Sleep stole sharply away from them as the freight train roared overhead. Ann instantly gathered Katie to her and her husband, Drew, snatched up the dog and they hurried to cower in the bathtub while above, their house swirled away.

Katie cried softly and the dog whimpered and Ann rocked against Drew while he held them all tight.

Ann’s brain kept murmuring: This happens in the Spring, not January.

As the roar ebbed, they sat there dazed. What if Katie hadn’t demanded a basement camping trip? Ann squeezed her eyes shut, recalling her resistance. After the week she’d had, she just wanted to sleep on her comfortable new mattress, not in a sleeping bag in the basement playing pretend explorers with her daughter. But Drew had insisted it would be fun.

If they had been in their bedrooms . . . Ann shivered. Outside there would be devastation. They had each other. They were the lucky ones.

end 1/24/2017

S. Darlington