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Chapter 8

Chance began to unpack some of the boxes he had brought to his apartment. He had planned on moving more today but the weather disagreed. 

A severe line of thunderstorms was moving through the area so he decided to just use the time to unpack what he had. 

The television was on but he wasn't really paying that close attention to it. But he did know that the entire area was under a tornado watch.

As he worked, his mind drifted to the thoughts of Tim. The sweet kisses they had shared last night. He had found himself attracted to the brown-eyed man ever since he had laid eyes on him.

And to know that Tim liked and trusted him enough to talk to him, warmed his heart.

His thoughts were interrupted by a frantic beating on the door.

"What the heck?" He mumbles to himself as he lays down his father's picture and heads to the door. "Alright. Alright." He says as the beating continues.

"We need your help." Nate says just as soon as Chance open the door.

"Sure, what's wrong?" Chance says as he grabs his door key and heads out in the hallway with Nate.

As he starts to close his door, he hears the weatherman on the t.v. say 'Take shelter immediately!'

"A tornado has touched down just outside of town and may be headed in our direction." Nate says as they run down the stairs. "We have a bunch of panicking patients that we need to get to the basement."

"Oh, sh*t." Chance says as he notices the tornado sirens for the first time.

"Tina, Jenika and Olena are trying to get all the patients gathered in the recreation room so we can usher them downstairs to the basement." Nate says.

They run at full speed toward the recreation room. Checking some of the rooms with closed doors on their way, making sure no patient was left behind.

As they run into the room, they are met with a lot of screaming and crying from some of the more frightened mental patients. 

"Okay, y'all, please calm down. Everything is going to be fine!" The girls were yelling. "We have to go to the basement. You guys know the drill."

Chance's eyes scan the room as he looks for Tim. He spots him, Avi, Adam and Austin huddled together in a corner of the room.

"Let's go guys! We need to hurry!" Tina yells as they begin to lead the patients from the room. "Head for the basement!!"

Some of the more calmer patients were leading the way. The employees were making sure the others followed them.

Chance's eyes meet Tim's frightened eyes. He motions him to come.

Tim grabs Adam by the arm pulling him with him. Adam grabs Avi, who in turn, grabs Austin.

"Come on, Virgil!" Austin shouts as he is pulled along by Avi.

"Follow the others, Babe." Chance whispers as he grabs ahold of Tim's hand.

"No." Tim whispers. There was so much noise from the thunder and so much panic from the patients that he knew no one would hear him. "I'm not leaving you."

"I'll be right behind you. I promise. Now, GO!" Chance says as he pushes Tim and the others toward the hallway. "Hurry!"

The girls hurried the patients down the hall, trying to keep as much order as they could. Chance and Nate stayed behind to make sure all the patients had left the recreation room.

"That's all of them. Let's go!" Nate yells as he and Chance run toward the basement. As they enter the stairwell, Nate slams and lock the door behind them.

"Oh, no." Chance says as the lights blink. "I surely hope y'all have a generator."

"Nope, the state won't approve us one." Nate says as they run down the stairs.

"Well, then. I hope none of the patients are scared of the dark." Chance says.

"Only a few. Your buddy Tim is one of them." Nate tells him. "His dad used to lock him in the closet in total darkness."

"Oh, that's not good." Chance replies.

The girls had managed to get all the patients sitting down on the floor. Most had quietened down and was just listening to the sounds of the storm. A few whimpers could be heard.

"Chance, we usually try to sit next to the ones that are scared of storms or the dark." Tina says in a low voice as she meets Chance and Nate in the middle of the room. "You can sit next to Tim. He's over there." She adds with a slight smile.

Chance nods as thoughts and questions flood his mind. Do they know? Is it obvious that he and Tim like each other? Is he going to lose his job before he even gets started? Is she mad? If she was mad, she wouldn't be smiling. Would she?

Chance looks to where Tina was pointing to see Tim and his friends sitting next to the wall. Tim was rocking back and forth. Adam was talking to him as if trying to calm him down.

"We're safe down here, Timmy." Adam was saying as Chance approached them. "They say to get to the lowest level of the house. We're as low as we can get. There's like three or four levels above us. So that's a lot of tearing up the tornado would have to do before it gets to us. By then it would be too tired."

"Avi? Have you seen Virgil?" Austin asks as he scans over the other patients.

"News Flash, Austin. No one has seen Virgil." Avi says as he looks up at the lights as they flicker again.

"You okay?" Chance asks as he sits on the floor beside Tim.

Tim whimpers softly and shakes his head no.

"He doesn't like storms and he's extremely scared of the dark." Adam says. "I keep trying to tell him that we're going to be alright down here cause we're at the lowest level. I think it's exciting. That is until the lights go out then it will be like being in a big box."

Tim whimpers again and covers his head with his arms.

"That's okay, Adam. I'll take it from here." Chance says. "Maybe, uh, maybe you could help Austin try and find Virgil."

"Seriously?" Adam asks with a furrowed brow. "Are you as nuts as he is? Mr. Chance. I hate to break it to you but there IS no Virgil."

Chance chuckles slightly and takes a quick glance around the room. He was checking to see how the other nurses were dealing with the frightened patients. He was quite relieved to see the patients being hugged and whispered to.

"Just between me and you, Adam. I know he doesn't exist. But it might make Austin feel better." Chance says as he slides a comforting arm around Tim.

"But how can I look for something that you can't see? That's like looking for air." Adam replies.

Everyone falls silent as the lights blink one last time before going completely out.

"Now we are in your big box, Adam." Avi says.

Tim begins to sob as he clutches to the front of Chance's shirt.

"Shhhh." Chance whispers as he pulls Tim closer and kisses his forehead. "I'm right here."

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