Oklahoma’s features soften, the stress around his eyes fading. A ghost of a smile twitches his lips, and he rubs his mouth, hiding that I’ve brought up a good point.
“You’re right, as always.”
“Good boy.” I pucker my lips for a kiss, and when he leans in, his eyes flash red.
“Am I?” he rumbles. “I like that.”
Ruka hits his forehead on the steering wheel.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
“Can we please focus? The cells are getting closer, and she is out of control. What the hell is going on? This doesn’t make any sense.”
“I’ll tell you later,” Oakley promises. “Let’s just survive these storms first, okay?”
“We can do that.” Ruka yanks the gear shaft to drive, slamming on the gas so hard that Oakley and I slam against our seats.
The truck fishtails, the back slinging out so far left, the truck tilts on two wheels before getting on all fours.
“Jesus, Ruka! Don’t get us killed in the process!” I shout at him, clinging to the handle above me.
Ruka cranks up the radio, the speaker louder than the guttural growls outside from the tornadoes.
Chris Stapleton’sArkansasplays, drowning out the hail grenades hitting the truck.
The wedge tornado shifts, leaning right to head in the direction of the bar. It’s still moving slowly. It’s going to destroy everything it comes into contact with.
“I have service!” I swipe the app open to live stream, and Oklahoma snags my arm just as we launch over a huge bump.
We gain some air, soaring for just a second, then the tires hit the ground, thrashing us around. The phone falls out of my hand, thudding to the floorboard.
“You can’t. You’ll expose her,” he states with a slight shake of his head, his eyes drifting to Ruka.
I swipe away the live streaming app and decide to post a message instead:
“Bunnies, take cover now. A monster tornado is heading your way. Easily an EF4 and gaining strength. It will be catastrophic. I don’t have much time before I lose service again. Get yourself to safety immediately! Please, find shelter!”
“Ho-ly shit.” Ruka slams on the brakes, and we fly forward again.
The harness yanks my body to keep me seated, my neck snapping back, causing my head to hit the headrest. Oklahoma hits the back of my seat too, and I hear the snarl of annoyance because of Ruka’s driving.
My phone smacks against the floor again, and this time, the screen cracks.
“Damn it, Ruka!” I rub my shoulder, lifting the harness to massage the area.
“Hold on, tight!” Ruka slams the truck in reverse, wheat blurring on either side of us.
I bend down enough to see out of the front windshield when the multi-vortex tornado shifts towards us, gaining speed. The tunnel is circulating fast, the clouds morphing from light grey to black. Lightning sparks through the core, a beacon to Mother Nature at her angriest.
The song blaring through the speakers can’t be heard over the loud, monstrous howl outside. Hail smacks against the car from every direction. One hits directly to my right, clinking against the metal protecting us.
Ruka whips the car around, slamming on the gas. The tires sling dirt behind us and we spring forward, the car swerving left and right, tearing wheat from the root.
Oakley and I spin in our seats to look out of the back window, witnessing a terrifying, historical, once-in-a-lifetime event.
The two cells merge. The wedge swallows the satellite rope first, eating away until it forms the biggest tornado I’ve ever seen.
“Never in my fifty years,” Oklahoma whispers in awe and absolute terror.
