When the Winds Blew

Just Pray

I go back inside, or what used to be the inside, of the house. "Come on dad," I say as I help him off the floor. "It... It'll all be ok." I find the one intact bench in upstairs and help him sit. My cousins and siblings peek up the stairs. Sighing, I shake my head, signaling for them to go back downstairs.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"What? No. Don't be sorry, Dad. None of this is your fault," I say as soothing as possible, trying to calm him. "We just have to remember that God knows what he's doing. That's what you always told me. You told me to stay strong in times like this, and to just pray, and now I'm doing the same for you." I added with a tear rolling down my cheek.
He smiled a little. "You always were like your mother. Sometimes too much like her." I looked back around at our surroundings, suddenly realizing that we'll need to move. Dad seems to realize my concern. "Don't worry, I'll figure something out."
"But Dad! We can't just leave," I protest.
"Don't worry, Raena, I've got this figured out. Your mom and I were planning on moving soon anyway," he tried reassuring me. Not working.
"I'm not moving. I don't care if the citys' in ruins! We can help rebuild! I just don't wanna go anywhere. I'm happy here!"
"Raena," he said firmly. "You have to calm down. There's no choice, we'll have to move."
"But-"
"No. We are moving. To Washington."
"Washington state?! No way am I moving that far away!"
"It's not that far. There's a town, yes, still in Missouri, and that's where we were going to move anyways."
"Fine," I say reluctantly, wishing we didn't have to go. I walk back down the stairs to the bathroom and grab my tablet and phone. I just gotta pray, I told myself. Praying is all I could do. Pray and believe. Just prayer after prayer. A saying my mother used to say popped into my head:

"I'll just pray
I'll just pray
When this world is dark
And my heart is hard
And the answers seem so far
away
I'll pray
I'll just pray"