📚The Storm

They said a hurricane was coming on the news. As Floridians me and my boyfriend had learned to keep more than enough supplies on hand to get through even if it was just rice and beans. Our hidden room was our preppers station and it was so full our pantry also was a over flow for everything we could not fit in prepper room. We live a simple life but we are also prepared for whatever we may have to face. Our home sits in the country with the house backed up to a stone hill. Rare for our parts but we are thankful as we believe that this hill is what has protected us from many storms. God said he would never send another flood like the one he did with Noah. He never said anything about cataclysmic storms. This is our story of how we weathered the storms of the century and how we survived.

We were getting ready for our day a week before the storm was to hit. I had put the news on to listen to as I packed my partners bag for work in the kitchen. He had come into the room and I was watching the weather report. He asked, "Grace are you alright?"

"Yeah," I said. "Did you see the news reports they say a hurricane is coming through the gulf this weekend."

He watched the screen for a few and whistled as he said, "Well I guess we will be prepping this weekend then. Thankfully we have a lot of supplies in the preppers room and pantry. I will go around our two acres and cut limbs this weekend. Then we will have wood in case the fire goes out. We can also get more gas to add to the generator room incase we lose power. What are your plans for today?"

"I am not scheduled to work till Monday," I said. "I think I will get ahead of the storms and go to some of the stores we shop at and load up on supplies. If the freezers are packed then they will hold if we lose power and run them sparingly with the generator. I will also pick up extra blades for the chainsaw and pet supplies for us and the barn animals."

He stopped and asked, "Do you have a bad feeling about this storm?"

As the hair rose on my arms I said, "Yeah I do. Call it my spider sense but I have a bad feeling something dangerous is coming."

He nodded and said, "Well we have the money stock up on everything for us and the animals. I am glad we have the money to do it. Try to stock up on extra water as well if we do not use it now we will use it up eventually."

I finished packing his bag and drove him to work. Matt could not drive for health reasons so it was our morning routine even if I had to have him there between four and seen every morning. When I dropped him off at the shop we sat talking with his boss. His boss Sean asked, "Did you see the news report about the storm?"

Matt said, "Yes we did we are battening down the hatches this weekend if I do not have work and Grace has a feeling about the storm so she is gonna be doing supply runs early just in case."

Sean nodded and said, "My Grandma feels the same way her and Elsie are going to stock up the house today and over the weekend. Grace what are you thinking?"

"I think its going to be a beast of a storm," I said. "You know I went to school for meteorology and something doesn't sit right with me. Since I am not teaching online today I am going to load up everything for us and the animals and probably most of the weekend."

Sean laughed and said, "Prepare for the worst and pray for the best. I get that you may want to get the food grade buckets from the restaurant outlet before everyone thinks the same thing."

Chuckling I looked at my phone and said, "That is the first store I was going to. I hope they do not put a cap on everything because I am going to be buying a lot."

Matt leaned over giving me a kiss and said, "Be safe out there and I will call you thirty minutes before I am ready to leave."

Nodding I got back in the truck and headed to the restaurant store. When I pulled up the lot was almost empty. Going in the clerk smiled and said, "Welcome your the first did you have an order?"

"No," I said. "I am here to get food grade buckets with lids and other storage such as mason jars."

She nodded and said, "You saw the news report about the storms."

"Storms?" I asked.

"Yes there is one coming into the gulf now that is supposed to hit next weekend and three more right after her," The clerk said.

"Jesus," I said. "Well I am gonna stock up the house for sure than. I may have to do a few trips to the car."

She nodded and said, "Its what I plan on doing all weekend. We are limiting it to one cart per person but you can come back in as many times as you need for now as we are slow."

Taking my flat cart I headed to the aisle with the food storage and called Matt. He answered and asked, "Hey Grace are you alright?"

"Yeah," I said. "Are you in the truck with Sean?"

"Yeah we are in the van," He said.

"Put me in speaker," I said.

Sean yelled to everyone to quiet for a minute before he said, "Grace what's going on?"

"Its not one storm," I said. "The first storm is supposed to hit next weekend and she is bringing three of her friends."

Matt asked, "What does that mean Grace?"

"We need to batten down the hatches now," I said. "Sean you need to secure the shop and the sheds and everyone needs a plan. Once this starts its going to be bad. The last time something like this happened the storms hit Texas in the forties."

Mack asked from the van, "Grace how bad was it back then?"

"Catastrophic damage," I said. "This was before the coastline was built up. This storm is projected to hit anywhere from St Pete to the panhandle. All the other storms will daisy chain its way right after her feeding off the storm before it."

Matt asked, "What are you saying Grace?"

"Do you remember the Damage from Hurricane Ian?" I said. "That times ten. I am gonna call Bill and see what he is going to announce on the news."

Sean said, "Grace keep us posted and let us know."

Hanging up I called my old mentor and uncle Bill. He picked up and said, "Gracie love I figured I would hear from you today?"

"Hey Uncle Bill," I said. "You know why I am calling."

He sighed and said, "Gracie let me put you on speaker I am here with the governors office now. Everyone this is my Niece Grace she is a online professor with her doctorate in Meteorology. Grace I am the science man you want to give the explanation you would give your class?"

As I started to shop I said, "Good morning everyone as my uncle said I am a professor and I am located in central Florida. This weather event forming is a bad one. The last time something like this happened was in the forties and southern Texas was devastated. This was before the coast built up it will be worse than Katrina and Ian combined and anywhere north of our state will be affected as well."

I heard a voice asked, "What are we looking at damage wise?"

"Catastrophic," I said. "Basically the Governor needs to put us under a state of emergency and round up every emergency agency to get ahead of this. Mandatory evacuation on all beaches and low lying areas. Start preparing shelters and getting people to safety. Has a hurricane research plane been sent in yet?"

Uncle Bill said, "Its enroute now."

"Well I am doing my storm prep now and this weekend," I said. "People need to do so now. Sand bagging stations also need to be opened now and running through the following week. We need to start the emergency operation and not wait. It will save millions."

A voice in the room asked, "How can you be so sure?"

"History and Science, plus my spider sense is tingling I have never been wrong," I said. "Uncle bill I have my first cart loaded and have to go through check out call me if you need more assistance. Ladies and gentleman I am a born and breed Floridian do the right thing because this storm system is going to be bad."

Uncle Bill said, "Listen for your phone Grace and keep your ear piece in I am gonna need you for this."

"Sure thing," I said. 

I went through check out and a man came over to me. He said, "Miss I am sorry to bother you. I am the manager of the store. I over heard your call you were on do you really think it is going to be that bad?"

"Yes," I said. "I looked at the radar views that I have access to due to my uncle Bill before I called him. Prepare now if you can because once it hits its going to be bad. I am a low key prepper and I am going to every store I can this weekend because its going to get very chaotic out there. Can I shop here more or do I need to go to the next."

He smiled and said, "You are the only one here for now so continue to shop as many times as you wish I am gonna go call my wife and tell her to do the same. Thank you for being honest with me."

"I am sure there will be a special announcement from the Governor soon," I said. "If you have family on this coast round up the wagons and get everyone to safety."

Making another three trips into the store I almost filled up my SUV. Driving over to the other side of the plaza I went to the Dollar tree that had opened as Uncle Bill called through. Answering I said, "Please tell me they are listening?"

"They are," He said. "The Governor is issuing a state of emergency this afternoon and all schools will be closed by Wednesday of next week to start expanding shelters. They saw the science Grace will you be able to assist from home?"

"As long as I have power and internet yes," I said. "You know after noon today its going to be crazy where are you going to be?"

"Aunt Mina and the dogs are joining me at my apartment in Tallahassee," He said. "She is hiring people to move everything to the third floor as she packs up the house. We have not had a flood in eighteen years but we are not going to take any chances. Its to much antiques to move to the apartment but she is getting everything started now and bringing the stuff that could be damaged including the art collection. She is picking up Grandma from the nursing home in the morning."

"That was my next question I am glad you will have her," I said. "Let me call Matt and let him know things are about to go sideways."

He chuckled and said, "Sideways is a understatement. Listen get as much gas as you can now for your generator I know you have those four freezers fill them to the brim Tetris them and then stick water  bottle cases on them they should all hold as long as you run them for an hour or two each every twelve hours do not open them or your fridge unit unless you need them. Matt ran the generator lines right?"

"He sure did," I said. "We have everything ready to go. Give Aunt Mina my love."

"Sure will," He said.

We hung up and I called Matt. He answered and said, "Your on speaker Grace."

"Get your families in the store now everyone," I said. "We go state of emergency at noon today. The Governor will be having a press conference with Uncle Bill. Schools will be closed by Wednesday shelters will be opening then. I am on call and everyone my Uncle said to get gas as soon as possible and fill your cans and store them. Matt I have four cans in my SUV now and will fill them I am buying more as long as I can and will be filling the shed and four barrels in the shed."

Matt said, "Be safe and when you get home get your side arm for safety. Once the state of emergency hits its going to be chaos if people take it seriously and I want you to protect yourself."

Sean said, "We will be ending work early and I have been calling all clients this morning so limited work the rest of the following week. We will be finishing what we had to here and coming home early."

"Okay keep me posted," I said. Filling my cart to the brim with supplies I went to check out and brought the supplies to the SUV and went back in to finish shopping the store. When I was finished I walked over to Bath and Bodyworks to load up on their candles. When I was done I swung through the Chick Fila Drive through and then to the gas station next door to fill the gas can I had grabbed earlier that day. Since I could fit a few more gas cans in my truck I went inside the gas station and bought four more big ones filling them before heading home.

Once I got home I grabbed all the frozen and went to the freezers downstairs. Opening the first freezer I moved items around packing in the items I had with me and moving things from the next freezer to fill it completely. Once I was done I placed four cases of water to weight down the lid. Going outside I bought in the food storage bins, buckets and containers as well as all the mason jars I purchased. Bringing in all the supplies and food items I placed them on the dining room table leaving the kitchen table empty. Once the truck was empty I emptied all the gas cans to the barrels checking the levels. Throwing the empty cans back in the truck I added five more and went to the farm supply store. Grabbing a clipboard to place an order I handed the form to the clerk and she said, "Hey Grace its gonna be around an hour till we can get this ready. Do you mind?"

"Nope the truck is unlocked," I said. "Are you going to charge the card I have on file?"

"Sure am," She said. 

"Perfect I am going to walk the plaza," I said. "Everything should fit in the bed of the SUV. I will move the gas cans to the second row and my packages to the back seats. If you need more room add to the seats but you shouldn't. I am sure I will be back here again later."

"Want us to lock it once we are done?" She asked. 

"Please I am at the end of the pick up line so I would appreciate that," I said.

Grabbing my foldable cart I went to all the stores in the plaza shopping for supplies. When I had finished the last store I went back to my SUV and saw they had packed me up and placed the gas cans in the back. Going back in the store I shopped for a few more items and went back to the house with another full SUV. The rest of the day I went to farm stores and regular stores stocking up the house with supplies and getting gas each time I was out. Knowing Matt would be calling soon as I went to leave for my last run I added every gas can we owned to the bed of the SUV and started to shop at the local shops. 

I was in a discounted food store shopping when Matt called. He said, "Hey babe if you can head my way to get me I will shop with you."

"Alright," I said. "Let me check out from where I am and we can brave Walmart."

I hung up to him laughing as I headed to check out.

Grace- Main Matt- Second main     Uncle Bill/ Aunt Mina

Sean- Matts boss Elsie(wife) Grandma