Breathe.

17

Toni Braxton

"Toni..." I could have sworn I was still dreaming but Fessa yelled. "Toni!"

I jumped out of my sleep and looked up groggily at Nafessa who was looking out the window but whipped around quickly. "What?"

"Get up. We gotta get to the basement now!" She pulled me up after she said it and I noticed it was really dark outside. It was raining hard and I couldn't help but be shocked that I'd slept through the rain this easily. Still, I allowed her to pull me and when I glanced out the window, I saw something fly by. The house began shaking and you could feel it trying to hold.

"Fessa! We aren't going to make—." My words were silenced when I felt a huge force lift up on the house. Fessa cursed loudly before pulling us under her dining room table and placing me under her. She got on top of me and I clutched onto her for dear life with my eyes shut.

"Don't let me go." I begged her as I heard things crashing and clanking around us.

"I won't baby." She tried to reassure me but I could hear the uneasiness in her voice. I peeked and noticed that her eyes were opened. She was watching everything happen but I didn't have the guts too.

Rain began pouring onto us and someway I lost grip on Nafessa. "Nafessa!" I screamed but the winds were too loud for me to even hear myself. Something hit my thigh and I clutched it tightly as I opened my eyes some. The table and chairs were gone as was Nafessa but what I didn't see was the roof of the house.

I saw something heading my way and moved out of the way just before it hit the ground next to me with a loud crash. All I could hear was what sounded of loud metals clanking together. The tornado was lifting me up and I grabbed onto the pole that held one side of the porch up just before my feet began getting lifting off the ground. My grip was tight, but these winds were stronger. I was clawing at the pole trying to keep grip and right as I let go the wind stopped suddenly. I was dropped to the ground harshly, and rain was all that was felt on my skin.

Getting up slowly, I groaned. I looked down at my leg and saw the gash I had in it. Wincing, I put it in the back of my mind and went to find Nafessa. The house was demolished completely and I noticed that stuff that didn't belong to Fessa and her mom were now inside where the house once was. The walls were gone, and the only thing left standing was the poles that I hung onto and some of the living room. I was in the only room left standing.

Looking over into the sky, I saw that I wasn't in the eye, but the tornado had in fact kept going in it's trail of destruction. Rushing towards where the dining room used to be, I began picking up boards. Each movement made my thigh feel like it was giving out but I needed to find her. Grabbing the bottom of my shirt, I put it between my teeth as I ripped the cheap gas station shirt. Tying it around my leg, I cursed into the air as the pain hit from me applying the steady pressure to my wound.

Moving my leg around, I got back on task and began looking for her under the rubble. As I was throwing things, I could swear that I heard her voice. "Toni!"

I stopped suddenly and looked around. I heard her voice. I know I did. I wasn't imagining. Wincing from my leg again, I yelled back. "Nafessa?!"

Her voice came back quicker this time and it came from behind the house. "Toni! I'm coming! Just stay there!"

Ignoring her I began stepping over boards as I followed her voice and when I stepped into what used to be the backyard, I noticed that the neighborhood was gone. Fessa was holding her side limping to me. "Baby..." I called out as I rushed to her.

She noticed my thigh and spoke. "We gotta get you to a hospital."

"Me? I probably just need stitches, you're limping. Wh- What happened?"