Page 21 of Totally Shipped
“We take supplies we can carry, plus essentials like the fire starter and water bottles. Lock down everything else we can, heavy logs, etc.” I’m talking in a low voice, but Killian and Daisy are stirring. I want Gray and Leander in action like yesterday, because I know explaining things will take longer for those not trained like us.
They leave, not needing any more explanation. I go and wake Keyara.
“Hey, noodle. We are going to head up to the retreat because there is a storm coming. We’ll leave in five minutes. Can you grab whatever you want to take with you?”
Her hair is wild and her eyes are calm. Samoans are resilient people, and take all types of weather events in their stride.
“We are just doing this mainly as a practice—remember how you have cyclone drill at school?” I tell her.
She nods her head, reaching around for her jelly shoes. My heart swells; Keyara is the best. She’s nine (almost ten, as she reminds me daily), and smart. Just funny, pure goodness. A selfish part of me wishes that we never get rescued, so that Key can keep free of the pain and cynicism of the western world.
Daisy and Killian are sitting up, listening to what I’ve been saying to Keyara.
“Drill or real?” asks Daisy quietly.
“Drill—hopefully.”
She nods and Killian helps her to her feet. I take a moment to look at her vulnerable belly, the sweet curve I will protect with my life.
She’s in good hands with Killian.
I go outside and see how the crew are doing.
“I’m making parcels of food for everyone to carry,” Leander calls to me. “Gray is on lockdown.”
I can see Gray heaving heavy logs that spell our SOS sign over to the shelter to reinforce the structure.
“Good. We won’t stop at the pool, so bring all the empties. We can have rain fill them.”
Leander nods and gets on with his work.
I wish I could have some way to know what this weather front is going to be. At first, I honestly thought this was going to be a drill, but as the minutes pass the sky is getting darker, and taking on a purple tinge. I don’t like it. My mind is racing about anything else I need to think of.
“Rex?”
Daisy and Key are standing before me, ready to head out. Killian is helping Gray. Leander is bundling fruit into banana leaf parcels.
“TWO MINUTES!” I yell.
Yes, it’s an arbitrary amount of time, but time is of the fucking essence. The wind whips and the woven sun hats Daisy made go racing down the beach.
“OK girls, we’ll start, and they’ll catch us up.”
Forward planning. Speed and efficiency is everything when it comes to emergency evacuations. Yes, I’ve been a little obsessed with getting us prepared for cyclones, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why.
We continue along the path until we hit the rise. Rain has actually started sprinkling now, so I’m worried about the girls slipping.
“Careful, watch your step.”
I let Daisy go first, then Key and I take up the rear, so I can break a fall if need be.
The cave shelter creeps closer, and the rain and wind gets heavier. I adjust my position to keep my legs spread. I’m convinced either Daisy or Key are going to slip.
After an excruciatingly slow climb, the cave is almost within reach when I hear a yell behind me. Leander, Killian, and Gray have caught up.
Good. Everything is going to plan.
If this was an actual cyclone, we would have evacuated safely. Though it looks as though the weather is just a storm, not actually jumping the shark to deadly.
