Twister on Tuesday - Mary Pope Osborne [6]
“May I take my slate with us?” Jack asked.
“Please do,” said Miss Neely. “Use it on your trip to California to practice your writing.”
“Thanks!” said Jack with a big smile. He put the slate in his leather bag. “We learned a lot, ma’am.”
“I’m glad you had a chance to come to school,” said Miss Neely. “Good-bye and good luck.”
“Good luck to you, too,” said Annie.
“Bye!” Will and Kate called out.
“Bye!” said Jack and Annie.
As they went out the door, Jack glanced at Jeb. He felt sorry for the older boy. He tried one last time to be friends.
“Bye, Jeb,” he said.
But the boy wouldn’t even look at him.
Jack gently closed the door to the schoolhouse.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad to get away from Jeb’s anger.
“That’s weird,” said Annie. “Look at the sky.”
As Jack turned away from the schoolhouse door, he caught his breath.
The sky did look weird—really weird.
The black clouds had taken on an odd greenish color. They all seemed to be going in different directions.
“Do you think it’s a grasshopper attack?” Annie asked nervously.
“No, I think it’s some more weird weather, like that hailstorm,” said Jack. “Let’s go before it gets worse.”
As they started back to the tree house, the wind picked up.
Jack and Annie looked over their shoulders. The greenish clouds had dipped down close to the prairie.
“I feel like something awful is about to happen,” said Annie.
“Hurry!” said Jack. “Run!”
He and Annie started running through the grass. When they got to the ladder of the tree house, they looked back.
In the distance, twisting black clouds had dropped out of the storm clouds. They were swirling into a funnel shape.
The dark funnel started twisting across the prairie.
Jack’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
“It’s a twister!” he said.
“Oh no!” cried Annie.
The twister was whirling and tearing across the grass.
“Let’s get out of here!” said Jack. He grabbed the rope ladder and started up.
“Wait!” said Annie. “We have to help Miss Neely and the other kids!”
“They have a storm cellar!” Jack said. “That’s what our book said!”
“Yeah, but it’s only their first day in the dugout! They might not know about it!” said Annie. “There was a rug on the floor!”
Annie is right, Jack thought.
He looked up at the tree house. All they had to do was climb up and leave, and they’d be safe.
But what about Miss Neely? What about Will and Kate and Jeb?
“Okay!” said Jack. He jumped down from the ladder. “Let’s go back!”
He and Annie started running back toward the schoolhouse.
They ran as fast as they could across the prairie.
The roaring sound of the twister followed them.
Suddenly, the wind threw them to the ground!
Jack clutched the tall grass, trying to stand. When he got up, he grabbed Annie’s hand. He pulled her up, too.
With all his might, Jack held on to Annie and pulled her along.
The roaring twister came closer and closer.
The wind ripped up grass and earth around them. The roar grew deafening.
Jack and Annie could barely stay on their feet. Finally, they reached the dugout.
They tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge.
They banged on the door with their fists.
“Let us in!” Annie shouted.
No one opened the door.
“They can’t hear us!” yelled Jack.
But the sound of the twister drowned out his voice.
Suddenly, the schoolhouse door blew off its hinges! It went flying through the air!
Jack grabbed Annie and pulled her into the dugout.
Inside, the benches were overturned. The room was a mess.
Miss Neely and the three kids were pressed against the dirt wall. Kate and Will screamed as the winds whipped around the room.
Miss Neely hugged Kate. Jeb held on to Will.
“Get in the cellar!” Jack yelled.
“What cellar?” shouted Miss Neely.
Together, Jack and Annie pulled the rug off the floor and uncovered the cellar door.
They grabbed the door and tried to open it, but the wind was blowing too hard.
Suddenly, Jeb was beside them. He pulled the door open. A ladder led down into the cellar.
One by one, Will, Kate, Miss Neely, and Annie went