“Doesn’t look bad,” Mr. Laughton said, his tone encouraging.
A downed branch lay across two picnic tables in the park, and the plants Poppy had planted in the pots along the sidewalk appeared flattened, but that could just be from the driving rain.
“The trailer park is down this road a bit,” Javi told Esperanza, and she reached over to pat his hand, a stretch since she wasn’t very tall.
“It’s going to be okay,” she said, when she couldn’t know it was.
And then, his stomach dropped to his feet.
Behind the iron gate that led to the trailer park, he could see the damage. Trailers bumped against each other, twisted metal, splintered wood littered the space. An old pecan tree smashed down smack in the center of one of the trailers.
He was out of the vehicle before Esperanza completely stopped it, and was kicking debris out of his path as he made his way toward his mother’s trailer.
He was a little disoriented, though. The damage to the trailers confused him about which was his mother’s trailer. The pouring rain and sloshing mud didn’t help.
And then he recognized the shattered bird feeder in the path, and he knew. His gaze drifted up to the trailer which looked like it had been split open by a giant fist from above. The walls were popped out, and insulation peeked out of every crevice. Windows were broken, the patio cover was down over the door so that if she was in there, she couldn’t open the door to get out.
“Javi!”
Esperanza’s voice behind him penetrated, but he didn’t stop, didn’t pause to recognize the sound of sirens behind him, growing closer. No, he needed to get to his mother, and he didn’t even know where to start.
Esperanza popped up by his side and slapped a pair of work gloves into his hand. “I found these in the SUV.” She looked from him to the trailer. “Your mom’s?”
He couldn’t speak over the lump welling up in his throat, so he just nodded, and she stepped forward as he pulled on the gloves.
He reached out and grabbed her arm. “You can’t go in there dressed like that.”
She turned, her brow creased in a frown.
He nodded to her shorts. “Your legs could get all cut up. You wait back here. Or better yet, take the Laughtons back to the motel and wait there.”
“We’re going to help,” Mrs. Laughton said, appearing on Esperanza’s other side, with her husband.
They were dressed more conservatively, in jeans and t-shirts, but Javi was the one with the gloves. Now he could hear the sirens behind them. “You go up and down the trailer park and call out, see if you hear of anyone who may be trapped.” He thought it strange that he didn’t see anyone in the park. No one wandering around. Since it was after seven, most people should be home. “And maybe find some flashlights. We’re going to need them.”
Wishing he wore more protective clothing—he’d definitely need a tetanus booster after this, he strode toward the broken trailer, where he thought he had the best chance of getting through to the inside.
“Javi!”
This time a man’s voice penetrated his brain, calling from farther away. He didn’t want to stop, but something in the voice was familiar, and he turned.
Austin strode through the rain toward him. “She’s not there.”
“What?”
“Your mom! She’s not there. No one’s here. We got everyone out. They’re at my place. Everyone’s safe.” Austin reached him as he said the words, clamped a hand on Javi’s arm.
Javi had trouble comprehending what Austin was saying to him. Every fiber of his being wanted to tear apart the trailer and get to his mom.
But she wasn’t there.
Javi lifted a hand to rub rain out of his eyes with the rough gloves, and he squinted at Austin. “You got her?”
“We got everyone. They’re in town. Your mom is pretty frantic about you, though, since she hasn’t been able to get a hold of you. I thought you’d come here first, so I told her I’d come look for you. The fire department was on their way but I turned them back. They can go help other people who may need it.”
Javi looked from Austin to Esperanza’s retreating form.
“No one’s here!” he shouted to her. “Let’s go into town.” Once he saw to his mom, reassured her that he was okay, he’d join the fire department—all volunteers—and see if he could help out.
