“Did Nicole’s brother go to school here?” Chase asked.
Dr. Krupp looked up from the folder. “Tony? Yes, he was an outstanding student and a wonderful athlete. Nicole is following in his footsteps, but the pool is her football field. Is Tony in town?”
“No. I was just looking at your diplomas and noticed that you went to the University of Georgia, where he plays.”
Dr. Krupp smiled for the first time. “Yes, Tony’s a Bulldog. I like to think that I had something to do with that, but he made up his own mind. The Rossis are an independent bunch, but you probably already know that.”
Normally, Chase would have let her hold on to her assumption that he knew the Rossis well, but he was getting tired of tries. That’s what his mother had called a statement or even a silence that was not quite the truth and not exactly a lie. When Chase, or anyone in the family, pulled one on her, she’d say, “Nice trie, now try again.”
“I just met the Rossis yesterday,” Chase said.
“Really?” Dr. Krupp said. “Mrs. O’Leary led me to believe that you were old family friends.”
“We are friends,” Chase said. “But we’re new friends.”
“Are you in the animal or circus business?”
Chase shook his head. “We’re in the storm business. My father’s a contractor.”
“For the government?”
“No, for himself.”
“M.D. Emergency Services.” Dr. Krupp glanced at the file, then back at Chase. “Is he a doctor and a contractor?”
“No,” Chase said. “Just a contractor.”
“We usually have one or both parents bring their kids in when they enroll them,” Dr. Krupp said.
“My father’s working in Saint Pete,” Chase said. “My mom died a couple of years ago. It’s just me and him now.”
“I’m sorry about your mom, Chase.”
“Thanks.”
Dr. Krupp’s phone rang and she picked it up. While she talked, Chase looked at the photos of Dr. Krupp’s family. Three kids and a husband who looked like a movie star, which surprised him. Dr. Krupp was okay-looking, but far from glamorous. And for some reason, her husband looked familiar, but Chase couldn’t remember where he had seen the man before.
Dr. Krupp hung up the phone. “Now, where were we?”
“You can call my dad if you want,” Chase said. “He always answers his cell.”
His dad carried a beat-up cell phone on a lanyard around his neck so he could get to it without having to reach into his pocket. It looked geeky to Chase, and his mom had hated “the phone necklace,” as she’d called it, but it was practical. His dad usually answered the phone on the first or second ring.
“That won’t be necessary,” Dr. Krupp said. “I’m sure he’s busy or he’d be here with you.”
Not necessarily, Chase thought.
Dr. Krupp handed him his class schedule and his locker combination. “This is a good school, Chase. You’ll like it here.”
08:20AM
Dr. Krupp had put Chase in all of Nicole’s classes, except PE, starting with Mrs. Sprague’s homeroom.
For as much work as they were doing in homeroom, Chase thought they might as well have canceled school. A third of the desks were empty. The television mounted to the ceiling was tuned to the Weather Channel.
At 8:45 AM Emily started to move.
While everyone stared up at the screen to watch the white whirl of destruction headed their way, Chase looked out the window. This is what people did in the old days before satellite imagery and Doppler radar.
When they’d arrived at Palm Breeze Middle School an hour earlier, the sky had been clear, with no wind. Now it was flat gray. Dead palm fronds were tumbling across the soccer field out back. Chase began to get a strange feeling about Emily and wondered if this was what his dad experienced when he made his predictions, or what a lightning rod felt just before a strike. A tingling sensation. A spark of premonition …
“Last night Emily was upgraded to a Category Four hurricane with sustained winds of up to one hundred fifty-five miles per hour. There is a chance she’ll become a Category Five, but what’s even more disturbing is the speed at which she’s traveling.
“Although hurricane winds can exceed one hundred miles an hour, the storm itself usually travels about fifteen miles an hour. This is one of the reasons hurricanes cause so much damage when they hit land. Instead of moving through quickly, they linger, giving the high winds time to cause severe damage.
“Emily is currently barreling toward the west coast of Florida at thirty-five miles per hour. We have accurate tracking records going back decades, and this speed is simply unheard of.
“On her current track and speed she will be making landfall near the Tampa-Saint Pete area around eleven this evening….”
About forty miles south of Palm Breeze Middle School, just like Dad predicted. Chase continued to stare out the window. He still had that tingling feeling, and it contradicted what he was hearing from the television and what he was seeing out the window. Although the wind wasn’t even close to hurricane strength, he had a weird feeling that Momma Rossi was closer to the mark than his dad or any of the experts.
Mrs. Sprague switched the TV to a local station, and a familiar face appeared on the screen. It was the anchor they had watched during dinner the night before. Chase realized why the photos of Dr. Krupp’s husband looked familiar.
He turned to Nicole and whispered, “Is that —”
“Yeah, that’s Dr. Krupp’s husband. All the teachers really like him. He comes to talk to us every year.” She leaned closer. “I think he’s a little strange. He wears more makeup than Dr. Krupp even when he’s talking to us.”
Chase doubted that the morning news was Richard Krupp’s regular beat. He was the prime-time anchor.
Chase and his father always got a big kick out of watching television reporters during disasters. They’d say they hoped the storm would pass them, but the truth was that they wanted to be right in the middle of it with their Gore-Tex gear, leaning into the wind, dodging debris, telling everyone how dangerous it was. If the reporters were unlucky and the storm hit elsewhere, they’d insert themselves into the story by jumping into their satellite vans and driving there, as if the town where the disaster struck actually needed more reporters.
Richard Krupp wasn’t in his Gore-Tex yet, but Chase was certain he would be before long. His hair was a little disheveled, and it looked as if he hadn’t shaved since the night before. He was wearing jeans and hiking boots, the sleeves to his sky blue dress shirt rolled up to just below the elbow. Emily loomed behind him in high definition like a circular saw looking for something to cut in two.
Richard Krupp was unafraid. He stared into the camera, trying to look concerned, but his shining blue eyes gave him away. He was excited.
“… looks like we’re in for a rough night, but the important thing to remember is not to panic. At this point, state police and local law enforcement are not calling for mandatory evacuation, but they are suggesting that if you have somewhere to stay outside of Emily’s projected track, you should proceed there after securing your property.
“The news team and I will of course be here for the duration….”
Of course. Chase looked at his new classmates. They were all glued to the screen, hanging on Richard Krupp’s every word.
“Let’s go to our meteorologist, Cindy Stewart, in downtown Saint Pete and see what the mood is there. Cindy?”
“As you can see, Richard, a few clouds have moved in and the wind has picked up slightly, but honestly, if we weren’t looking at the satellite images behind you, we wouldn’t know that a hurricane was headed this way….”
Richard Krupp looked irritated.
“But there is a hurricane coming, Cindy. A big one.”
“There’s no doubt about that, Richard, but due to Emily’s erratic behavior, we’re still unclear about where she’ll make landfall. Because of the speed she’s traveling, eve
n a slight deviation from the path she’s on could put her hundreds of miles away from Saint Pete.”
“But not away from Florida.”
“That’s right, Richard. She’s going to hit Florida.”
Richard gave her a triumphant look. Cindy rolled her eyes slightly, but continued to smile. Chase was beginning to really like her. He would love to see these two in the news station lunchroom. He suspected their relationship was a lot worse off camera.
“So, is there anyone downtown making preparations for the storm, Cindy?”
“Yes, there’s a lot of activity down here. As you attempted to say earlier, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.”
The camera zoomed out and Chase’s jaw dropped open at what he saw on the television screen.
M.D. EMERGENCY SERVICES
The camera zoomed back a little more, revealing John Masters leaning against his 4x4.
Nicole turned to Chase and said loudly, “Isn’t that your father’s truck?”
“Yeah,” Chase said. “And that’s him leaning against it.”
The whole class stared at him.
“Your dad’s hot,” a girl said.
“What’s that hanging around his neck?” someone else asked.
If Chase could have climbed out the window without anyone noticing, he would have.
“It’s a cell phone,” Chase answered.
“That’s kind of geeky.”
“He’s still hot.”
Chase had never thought of his dad as hot, but he had to admit that, except for the cell phone around his neck, his dad did look pretty good. He was wearing faded jeans, scuffed work boots, and a sleeveless T-shirt that showed off his tan and well-defined biceps and forearms. Strapped around his narrow waist was his favorite tool belt.
Mrs. Sprague turned up the volume. “Settle down, everyone. Let’s hear what Chase’s father has to say.”
Chase wasn’t sure what to expect, but his father looked perfectly at ease in front of the camera, as if he’d been on TV every day of his life. He hadn’t even been on the local news after the lightning strike. Dozens of shows had called asking him to appear, but he had turned them all down. Chase had thought at the time that his father was camera shy. He was obviously wrong.
“I’m standing next to John Masters, owner of M.D. Emergency Services. What are you doing down here, John?”
“Helping out … making sure the damage will be minimal if Emily hits here.”
“And what makes you think Emily is going to hit Saint Pete?”
“She may not, but she is headed this direction and this is where I happen to be.”
“And why do you happen to be in Saint Pete?”
“I’ve never been here before. Always wanted to come. Bad timing, I guess.”
Bad trie, Dad, Chase thought.
“Show us what you’ve been doing.”
Chase’s father walked Cindy through taping and boarding up windows, securing or removing anything that might get caught by the wind, moving valuables to the upper floors….
“In case of storm surge?”
“That’s right, Cindy. Just like we saw in Hurricane Katrina. If your house or building is standing after the wind, flooding is the next problem. Water damage can be worse than wind damage … much worse … and with all the oil floating around the gulf from the BP spill, there could be a real mess here on shore.”
The interview was interrupted by the voice of Mrs. O’Leary over the intercom. She called about twenty students down to the office, saying their parents were waiting to pick them up. Four kids from Mrs. Sprague’s class. By the time they gathered their things and left, Richard Krupp was back on the screen, trying to look worried but brave.
12:15PM
Chase called his father during lunch. He answered on the first ring.
“Twelve fifteen. How’s it going?”
“You’re right about the time, and I’m fine,” Chase said. “I saw you on TV.”
“At school?”
“Yeah. In a classroom.”
“That must have been a surprise.”
“It was.” Chase wondered if his father would have even told him if Chase hadn’t mentioned it first. “Cindy Stewart seems cool.”
“She is.”
“It doesn’t sound like she thinks Emily is going to hit down there.”
“She might be right. And if she is, we may have to move the Shack and Shop closer to Emily’s track. Tomás and I will stay here tonight, but if Emily misses us we’ll be heading up your way first thing in the morning to get you and pick up the rigs.”
Great, Chase thought. A new record. One day in one school.
“That might not be as easy as you think,” Chase said.
“What do you mean?”
“The clouds have moved in and the wind’s been picking up all morning.” Chase hesitated. “I think Emily is going to hit up here.” This was followed by a long pause on his father’s end of the line. It went on so long that Chase thought the call had been dropped. “Are you there?”
“Yep, I’m here. What other evidence do you have?”
“Nothing scientific, if that’s what you mean.” Chase didn’t want to get into Momma Rossi’s soothsaying. “It’s just a feeling I have.”
“Have they canceled school?”
“No, but a lot of parents have picked their kids up. The principal is married to that Richard guy on TV.”
His father laughed. “Cindy’s not too fond of him. You should have heard what she had to say off camera about Saint Pete’s Number One News Anchor.”
“What about Emily?” Chase asked.
“I don’t know. They’re still predicting that it’s going to hit down here, but at this point, your guess is as good as anyone else’s. You want us to head up tonight?”
“I guess not,” Chase said. “You’re already set up down there. If you come up here and I’m wrong, you might not be able to get back in.”
Roads were often closed during a disaster, which was why his father liked to be at ground zero beforehand.
“You know the drill. If you think someone’s making a bonehead decision, don’t go along with them. Remember that you’ve had more experience with storms than they have. Stick with what I’ve taught you. Do what you think is right. If the storm hits up there, save yourself. You’re no good to anybody if you’re dead … including yourself.”
Chase could not remember how many times his father had said these exact words to him.
“I will.”
His father continued in a lighter tone. “I didn’t get to ask you this morning, but what’s the farm like?”
“It’s a circus.”
“Wild, huh?”
“Literally.” It was obvious his father had no idea what Chase meant.
“That’s great. Well, I better get back to work. Keep an eye on that weather. Call me this evening.” He ended the call.
Nicole walked up. “Who were you talking to?”
“My father.”
“What did he say about his television appearance?”
“Not much.”
“He’s probably used to it by now.”
“As far as I know, that’s the first time he’s been on TV.”
“Really? I would think he’d be on all the time, considering what he does for a living.”
It’s now or never, Chase thought. No more tries. Especially with Nicole. “How long before we have to be back to class?”
“About twenty minutes. Why?”
Chase started with his mother’s and sister’s deaths, then moved on to the lightning strike and M.D. Emergency Services, and ended with their arrival at the Rossi Brothers’ winter quarters. He skipped a few things, like his father storing away all the evidence of their former life.
Nicole listened without saying a word until he finished.
“I’ve never met anyone struck by lightning.”
“That’s not surprising. Most people don’t survive lightning strikes. Believe me, it’s no
fun to see someone struck by lightning.”
“Especially your own father,” Nicole said. “Does he have any other … uh … ill effects from the strike?”
“You mean besides selling everything we own, becoming a nomad, and charging desperate people a ton of cash to help them?”
Nicole grinned. “Yes, besides that.”
“When he got out of the hospital, he got his ear pierced.”
Nicole laughed. “That sounds more like a midlife crisis.”
“Except for the fact that he had a jeweler melt down his gold wedding band and turn it into a lightning bolt earring.”
“That’s a little strange,” Nicole admitted.
03:33PM
Throughout the afternoon, parents arrived to pick up their kids. Several came with their SUVs packed, ready to head out of the storm area. The teachers seemed eager to leave too, especially the ones with children.
By the time the final bell rang, there were only a hundred students left in the building. More than half of them had parents waiting for them at the curb, leaving only forty-two bus riders to put on nine buses.
Dr. Krupp thought it was ridiculous to send out that many buses with so few students — an opinion all the bus drivers agreed with.
“The traffic’s terrible.”
“It’s the worst jam I’ve ever seen.”
“The highways are like parking lots.”
Dr. Krupp drafted the two most experienced drivers to take the remaining forty-two students home in two buses.
While they were figuring out who to put on which bus, Chase stared up at the sky. He didn’t like what he saw. The clouds were an angry swollen gray and looked like they were about to burst.