Elemental

Chapter Two (Revised)

Jade ran up to hug her father as he walked through the door. She loved her dad just as much as she loved her mom. Maybe even a bit more. Jade had skipped lunch and was now starving. The Petersons said their prayers and dug into Mom's wonderful cooking. Today they had spaghetti and meatballs.

Later, Jade went back to her little garden. The sun was setting and shining a warm red glow on Jade's flowers. While Dad was in town, he had bought everyone a small gift. He bought Mom a pretty necklace and Charlie a detailed toy airplane. Dad got Jade a small brown flower pot. He told her that she should put her favorite flower in it and keep in her room. Jade's room would always smell like her garden, fresh and sweet. She was having trouble deciding which flower to choose. They were all so beautiful.

Finally, Jade decided on large light pink peony. She carefully dug out the flower and placed it into the pot. Jade smiled and carried the pot back inside. As she walked inside, she had an odd feeling. The feeling of something watching you, something staring at you. Jade turned around to find nothing. Just the small forest and garden behind her. Jade decided she had just imagined the staring sensation and quickly set it aside. She walked back inside the house.

After Jade had placed the peony on a shelf in her room, she changed into her nightgown and climbed into bed. Her nightgown was silky and a light blue color. Jade let sleep drift over her.

••••••

The wind was wild. The house was swaying. Jade was awfully scared. She hated loud noises. She got out of bed, careful not to stumble over and fall. The house was shaking. Jade ran into her parent's room. They were up and Mom had a look in her eyes that told Jade she was frightened.

"It might be a tornado!" Dad yelled over the roaring wind, "Get Charlie and go to the cellar now! We'll be close behind you!"

Jade ran for Charlie's room, which was at the other end of the hall upstairs. Only now could she hear his crying. Most of it was drowned out by the ever getting louder wind.

Jade opened his door to find her little brother in his bed sobbing. He was probably the most scared of everyone. Jade picked him up and carefully ran down the stairs. The wind was a bit quieter downstairs, but only a bit.

Jade ran outside with Charlie in her arms, green footed pajamas and all. The wind was deafening outside the house. Jade could hardly see a thing with all of the leaves flying through the air and her hair blowing into her face, but she knew exactly where the cellar was. It was behind the biggest tree on the Peterson property. Jade ran for her and Charlie's life.

Once they reached the cellar, Jade set down Charlie on the ground next to the door, a little scared he was going to blow away. She opened the cellar door and helped Charlie down. Jade quickly coming down behind him. When she shut the cellar door, it blocked out the sound amazingly. Dad had always told her that the cellar was sound-proof, but she never believed it could block out so much noise.

There was some storage food and an emergency kit. You had to be prepared if you lived in Oklahoma. Jade sat down next to Charlie. She soothed him with assures that Mommy and Daddy would be here soon and he eventually stopped crying.

They sat there in the darkness and quietness of the cellar for quite some time. An hour? Three? A day? Maybe. Jade couldn't be sure. But Mom and Dad never came down.