The Bluebird Project-Chapter 2
Chapter two of a three week, three-chapter, teaser.
Chapter 2
“Hello!” The deep voice came from outside the enclosure. Sanna, Ara and Jada all looked up from their game of Cataan and could almost make out the face of the park host with his face plastered to the screen. Rain was pouring off the sides of his hat onto an oversized yellow poncho.
“Hello.” Sanna replied back with a smile. “Come in. Want some coffee? We have crullers.”
The host cupped his hands around his eyes as he pushed his face further into the screen and peered inside. “I can’t come in right now. I was walking by and heard you talking in here. I apologize. I had no idea this cabin was even occupied. I looked earlier this morning and saw no one so I guess you just got missed. This park is closed for the next four days because of the storm and if you don’t leave soon, you may not get out. We’ve got another four inches of rain expected to fall before midnight and even heavier rain is expected tomorrow. It’s a really bad storm but it’s expected to get much worse. You all need to leave right now. The creek is already above flood stage. The bridge is still open,for now, but there is a fear the road may wash out before morning. All of your neighbors evacuated long ago. Which way did you come from? North or South?”
“South, just above Houston”, Sanna answered.
The host shook his head, “Well, the weathermen forecast this storm to go due east but then it came straight north instead. Caught us all off guard for sure. Houston is under water and some neighborhoods are completely cut off. People are being rescued by boat, helicopter... This is apparently the remains of tropical storm Timothy and it’s been completely unpredictable so far. Like I said, Houston is a real mess and we’re expecting major flooding just like them, especially out here by the lake. All this water has to go somewhere and it’s sure not going into the ground because of all those previous drenchers we had. The ground just can't suck up another drop. Look how deep the mud is already. The road in and out of the park is going to become impassable real soon so if you don’t leave in the next fifteen minutes you may not get out for several more days. Maybe longer.”
“Can we finish our game first? I’m winning.” Sanna asked.
The host looked at his watch. “Nope, it’s five-forty-five right now and the park closed at noon. You should have left hours ago. I came through at ten this morning but... Look, I'm really sorry. I guess I should have seen your car was still here but... It’s my fault for missing your cabin. Didn’t you notice everyone else leaving?”
Sanna picked up a game card and held it up to the host. “We slept in late. It’s been a really intense game. Jada’s got me in a real bad way right now. We’ve been...”
The host interrupted. “Look, I’m sorry for missing you earlier but you really need to leave right now. You’ll be refunded for any missed days, including today, and I’ll be emailing you a priority code for rebooking on any other days. The code is good for a year, and gives you first pick at the sites outside our normal six-month reservation window.” The host motioned to their car. “Please, hurry, get all your stuff together, get in your car and leave while you still can. Take it slow on the way back to Houston though since the low spots are more than likely flooded. I've heard a few cars washed off the road already, so please be careful. It's going to get bad.”
“Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise” Sanna quoted from Les Miserables.
The camp host seemed unimpressed. “Yes, that's very nice but please get your things together and go. My wife and I need to head for higher ground too and we can't leave until everyone is out. Please hurry.”
Ara took up the game board, cards and play pieces then jammed them quickly into the box then barked. “OK, come on everybody, get all your stuff together.” She turned to the host. “Thank you, sir, we’re leaving...right now.”
Sanna got a worried look. “But we can’t go back. What will we do at home? We’re enjoying ourselves here. It’s OK to be stuck here, isn’t it? We don’t have any plans.”
Ara scowled back. “Four days stuck inside this little cabin with you and Jada? Are you crazy? I love you both, but I don’t want to be cooped up inside this tiny cabin for four days in a storm. How would we even get over to the bathroom? We need to go. Now!”
Ara scurried about the enclosure shouting commands. “Come on Jada, up to the loft, throw down the sleeping bags and pillows. Put them in the car. Don’t worry about rolling them up, just stuff them in the trunk. Sanna, get the cooler and food into the car, I’ll get the clothes. We can get the house ready to sell. You can fix that kitchen cabinet you promised you’d fix a long time ago. Come on...let’s go!” Ara frantically grabbed futons off the floor and set them by the door.
Sanna stood slowly, grabbed the food bags off the end of the inside picnic table, then left to dump them in the trunk. As he stepped outside he sunk ankle deep in mud. He stepped back inside to grab the cooler just as bolt of lightning struck near where the dock had floated away into the center of the lake. The gas pump exploded into a tower of flame. A gust of wind bust through the back screen and rain began to blow in. Brochures lifted from the table and swirled in the air.
Ara pointed to the screen. “See Sanna! We can’t stay here. Just grab whatever looks important and we'll leave the rest. Jada, get in the car now. Sanna, quit moving so slow. Come on, we need to go.”
The damage along the route home was extensive,the power was out everywhere, roads were flooded causing them to make multiple detours around newly formed ponds. Long traffic jams formed at every intersection. The sixty-mile trip home became over one-hundred and forty miles with the detours. The normal two-hour trip turned into a long, tense, nearly eight-hour journey under pitch black skies. Rain was flooding the windshield faster than the wipers could handle. When they finally passed the sign for Houston Heights, and found their driveway, the remnants of Timothy was finally yielding to clear sky. A full moon shone brightly above Houston as Sanna, exhausted from the tense drive home, was glad to finally have his family safe at home. As he switched off the engine Ara cracked opened her eyes to look over at Sanna, “Let’s just leave it all in the car and get it out in the morning. I just want to sleep a long time in my own bed right now and forget about this night.”
Sanna sucked in a tense deep breath, nodded sleepily, then looked into the back seat to see that Jada had laid down and was sound asleep . He leaned over and shook her. “Come on little Jada. Wake up. We’re home.”
Sanna pushed at her again to wake her. Jada blinked her eyes open, stretched her arms above her head then spoke sadly, “Yeah, but not for much longer...right?”