right?"
Jules’ dad loosens his grip on her shoulders as she explains the events of the night. How they ran for the Grier house basement and then the house fell on them, trapping her and West. She looks towards West, who maintains his position by the curtain doorway.
"I...I don't know where she is, because I blacked out. What happened?" she calls over the Luthers’ shoulders to get his assistance.
"She was fine, Mrs. Luther. She climbed out of the basement with Jeff Parker to get help for us. I don't know what happened to them, I'm sorry. When they finally pulled us out, the others that were with us had already been taken away. They were worried about Jules, so they loaded us into ambulances right away and brought us here."
Mrs. Luther lets out a small gasp and her husband straightens. "I'm going to go speak to the nurses and see what they can tell me."
Jules notices Katie's mom pull out her cell phone and try to get a signal. "Are the cell lines down too?" she asks curiously. She has an overwhelming urge to call her friends and to know everyone is all right.
"The circuits are busy. I imagine they’re overloaded right now. I wish I could get word to your mother. She was worried sick."
"You guys were okay at home, then? Nothing hit there? Why didn't she come with you?"
"We were fine. The storm looks to have hit right outside the elementary school and followed highway sixteen through downtown; passing by the Grier house and ending right outside the town limits in Rossview. Mom is at home with Jason. He was pretty shaken up, and we didn't know what kind of mess we would find trying to get here."
"How did you get here? Mr. Rutledge was on his way to our house to let y’all know I'm okay. He said he didn't think you'd be able to get here without a four-wheel drive vehicle."
"Mr. Rutledge?" Her father looks confused.
"Dad, you remember West, don't you?" she asks and points towards West, who is now looking out at the triage area. When she says his name, he turns and nods his head respectfully towards her father. "I'm pretty sure he saved my life...and Katie's too," she adds with a smile towards Mrs. Luther.
Her dad walks over to West. "It's been a long time, West," he comments; his hand clasping his shoulder much as his father did earlier. An embarrassed look crosses West’s features as he stands there looking at her father. "Jules says you're a hero, huh?"
"Oh, no sir. No, all I did was grab her hand and run, sir. Anyone would have done it."
"He's being modest, daddy. He threw me on the ground and covered me when the house started to come down on us."
"Oh!" sighs Katie's mom; her eyes wide. "I can't imagine what you kids went through out there," she laments; big tears continuing to fall from her eyes.
"There were only like, what, twelve of us in the house? Our friends scattered everywhere. We don't know what happened to them..." Jules’ voice breaks as reality begins to sink in. "Mrs. Luther, we lost Tanya...and Candy and Tommy. I don't know where Stuart is, either." Her voice drifts off and Katie's mom pulls her into a hug and cries with her.
Her father starts talking, she assumes to West. "We were able to get to the edge of Grier field. We had to drive all the way around the town and backtrack, but we knew you were supposed to be there. The place was swarming with cops and Fire and Rescue, as well as a lot of civilian volunteers."
"What did they say?" she hears West ask as she tries to get her crying under control.
"They said there were several fatalities there, but they’re not done combing the wreckage. Then they told us everyone they found was sent here. They specifically knew Jules was here."
She swears she hears West mumble, 'Of course, everyone knows Jules,' but Mrs. Luther's mumbled words of comfort drown out most of what is being said.
"Steph, honey? Apparently Katie's in the cafeteria. They finally set up a waiting area for people not needing medical attention and they have her name on the
Jules’ dad loosens his grip on her shoulders as she explains the events of the night. How they ran for the Grier house basement and then the house fell on them, trapping her and West. She looks towards West, who maintains his position by the curtain doorway.
"I...I don't know where she is, because I blacked out. What happened?" she calls over the Luthers’ shoulders to get his assistance.
"She was fine, Mrs. Luther. She climbed out of the basement with Jeff Parker to get help for us. I don't know what happened to them, I'm sorry. When they finally pulled us out, the others that were with us had already been taken away. They were worried about Jules, so they loaded us into ambulances right away and brought us here."
Mrs. Luther lets out a small gasp and her husband straightens. "I'm going to go speak to the nurses and see what they can tell me."
Jules notices Katie's mom pull out her cell phone and try to get a signal. "Are the cell lines down too?" she asks curiously. She has an overwhelming urge to call her friends and to know everyone is all right.
"The circuits are busy. I imagine they’re overloaded right now. I wish I could get word to your mother. She was worried sick."
"You guys were okay at home, then? Nothing hit there? Why didn't she come with you?"
"We were fine. The storm looks to have hit right outside the elementary school and followed highway sixteen through downtown; passing by the Grier house and ending right outside the town limits in Rossview. Mom is at home with Jason. He was pretty shaken up, and we didn't know what kind of mess we would find trying to get here."
"How did you get here? Mr. Rutledge was on his way to our house to let y’all know I'm okay. He said he didn't think you'd be able to get here without a four-wheel drive vehicle."
"Mr. Rutledge?" Her father looks confused.
"Dad, you remember West, don't you?" she asks and points towards West, who is now looking out at the triage area. When she says his name, he turns and nods his head respectfully towards her father. "I'm pretty sure he saved my life...and Katie's too," she adds with a smile towards Mrs. Luther.
Her dad walks over to West. "It's been a long time, West," he comments; his hand clasping his shoulder much as his father did earlier. An embarrassed look crosses West’s features as he stands there looking at her father. "Jules says you're a hero, huh?"
"Oh, no sir. No, all I did was grab her hand and run, sir. Anyone would have done it."
"He's being modest, daddy. He threw me on the ground and covered me when the house started to come down on us."
"Oh!" sighs Katie's mom; her eyes wide. "I can't imagine what you kids went through out there," she laments; big tears continuing to fall from her eyes.
"There were only like, what, twelve of us in the house? Our friends scattered everywhere. We don't know what happened to them..." Jules’ voice breaks as reality begins to sink in. "Mrs. Luther, we lost Tanya...and Candy and Tommy. I don't know where Stuart is, either." Her voice drifts off and Katie's mom pulls her into a hug and cries with her.
Her father starts talking, she assumes to West. "We were able to get to the edge of Grier field. We had to drive all the way around the town and backtrack, but we knew you were supposed to be there. The place was swarming with cops and Fire and Rescue, as well as a lot of civilian volunteers."
"What did they say?" she hears West ask as she tries to get her crying under control.
"They said there were several fatalities there, but they’re not done combing the wreckage. Then they told us everyone they found was sent here. They specifically knew Jules was here."
She swears she hears West mumble, 'Of course, everyone knows Jules,' but Mrs. Luther's mumbled words of comfort drown out most of what is being said.
"Steph, honey? Apparently Katie's in the cafeteria. They finally set up a waiting area for people not needing medical attention and they have her name on the
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