When Only God Can Save You

Rain battered the roof of the little house. The wind howled at the eaves like an animal out in the storm. Daddy and Dennis were watching something on the television before the storm knocked out the antenna. Momma was in the kitchen finishing the supper dishes and Richard was probably in his room. Now there was nothing but snow on the TV. Golf ball size hail pounded the roof. Daddy watched the storm through the front windows.

“Damn it to Hell! Those hail stones are bigger than half dollars. We’ll be lucky if this doesn’t tear the roof to shreds.”

Momma came from the kitchen drying her hands on her apron. “Did you hear any warnings on the TV before it went out?”

“No and who knows what’s happening now. You can’t see three feet off the porch.”

“As fast and hard as it hit it will probably blow through quickly. Nothing we can do now except be mindful.” Momma’s brow was furrowed. “As loud as it is, I don’t know that we could hear a freight train.”

Madelyn puzzled over that. There weren’t any trains near the farm. She had seen a train once when she had gone to town with her grandpa but that was miles away.

Grandpa and Granny lived to the east on top of the next ridge. You could see Madelyn’s house from theirs. She stayed with them for two months last year when Momma went to the hospital for surgery. Granny and Grandpa had an invalid child, Madelyn’s uncle Roy. Roy slept on a mattress on the floor. He was too heavy to lift in and out of a bed. He couldn’t walk but he could scoot across the floor using his heels and the palms of his hands. Roy would have been as tall as Grandpa if he could stand up, but his feet were twisted and wouldn't support his weight.

Roy had to stay in his bed when Granny and Grandpa were busy. They used sheets rolled up to make a belt which slipped through ropes nailed to the floor. Roy was strong. He could turn over furniture. Madelyn knew he didn’t do it to be mean. He was just looking for stuff. Roy had a swivel rocking chair in the living room. He would scoot to the chair and Granny and Grandpa would lift him into it. He would spin the chair round and round. Madelyn was sure it would make her puke but Roy seemed to like it.

When Madelyn was there, she tried to make Roy play with her. He had a doll, but he didn’t really play with it. He just threw it. She would fetch it back, wrap it in a towel and try to make him hold it like a good daddy. He just laughed at her. Roy would often look at her as though he knew she wanted something; he just couldn’t figure out what. Madelyn knew he didn't understand when she talked so she tried to show him. She knew when Roy was happy or mad. Most of the time when she talked to him, he laughed, but sometimes he looked very thoughtful. He was just a baby, at least that’s what Granny said. Madelyn was a big girl now, five years old.

The only word Madelyn ever heard Roy say was Momma. He only said that if he was very mad. Madelyn could help take care of Roy when she stayed with Granny and Grandpa. Sometimes Madelyn would tell Granny Roy needed a piece of candy. Granny would give her two of the marshmallow peanuts from a bag she kept on top of the refrigerator. Madelyn would take one to Roy and she ate the other. Thinking about them now she wondered if Roy was afraid of the storm.

“Well, it looks like it’s almost over,” Daddy rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

The rain had stopped, the wind was calm, and it did seem to be over. Momma was right, it was moving fast. Momentarily the sun came out and the sky was blue again. Daddy got the ladder from the garage and fixed the antenna attached to the roof. They were just in time to watch Lassie. Dennis turned on the television, yelled out the window that everything was working and sat down to watch the show. Daddy soon joined him. Richard inched his way unnoticed into the room and sat on the end of the sofa.

Madelyn looked around. Where had she left her doll? She looked in her bedroom and then in the kitchen. It wasn’t under the kitchen table. That was where she usually played. Going back into the living room she saw Lassie was running across a field barking for Timmy. She sat down; the doll forgotten for the moment.

Momma was tired. She awoke early that morning to get everyone up and off to church. Then she came home and fixed Sunday dinner. As she finished the dishes the thought of a hot bath and early to bed sounded perfect. She went to the back door wondering if her irises survived the hail stones. Stepping off the stoop she happened to look up. To the west she saw the dark funnel reaching out of the sky. Trees and debris spewed out around it. The funnel was heading straight towards Granny and Grandpa’s farm. She realized there was nowhere for them to go. They couldn’t carry Roy even if there was a shelter.

As she watched in horror the tornado hit a dry creek bed and turned. Now it was heading straight towards her and her family. She ran back into the house shouting at Daddy, “That looks like a tornado headed this way.”

Daddy jumped up to look out the window. “It is God Damn it! Run for the well house.”

Daddy took off with Richard and Dennis running close behind. Momma grabbed Madelyn by the arm nearly pulling it out of the socket as she dragged her quickly towards the well house. Madelyn was confused. She didn’t know what a tornado was or why everyone was so excited. Momma gave her no time to question. They ran out the back door and into the tiny well house.

Daddy had only finished building the well house a few months before. It was built of thick native stone and cement to house the pump placed over the well. When they were all inside Daddy grabbed the handle of the door with both hands and placed his feet on either side, leaning back. There was no latch on the inside of the door. It was never meant to be locked from the inside. Madelyn looked around at the dirt floor. She could smell the damp earth and she saw a lizard run behind the pump. It was dark. She didn’t like it here. Momma immediately dropped to her knees and began to pray. Madelyn was overcome by fear that welled up inside. She only knew whatever a tornado was, it must be bad if only God could save them. It must be a monster.

Suddenly her ears filled with a roaring so loud it hurt. Richard and Dennis squealed nervously and hopping up and down. Momma prayed out loud, “Please Lord, Dear God in Heaven!” The door to the well house began to inch open shakily as Daddy strained back even harder. The muscles in his arms bulging until Madelyn thought they might explode. All around them were the sounds of crashing, cracking, and explosions. Just that fast it was over. The roar moved away growing softer leaving only the sound of Momma praying, the boys' nervously giggling and a ringing in her ears.

Daddy finally let go of the handle slumping against the door jam, sweat dripped from his forehead. He was shaking violently. It took him a moment to catch his breath. With great effort he pushed open the door, forcing it past tree branches that lay across the well house and on the ground around it. The big oak tree that had stood for decades was pulled up by its roots. The roots stood higher than Daddy’s head reaching into the sky like the gnarled claws of some monstrous animal.

The garage which had been several yards from the house now lay across the front porch. Madelyn looked around in disbelief. Even in her wildest imagination she never thought something could do this. They walked in the back door carefully stepping over debris. When they entered the kitchen, it was light inside. Looking up Madelyn saw blue sky and realized the roof was gone. Huge pieces of glass were driven into the walls like daggers. They glistened in the sunlight that streamed through the opening above.

Madelyn looked down and there among the broken glass and the remains of the house was her doll, staring blankly up at her. She picked it up mechanically, shaking off the rubble and cradling it next to her, a single piece of normality in a world turned upside down. She stood in shock surveying the room for several minutes.

Suddenly she heard the rattling of an old truck pulling into the yard quickly followed by Grandpa’s voice calling their names. His voice cracked as though he was crying. She followed Momma out to find Grandpa standing in the yard. “I came to find you.” That was all he could say. Madelyn suddenly burst into tears. Grandpa picked her up and held her tightly. She felt better. She was always safe with Grandpa.

Momma, Daddy, and Grandpa surveyed the damage. Grandpa helped Daddy put the canvas of their old tent over the roof and tack it down. The barn and its contents had stood. Momma swept up glass and tried to sort through the rubble. The only windows left unbroken were in Richard and Dennis’ room. Momma rummaged through what was left of the closet and found some clothes for Madelyn.

“There’s too much glass to have her here. She’ll end up getting hurt. Take her home with you and keep her until we can get this cleaned up.”

Madelyn crawled into the old truck next to Grandpa. Looking out the back windshield she saw Momma put her hands over her face and begin to cry. By the time they reached her grandparent’s house Granny was nearly hysterical. Grandpa told her what he had found and that everyone had come out fine. All she could say was “Thank God”.

It was a week before Madelyn returned home. That's when she overheard Momma talking to a neighbor on the phone. “God made it right.” she said, “He knew Momma and Daddy couldn’t get to safety carrying Roy. They all would have died. He put me outside to see the tornado. He gave us a chance to get to safety. He gave Clarence the strength to hold that door even when the big oak beside the well house was torn from the ground, roots, and all. It was a miracle planned out as only God can do.”