The Stars in the Sky

Chapter 22: Campout

Everything around us that normally was supposed to be still, was moving. We stood in the front room of Will's old farm house, the antique ceiling light swinging, a spindly wooden chair falling over, and papers and photographs falling off of a side table.

Crash!

That sounded like the dishes fell off of a shelf in the kitchen.

Breaking glass.

Oh no!

The pictures swung off-kilter on the walls.

It felt like we had been placed in a life-sized cardboard box, and now a malevolent giant was shaking that box with us in it.

I wanted to get out of that cardboard box.

We needed to get out of the house, now.

Will grabbed my hand and pulled me outside the house, down the porch and to the middle of the Headlands compound, running with me.

It was dark outside, but the moonlight illuminated the ground. We could hear the leaves on the trees rustling, and we could actually see the earth undulate, starting from the hills and working its way down to the fields. Watching the earth move in waves like it was the ocean was one of the eeriest things I had ever experienced. It was quieter outside than in, but there was still a low rumble as the earth moved, along with the sounds of leaves shaking and buildings creaking.

I realized that my arms and legs were shaking and that I was suddenly close to tears. I didn't want to panic. I didn't know if I was the type to panic.

All I knew was that I had to keep it together because we had a lot of people and animals to take care of. I could collapse later.

I took a deep breath.

As suddenly as it had come on, the earth quieted down. After an earthquake, your body had the memory of the movement stored and it always felt like "What was that? An aftershock?" Your body and mind played tricks on you and afterward you often felt the ground moving for a long time.

He spoke first, quickly, still holding my hand, which he squeezed. "Here's the plan. You okay?" I nodded. "I'm gonna run, help my Dad with my Ma, make sure she's okay, then meet you at the bunkhouse. You get the kids out. Don't want them to be in there in case there are aftershocks. Think we'll just set up camp in a field. Safest place in an earthquake is out in the open. We'll keep 'em away from structures until we can check for damage. We'll clean up in the morning when we can see better. I'll get tarps, you have 'em get blankets. I'll tell Claudio and Johnny to help."

And then he took off, barefoot, sprinting to his parents' house, wearing just his black track pants, his back muscles rippling. I ran to the bunkhouse in my flip flops. I could see several wranglers headed toward the barn.

As I ran up to the bunkhouse, I heard voices and knew that this was a vigorous enough earthquake to wake everyone up; I would guess that it was at least a five on the Richter scale, if not higher. I didn't know whether there was any damage inside.

Once I got inside, Maurice was on the stairs, talking with Tricia and the adult chaperones. I ran up to them.

"Will wants us to evacuate the buildings, and we're going to have a campout under the stars until we can check for damage in the morning. Get the kids to grab a pillow and sleeping bag and any cushions and head outside. Count heads. We'll regroup in the field."

I ran down the stairs and into Janiqua, in pink pajamas, bleary eyed, and close to tears.

"Are the horses going to be okay?"