piers collapsing under the surge of water as came rushing over the bulkheads and racing towards the other side of the peninsula where it was met by the surge of water from Nappington creek.
His stomach began to turn as he could the water filling the houses, destroying everything in its path.
Help a young voice cried in his mind. The knots twisted in stomach as the sound of splashing echoed in his mind.
"Tommy." A voice then said as the screams for help got louder. He buried his hands in his face and his body began to shake as he began to lose strength in his legs. He was about to hit the ground when he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. "Tommy!"
Tommy spun in around in shock to see a man in his eyes late sixties standing behind him. His neighbor Zane Wilson quickly retracted his hand and gave him an apologetic look as he said "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay son?"
"Yeah." Tommy said catching his breath. "I was just looking at the water."
"The tide is getting high."
"Yes it is." Tommy said. Tommy looked at the community pier and saw a couple of boats were being taken out of the water while others were being tied more securely to pylons.
"Are your parents back?"
"No." Tommy shook his head. "They and Titus are still in New York."
Zane nodded his head. "Are you evacauting."
"Yes." He said vehemently. He then gave the older man a inquisitive look. "You."
"I will but I'm going to board up my place first." Zane replied. "And put down some sandbags down to keep the water out."
He then pointed at his back door which was ground level. He had already boarded it up and a three foot high two foot wall of sandbags sat in front of it. Tommy imagined another wall of sandbags piled up on the other side.
Tommy could not help but think that was not going to be enough. The wind was going to be strong for the plywood and the surge from the bay will push the water over the sandbags.
"I'll do the same for your parents house too."
"Are you sure you have enough time to do that sir." Tommy asked. "Aren't you worried about getting caught in the storm."
"Not at all." The man said confidently. "I'll have enough time to get it done and out of the city."
Tommy gave him a worried look as he said "Mister Wilson I..."
A look of resignation crossed his face. "I'll be fine." Zane patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about me." Wilson patted his arm and then walked back to his property.
Tommy was about to something but let out a resigned breathe. Arguing with him is not going to do any good he told him. He's an adult and he's already made up his mind. The only thing you will accomplish is wasting your own precious time.
He then looked at his phone. And I've already wasted enough he thought as he saw he only had twenty minutes left.
He chided himself for not going into the moment he stepped out of the car. What was I thinking he asked himself as he hurried to his parents back door.
Get the dogs and get out.
I still need thirty minutes he thought. He then hit reset on the timer told himself that once it runs out he is gone no matter what.
