American Girl

South Carolina

The wind kicked up, throwing sand in Maya Henry's face. The sharp shards bit her skin, but she continued watching the furious surf. Overhead, the sky loomed ominously. Dark clouds obscured the hiding sun. The beads in Maya's braided hair clacked noisily in her ears, mixing with the roaring Atlantic waters.

Maya loved Myrtle Beach in all seasons. When she stood on the shore, all her senses became fully alert. With the hurricane approaching, she wanted to capture every aspect of the scene. Despite the wind and the sea spray, she remained rooted to her spot.

Earlier, Maya watched a team of workers remove the lifeguard stands and lifeboats from the beach. They took them away to storage on a flatbed truck. She remained the only moveable object in every direction. Soon, she would have to leave, too. Nevertheless, she stood her ground, although the wind nearly knocked her off her feet.

"Maya!" She didn't hear her name until Aunt Chloe stood beside her. "What are you doing out here?"

The girl turned toward her Aunt. The wind beat Chloe's skirt between her knees and threw wisps of hair around her face. Maya looked at her momentarily before turning her eyes back toward the angry water.

"There's a seek shelter order in place," Aunt Chloe shouted, tugging on Maya's arm. "We have to get inside."

"One minute more," Maya yelled back.

"Not on your life, girly girl."

Maya found herself in a tug-of-war between the rushing wind and her frantic Aunt. Reluctantly, she let her relative win. Bending their heads against turbulent Mother Nature, they plodded homeward.

Inside, the house looked eerily dim behind the hurricane shutters. Aunt Chloe lit a single lamp. Its strange orange glow filled only a tiny space. Maya quickly snapped on more lights. At the height of the hurricane, they would probably lose electricity. She wanted as much of it as possible before they were plunged into darkness.

Aunt Chloe would remain the only adult in the house for the storm's duration. Maya's father worked as an EMT, and her mother was a police officer. They were both on mandatory duty. Aunt Chloe—her mother's younger sister—lived with them, along with her three-year-old son, Dante.

"Can't we have at least one window open?" Maya asked, peering toward the wall.

"Are you crazy?" her Aunt asked, staring at her disdainfully.

"I just wanted to watch the storm," the fifteen-year-old girl stated.

"You are crazy," Aunt Chloe answered her own question.

"Maya is crazy, Maya is crazy," Dante sang, running a circle around his two family members. Aunt Chloe's hand shot out, halting him by the shoulder.

"Hush, will ya?" his mother cautioned briskly.

"Yeah, hush," Maya echoed, plugging her ears with her fingers.

Outside, the wind howled for the first time. The hurricane was upon them. Dante shouted in fright and buried his head beneath a couch cushion. The sturdy house rocked on its foundation. Maya craned her neck, still longing to see outside.

The four walls closed in on Maya. She enjoyed outdoor freedom regardless of the weather. Edging toward the stairway, she glanced at her Aunt and little cousin. Her feet pounded the treads as she rushed toward her bedroom. At the top, she nearly collided with K'von. Her thirteen-year-old brother wore a pair of Scooby Doo pajama bottoms and an orange muscle shirt.

"Is my pizza here yet?" K'von asked, pushing past Maya.

"And Aunt Chloe thought I was crazy," she muttered, watching her brother amble downstairs.