Strange Encounters Cont...

"Why would a full time author work at an orphanage for over eighteen years?" Anna was once again in the driver's seat. After two hours and over six thousand search results, the girls had finally made progress on Ashling's old administrator. Unfortunately the university library only carried books for university research. The girls had to travel forty five minutes to find a library with Mr. Watson's novels.

"Is it just me, or did it get dark really fast?" Ashling looked through the fog on her window, "Almost too fast."

"Huh?" her roommate had been so focused on the author she had not even noticed the change in the sky.

"Those winds are strong, and it looks like it's about to hail," Ashling suggested, "Maybe, we should look for a place to stop."

"Where exactly would you like to stop?" Anna asked, "We're surrounded by country."

"I've read about this...when I was in junior high," Ashling began, "We were studying weather indicators in environmental science class. Man, I got stuck with this one partner who..."

"Perhaps for the moment, it would be better to stay focused on the weather," Anna interrupted as hard golf ball sized hail began pounding on the windshield.

"Right, sorry," Ashling continued, "Anyway, based on the clouds, the wind speed, and the change in fronts, I would say we're going to see a true Iowa tornado anytime now."

"Like that one?" Anna pointed out the front window to the field straight ahead. The base of the tornado was as wide as the farm house just across the way.

"Take that side road," Ashling pointed five feet ahead towards the right shoulder. Her roommate took a sharp, quick turn a little too fast. Backpacks and tissue boxes slid every which way, Ashling along with them.

"Now would be a good time to use that excessive speed you like so much," Ashling commented. The wheels of the car rolled faster and faster against the small rock. The winds picked up speed causing a swarm of dust to surround the green painted metal exterior. Everything for miles was cornfield after soybean field after cornfield. Bales of hay and farm equipment was all that remained in the deserted land.

"Is it just me, or does it seem like this tornado is following us?" Ashling grabbed the sides of the car in order to steady herself. Her roommate focused on dodging obstacles. Through the foggy distance, the girls watched as a large object rolled across the road.

"What...is...that?" Anna peered through what little visibility she had.

"Left! Left! Left!" Ashling shouted. The windrower came into perfect view as the car barely skidded by.

"I think we have some debri," Ashling calmly remarked.

"Debri!" Anna shouted, "It's raining farm equipment."

"Right! Right!" Ashling looked futher ahead. Anna quickly swerved the car right past three bales of hay.

"Left!" Ashling yelled again. This time a large tractor.

"We have to get off this road!" Anna took another fast turn onto the next paved highway. Everything blurred as the car reached maximum speeds. It was another ten miles before Anna felt it was safe enough to reduce her speed. The tornado seemed to have disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"Well, that was...interesting," Ashling finally broke the stunned silence.

"What just happened?" Anna tightly clutched the steering wheel in front of her.

"I know this is probably not the time..." Anna began, "but, where are we?"