Fiction Friday - Funnel of Fear

OK...there is a reason I chose this story today. All week long, tornadoes have been twisting their way through our country. In my area, we've had watches and warnings at least three times in the past 7 days. And then there was just news of the tornado that touched down in a Boy Scout camp in Iowa, killing 4 and injuring a dozen others (Prayers for all of those families!) So, anyway...tornadoes have been very much on my mind. So I chose this piece and although it's not necessarily a tribute in any way, I still feel compelled to dedicate it to all of those affected by these deadly twisters.

I have to mention that these Fiction Fridays have been so much fun! I've enjoyed digging through past Challenge entries and sharing them again, as well as reading some wonderful stories from other participants. You are invited to join in on the fun by visiting my friend Patty Wysong's blog where all of the details are posted.


FUNNEL OF FEAR

The only thing worse than being cooped up in a mini van with my family for three days was knowing that I would soon be trapped in a three bedroom bungalow with my cousins, who were a bunch of Bible thumping Jesus freaks. In the meantime, if my mom sang, "Open the Eyes of my Heart, Lord," one more time, I swore I would open my door and fling myself out onto the highway.

I craved the tunes of Metallica but the batteries in my CD player were dead and daddy dearest refused to stop and buy more.

I wished I were dead about now.

I stared out the window toward the sky and watched the black clouds swirl around furiously. Supposedly there were thunderstorms up ahead and the possibility of tornadoes. I smiled to myself for the first time in three days. I hoped we got sucked up in one. Now that would be cool. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the image of it.

"Are you guys excited?" Mom was asking. "Judd, remember how inseparable you and Mark were when you were younger? Aunt Jen says he's really anxious to see you again. She said he prays for you every night."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever." I'd heard dad say a million times that no matter how hard you prayed for someone, they still had a will of their own. And believe me, I would do everything in my power not to let anything - or anyone, especially my wussy cousin, Mark - break mine. The only person I could depend on was myself. Everyone else could go to---

Rain started pelting the window. Marble-sized hail followed. Suddenly the car was being pushed and pulled by an unstoppable force. I watched as a funnel cloud ripped toward us. It was too late to outrun it! Before I knew what was happening, we were being swept away! Scenes from the movie, "Twister," flashed through my mind, where cows were tossed like salad through the air and dropped to the ground below.

And then everything went dark.

Was I dead?

I didn't feel dead, although I didn't feel alive either. I remembered dad saying that when you die, angels carry you. I looked around frantically in the darkness, willing my eyes to adjust. I didn't see any angels, or anything else, for that matter.

Someone grabbed my hand and I let him lead me forward. There was a light up ahead and we started toward it. A sound like a waterfall grew louder as we neared the light. Then I realized it wasn't a waterfall at all, but thousands of voices singing, "Open the Eyes of my Heart, Lord." I heard a familiar voice call my name.

Could it be?

Grandma! Wow! She looked great. Not at all like the wrinkly old hag that I remembered. And Grandpa! He looked so… angelic! They were waving to me but somehow their faces looked sad. Was that a tear trickling down Grandma's face?

I wanted to stop and chat but the hand forcefully dragged me on, despite my protests. I looked behind me and watched my Grandparents, still waving sadly…

As the light grew dimmer, the temperature began to rise, causing me to sweat profusely. Hey - there was my buddy Doobie, who had died of a drug overdose two years ago! And Frank, who got killed while drinking and driving a few months back. Their faces looked hideous, as if they were being continuously tortured. Their fingers were clawing at their skin as though trying to break free from themselves!

I strained to hear above other unseen moans what they were shouting to me.

"Go back! Go baaaaack!"

I struggled to break free from the deadly grip of the hand. "Let me go! Let goooo!" I screamed.

"Judd? Wake up, buddy. We're here."

I opened my eyes to dad's hand, shaking me. Sweat ran down my face and I swiped at it as I whipped my head toward the window. It was still raining but the clouds were breaking up.

"The storm?" I asked.

"Oh, it passed right over us. It was nothing."

But I knew better.

My cousin Mark was there and he held out his hand. I pulled him into an embrace.

I looked at my family, who stood gawking with open mouths. "What are you looking at?" I demanded.

Then I slowly made my way into the house that would be my home for the next several days.