After Zac's foot was bound, everyone decided that was enough killer for that night. Courtney rose from the couch and flipped on Shannon's nearby CD player to radio. Lori, Shannon, Zac, and Steve were having a loud conversation about killer. Courtney turned on them. "Shut up! There's a freakin tornado for crying out loud!"
Isaac glanced at her in amusement. The commotion became louder when Taylor and Lindsey joined into the conversation. Isaac moistened his lips, inserted both pinkies into his mouth, and let out a shrill whistle. Jamie slapped her hands over her aching ears.
Taylor and Zac looked at Isaac with wide eyes. "When did you learn to do this?" Zac asked in amazement.
"I've been practicing. You never know when you're going to need it."
"The tornado we have been focusing on has left Milwaukee but is stalled near Hartland and Delafield," the reporter announced from the radio.
His colleague added, "I feel sorry for those people in Waukesha county. It's supposed to hit them the hardest."
Courtney turned off the radio and started at her friends. Jamie began bawling hyseterically. Taylor, whi was closest to her, looked at her uncomfortably. Nicole stood next to Jamie and embraced the small girl. She too was petrified and on the verge of tears.
Steve muttered, "I hate Waukesha county."
"So do I," Zac agreed. His legs grew weak, so he lowered himself into the papizan.
"It's never like this," assured Lori. She hoped Zac was kidding.
"Yeah, this is, like, the first big tornado," Lindsey informed them, quoting a fact her dad told her a while ago.
"We won't die," Courtney promised, a slight hint of doubt lingering in her voice.
"How do you know?!" Jamie barked.
"I just do," whispered Courtney.
"That's really reliable," Shannon mumbled sarcastically. Before Courtney could offer a response, the room plunged into darkness. Nicole and Courtney screamed--not as much because they were scared. They enjoyed screaming. When Nicole stopped, she felt Jamie trembling in her arms.
"Nobody move!" Lori commanded.
"Oh, gaaaaaaa!" shrieked Zac. Courtney and Lindsey shared a nervous giggle.
"I'm scared of the dark," Steve remarked. Although he was just trying to make someone laugh, Courtney knew he kind of was afraid even at fourteen. Since she felt more safe closer to the ground, Courtney quickly dropped to her knees. Something solid and fleshy came into contact with her jaw. She cried out in agony and grabbed her chin. Less than a year prior, Courtney had had major jaw surgery. Since then, she had been very cautious not to knock her head into anything.
"What just hit my knew?" demanded Zac.
"I bet Courtney was trying to rub your leg!" Shannon suggested. Tears sprang to Courtney's eyes as the others laughed. Her tounge throbbed, and her mouth was going numb, so she couldn't talk. Instead, Courtney slinked into a far corner, curling up into a ball, so the others wouldn't hear or touch her.
While Isaac worked his way around bodies to get to the couch, he heard a very faint whimper behind him. "Shhh! Quiet for a second." The room became deathly silent. Only the sound of the heavy wind could be heard. "Carry on." Isaac's brow furrowed in concentration. As the others worried further about the blackness, he sat on the floor to try to hear the whimpering again.
Nicole, who was now next to him, took herself out of the nervous chatter and asked Isaac, "what do you smell, Ike?"
Nicole told him, "That was Jamie. She's really freaked out."
"No, no, no," interrupted Isaac. Talking to the whole group again, he said, "Guys, where is Courtney? I haven't seen her since the lights went off."
At the same time, Lori and Lindsey joked, "I haven't seen anyone since the lights went off." They giggled in surprise.
"She's probably just hiding in the corner," Shannon suggested. If Courtney hadn't talked for that long, she must be depressed.
"She probably went upstairs to get more food. Fat cow," Steve snickered.
"You're so mean, Steve," Lori laughed.
Isaac ignored the comments. He was going to have to find out on his own. "Courtney?" he said loudly.
Courtney was only a couple feet away from Isaac. She stared at his outline through her tears. Catching her breath, she made sure she wouldn't make a sound until the pain stopped. Her nose was running, but she wouldn't sniff. Courtney felt Isaac's hand reach for her socked foot. She tried to pull her foot in closer to her body, but it was too late. Instead, she wiped her tears on her sleeve and sniffed quietly.
