Eclipsed Fates of Ever After

CH 3: Hurricane

~Beth~

“The hurricane is now a Cat 4. Wind speeds are not dying down. A mandatory evacuation has been ordered for the entire state. I repeat: this is a mandatory evacuation of the state. If you have animals and can’t transport, please dial…” I tune out the broadcast.

It doesn’t matter for us. Someone has to stay behind at all times in facilities like ours. I love-hate this internship, but I looove the science. Love wins. People called me all sorts of names in high school, but where are they, and look at me now.

Well, not now. I mean where I intern. Sure, hurricanes suck, but it could be worse. There’s time to evacuate and stuff here. Nothing like getting hit with an F-5 tornado.

“Beth! What are you still doing here? You were supposed to leave with the others.” Ms. Lisa, one of my interviewers, scolds gently. She has that motherly air to her, but a sailor’s mouth when provoked. I like her!

“Boss got knocked on the head. Something about a palm tree and needing a few gallons of rocket fuel? I don’t know. The doctor took the phone and said he was being evacuated but kept mumbling about his babies and saving them.”

“He doesn’t have kids. You have to lose your virginity to…” I start laughing. Everyone teases him about being a virgin. He’s not. He’s just picky. His tastes are also a bit different.

He likes being in MMF/MFM relationships and is a submissive. That makes him even more picky. For good reason, too. AIDS is all over down here. Safe, not sorry.

“His babies are the servers. All the data has to be backed up, and all this has to be followed.” I hand her the protocol checklist. Her eyes grow wide.

“We don’t have time. Where are you on this? Maybe I can help or call in someone.” She chews her lip.

“I’m on ‘Irish the F-ing coffee’ but I can’t drink, so…” I shrug. She looks at me in shock, looks at the list, flips a page, then back at me, and keeps looking back and forth for two minutes while I sip my coffee.

“Really?” I nod. She walks over to the cupboard and pulls down a little bottle. “I know nothing if you want to. You earned that shịt.” I laugh.

“I appreciate it, but I’m on medications.” She smiles and nods before putting the bottle back.

“Well, if you need to use it on someone for pain or to numb a wound, you know where it is. With this hurricane, you never know. You know what, just keep this on you. Actually…” Ms. Lisa runs around collecting things and sets them on the table. “I’ll be right back. I’ll get you a box, an emergency beacon, and…” She walks out of the room still talking. She’s adorable.

I look at the things she gathered. I shake my head and laugh. A knife, lighter, matches, bandages, MREs, an AED, and OOH! Lifestraws!

“Beth! I didn’t believe it when Lisa said you were here. Uh, she shoved all this in my arms and told me to bring it in. Sorry about this. You’re the youngest one here and the only intern. You should be warned. She has some of those floating hamster ball things for storms. She’s going to make sure you have… Is that her family’s moonshine?!” I laugh at his excitement and hand him the flask. “Oh hẹll yeah!”

“DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT MIKE!”

“Aww man! So close.”

“Michael.” Ms. Lisa glares and nearly growls at him.

“Yes, mommy.” She throws something at him. He dodges it and sticks his tongue out at her.

“Okay you two. I don’t want a black eye, please.” I laugh and dodge the objects being thrown. I think it’s ace bandages. I can’t be sure here.

“Sorry.” They both bow their heads and apologize like naughty children.

“Who are the adults again?” The project manager looks around and sighs. The head shake hides his amusement from them, but not me. He winks at me. “You two clean this up. Miss Beth, I appreciate you stepping in. Doug called a few minutes ago. I went to see if there was anything I could do, but you’ve already done it. Well done.” I blush and nod my head. That’s high praise. It's not something I’m used to from people in charge. He pats my head. “Good luck with these two. If you get bored, ask them to let you in on other things, okay?”

“Yes, sir.” I blush. He leaves the room smirking.

I did get bored. Thankfully, there was plenty to do. I was happy to help. People couldn’t believe an intern volunteered to stay. Eventually, there was nothing left to do, but hunker down and wait for the storm to pass. When it made landfall, it was downgraded to a Cat 3. Everyone was breathing a sigh of relief.

Three days later, the hurricane ended, and cleanup began. They sent me home for a change of clothes. Water, power, and everything civilian was down. When I got to my rented pool house, I was crushed. Just like my little home.

“Beth.” Ms. Gershowitz approached me sadly. “Darling girl, I am so sorry. I had the girls gather everything as soon as we saw. I know if anything can be saved, you’re the one who can do it.” I nod, numb to the world. That’s when I notice all the red.

“Ms. Gershowitz, what happened?”

“We don’t know. An officer is coming to look. We didn’t find any bodies. It was probably some poor shark or something. Come, I made you a room inside. My daughter is married and she always stays in a hotel. I’ll have the girls clean it out and set it up for you.”

“I appreciate that and all you’ve done, really. Unfortunately, I can’t stay long. I have to get clothes and head back. My boss was hit in the head and evacuated, so I have to step up until relief comes.” I link arms with her. Our normal.

Ms. Gershowitz is a sweet little widow of “29 and holding” for a good forty years. We stroll in the park or her garden like this often. There’s times when we dress in costumes from different periods and go to the park for fun. Always when it’s cloudy, at sunset, or sunrise. Otherwise, it’s “hotter than Satan’s balls” and neither of us would survive long.

I quickly gather some clothes. Most have blood on them. Luckily, I can do a quick load at work. I have to boil the water and use the peddle machine, but I won’t complain. Manual labor is fine if it means I don’t have to be in these clothes or covered in blood.

I look around the room and notice some strange objects. A bottle of sand and… is that blood? A few more bottles with different objects are tied to it. A few have rolled up pieces of paper inside. These bottles should have broken!

“Ms. G must have thought I made them.” I do like message bottles and stuff as art. My books are spaced with many. I open one of the letter bottles.

‘Val-Ella/Rani- 276…’ The phone number is in southwestern Virginia. I know this. A friend got lost in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I called everyone I could in that area until we found her. Looks like I’m calling these people when the phones get a signal.

I quickly gather my things. I decide to take the bottles on a whim. I’m curious about the other pieces of paper. This one has people, birthdays, the phone number, and some weird writing on it. I touch the raised ink. It’s definitely unique. My fingers have ink and drying dust on them. Great.

“MISS BETH! SOMEONE IS HERE TO TAKE YOU BACK TO WORK!” The newest nurse yells out. I smack my forehead and shake it. Ms. Gershowitz is NOT going to like that. This is her nap time.

I silently wish the girl good luck as I run out the door. I throw my clothes in the back before slipping into Mike’s passenger seat. He pats my head and blasts jazz from his favorite haunt in New Orleans.