Strangers in the Night ▸ Javi Rivera

10

Today had been one of those bad days, where the thrill of the chase and the adrenaline which it makes course through your veins, did very little to make you forget the reality of what you yourself were facing. Because, while their own crew had gone through the tornado as they always did, no issues rising at any point, it was after it had passed over them that its course decided to suddenly change, heading away and right for a small town in the area.

And the Wrangler cars weren't far behind it, but by the time they reached the town, the destruction that had coursed through its streets was more than evident. People had started coming out of their shelters, commotions in the street as they surveyed what was left of their lives. And while Luna had seen tornadoes go through in Arkansas before, and all the Wranglers had their fair share of experience with all the help they always provided in these situations, it never made it easier coming face to face with the aftermath.

But Luna swallowed down her own emotions as she jumped into the work just as much as the crew. She listened to the people who came to her, help them look for what little they could salvage of their lives, never judging when someone thought it was stupid looking for something as simple as a photo album in the rubbles of what was once their home. Instead, she looked with them. She helped Dani and Dexter hand out clothes and food. She helped people get help from the EMTs once they started arriving, limping over to the ambulances

She didn't sit down for hours, until it was Boone who took it upon himself to force her to take a break. "You forget, ya walk different when ya hips hurtin'." Her brother reminded the woman as he led her back to the table which the Wranglers had set up in the hub of activity that had formed throughout the hours, Lily quick to get out of the chair and leave it for Luna to take. "And you've been on ya legs all day."

"I don't think my achey bones compare, Boone." Luna pointed out selflessly, but didn't push or protest as her brother gently directed her to take the empty seat.

"I promised ma I'd take care of you out here, and while I ain't doin' it in the micromanagement way she'd want me to, I ain't neglectin' my duties either." The man said stubbornly, fixing Luna with a look that let her know it was pointless to keep trying to say she was fine. If she kept it up, they'd spent more time bickering than what he'd force her to stay seated.

"Here, eat somethin'." Lily added on, handing Luna a bag of chips and some water before leaning her hip against the table and looking out to the destruction around them. "You see who's made a gracious appearance?"

"Think we should go over there and tell 'em to stick their offers up where the sun don't shine?" Boone asked, and sounded entirely serious about doing it too.

"Hi, do you by any chance have some more water?" A woman walked up to the table, bringing about an end to that idea as Lily quickly sprung up again. "They still haven't got it runnin' yet."

"Yeah, of course. Take as much as ya need." She said, pulling out a box of bottles while there were still more in the RV ready to be used if necessary. "If we run out we can just go and get more." She added on, knowing they'd be restocking their supplies before the day was over anyways.

"Thank you, you're a doll. All of y'all." The woman said with a smile as she picked up some of the bottles, about to walk away when another approached.

"Here, let me help ya with those Lanie." The younger woman said.

"Oh nonsense Til, go be with your folk in this time." From the sympathetic look on Lanie's face, it was clear that she thought whatever Til had lost was a lot more important than helping out. "You do seem in better spirits though?"

"Oh you wouldn't believe it Lanie, this man came, wants to buy the land despite all the chaos." Til started to say, relief visible on her face as she told her friend about what had happened, all right there at the table for the Wranglers to hear. "He says he can get it all in cash too."