Jacob lay on the bed, listening to the sound of raindrops beating on the roof, the cadence slowly increasing as the storm intensified and moved over them. He let his feet touch the floor and moved to the window. Pulling back the drapes, he saw that the street was filling with water. Without power, the pumps would be down, and basements would soon backup. The cars were still there; the dead man’s body hanging out and soaked in the pouring rain. He looked across the street at the ruins of Smitty’s home.
Jacob thought of Frank’s story of the evacuation at the school. How he had to go back for his nephew himself. There was no rescue; they had to do it on their own. “Nobody’s coming,” he whispered. “Nobody.”
A stirring in the bed snapped his gaze from the street. He turned and watched as Laura propped herself up on one arm and looked at him. “Anything?” she asked.
Jacob shook his head and closed the drape before walking back to the bed. He sat down lightly at the edge, close enough that Laura could put an arm on his shoulder. A loud rolling of thunder rattled the house, and Jacob flinched with the noise. “Come to bed; lie down with us,” Laura whispered. “There’s nothing you can do.”
Chapter Five
There was a distant, low rumbling noise and muffled voices when Jacob opened his eyes. He imagined it was a dream until he heard them again, along with the growl of a diesel engine. He jumped from the bed and hurried to the window. Down the street, he saw a small military convoy moving slowly and deliberately. Green painted trucks, with men walking along beside them, headed in Jacob’s direction. The convoy stopped just in front of his wrecked car.
A Humvee, with a man standing in the turret over a large machine gun, led two large transport vehicles. As soon as they stopped, more soldiers dismounted the vehicles and stood near the curbs with their rifles out. Ignoring the destroyed homes, another group of soldiers ran to the remaining intact front doors, pounding on them and calling out for survivors.
Jacob watched in amazement as homes that he’d presumed were abandoned opened their doors. People were guided out and they hurried to line up at the backs of the trucks. Soldiers tossed in bags and helped men, women, and children climb steps to board the vehicles.
Rescue! They’re here! Jacob thought.
“Now! We have to go now!” Jacob yelled, jumping to his feet and waking his wife.
Grabbing the cordless drill, he removed the screws from the door as quickly as he could.
He grabbed the rifle, slung it across his back, and placed the pistol in its holster. His wife was fumbling with the backpack. Jacob grabbed it from her and put it over her shoulder, then lifted Katy. He grabbed Laura by the wrist and pulled her behind him as he ran for the stairs. He rushed for the already open front door, weaving through the overturned furniture and stepping over the remains of the splintered front door. Jacob worried when he saw that the trucks were nearly full. He called out and caught the attention of a soldier who was near his porch.
“Show me your eyes!” the soldier ordered, aiming the rifle.
Jacob stopped and raised his hands staring at the soldier. “We’re okay, we are all fine.”
The soldier looked them over and pointed a gloved finger at Katy lying in Jacob’s arms. “What’s with the little one?”
“She is just sick; she needs a doctor.”
The soldier stepped in and looked at Jacob closely then down at Katy. He frowned sympathetically and nodded his head. “Okay. Quickly, we gotta keep moving.” The soldier then yelled over his shoulder, “We got three more over here.”
Jacob rushed his wife and daughter ahead of him to the back of the first transport. A soldier was just beginning to close the canopy. “Sorry, sir, this one is full; try the other truck.”
Jacob looked at the man in shock. He knew there would be no arguing with him, so he grabbed his wife’s arm and dragged her to the second transport.
The soldier had already removed the stepladder and closed the gate, but when he looked at Jacob and Katy, his mouth dropped upon seeing the sick girl. “It’s okay. We can make room. Lift her up!” he said, locking eyes with Jacob.
Jacob lifted his daughter at the back gate. Someone grabbed her and pulled her on board the truck. He could hear Katy’s screams as he lost sight of her. He hugged his wife and went to lift her over the tailgate. From above, a man in a flannel shirt put his hand in her face and pushed her away. “Truck is full, man!” he yelled.
A second soldier stepped forward, put a hand on Jacob’s shoulder, and said, “It’s okay; you two can walk with us.”
“My daughter is alone in there,” Jacob yelled. “Just let my wife on.”
He turned and looked at Laura. “Don’t worry, I’ll find you,” he said before he lifted her again.
The soldier helped lift Laura, and as she grabbed the top of the truck’s tailgate, a woman on board grabbed her hand and tried to help pull her in. The man in flannel again came forward; he tried to peel Laura’s fingers from the gate then went to push an open palm to her face. “I said the truck is—”
Not allowing him to finish, Jacob let go of his wife and grabbed the man’s wrist. He lifted his leg to the tailgate and pulled back.
The flannelled man lost his balance and tumbled head first from the bed of the truck and out to the street. Hitting hard against the pavement, he lay motionless. Jacob watched as his wife was lifted up and over the tailgate. A soldier moved Jacob aside and began fastening down the canopy as shots erupted from behind them. Jacob spun to see a
