Page 69 of Stand

Maybe a minute had gone by since the warning sirens. The man who’d reached them first ran down the stairs behind the last motorist, and his helper flapped the doors shut behind them.

“Have a blanket,” the small child said to Sam who, crouched down as she was, was the same height. “Can I pet your dog?”

“Absolutely. You’re very helpful,” Sam said, smiling at her. “Have you done this before?”

“Ever’ year,” the child said matter-of-factly. She couldn’t have been more than five. “Sometimes twice.”

“Welcome to Tornado Alley,” the woman said, shrugging as though death and destruction were just another day at the farm.

Ty felt Alyssa shiver behind him. “We’re okay,” he reassured her.

“What about Sam’s car?” Alyssa whispered.

“Don’t worry about my car,” Sam said. Ears like a hawk, she had. “The most important things are right here.” She sat down next to the girl and put an arm around her. “Okay?”

Alyssa bit her lip but let herself be pulled into Sam’s embrace. Ty sat next to Matt, who was on Alyssa’s other side, and nudged his shoulder.

“You okay?”

“Peachy,” Matt said. His face was pale, or maybe it was the fluorescent lighting in the room. Either way, Ty kept his shoulder touching his son’s.

The farmer turned on a shortwave radio and the local weather service crackled out, informing them of damage in towns Ty didn’t know. The female farmer offered sodas and water and pointed to a door in the back that led to a couple of composting toilets.

“We’re real grateful,” a large older man said from his spot next to his wife.

“No problem!” the woman said.

“Isn’t she worried about her house?” Alyssa whispered to Sam. Since she was turned toward Ty, he heard her.

Sam shrugged. “Sometimes there’s nothing you can do but wait. And hope.”

“And pray,” the older man’s wife said. “Shall we?”

The others bowed their heads, but Sam met Ty’s eyes and shook her head with a wry smile. He wasn’t a believer either, but somehow the gentle murmur of the prayer the woman led was soothing anyway. Alyssa screwed her eyes up tight. Matt looked down, but Ty could see his eyes were open. All valid responses to what was happening to them.

Something big hit the hatch doors, sending a clang through all their bones. Everyone jumped, and anyone who was still talking stopped. Alyssa gripped Sam more tightly, and Sam now had both arms around her. Ty caught Sam’s eye again and saw the fear there.

“We’re safe,” he said.

“How do you know?” she said, keeping her voice low. She was trying to be flippant, but the words came out as a plea. She hated changes in her plans. Ty had messed with her in the first place, just getting them across the country. Now he’d made it worse. He had to fix it.

“Because we’re together,” he said. “And these people know what they’re up against. Those doors will hold.” Did he sound confident? He sure hoped so.

He stretched out an arm behind Matt to touch Sam’s shoulder. “Breathe, Indy. It’s gonna be okay.”

Sam lowered her head to Alyssa’s, and Ty saw the shaky breath she let out. Cairo was leaning hard against her leg. The dog couldn’t lie down and relax. Like the rest of them.

“I promise,” Ty said.

“What about our stuff?” Alyssa said.

“It’s just stuff,” he said.

“Dad.” Matt rolled his head toward him. “Why do you always do that?”

“Do what?”

“Pretend everything’s okay.”

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