Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

          The truck stopped in the middle of a tent city. Everyone exited the truck in the middle of the cold weather. Snow was falling and melting as it touched the ground.

     “God, what is that awful smell?” asked grandma.

     “I don’t think that we can stay here,” mom tightened her jacket. She looked at the driver. “Are there any phones?”

     “I am not sure if the phone service has been restored, yet,” he said.

     Jason took his cell phone out and tried to turn it on, “My phone died. Is there any place to charge this?”

     The driver nodded, “There should be. I know that the power was restored here. Come with me. There should be another tent for you guys across the way. Watch your step; there’s mud puddles everywhere.”

     They began to walk across the field full of tents. The driver took his flashlight out and led the way. Out of nowhere there were more lights and they heard a motor running from behind them.

     They stopped and turned to look. There was a nurse on a golf cart that approached them. She parked and walked over to them.

     “Did you finally get out of Idaho?” she asked.

     The driver looked at her, “How did you know?”

     She pointed at the truck, “I saw your plates. You must have just arrived?” Everyone nodded. “My name is Gloria and I am a nurse. I can give you a ride to the check in point. They will bring you to the appropriate tent.”

     “I’ll leave these guys with you,” the driver said. “I have to take the truck into the shop for maintenance. They need a place to charge their phone. Can you please help them?”

     The nurse nodded and the driver left. She helped everyone get seated into her cart. She pointed at Olive’s cast.

     “Were you here recently or have you been wearing that for a while?” asked the nurse.

     “Both,” she answered.

     “I’m glad you made it back,” she said and started the golf cart and they were off.

     Gloria dropped them off at a tent. She led them to a triage that stood near the entrance. The triage immediately fetched a wheelchair for Olive. The nurse took out a clipboard and began to write down names.

     She asked a series of questions, “What kind of symptoms are you having? Where were you when the blast happened?”

     “We aren’t staying here,” said Jason. Everyone turned their head in his direction surprised. “I’m not sure if the Johnson’s are going to stay, but we are leaving shortly.”

     “We don’t have a car,” mom reminded Jason.

     Jason waved her statement away gently, “Is there any way that we can get a ride somewhere else? Is there any place else that we can go? We already got the treatment that we could before the other emergency shelter was lost.”

     “Not to mention I do not believe there is nothing further that you can do to treat our ailments anyway,” said Olive as her mom tried to hush her.

     “Well, we need to follow up on your leg,” said the nurse. She looked at the elderly couple, “Are you two staying here, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson?” The couple nodded. “I need to find a tent for you. I will help you all find what you need.”

     Jason looked at Olive and smiled, “You might get that taken off today.”

     The triage checked them in to see the doctor. The group was led to another tent where they could rest and charge their phones.