Page 51 of Finding the Forward: Part Two
“Theheat’sbeen out?” AJ got our bags out of the back.
“For most of the block. It’s all campus housing. Heat’s shitty anyway. We can always order some little heaters. Or electric blankets.” Mercy shrugged.
“Good idea. I didn’t think of electric blankets. We don’t need heat, right? That’s what blankets and sweaters are for.” I texted the resident director for family and pack housing.
Me
Is the heat back on yet?
Ice glazed the front stairs. Waterleakedout the front door to the building, which ran down the street.
“Princess, this doesn’t look good,” AJ said as freezing cold air hit us. Ice and water were everywhere–the floor, the walls, and the stairs.
“Shit.” Mercy ran up the stairs to our place.
I took a bunch of pictures and sent them to housing, shivering with cold.
“Ver!” Mercy yelled. “Fucking shit, everything’s flooded.”
My heart dipped. “Oh no.”
“Careful. I think a pipe burst.” AJ helped me up the icy stairs, which alone were a safety hazard.
I sloshed into our soggy, icy place and rushed to my plants, most of which had cold damage. My automatic watering system had frozen, too. “My plants.”
“Where’s your breaker? Kitchen?” AJ asked. “Be careful. Don’t turn any lights on.”
“Yes.” My poor plants. Maybe I could save some of them. I put them on the coffee table, then sent more pictures to the housing office.
“Everything’s wet. What do we do?” Mercy came out, crestfallen.
AJ stood in the dim kitchen, wiping off the counter. “Do you have dorm insurance?”
“Yes. I took a video before we left. I always do.” My heart fell as I looked around. Everything in the living room was wrecked, from our big couch and TV to the pictures on the wall as water also dripped from the ceiling.
“Good. Before you do anything else, take another to show the damage. Then let’s put everything you’re taking with you on the counter. I’ll get some garbage bags. We might be able to salvage some of your clothes. We’ll toss them in the washer. Electronics and anything paper is probably ruined, but that’s what insurance is for. I’m guessing you had most of your important electronics with you anyway,” AJ said.
“My console.” Mercy crouched by the TV and sniffed. “I have a game buddy I take on the road with me. Butmy console.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. We’re going to have to work fast because we’re losing light. Be careful. You don’t want to slip. I turned off the electricity so no one electrocutes themselves,” AJ said. “Do you have a lantern?”
I found our emergency lights and then took the videos. I was freezing, feet and legs soaking wet. The kitchen was the least damaged, mostly due to dishes not being paper or fabric. I took my sourdough starter out of the fridge.
My room was the worst, water dripping from the ceiling. Our important documents were in a little water and fireproof safe in my room, so they were fine. Those went in my backpack, along with my jewelry, especially my grandfather’s ring.
A lot of the clothes in my dresser were pretty gross, but I put the important things in the garbage bag. My closet was slightly better, but they’d need some special care. Most of my shoes, purses, and anything on the floor were done for.
My books. My poor books. Sure, I had an e-reader, but I loved my paper books, too.
They were only clothes and things.
Still.My books.
Though I gulped a little, because most of my clothes and accessories would be expensive to replace. I’d painstakingly accumulated them from modeling jobs, resale sites, sample sales, and years of buying a few quality pieces instead of cheap ones.
My plants in my room didn’t fare any better than the ones in the living room. I moved the few I thought I could save into the kitchen.
“What now?” Mercy sniffed, putting a wet trash bag on the counter as I returned to the kitchen with another bag.
