Nothing makes you feel more uneasy about an upcoming storm than going to a Home Depot and finding out that they're all out of sand bags, generators, and flashlights.
I mean, this whole thing started off as "Tropical Storm Sandy" and then before you know it, phrases like "category two hurricane" and "coastal flooding" and "damaging winds" flooded the local news station, and everyone is split evenly down the middle between "It's no big deal" and "OH MY GOD GET IN THE CAR, WE'RE EVACUATING".
I stood in the long line at the cashier with the last two packs of AA batteries (one of which was open and missing a battery) and 7 feet of chains in my basket to tie stuff down, still trying to decide which side I was on. In front of me, I could hear the conversation of two teenage boys with identical mops of brown hair.
"I'm telling you, this is just a conspiracy to get people distracted," the shorter one said.
"Distracted from what?"
"I don't know, more important stuff. The elections. It's slowing us down."
The taller boy shook his head. "I'll start taking it seriously when they cancel school."
The shorter one snorted. "Yeah, like that'll happen."
In the next lane over, I watched as a Home Depot employee helped an older couple with their cart. Behind them, a father with a his brows knit in a worried frown tugged at his toddler's sleeve, who kept trying to grab at the candy by the register.
My peripheral vision caught sight of something moving on the ceiling. I looked up and stared at the hanging light. Either it was moving very subtly, or my eyes (and mind) were playing tricks on me.
"You saw that?"
I turned around and looked into the wide, cerulean eyes of the young woman standing behind me. "What?" I asked.
She pointed at something above us, and without even looking at what she was pointing at, I knew she was talking about the hanging light.
"You saw it move?" She asked.
"I'm not sure. I thought I might have been imagining it." I felt uneasy.
"I don't think so." Her wide eyes shifted from mine and settled back on the hanging light above us. I saw her touch two fingers to her right shoulder, then her left, then forehead, and finally the center of her chest. She was crossing herself, and for some reason, her fear was contagious. I turned back around to face the front of the line, and in spite of myself, I glanced one last time at the hanging light above me. I wished people would just hurry up so I can get out of here.
And that's when the lights flickered and then went out. Aside from the wind howling outside and a sudden "oh my God" muttered by someone a few lanes over, an abrupt hush settled over the occupants of the store as everyone held their breath and stared at the lights hanging from the ceiling. I could hear the young woman behind me reciting Hail Mary frantically. The sudden darkness inside the store made me acutely aware of how dark it was outside as well. I looked at the glass doors at the front of the store and saw angry clouds rolling in, fast.
The lights came back on just as suddenly as they had went out. The two high schoolers in front of me laughed nervously, and the girl behind me paused in her recitation briefly. People didn't resume their conversation though. Everyone was warily eyeing the lights above, which swung slightly every now and then - this time there was no doubt about it. The tenseness in the air was thick enough to cut through with a butter knife.
As soon as the cashier rang up my items and bagged them, I made a beeline for the doors, hurrying to get to my car. I wasn't really prepared for what I was about to witness.
As soon as I stepped out, the wind whipped at my clothes, pushing me back towards the automatic doors. I gasped and gripped my plastic bag tightly. I clutched my sweater closed and hustled to my car. The wind slammed the door behind me, and as I sat there behind the steering wheel, staring at the sky, I was suddenly overcome with fear.
The clouds were unnaturally dark, and they lingered low in the sky, heavy with rain. It reminded me of the way the sky would darken in the Harry Potter movies when Dementors were about. Just along the horizon, I could see where the dark clouds ended, and it made me think only NJ was going to suffer the brunt of this disaster. The wind nudged the side of my car, screaming at me through the window panes. There was so much paper and leaves and empty chips bags flying around in the air, swept away by the violence of the gusts. Lightning lit up the sky, turning the darkness into the brilliance of a morning in July, if only momentarily. I counted seconds until I heard the thunder, and when I didn't get past four seconds, I started laughing hysterically. What was it, three seconds to a mile? So this, this thing was only a mile away? The thunder was loud, and I saw two women crossing in front of me crouch down in a knee-jerk reaction and stare at the sky as the thunder ripped through the atmosphere.
I could go home. I mean, would it be safer than here? Bayonne is surrounded by water. But I was fine during Hurricane Irene. Maybe this would be the same.
I could leave, too, I guess. Head more inland. Blairstown maybe. Or I could leave Jersey altogether. Go to Philly or something. But would I make it there in time? What if I got caught in the storm?
If you chose to stay, click here.
If you chose to evacuate, click here.
[I'll update soon. In the meantime, think about your path.]
I mean, this whole thing started off as "Tropical Storm Sandy" and then before you know it, phrases like "category two hurricane" and "coastal flooding" and "damaging winds" flooded the local news station, and everyone is split evenly down the middle between "It's no big deal" and "OH MY GOD GET IN THE CAR, WE'RE EVACUATING".
I stood in the long line at the cashier with the last two packs of AA batteries (one of which was open and missing a battery) and 7 feet of chains in my basket to tie stuff down, still trying to decide which side I was on. In front of me, I could hear the conversation of two teenage boys with identical mops of brown hair.
"I'm telling you, this is just a conspiracy to get people distracted," the shorter one said.
"Distracted from what?"
"I don't know, more important stuff. The elections. It's slowing us down."
The taller boy shook his head. "I'll start taking it seriously when they cancel school."
The shorter one snorted. "Yeah, like that'll happen."
In the next lane over, I watched as a Home Depot employee helped an older couple with their cart. Behind them, a father with a his brows knit in a worried frown tugged at his toddler's sleeve, who kept trying to grab at the candy by the register.
My peripheral vision caught sight of something moving on the ceiling. I looked up and stared at the hanging light. Either it was moving very subtly, or my eyes (and mind) were playing tricks on me.
"You saw that?"
I turned around and looked into the wide, cerulean eyes of the young woman standing behind me. "What?" I asked.
She pointed at something above us, and without even looking at what she was pointing at, I knew she was talking about the hanging light.
"You saw it move?" She asked.
"I'm not sure. I thought I might have been imagining it." I felt uneasy.
"I don't think so." Her wide eyes shifted from mine and settled back on the hanging light above us. I saw her touch two fingers to her right shoulder, then her left, then forehead, and finally the center of her chest. She was crossing herself, and for some reason, her fear was contagious. I turned back around to face the front of the line, and in spite of myself, I glanced one last time at the hanging light above me. I wished people would just hurry up so I can get out of here.
And that's when the lights flickered and then went out. Aside from the wind howling outside and a sudden "oh my God" muttered by someone a few lanes over, an abrupt hush settled over the occupants of the store as everyone held their breath and stared at the lights hanging from the ceiling. I could hear the young woman behind me reciting Hail Mary frantically. The sudden darkness inside the store made me acutely aware of how dark it was outside as well. I looked at the glass doors at the front of the store and saw angry clouds rolling in, fast.
The lights came back on just as suddenly as they had went out. The two high schoolers in front of me laughed nervously, and the girl behind me paused in her recitation briefly. People didn't resume their conversation though. Everyone was warily eyeing the lights above, which swung slightly every now and then - this time there was no doubt about it. The tenseness in the air was thick enough to cut through with a butter knife.
As soon as the cashier rang up my items and bagged them, I made a beeline for the doors, hurrying to get to my car. I wasn't really prepared for what I was about to witness.
As soon as I stepped out, the wind whipped at my clothes, pushing me back towards the automatic doors. I gasped and gripped my plastic bag tightly. I clutched my sweater closed and hustled to my car. The wind slammed the door behind me, and as I sat there behind the steering wheel, staring at the sky, I was suddenly overcome with fear.
The clouds were unnaturally dark, and they lingered low in the sky, heavy with rain. It reminded me of the way the sky would darken in the Harry Potter movies when Dementors were about. Just along the horizon, I could see where the dark clouds ended, and it made me think only NJ was going to suffer the brunt of this disaster. The wind nudged the side of my car, screaming at me through the window panes. There was so much paper and leaves and empty chips bags flying around in the air, swept away by the violence of the gusts. Lightning lit up the sky, turning the darkness into the brilliance of a morning in July, if only momentarily. I counted seconds until I heard the thunder, and when I didn't get past four seconds, I started laughing hysterically. What was it, three seconds to a mile? So this, this thing was only a mile away? The thunder was loud, and I saw two women crossing in front of me crouch down in a knee-jerk reaction and stare at the sky as the thunder ripped through the atmosphere.
I could go home. I mean, would it be safer than here? Bayonne is surrounded by water. But I was fine during Hurricane Irene. Maybe this would be the same.
I could leave, too, I guess. Head more inland. Blairstown maybe. Or I could leave Jersey altogether. Go to Philly or something. But would I make it there in time? What if I got caught in the storm?
...to be continued.
If you chose to stay, click here.
If you chose to evacuate, click here.
[I'll update soon. In the meantime, think about your path.]
ah where's the continuation?
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