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  Chapter Five  
    A NNIE WOKE TO hear the barn doors thumping together repeatedly. The wind howled against the house as if angry that the building blocked its course. The windows shuddered, weakening under the influence of the high-powered winds.
    Annie rushed to the window and watched as ominous clouds from tornado-producing winds clung together. A thunderstorm raced down the fields, causing a burst of thunder from a violent storm. She dressed quickly and ran downstairs.
    Amos watched the sky as Mamm gathered the children. Eli coaxed Samuel out from the false safety of underneath his bed.
    “Come, boys, to the cellar.” At the sound of Mamm’s voice both Samuel and Thomas ran to her, with Eli and Augustus following. The girls met them in the hallway, and they huddled together down the stairs as the wind screamed its warning.
    Amos stood at the door with coats and blankets. “Stay together as we walk to the cellar. Keep your head down, and follow the feet of the one in front of you,” he yelled over the roaring storm. He picked up Thomas and nodded for Eli to take Samuel.
    When Amos opened the door, Annie heard a roar as loud as an approaching train. She ducked into the slicing gales, lifting her arms to cover her face. She stumbled against the wind, keeping her gaze on Eli’s boots in front of her, while Hanna grabbed her robe from behind.
    Samuel squealed, and Thomas cried as the wind slapped their faces with sharp gusts of hard air. Frieda stood straight, pushing against a wall of wind. She tried to place a foot forward, but it snapped back. Annie grabbed Frieda’s arm, pulling her close, helping her walk. Augustus followed behind to make sure everyone was accounted for.
    The dull sun peeked over the colorless hills, as if hesitant to join the fitful storm. The clouds covered the light, and visibility dropped. Annie tightened her hold on Frieda, unable to see her in the darkness. The others were clinging to each other for the same reason.
    Daed and Eli struggled to open the hatch, only to have the wind slap it back down again. John suddenly appeared at another side of the door and without a word helped the other two open the door just enough to let the others enter.
    When Annie came close, John placed his hand on her shoulder, shielding her from the unpredictable wind. She ducked under the wooden door, fearing it would snap down on her head. She, Hanna, and Mamm all stood on a stair and held the door open for Daed and the boys.
    This time they let the wind push the door shut, and the darkness cut off the light. Annie moved down the stairs, acutely aware of the slanted, vacant area at the end of the cellar. She held John’s hand and refused to let go.
    Samuel and Thomas sniffled in the dark. The men’s boots shuffled against the dirt floor. She stood still and caught her breath.
    Hanna pulled away from Annie’s side. “I’m going to fetch Samuel.” Annie felt her move and listened to the direction she went. She reached for the earthen walls just as a match was scratched and a lamp lit. Daed held the lantern up and moved it around the room.
    “Let there be light,” Mamm whispered as she drew Thomas in to her.
    “Come close.” Daed laid blankets on the floor and then pulled their jackets tightly around them.
    Annie felt safe next to John and turned to see the courage in his strong face. “I’m glad you’re here.”
    The seriousness in his eyes faded slightly. “I started over the minute I heard that wind pick up.”
    She wasn’t surprised he’d come, and it meant a lot to her that he had.
    “Is your family safe?”
    “My family went into the cellar in plenty of time.” He stopped and listened, looking up to the streaks of light pushing through the darkness from the cracks in the door. “We haven’t seen the worst of it yet.”
    The dimly lit, damp cellar grew colder. Annie shivered, and she noticed the others scooting closer together. John wrapped Annie’s coat around her and moved