HOLY SMOKES

twenty-one. don't let go

Magnolia gripped the back of Boone’s seat, her bottom lip between her teeth as she watched the tornado that was just ahead of them. It was beautiful, but she was still terrified. She hadn’t been close to one since the night at the rodeo.

“Breath, angel.” Boone told her and she took a breath, her shoulders relaxing a little, until the StormPAR vehicles pulled out in front of them, Javi’s truck nearly running off the road. She braced herself on the seat as Boone hit the brakes to keep from hitting the trailer attached to Tyler’s truck.

“Come on!” Dani complained, her voice coming through the radio.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Dexter shouted, just as annoyed.

Boone leaned towards the radio, “hey, these storm buttheads are cuttin’ us off, man!”

“Alright, let’s not get distracted.” Tyler told them over the radio. “Let’s get these babies in the air!”

“Usually, I’m yellin’ at him by now.” Magnolia mumbled, mostly to herself but Boone chuckled a little as rain started to fall and debris flew around, making it a little hard to see out the windshield.

“Lily, are you above us?” Kate’s voice came through the radio.

“It’s getting completely rain-wrapped. I can’t see a thing.” Lily told her, her goggles on her face. “Ah!” She groaned, pushing her goggles into her hair. “Yeah, I just lost my drone.”

Magnolia leaned towards the radio, “we lost visual! I don’t like this.”

“Put on your big girl pants Mags,” came Tyler’s reply.

“I’m gonna hurt him.” She mumbled, leaning back a little. And Boone hated that she didn’t have a seatbelt, hell, she didn’t even really have a seat.

The farther they drove, the harder it got to see.

Boone came to a stop behind Tyler and Magnolia leaned forward, trying to see why he had stopped. A gasp left her lips when she saw the tornado, and she could just barely see an over turned white truck – Javi’s truck – right in front of it.

“Oh, my God.” She breathed out and Boone reached back for her hand, which she squeezed. “Boone,” She hit his shoulder a few times, then she pointed towards the left and his eyes grew wide before he reached for the radio.

“Hey! On your left, Ty! It’s hittin’ somethin’ big!”

Just as the words left his lips there was a low boom and the ground shook as the tornado tore through a refinery that was barely visible until it caught on fire. The flames were sucked up into the vortex and Magnolia watched with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open.

“Shit,” it left her on a breath, and Boone quickly looked back at her. She had never once uttered such a word, at least not that he knew of and it just didn’t sound right falling from her lips. But he figured that if there was ever a time for her to use such a word, it’d be now.

“Back up, back up, back up!” Lily shouted, and Boone quickly put it in reverse, and Magnolia moved so he could see out the back window.

“Dex! Go! Go!” Boone shouted into the radio and the caravan backed up, Boone quickly doing the same and Magnolia watched Tyler’s truck. She knew he couldn’t move fast with that huge trailer attached to his truck.

Magnolia watched, her eyes squinted, as something flew right towards Javi’s truck. It hit the top and flipped the truck up right, and in just a few seconds, the truck was moving and she let out a breath.

After Javi turned down a road, Tyler followed and the others quickly fell in line, speeding down the road and Magnolia moved towards the back of the van, her eyes watching as the fire died out, leaving behind a huge vortex of black smoke.

“Is everybody okay?” Tyler called over the radio.

“Yeah,” Dexter replied.

“We’re okay,” Ben’s voice shook a little.

“Yeah, we’re good, man.” Boone told him. “We’re movin’.”

“Are you seeing this?” Magnolia nearly shouted, her eyes still fixed on the tornado as it seemingly followed them. “That’s insane.” She mumbled, watching as it shifted.

“Hey, it’s moving toward El Reno!” Dani’s voice came over the radio.

“Hey, guys," Kate said over the radio, "there's nothing we can do to stop it. But when you get there, make sure people get to a safe place."

"Alright, Dani. Where am I headed?" Boone asked.

"There's a - there's a kid's park on Main," Dani said, looking at a map. "Try to get people to basements, uh, big buildings. No windows. Stay away from windows. No cars, alright?"

"Alright, careful y'all," Lily instructed.

"Stay safe out there. Copy." Dani breathed out.

On the way to the town, they passed Javi's truck, who didn’t seem to be in any rush to help.

Boone pulled up next to a baseball field, where people were running, some were lifting kids over the fence, and others were trying to get people to move faster. They all jumped, getting right to work.

“Hey, everybody! Get inside, all right?” Boone shouted, waving people towards the closest building.

“Let’s go, guys!” Magnolia shouted, making her way towards the fence where she helped the person who was lifting the kids over it. “That way, go, go!” She shouted, pointing the kids in the right direction. And when all the kids were over the fence, the guy jumped over, falling to the ground and Magnolia helped him up. “Go, go! Get inside!” She waved him forward, then she saw some people climbing into theirs so she quickly rushed over and knocked on the window.

“No cars! Come on, there’s shelter this way!” She shouted through the glass and the woman climbed out of her car, following the crowd. Then she did it again, and again, making sure no one was in their cars.

“This way! Everyone inside!” Boone shouted, pointing people in the right direction.

“Come on! Let’s move it!” Magnolia shouted, then she saw a little boy fall and she quickly moved to help him. “You okay?” She asked once he was on his feet, he looked to be maybe ten. He quickly nodded, heavy breaths leaving him as tears welled in his eyes. “Come on, let's get you inside.” She grabbed his hand and ran towards the building, almost dragging him with her.

“Maggie!” Boone shouted, having lost her in the crowd and his panic peaked as he glanced around, not seeing her. “Maggie!”

“Come on, go inside! Follow them!” She told the boy and he nodded, following the crowd.

“Maggie!”

“Boone!” She shouted back, but she was too short for him to see over the crowd so she pulled off the bandana around her neck and held it in the air, while still waving people forward.

“There!” Lily shouted when she spotted it and they quickly made their way towards her once the field was clear.

“Baby, you can’t do that to me.” He breathed out once they were next to her and she stuffed the bandana into her back pocket before they made their way to the center of town. People were trying to hold into the tents – Magnolia assumed it had been a craft fair. So they quickly got to work ushering people inside as the storm grew closer.

“Come on! Let’s go!” Magnolia stood by the door of the theater waving people in as they rushed past her. “Come on! Inside!” Then she saw Dani helping an older man who seemed to be struggling so she rushed over and pulled his other arm over his shoulder.

“Almost there.” Dani mumbled, grateful for the help as they led the man inside and towards the screening room, where a move was still playing. They helped the man into a seat and Magnolia moved to rush back outside, just as the roof started to crumble, pieces falling and making people scream.

“Everyone get down!” She shouted, making her way through the room. “Get down and cover your heads!” Most listened, ducking down as more pieces of the roof fell and just as she opened her mouth again, more of the roof crumpled above her.

“Maggie!” Boone rushed forward and pulled her back just as it fell and she watched with wide eyes as it landed where she had been standing. “You okay? Are you okay?” He rushed out as she turned in his arms, his eyes wide and frantic.

“I’m okay. I'm alright,” she nodded quickly but her hands shook. “We gotta get everybody to the back of the room.” She pulled away from him and they got to work, just as Tyler, Kate and Javi rushed in.

“See if you can find a basement!” Tyler shouted, moving down one of the isles.

“I’ll check the other side!” Javi shouted back, before they separated. While they checked for a shelter, Magnolia, Boone and the others tried their best to get people away from where most of the damage to the roof was.

“Everybody, back-” a huge chunk on the roof fell, cutting Magnolia off and people screamed as they scurried away from it.

“Boone, this place isn't gonna last.” She mumbled, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

He swallowed hard, but he couldn’t let himself think about that. Because if this building wasn’t gonna last, then neither would Magnolia and that thought was just… he couldn’t even let the thought creep into his head. It hurt too much.

“We’ll be alright,” he squeezed her hand. “Promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

He just gave her a shaky smile and she blinked, trying to rid the tears from her eyes. She shook her head a little, she had to do whatever she could to help. She squeezed his hand before pulling away from him, she quickly helped a few people towards the back, telling them to duck under the seats.

She made sure the kids were covered, trying her best to watch the roof to make sure it was gonna hold up in certain spots.

“Where’s Kate?”

She looked up when she heard Javi and she watched as both he and Tyler rushed behind the screen and she followed, Boone close behind her.

When they reached Tyler, he was standing by a set of open doors, rain soaking him.

“Where’s Kate?” Javi asked, but he didn’t answer, he just looked forward and Magnolia followed his gaze. Her eyes grew wide as she watched Tyler’s truck head right for the tornado.

“Oh, my God,” she breathed out.

“No, Kate!” Tyler shouted as the tornado moved over the truck.

“Tyler! Tyler!” Javi pulled him back, but he fought against him, so Boone helped pull him back.

“Tyler!” Magnolia shouted, once they got him away from the door and he panted as he leaned against a shelf. “Tyler, look at me!” She grabbed his cheeks and made him look at her as Boone and Javi fought to close the door. “People need us.” she told him, hating the look in his eyes as he let her hands fall.

“Damn!” Javi shouted leaving against the wall, then something hit the outside of the building, making it shake as more of the roof crumbled.

“We gotta get these people… we gotta help get these people to the back of the theater.” Javi rushed out as screams echoed, then he was gone.

“Hey, we gotta go, T.” Boone patted his back, getting a nod in response but he didn’t move.

“Tyler, breath.” Magnolia told him sternly. “We need you.”

“Okay, okay.” He nodded, and they made their way back into the theater.

They were ushering people towards the back and away from the screen, Boone making sure he was right next to Magnolia. They all stopped when the building groaned, and they watched as the screen caved in, the wall behind it giving way.

“Get down!” Boone pushed Magnolia to the ground. “Hold on, baby! Hold on!” He shouted and she held onto the legs of the closest chair, him keeping his body on top of hers as he held on.

The first few rows of seats were swept away, leaving them with no barrier between them and the oncoming storm. Magnolia was in tears as she held onto the leg of the chair, her eyes closed until she felt Boone slip, and she turned, her hand grabbing his but it was an awkward position and her pain shot through her shoulder.

“Boone!” She cried, adjusting herself to get a better grip on him. She locked her feet around the legs of a chair and quickly grabbed his hand with both of hers.

“Don’t let go! Angel, don’t let go!”

She was a sobbing mess as she held onto him, trying her hardest to pull him back towards her. “I won’t! I won’t!” She met his eyes and she took a breath, pulling him towards her with a scream, she gripped higher on his arm, him doing the same to her. Then the chair she had her foot locked on loosened, and she jolted forward, Boone slipping from her grip but she latched onto him once again.

Then she did the one thing she hadn’t done in years. Not that she stopped believing, she just hadn't prayed in a while.

She closed her eyes and prayed… well, she begged. She begged, pleaded, with the big man upstairs because she couldn’t fathom a world without Boone in it.

“Please, please, please.” She repeated over and over again and just as the last leg holding her in place gave out, her own body sliding across the floor, the wind died down. Boone hit the floor with a groan as the tornado vanished just before it reached the theater.

Boone quickly crawled towards the sobbing blonde, pulling her into his arms and when her eyes met his she let out a breath. Neither really had time to comprehend that the storm was now gone as Boone pulled her into his chest, holding her tight as he kissed her head over and over again.

“We’re okay. We’re okay.” He repeated, his hands buried in her hair. “We’re okay.”

She sobbed into his chest, her right arm around him, but she couldn’t really move her left arm, “I-I-I thought-”

“I know,” he cut her off. “I know, baby. Me too.” She moved a little, tilted her head to look at him, both still on their knees. She stretched up and brushed her lips against his, it was soft and slow, her eyes fluttering closed, as did his.

NOVA SPEAKS

only a couple chapters left!! i can't believe it!!

thank you so much for reading and i appreciate all the comments, y'all really make my day!

i'm so happy that all of you have been enjoying this book as much as i am and i can't wait for y'all to read the last two chapters!!

love y'all!