Chapter 18 - Outbreak Part 2

"Shouldn't we go back for them?" Asked Lyssa. "It's moving through exactly where we left them."

"I have my orders to get all of you to safety first." Rodney replied. "That takes priority, also the Captain is with them. I'm sure he's guided them somewhere safe."

"Lj aren't you worried about your brother?" Lyssa asked quieting down a bit.

"Of course I am, but freaking out isn't gonna help him or us." He replied staring out the window of the bus. "We've came so far but still so close to the start. We're not gonna die like this."

Alyssa calms down and sits quietly, keeping her worries to herself.

"Where are we going sir?" Liam asked.

"To the school, it's easily the sturdiest building in the city."

"Look up there!" A random girl shouted pointing up to the sky.

Everyone's attention shifted to the newly forming vortex almost directly above them. It's hardly been a minute since the other one dissipated, but this new one would be touching down in the populated part of the city.

"Sergeant the road!" Dameer shouted.

An unaware dog stumbled its way into the road and was also fixated on what was happening above. Rodney swerved to avoid the dog, and the speed he was traveling at carried the bus onto two tires. He tried to pull it back but the bus slammed onto its side and skidded down the road.

The bus was quiet aside from coughing and groaning.

"Is...everyone ok?" Asked Rodney.

A few yeses were groaned with no one sustaining any serious injury.

"Sergeant we have a problem." Cory stated from the back of the bus.

"Yeah what is it?" Rodney replied.

Cory stared out the back window of the bus as the second tornado descended to the ground. Although it was much smaller it quickly formed to an F2 tornado with winds of around 130 miles per hour.

"Everyone out of the bus now!" Rodney yelled.

The bus had fallen on the side where the door was, so one by one they crawled through the entrance to the roof.

"Is anybody on this channel?" Said a voice over Rodney's radio.

"Yes yes I'm here." Rodney replied.

"Sergeant, where are you?"

"No time for questions, I need updates on the storm."

"Right sorry sir. A second tornado is about to touch down in the north central area. This one is a rope tornado and seems to be a bit weaker than the first one."

Cory and Liam got there feet against the back glass and proceeded to try and kick it out. The rope tornado now on the ground is only a mile up the road and is quickly approaching the sideways bus. Kick after kick after kick until finally they managed to push it out.

Rodney stood up and was able to open the driver's door above him. He climbs out and helps Dameer and a few others out.

"Those who aren't helping run to the church!" Rodney yelled over the whaling winds.

The church is two house up the road in the opposite direction of the incoming twister.

"Come on Lyssa let's go." Dameer says as he helps her out."

"Go! Go! Go! To the church." Rodney repeats.

Liam and Cory make their way over after Alyssa and Dameer.

"Hey, please help me." A boy says to Lj as he goes to exit. "Please help my foot is stuck."

They're the last two inside. Lj mind flashes back to Keily asking them to help him.

"Come on guys let's go!" Rodney yelled inside.

"He's stuck!" Lj says as he moves over to him.

"It's stuck under the chair please. Please don't leave me, I'm begging you." He says to Lj, breathing heavily.

Rodney jumps back in and the two of them attempt to free the boy. Wind is now blowing hard into the bus and the tornado is extremely close. Lj pulls the boy tennis off of the foot that was stuck. He then is able to maneuver his foot free.

"Alright move!" Rodney yelled.

They all ran out the back window and the tornado is right on top of them. They sprint to the church where Dameer is waiting at the door. Lj beats the both of them inside while the other two start to feel the pull of the twister. The boy stepped on a rock and stumbled right before the door. Rodney runs inside and right before the last kid makes it inside, he gets lifted. Lj grabs his hand while holding onto the door frame.

"NOOOOO! Please!" The boy shouted.

Lj feet then gets lifted but he still hangs onto the door frame. Rodney then grabs his arm, with Dameer and Liam holding onto him forming a human chain.

"I got you!" Lj says to him as he strains to pull him in.

Lj manages to pull him down to his elbow when he slips out of Lj's hand.

"NOOOOO!" The boy screams as he's consumed by the vortex.

Lj watches in shock.

"Pull him in!" Dameer yelled.

They managed to pull him in but couldn't close the door.

"Move away from the door." Rodney ordered.

When they pulled Lj in his body falls to the floor. Dameer drags him away from the door and everyone else moves away.

"Hey bro you ok?" Dameer asked.

"Yeah I'm fine." Lj replied as he stands to his feet.

He turns and stares at the door. The wind pushes in tree branches and debris as the twister passes.

"I couldn't get him." Lj says to himself.

"It's alright bro, at least you tried." Dameer replied.

"All we could ever do is try." Lj says before walking to take a seat.

"Sergeant are you still there?" The voice over the radio asked.

"Yeah I'm here. Who's this I'm talking to?"

"Private Danville sir, I'm at the office watching the radars and cameras."

"Danville?" Alyssa asked. "That's my dad."

"Say private, you don't happen to know an Alyssa would you."

"That would be my daughter sir."

"Well I could inform you she's safe with me. We're heading over to the school."

"Thank you sir. Please, watch over her."

"That's the least I could do Private." Rodney replies looking over to Alyssa.

"This building is pretty sturdy, why don't we stay here." Liam suggested.

"I trust the school more." Dameer replies.

"This building would withstand probably the strong F3 tornado, but on the off chance something stronger hits. We might just get leveled. I'm not one to risk my life, or even worse other lives." Rodney adds. "When we get a break we move to the school, it's only a mile and a half away. We also have to rendezvous with the rest of the class."

"That one was weaker than the first and we got lucky being close to this church." Cory says. "The others are out in rundown region and had to avoid the bigger one. How likely is it that they are really fine?"

"Shut up boy, you don't know what to say sometimes." Alyssa exclaims.

Alyssa looks over at Lj sitting in his seat as he ignores the conversation. Everyone else looks over at him as well.

"We should assume all possibilities." Rodney replied.