Free Untrusting (Troubled) by A. J. Wells

truck, Steve right behind
me.  I drive as fast and as carefully as I can to the clinic, a five
minute trip took fifteen minutes.  It’s almost impossible to see the front
of my truck.  Steve’s out of the truck and darting toward the door as soon
as I stop.  He works his way around to the compressor, that isn’t running,
and comes back just as I get the door open.  We almost jump through the
open door, the rain is pelting us and it hurts.  I check the light switch,
nothing.  We make our way to the door of the kennel room.
    The dogs are restless.  I grab
a flashlight, open the door and Chief’s up, moving around restlessly.  I
know that means a real storm.  Steve must think so, too.  He finds
the phone to call the station again, Bob answers.  There’s a tornado watch
in effect for the area, and Steve’s needed at the station.  Steve tells me
and says Bob will be by for him soon.  He tells me to move the kennels to
the middle exam rooms and to stay put.  A tornado watch in August is
nearly non-existent, but I’m not gonna argue after being out in the storm.
    I ask about Miss Lili and while
he’s telling me she has an underground shelter the sirens go off with the
warning of the approaching tornado.  Bob comes through the door hollering
for Steve, “A tornado’s touched down ten miles outta town, come on.  The
weather on the radio says there’s three forming in the area.  Sher, move
the dogs to the center of the building and get over to Aunt Lili’s and stay in
the shelter with them.  Maria and Shay are there now.  Go.” 
With that the guys run out the door and are gone.
    I’m shoving the kennels toward the
middle of the building when I hear someone in the waiting room.  Maria’s
here to help me get the dogs as safe as I can.  We make sure they’re under
every strong hold and steel table in the exams rooms.  The dogs are restless,
but we have no choice but to leave them.  I grab Chaucee, Chief and José
to take with us.  Maria drives her car with Chief back to Miss Lili’s and
I drive my truck with the other two dogs.
    It’s eerily quiet.  No wind,
no rain, nothing.  We have to drive around the trees and limbs blown down
across the road by the wind gusts.  Just as we get to Miss Lili’s, the
wind starts howling like a freight train, announcing the tornado.  We grab
the animals and head for the storm shelter.  Miss Lili lets us in and is
glad to see us and the animals safe.  Shay’s asleep, oblivious to the
whole situation.  There are cots for all of us so we settle down and,
eventually, fall asleep.  In the morning, Shay wakes us up, hungry. 
The shelter is stocked with cereal, dry milk, water, dishes and utensils, so we
feed Shay and Chaucee.  Not wanting to concern or upset Shay, we leave him
playing with the animals, as we venture outside.  There are limbs down, a
few shingles on the lawn and her flowers are beaten down, but Miss Lili’s house
is standing.  We go into the house with her to check things out.  A
broken window, a little debris and things scattered, but the house is in tact.
    Now I have to check on my office
and the dogs.  I run out to my truck, jump in and head for the office at
the top speed of five miles an hour.  The roads are more littered,
blocking my way, and I have to weave through the debris to make it to the
office.  The windows are blown out, the shingles are blowing around on the
roof but the building is still standing.  I go through the front door and
can see the back yard through the other side.  I run for the dogs. 
They’re fine, but they’re wet and cold because the back wall and corner of the
kennel room is gone.  Thank goodness I moved them.
    The business office and the x-ray
room are in tact and dry.  The records are fine and so are the electronics
and the supply room.  I find the puppies, the older ones are fine, but the
new puppies are cold.  I have to find something to cover them with to get
them warm, but my blankets