Holiday hurricane

Chapter 6

It was Linda's 4th day in the cellar with her family. While she was down there, she became closer to her loved ones and gained a new kind of  respect for her family which she had never felt before.

Everyone was huddled closely in the center laughing and talking. They chattered on and on about their lives and the funny stories of the things that happened to them. Kayla was currently talking about when her oldest son went on his first roller coaster. Everyone was smiling and having a good time.

Linda looked up from the circle of people and glanced at the cement wall protecting them from the gusting winds and outside world. She hadn't been outside in days and she missed the crisp air going through her nostrils as she deeply inhaled the aromas of the country. It was something she couldn't get back home where she lived. The air was not as nice as it was down here and people were always smoking or letting the stench from the lack of a shower take over the streets in the city.

Linda and her mother got up from their seats to make lunch. As her mom opened up cans of processed meat and some fruit, Linda poured water into a pitcher with powdered milk in it and stirred. Personally, the thought of milk that came in a box and meat that came in a can repulsed her, but they were the only things that the family could keep for an extensive amount of time. She ate it every day even though she did not like it at all. Her mother cut up the meat and poured the fruit into a bowl, placing them on a crate that had been transformed into a makeshift table. Linda placed the milk next to it and grabbed a stack of paper cups. They called the family over to eat and everyone dug in.

There wasn't much to eat for snacks and the grossness of the meals made sure that they only ate the average three meals a day. Of course, the two boys complained about the food and picked at the rubbery substances in front of them on their plates. The rest of the family ate their meals without hesitation or any kind of reluctance at all.

As Linda and her relatives scraped off the last pieces of food and put every crumb into their mouth, they each got up and cleaned the dishes. Leftover food was then kept on the table and wrapped up in foil to save for dinner and snacks in the meantime. The area they were all in was then cleaned. The beds were made, the chairs were neatly placed, all personal belongings were put away in the owner's area, and everything looked a lot better than it did before.

The family continued to converse about their experiences and lives but Linda decided to make her way to her bed and relax. She had just placed her head on the soft, fluffy pillow when her pager went off. "Oh no!" She shouted, internally freaking out. "I forgot about our date 3 days ago!" She stammered jolting up from the mattress and panicking.