Huddled together, we pray that we’ll be able to survive the night. The wind whips around our modest home, threatening the hundreds of trees surrounding us to fall. We lay together in the cold of our living room, too dangerous to sleep upstairs in the comfort of our own beds. In fear, small whimpers escape from my dry, chapped lips.






The sounds of the storm overpower our ears. As I sit in the darkness of our lifeless house, I question our safety and well-being. I helplessly shiver and jam my hands over my ears, desperate to block out the horrifying noise of the rushing wind.





“Mom,” I say, hardly a whisper. “The wind is really strong and loud. It’s so scary.” My voice cracks throughout the sentences, sounding like a frightened preschooler. I lay in my sister’s lap—I can feel her body trembling. The whipping wind is a freight train charging directly for our house.


















“I know, sweetie, I know.” Her wise eyes couldn't meet mine. An uneasy silence falls upon the room. My brother is buried underneath several blankets, not sharing them with rest of us. The daunting gusts start to pick up again. I try to ignore the sounds of the hurricane, but it feels near to impossible.










The battery powered television shows horrifying images of demolished houses, which sends a chill down my spine. The tiny screen turns all fuzzy then goes black. Disappointed, I feel as if all hope has been lost.










“Great the TV died!” my sister complains, rolling her eyes and rubbing her temples. She shoves me off her lap and buries her face underneath a pillow, wishing this all was a dreadful nightmare.











Suddenly, there is a loud roar and a huge thump, as if God had furiously stomped His foot a few feet from our home. Seconds later, there is a loud shatter of broken glass.

We all scream at the top of our lungs. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest—it’s now a firework bursting on the 4th of July. I jump up to my wobbly feet, shrieking hysterically.
My fearful eyes dart across the room and find a now broken window, with few, thin branches sticking out of it, only twenty short feet away from us. The curtains now have a mind of their own, blowing violently.









“What just happened?!” my now wide awake brother screams. I can see the terror in his glossy eyes. Our frightened dogs yelp helplessly, scratching on the gate that separates us.

I scan the room and am relieved to find that we’re all safe, like when I lose my phone and find it untouched, but the feeling multiplied.







“A-a-a…” my mom stutters, struggling to string together a sentence. She takes a deep breath, her hand grasping her chest, right over her pounding heart. “A tr-tree hit the house. But wh-what matters is that we’re all safe.” She finishes, trying to catch her breath.



“You may be right, Mom, but there’s still a huge tree in the side of our house!” my sister screams hysterically. Her hands wildly gesture towards the now shattered window.

“Did…that…really…just…happen!?” I shriek, taking breaths between each terrified word. As I hear the small whimpers of my isolated dogs, my body begins to tremble uncontrollably. The room becomes a swing set, swaying back and forth. The overwhelming scene urges tears to form in the corners of my eyes.





“Everyone, stay calm.” my mom demands, trying to put us at ease. I still hear a slight hesitance in her unsteady voice. “If we think about it, this could’ve been a lot worse, right?” We all nod at each other in agreement. “We’re all safe and that’s what really matters.” My mother’s words of wisdom are the encouragement we all need. A small smile appears on my suddenly satisfied face. “Now, c’mon. Bring it in.” Her hands are gesturing us to come toward her.


Hesitance roaming throughout air, we join in a sweaty, smelly group hug, but I love every second of it. For a moment, I forget that there’s a monstrous hurricane occurring outside and only focus on this moment. Tears rolling down my cheeks, I realize that this could have been a lot worse, but what matters is that we have been left safe and sound. The four of us huddle back together, and feel the warm heat of each other’s bodies.