Tornado Summer

The look on Grams face stopped us dead in our tracks.
Sam started to speak, but I said, "Shhh! Listen!"
The back porch wind chimes were clanging wildly. As we turned and looked out the window, what we saw was something I had hoped to never see. The sky was an ugly greenish black colour and the clouds were roiling and swirling furiously, seeming to move toward one certain place.
"What is it Grams?" Sam whispered. "What's wrong with the sky?"
The noise of the wind was deafening, even from inside the house. As we watched, a large funnel shape snaked down from the sky. It was a tornado! I'd heard stories about what they could do. I'd seen pictures of what they did. Its power was unstoppable. I was terrified of them! And I was about to experience one, like it or not!
Barely an hour before, I woke up to Goldie, the ginger-coloured house cat, stalking around on my bed. I threw back the covers and bolted upright, sending Goldie yowling to the floor. I yanked on my faded jeans, found and slipped on a favourite T-shirt, and went thundering down the stairs. I was in the hallway leading to the kitchen at the back of the house when I hollered out, "G'morning, Grams! Where's Gramps?"
"Good morning, Amanda", Grams had replied. "I think your grandfather's out by the barn. Is Samuel up and moving yet?"
My first reply had been a rather unladylike snort. I got hold of myself and answered, "Nope. He's still snoring away. I'll go wake him up." I headed back along the hallway and yelled out, "What's for breakfast, Grams?" then disappeared upstairs before I heard her answer.
Not even five minutes later, we charged into the kitchen and skidded to a halt.
Behind us, Judge, the old beagle, and Goldie, came scrambling into the kitchen, headed for the door. Goldie began clawing wildly at it while Judge whined loudly. Sam sidled up behind me just as Grams opened the door. The two animals crowded through it, jostling each other and Grams in their haste to flee the house. When they got outside, they skidded to a halt, not knowing whether to go forward to turn back.
I grabbed hold of Sam and held him close to my side. Together, we stepped out onto the porch and stood beside Grams. The most incredible sight met our eyes. We saw Grams' prize roses torn up by the roots and hurled into the air. Sam's favourite toy tractor soon followed, and a second later, we saw the shingles from the roof of the house flying about. Without warning, the tornado had appeared and touched down just a few miles away. It was headed straight for our grandparents' house! We had to get out of there, and fast! That's when we saw Gramps waving frantically at us from the barn door.
"Run, Amanda! Run, Sam! Head for your grandfather and don't look back! I'll be right behind you!" Grams yelled as loudly as she could. We barely heard her over the screaming of the wind. With fear motivating us, we took off...fast! Goldie and Judge were right beside us. We ran, streaking toward the barn, and shelter, while dirt and small pebbles from the yard stung us everywhere. The debris hitting out bare skin felt like a million small pinpricks.
For some reason, I stopped halfway across the yard. I looked back and saw Grams on her knees. I wanted to keep running but turned back toward her. I stumbled and nearly fell myself, but finally reached Grams and helped her to her feet. Arm in arm, we battled the wind as we crossed the yard to safety. The last thing I remember before reaching shelter was hearing a noise like the roaring of Niagara Falls, but a hudnred times louder.
I'm happy to say the tornado moved away from my grandparents' house that day. In the end, there wasn't really that much damage, but Sam's toy tractor is gone forever...like most of Grams' roses.
As for myself, I found courage I didn't know I had. I hope I never see another tornado though. One tornado summer is deinitely enough for me!