Under the same universe

C:1

Making my way to my kids school, the road was clogged with panicked people. Cars honking, screeching , and people shouting profanity at each other. I passed two car accidents in the intersection before getting to my kids school.

The first one the car was sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. The front had a large gapping hole where engine should be smoking silently. While the former occupant was standing outside eyes wide apparently shocked by the state of the car.

Yup that car was pretty much totaled and the owner is going to need to replace it. The car that collided with it was unfortunately a truck and it only had a messed up side door. The owner was still seated in the driver's seat white knuckled.

The other accident  looked like the people realized too late an accident had occurred in front of them and couldn't swerve safely away. So one of them decided to hit a tree and the other a lamp post. Some people got out of their cars to make sure everyone was still alive. Everyone else slowly maneuvered around the accidents. I did as well, all the people who were helping made me feel like I wasn't needed.

The school was packed with scurrying bodies. I quickly parked a block away and ran to the front of the school where a line had formed with fidgeting parents. One particular parent cut the line running to a teacher with a clip board." Hey I need to get my kids, let me through!" She demanded. the teacher's mouth tightened, her brows met in the middle of her other wise expressionless face. " Ma'am, I am sorry but I can only let in a certain number of parents at a time to make sure that the correct child or children are taken" the teacher explained.

This lady was silent before her mouth opened wide screaming"THIS IS ILLEGAL! I demand to speak to your principal, right now!" The teacher looked taken aback, she quietly speaks into a walkie talkie. After a couple minutes a tall woman comes out, her smartly pressed power suit swaying with each step. " Hello, Mrs. Fine. I must remind you that we follow protocols for the safety of not only you and your children but everyone elses"

This unfortunately unleashes a tirade of insults from the impatient parent. The tall woman' s face was stoic the entire time. she took a couple steps forward, craned her neck down, and  softly uttered something to the lady's face.

The parent grew still and went several shades paler. She turned around and scuttled toward the end. While getting more and more red in the face the farther down the line she got. After that incident there was only grumbling between the group of parents.

A teacher inside would signal the teacher outside for groups of two parents to be passed through each time after signing their name and  checking ids.

After finally having reached the front the teacher handed me the clip board. I filled in the spaces for my name, signature and gave her my id. She motioned for me to give the clipboard to the next parent. We waited for another couple of minutes before the teacher inside waved us in. I quickly  followed the sign for the cafeteria. Once i got there there was a general soft murmur amongst the crowd. I went to each of my kids teachers to sign them out.

One of the teachers had given me a flyer with some information about where everyone was going to shelter in.
It read: Evacuation order

Please note: if you do not

comply with the order, the

County and State are not liable

For loss of life. Pursuant

134.56.03 of the state law

under Natural disasters and

Emergency, Citizen rights and

Forfeiture.

Because of the nature of emergency and natural disasters, state provided emergency services may not be able to rescue in a timely fashion thus greatly reducing the likely hood of being retrieved alive.

Shelter designated for your area:

Hope stadium, 156 center st.

Please remember to keep valuables close to your person or out of reach of others.

*****************************

I skimmed through the rest of the paper. Lots of rules about what you can and can't do. I herd my kids toward the car." Mama, are we going home?" Said my oldest child. I hesitate for a second, carefully selecting each word before giving an answer "Baby, there is an emergency and we need to stay together with other people in order to be safe"   
I plug in the address into my map gps. I look over to make sure all the kids are in the child seats buckled. Satisfied, I look into David's eyes  reach over to squeeze his small hand and ruffle his hair before closing the car door. I turn on the car, adjust my seat belt and slowly make our way to the shelter.