Hurricane - Part 1

The sky was radiant as the summer sun glistened high in the sky. With the impending storm, the bright hues of blue would soon give way to gray clouds. Then the rain would fall, and the winds would bear down on the village.

Jax wondered how many trees they’d lose this year as he hammered the boards over the window. His arms were tired, and his stomach was begging him to stop working.

He jumped down from the ledge and looked at the time. It was well past lunch, and he still had a lot of work to do before the storm hit, but his hunger won the battle.

The Sea Shanty was the last restaurant open, serving the emergency crews. They’d close in a few hours, once the final evacuation orders were issued. He hurried down and ordered his usual, fish and chips.

From the deck, he could see the power of the waves crashing on the beach. He knew if this storm were a direct hit, there’d be nothing left. A sinking feeling haunted him, knowing he could lose everything within the next few hours.

As that realization set in, he finished his dinner and headed back to the house to board up the remaining windows. By the time he finished the fourth one, he wanted to give up. Was this just a total waste of time? He was beginning to think so.

When he glanced down the road, he felt guilt sneak in. Everyone else was working as hard as they could to secure their homes. Perhaps, if he used fewer nails in the boards, he’d finish sooner. The place was going to be destroyed anyway, but he’d get the credit for doing the right thing.

Decision made, he halfheartedly finished the job and packed the rest of his belongings before leaving for higher ground. The drive out to the evacuation zone took hours, but he arrived before the outer bands of the storm started to pound the village.

Exhausted, he decided to stop at a local bar and catch up with some friends. Scanning the bar, he found Dylan and Mitch surrounded by a few dozen boiled potatoes, corn, and crabs. He squeezed into the booth and asked, “How long have you two been at this?”

“All freaking day!” Dylan wiped the butter from his lips and smiled, showing off his missing tooth.

“Didn’t you board up?” He asked.

“Nah! We’ll be fine. Those weather guys always get it wrong.”

Jax grabbed a crab and cracked it before saying, “You fools. You don’t have to watch the weather to know this is a big one. I can feel it in my bones.”

“Yeah! Whatever. We’ve got food and beer. We’re good!” As the words rolled off Mitch’s tongue, the power went out. He didn’t miss a beat, popping a baby potato in his mouth.

Jax watched his best friends behave like children as they guzzled their beers and made lurid remarks about the weather girl. It was a bit too much for him, but he sat and laughed at their jokes, knowing he had nowhere else to go. He figured they'd ride out the storm in the booth and hope for the best.

By 2 in the morning, everyone was stinking drunk, but in the spirit of the hurricane, the bar kept serving. So, they kept drinking.

The windows rattled as the wind gusted with increased intensity. Sometime around 3 a.m., Mitch disappeared on a quest for the restroom, but he never returned.

Jax had passed out in the booth, and Dylan was curled up under the table, peacefully sleeping on the sticky floor.

They might have slept through hell burning down if it wasn’t for the blood-curdling scream that woke them up from their drunken stupor.

Laci, the bartender, walked out of the backroom covered in blood. Her words were inaudible as she stood there with the red emergency lights highlighting her petite frame.

"Mitch! It's Mitch. He's dead. Someone. Something mauled him."

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2!