The Unending Dust

“Quickly, children! Quickly!” Mrs. Hatcher’s voice could barely be heard over the noise of the wind. “Go back into the school, now!”

Jake looked back over his shoulder at the cloud of dust that was descending with deadly stealth across the plains. The swirling mass of destruction was headed straight for the students and the schoolhouse. Jake did not hesitate to move from the playground and follow Mrs. Hatcher’s order to hurry to the relative safety of the one-room schoolhouse. Jake waited at the door and held it open until he saw all of the students safely inside. Mrs. Hatcher stood with him and helped him hold the door steady until the very last student was in, and they shut the door together.

“Thank you, Jake,” Mrs. Hatcher said. There were tears in her eyes as she gazed at him.

After several close calls with the great clouds of dust, the students knew what to do. They huddled near the floor and covered their noses and mouths with cloths they kept wrapped around their necks.

Suddenly, little Suzy Hatcher began to cry. “I can’t find Molly,” Suzy cried. Molly was Suzy’s doll. She went everywhere with her precious toy. Suzy was even allowed to bring her to school. “I think I left her outside.”

Mrs. Hatcher’s eyes met Jake’s. They both knew if the doll was outside, then it would be long gone. Jake’s eyes frantically scanned the room to try to find something that might appease the already terrified child. His eyes latched on to something sticking out from beneath the bench. He crawled over to the object and pulled, and to his relief, he found Molly hidden underneath the wood.

“Don’t cry, Suzy. Molly was just a little scared, that’s all. She was hiding, but now she wants to be with you.”

Suzy’s happy laugh filled the room, and some of the tension the others felt seemed to melt away. Even in a time of crisis, it was good to know happiness could still be found.