A hurl of dust covered the vast pocket of the land, like a barrier keeping us hidden. It’s gonna be okay Gracie, Ma said. I clenched my torn up dress as it hung below me. Mom saved up just so I could get something new for the summer. Once I saw the yellow laces I knew that dress would be mine, and it was until now. The dress looked worn and broken from beige outside, never to return to its plump yellow. The wind chiseled away at my face, leaving a prickling sensation. Like nails on a chalkboard the sensation left me uncomfortable. The doors and windows frantically waving in distraught. The noise level being the equivalent to a woman shrieking. The energy was distressed. The house had already undergone the storm, but she had an absence of pride. The dog, sagging its dirt engulfed paws, also had a sense of urgency. All of a sudden home wasn’t  home anymore.  Ma stood at the front of the porch. At this point the hard work Ma put into our fields was useless. It was all spoiled. The owner men wouldn’t give her their ears for things like this. Dad left for California, god knows when he’ll come back. Took only his flask with him, yes he did. Dad’s looking for work, the owner men think so. Ma thinks they’re screwing Dad over, says it’s a scam. Dad took our only truck when he left so me and Ma gotta hitch rides from Tom, her brother. Toms always been there for Ma, feels like it’s his duty, but we both know he rather be out at the bars than helping us. And that’s what happening now. Tom’s truck was rusted, one of the storm's effects, dirt was slushed all over the tires. It's not like the thing was gorgeous. The car itself was a beaten up piece of crap. Tom hated the dirt, then again there’s dirt anywhere and everywhere, they should call this town dirt. Get in before this storm blows us all over, Tom yelled. The discolored rain was seeping into my new dress. A mix of brown and gray through the air, growling and pushing everything in its path, an angry storm. I was always angry but today was different. I climbed upward as the dirt on the truck made its way to my dress. Another thing the storm had ruined. I got into Tom's truck, which didn't quite seem to be as tall as the owner. The sound of the car squealing as he forcefully tries to make it obey him, like he does with everything. In reality Tom can't seem to make nothing go his way. I don't say nothin bad about him in front of Ma tho. He’s her only brother. As the tires quit their drift into the dirt, the car starts to head south. Ma rummages through her muddy beaten up bag to grab these white winter earmuffs. They don't match my dress at all. Ma wants me to put them on, either for the scary noises next to me or the bickering in front of me. I always keep one side of them off though. I learned that Aa doesn't always have the best ideas. Sometimes I gotta correct her. Like how she wants us to leave for a better life and not tell Dad. She thinks there aint nothin in California. She's right. But we can't leave Pa there by himself. When he gets back from California with a job, we might not be at the house. Where will he go then? Oh, he’ll just get himself into all sorts of trouble without Ma. Ma grabs ahold of my hand from the backseat. We both know she's more frightened than I am but neither of us will admit it. I close my eyes. I don't even wanna see what happens, I rather be open to possibilities other than looking forward and seeing fear grow. I look out the window as our truck somehow moves in slow motion. The water started dragging us along to the dirt. It all happened so fluently. How does this happen? I was just sitting on the porch. I didnt wanna be here. I just want things to be the way they should. This isn't my normal, this is wrong, like god punishing us.