Through the Broken Mirror

Chapter 4

             "We're what?" Lily asked, hoping she had misunderstood the deputy.

            Officer Davis shoved against the door once more before retreating down the steps to pick up the crowbar and hammer that Lily had insisted on taking with them. As he gathered the tools, Randy repeated, "We're trapped, but it'll be alright. You were smart to make me wait for these."

            He held up the instruments in his hands and moved back up the stairs. Lily took a deep breath and tried to remember what her father had said about getting out of the shelter if it was ever blocked in. It was a real concern for people out in the country because it could take hours or even days for anyone to notice the damage. Her parents were the kind that made them practice fire drills, tornado drills, and other emergency procedures just in case.

            Growing up, it had been exciting at first, but as her teen years came around, it became a nuisance. In that moment, all she could do was ask God to forgive her for her impatience and impertinence as a child, and she thanked Him that her parents had been so insistent.

            True to her training, she checked the vent to make sure they were still getting fresh air, but when she reached up into it, she could feel that it was blocked off. She turned to Randy, who was trying to get the crowbar wedged hard enough to lift the door somewhat. Her voice shook a little as she told him, "The vent's blocked."

            The officer paused his struggle then nodded and went back to work. Lily knew she'd be in the way on the narrow steps, so she focused on getting the vent cleared out. The handle of the shovel fit well in the hole, and she was able to push against the debris enough to see light and feel the air coming through several minutes later.

            Randy was still struggling, however, and Lily offered, "We have plenty of air now. Why don't you come get a drink and rest for a few minutes?"

            He nodded, wiped his face on the sleeve of his uniform, and sat next to Lily on the bench. For several minutes, neither spoke, lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Lily asked, "Do you think we could use the shovel? To help with the door, I mean."

            "How?"

            "Well, I thought that we might be able to both push up with the shovel, since the handle is longer, and then maybe we would be able to kind of move it up the steps until it's open a little better."

            She sounded unsure, but Randy nodded his head slowly in agreement. After a few seconds, he said, "I don't see what it would hurt to try. I haven't been able to make any headway on my own, and the steps just aren't big enough for two people with someone getting elbowed in the face."

            Lily smiled at his acceptance of her suggestion, and the two of them put the shovel to work. After several false starts, they were able to lift the door just enough to wedge the crowbar between the door and frame. Because her hands were smaller, Randy suggested that Lily set off a flare to draw attention to their location. It took nearly twenty minutes and a lot of strength on Randy's part to clear even a small path for the flare. When he was done, Lily took a breath and prayed that the flare would hit sky instead of the house or debris, and she was relieved to see the light against a twilight sky.

            Randy hi-fived Lily, and with their spirits lifted somewhat, they broke open the cooler for a few seconds to grab a plastic container of food. Lily had several varieties of sandwiches individually wrapped, because her refrigerator still hadn't been delivered, and she even had a few packs of apples and caramel dip for snacks that she'd prepared the day before.