Hurricane!

Stephen's father shook his head as the weatherman gave an update on hurricane Eileen. "This is a bad one," Mr. Graham said to no one in particular as scenes of earlier damage in the Caribbean Islands were shown on the television screen. There were pictures of buildings with roofs blown away and streets littered with palm fronds and downed power lines.

Stephen looked up from playing his new astronaut rescue game and watched the weather report. He squirmed nervously as the weatherman warned that the hurricane would hit the mainland in about six hours. The hurricane appeared to be headed directly for their town of Gulf Point!

Throughout the morning, rain hit against the house and the pine trees twisted in the ever increasing winds. Stephen could see the concern on his parents' faces as they continued to watch the weather reports. His father charted the track of the storm on his hurricane map as it inched closer toward the coast.

Between watching weather updates, Stephen continued to play his game. The game was a mission to pilot a spaceship through the galaxy to rescue astronauts who were adrift in space. As he skillfully pressed the buttons, the figures raced past sudden hazards on the screen and returned safely to their spaceship.

"Look, Dad!" Stephen said. "I've finally brought all my astronauts back to the ship. I'm getting good at this game!" But his dad was studying the course of the storm and did not answer.

When the wind rattled the windows, Stephen looked outside at the raging storm. "Dad, would astronauts in space be in danger from a hurricane?" Stephen asked.

Mr. Graham looked up from his weather map. "No, son. They would be far above the storm."

Stephen wished he and his family could be like the astronauts - safe and far above the storm.

Early in the afternoon, the hurricane gained speed and took an easterly turn moving directly over the neighboring town of Harbor Beach. Stephen had no time to feel relief that his town was spared because the TV was filled with scenes of terrible damage in Harbor Beach. The phone kept ringing as Red Cross volunteers called his father.

"Sure, we can have the van ready to go in about an hour," Mr. Graham said. "I'll be right there." There was urgency in his voice as he hung up the phone. "We're needed in Harbor Beach, Stephen. Help your mother and me load our emergency food and water supply into the car. Those poor folks in Harbor Beach can use it."

Stephen nodded and put his game in his pocket. It might come in handy during the drive to Harbor Beach.

The Red Cross warehouse was busy with activity when Stephen and his parents arrived. Volunteers were packing food, clothing, and blankets into boxes and loading them into one of the vans.

"It's a blessing we were spared," one of the men said as he hoisted a box into the van. "Maybe these things will let those Harbor Beach folks know someone cares."

After the van was loaded, Stephen and his father began their trip to Harbor Beach while Mrs. Graham stayed behind to help sort more food and clothing.

They drove through heavy rain with the slap-slap of windshield wipers clearing their view of the storm damage ahead. Tree limbs littered the roadway and power lines lay everywhere. Some still spat eerie blue-green sparks into the wet air. They passed many homes with missing roofs and a church building minus its steeple. The astronaut game was forgotten in his pocket as Stephen watched the damage grow worse as they drove. He said a silent prayer thanking God for sparing Gulf Point.

As they neared the city limits of Harbor Beach, Mr. Graham slowed to a stop when he saw a state trooper standing by a patrol car with its blue lights flashing. When Mr. Graham stopped the van, the trooper came over to him.

"Sir, we're only letting emergency vehicles through," the officer said. "The damage up ahead is pretty severe."

After Stephen's father explained that they had food, clothes, and blankets to deliver to the gym, the officer removed the barricade and let them pass with a warning to watch out for the downed power lines.

At the Harbor Beach High School, a policeman directed them to a designated parking area for disaster relief vehicles. The rain had slowed to a drizzle as Stephen helped his father unload the van. Ready hands in the high school gym unpacked the items and set up distribution areas.

"This will help a lot," said the town Mayor, shaking Mr. Graham's hand. "Some people have lost everything." He looked around sadly at the people in the shelter. Some were sitting quietly. Others talked nervously about their frantic rush for shelter when the storm turned to the east.

Stephen watched as the warm clothing and blankets were given out. How grateful the people seemed. He had a lump in his throat as he thought about his home where everything was still safe. A young boy about his age helped his mother as they received blankets, clothing, and a box of food.

"Yes, everything's gone," the mother said to Mr. Graham. "Our house was leveled by the storm. We're lucky we came to the shelter."

"I don't feel so lucky," said the boy sadly.

Stephen wondered how he might feel if everything he owned had been destroyed - his stamp collection, the softball trophy, his toys . . .

Stephen watched the sad expression on the boy's face for a moment. He reached in his coat pocket and took out his astronaut rescue game. He looked up at his father. His dad seemed to understand his son's unspoken question and nodded. Stephen handed the game to the boy who shyly took it. "It's yours," said Stephen. "I have lots of other games at home."

"Thank you," the boy's mother said, "but it looks like a very special game. Are you sure you want to give it away? Mike will understand if . . ."

Already the boy was handing the astronaut game back; the happiness had gone from his face.

"It's your game, Mike," said Stephen. "Let me show you how to play."

The two boys sat on the floor with the game between them. "You need to rescue the astronauts and get them back to their spaceship. Start with this button."

Later that day as Stephen and his father walked across the parking lot, they saw Mike and his mother leaving the gym with an uncle who had come to take them to his home. Mike waved and shouted, "Hey, thanks Stephen!" Just then the sun broke through the clouds with a radiance which matched the smile on Mike's face.