Remembering Hurricane Sandy - Part 3

The tide swept into our yard and continued to get deeper and deeper.  Soon the power shut off and we were left in the grayness of the storm with only the sound of howling wind and pounding rain.

I kept going to the door to check how far the water had risen and to be certain the rabbit hutches were still standing safely stacked inside the pen.  I watched as those two loose chickens clung desperately to the hood of the old green car that I had parked on the hill.  I looked for Bella, our goat, whom I had turned loose to make her way to higher ground, but did not see her anywhere.

I even waded through the water to check on my parents.  With my father's health always an issue, I was very concerned.  It was his birthday and we had planned to eat together, but that certainly would not be happening.  The water was swirling quickly around my legs as I made it to their steps and climbed from the murky water.  My parents were still fine.  They had gathered their flashlights and lantern for later and were sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee.  I sat for a short time and then headed back home to my own family.  The water had risen more!  It was now above my knees and still rising.

My children were beside themself.  What to do without electricity!  "Why can't we play on the iPad or the laptop?  What will we do when it gets dark?  How much deeper will the water get?  Will we be ok?"  Question after question popped out of their mouths.  It must have been the stress of the day and their only way to try to deal with the unknown.  While trying to reassure them I heard a sound, a very odd sound.  I heard it once and then it was gone.  Then I heard it again and this time it was more urgent.

"My God, it's Bella!"  I shoved my feet into my shoes and flew out the door.  I plunged back into the water which was now up to my hips.  I followed the sound of her bleating.  There she was back in her pen - too frightened to go anywhere and trying desparately to swim.  She went under and then her nose and mouth broke the surface and yelled.  I surged forward, tripping over unseen things in the water. 

I finally reached her and somehow found the strength to lift her into my arms.  The water was rising fast.  I heard my mother yelling, " Bring her to the back deck!"  I headed in that direction.  Then I got tangled in some weeds and went under.  I manged to get back up and swam to their back deck with Bella's head locked under my arm in a rescue position.  The water had grown shockingly cold!  Bella immediately jumped onto the porch swing to get out of the water.  I couldn't believe that there was actually water covering my parents back deck.  I had never seen a flood get this deep before, not in all of the 41 years I had lived here.

I headed back home.  My teeth were chattering and my body shivering as my husband met me at the door with towels.  I peeled the wet clothes from my body just inside the kitchen door and put on clean sweats that he had found.  I was thinking that this must be the worst of the storm.  I felt triumphant that I had saved the goat.  BUT then the water rose...