HISTORY:  Storm Warning - Peterson - Coke County, TX

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Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
17 May 2002
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The Observer/Enterprise, 22 Oct 2002, Robert Lee, TX

Eubanks-Pedersen, publish stories in The High School Writer

(Editor's Note: The following stories were taken from the October issue 
of The High School Writer, Junior High Edition.)

Storm Warning

by Joanna Pedersen

It seemed like a normal day, but little did I know that was all about 
to change for the worst.  The sun was shinning brightly, birds were 
singing, and children were playing. It was Saturday, June 10, 1997.
Although the day started out great, at about two p.m. that afternoon, 
big black clouds started rolling in.  Mixed with these clouds came 
deadly lightning, gusty winds, and large hail.  Along with these  
potentially  life threatening things came my worst nightmare, a 
tornado!  I ran past my sister who was standing in the yard, stunned 
at the approaching funnel cloud. I flew into the house as fast as I 
could go, yelling, "Mom, tornado!" "What? Oh, no! Grab the dog, get 
your sister, and come on!  Lets go!", my mom wailed as she swept past 
me to the swinging doors of the storm shelter. I shoved a couch 
cushion into the shelter that I grabbed on the terrifying rush to 
the cellar. "Everyone is in, but wait, the dog," I thought, "Where's 
the dog? She isn't here, I have to get her!"

I slammed the shelter doors open. Whack, a small branch twirling 
through the air hit me as I climbed the stairs. The air was choked 
with debris. There she was, "Come, Sandy. Here, girl!," I called 
through the roaring wind and flying fragments.   When everyone was 
safe inside the shelter, I shut and locked both shelter doors.  The 
wind howled and tried to rip the doors open!  

"Somebody help me!" I screeched as I sprinted to the bulging cellar 
doors to keep them from flying open.  Finally the wind died down and 
we sat sill, too horrified to move. "Can I open the doors?" I asked
my mother. "Yes, open the doors," mom instructed as she moved to 
my side.

Our house was still there, but our neighbors house was demolished.  
We ran out searching for them.  They were searching for us.  We saw 
each other and clung together as if bound by glue.  That was the day 
I learned to appreciate nature's wrath and life itself.