Isaac pulled up into the driveway around 11:00. He had hung out with Maddy for a little while at her house and then they
decided to call it a night. Not very much for a first date, but at least she agreed to go out with him again. He turned off the car
and headed up to their house.
Phoebe hung up the phone. "My mom said I could just hang out with you guys for a little while longer. Or until Diana throws me
out." She gave Taylor a cute grin. They were talking about Zac's "big" plan he had to distroy Macy and her two sidekicks.
Taylor heard a car and looked out the window.
"Oh... Ike is home."
He felt a little nervous now. He didn't know if Isaac would still be mad... or if he even was. Having Phoebe there could save his
life, he thought. Isaac would never kill him with a witness in the room. Taylor dropped his paper. Phoebe noticed that he was a
little jumpy now. "Tay, are you still worried about Ike?"
Zac looked at him as well. He shrugged. "Well, maybe a little. This just reminds of a similar experience that we had when we
were younger."
Taylor went over to straighten his desk.
"BOOM!" Phoebe jumped really bad at the sudden noise.
Zac rolled off his bed and looked out the window. "Man! Look at that! We have a huge thunderstorm now. Weird..."
Phoebe joined him at the window. It was pouring out. "Jeez, didn't that just come out of nowhere or what?" She commented.
The street was covered with just sheets of rain and plenty of thunder... which was loud. Mackie, Avery, Jessica and Zoe would
be awake within a few minutes if the storm kept up. Taylor glanced out the window. He jumped when there was a knock at the
door. Taylor cursed himself for being so jumpy. He reached slowly for the door knob, praying that it wasn't Isaac.
"Oh... mom." Taylor was relieved.
"I just wanted to give you a few flashlights just in case the lights went out. You all stay in here if they do. I don't want to wake
the kids.... all though they are all probably awake now." Diana smiled and handed Taylor the flashlights.
"Thanks mom. We'll be quiet. Um, where's Ike by the way?"
Phoebe and Zac looked at her for the answer. "He's downstairs watching t.v. Do you want me to send him up?" She asked.
"No! No, that's ok." Taylor handed Phoebe and Zac each a flashlight. "Well, ok then. You kids behave now." Diana smiled and
shut the door.
"Dang Tay! You act like Ike is some kind of monster or something." Zac said trying to laugh at Taylor's "weirdness".
Phoebe was looking at Zac's papers again. Taylor smiled a little. "Let's just forget about Ike for now. He have to finish this up."
Just as he said those words, the lights went out.
Isaac took a sip of his soda. "Alright!" He exclaimed when he flipped to the channel that was playing his favorite t.v. show. He
got comfortable, adjusted the volume... and the lights went out. "What the heck?"
Isaac flipped on his flashlight. Diana had about a million of them. Walker was in bed early this night. He was under the weather.
At least he wouldn't realize that the lights were out. Isaac walked over to the stairs. Diana was probably in the little kids rooms.
He sighed and decided to go see what Taylor and Zac were up to.
Phoebe held the flashlight up to her chin and made scary faces.
"ARGG!! I'll get you Zac!"
Zac had flown off the bed and was now hiding. Only his giggling could determine where he was. Taylor was having a ball just
watching them. Phoebe could be really funny... looking... when she wanted to be. "Ahh! I got you!"
She grabbed Zac by the waist and started tickling him like there was no tomorrow. Taylor shined the flashlight on the papers
that he was looking at. Phoebe and Zac sounded crazy. "You guys gotta keep it down a little. Mom will get mad!!" He warned.
Phoebe nodded. Their bedroom door opened a little. Taylor heard something, but since it was still a little dark in the room, he
didn't notice anything different. Isaac got on his knees and pushed the door open enough so that he could crawl inside. He sat
the flashlight down and kept his eyes on Taylor. Quiet. Content. Reading something. The perfect time to scare him. Isaac
crawled into the room. Phoebe and Zac were still at it and they didn't notice him. He reached the bed. Taking a deep breath,
Isaac jumped up and grabbed Taylor.
Taylor screamed a scream that no one in his family had ever heard come out of his mouth. It was a high pitched "don't kill me"
scream. Phoebe and Zac jumped really bad and they fell over onto each other. Zac jumped up quickly and ran over to Taylor.
Then he noticed Isaac.
"Ike! Oh my god! You scared ALL of us!"
Taylor was on the ground breathing heavily. He was scared of Isaac earlier and then this.
"Ike, what was that for?" Taylor managed to squeek out.
Isaac just laughed. "I felt like making you scream like a girl." He said grinning.
"Hey now! Don't make those "you do something like a girl" jokes around me." Phoebe lightly punched him. "But it was funny
though!" She giggled a little.
Taylor got up and went over to the door. It seemed as if no one thought that scream was unusual at all. He hadn't bothered
anyone. Taylor turned around to face them all.
"Looks like WE didn't wake anyone. Which is odd..." Phoebe went over to the door and looked out at the empty hallway and
stairs. "Wait... I hear your mom Tay. She must be talking to them. It's ok." She gave him a smile.
Isaac picked up what Taylor was reading. Zac ran over and yanked it out of his hands.
"No, you can't read that." He folded it and stuffed it into his back pocket.
"Well, whatever Zac." He went over to the window and looked out.
"Phoebe, maybe you should call your mom and dad and make sure everything's alright". He suggested.
"Ok, I should." She went over and picked up the phone. At least the lines weren't out. Taylor looked at Isaac. He needed to
ask him about the whole "spy" thing. "Hey Ike, are you mad at me?" Isaac looked at him. "No... I never was. Why would you
think that?" Taylor shrugged.
"You seemed mad at me when we saw you at the park." Isaac laughed. "I'm not mad Tay. You worry yourself to much. That's
why you're so skinny."
He walked by Taylor and out of the room. "I'm going to get something to eat. I'll be up later." Isaac picked up his flashlight and
closed the bedroom door. Phoebe hung up the phone. "Yeah they're ok. They have flashlights and all. Nothing's wrong."
Zac turned on his portable radio. "Hey man! It works! I guess the batteries weren't dead." He tuned it until he found someone
talking about the weather. He motioned for Taylor and Phoebe to join him on the bed. They all sat and listened.
"If you're just joining us now, we are broadcasting a warning. Two tornadoes were spotted in Topeka, Kansas . This
sudden storm has brought us cold weather and these torndaoes are the result of that. Please take shelter as soon as
possible. This warning is for the cities between Topeka and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Stay tuned for more updates as they
develop."
All their mouths dropped open. They looked at each other in horror as the reality hit them.

"Ok Joey, I'll do your make-up now. I'm a little tired though." Maddy selected a pretty pink lipstick off of her dresser. Joey sat
down on the bed and anxiously waited. After finding a hand mirror, Maddy joined her a few seconds later. "Ok, now just drop
your lips open a little for me." Joey did as she was told. Before Maddy could even begin to apply, the lights went out. "Oh no!
Why did the lights go out!?" Joey exclaimed, jumping off the bed. "Joey, stand still! It's too dark. It must be this storm." Maddy
stuck her arms out and made her way over to her desk. She moved her hand around and found the drawer. Reaching inside,
she pulled out her flashlight. She always kept one there. Maddy turned it on. "Ok Joey, stay here and I'll go get mom. She is
probably wandering around looking for a flashlight. Be right back." Maddy left the room. Joey heard her go down the stairs.
"Hey Maddy! I don't have a flashlight!!"

"This is not happening! I just moved here! I can't take all this! My back, these brats and now a tornado!! What is this place
anyway? Where have I moved too..." Phoebe paced back and forth across the room. Zac and Taylor just stared at her. "I think
she's lost it." Zac whispered into Taylor's ear. Taylor nodded. "Phoebe," he put his arm around her. "Topeka is pretty far away.
We've had tornadoes come closer than that, and we never got anything more than a thunderstorm. Don't worry so much!"
Taylor tried to calm Phoebe, when inside he really wasn't that calm himself. Sure, his whole family had lived right in the middle
of Tornado Alley their whole lives and they were pretty used to it. But, it still scared them. A tornado wasn't something that you
messed around with. Zac walked over to the door. "I'm going to tell Ike and mom what we heard." He left the room before
they could respond. Phoebe looked up at Taylor. "I'm going to go home now. I think I should be with my parents." Taylor
nodded. "Ok, yeah you should. I'll go get your clothes. I hope they are dry though. We have no power now...just sit down and
wait for me to come back." Phoebe sat on the bed. "Thanks Tay." He smiled and left her alone in the room.
Joey managed to get to the window. She opened up the curtains. "Moonlight!! Eww, it looks like crap outside!" She exclaimed
out loud to no one. Joey stared outside a little longer. Then she thought of Jessica. I'll give her a call. Joey walked over to
Maddy's desk. The light from outside helped her a little. She made sure the lines were still open and then she dialed her
number.
"Hello?" Taylor asked into the phone. He was standing in the kitchen with Phoebe's clothes when the phone rang.
"Hi, can I please speak to Jessica?"
"Yeah sure... is this Joey?"
"Yeah... I'm sorry it's so late to be calling."
"No, it's ok. I'll go get her. I think she's awake."
"Thanks."
Taylor sat the phone down and went to the bottom of the stairs. "JESSICA!!!!" He heard a door open up. Diana now stood in
the hallway. "Taylor Hanson! I told you to be quiet! What are you doing calling your sister?" Taylor rolled his eyes. "Phone call
for her from Joey. Tell her to pick it up. Hey, where's Zac and Ike?" He asked. "They are up here talking to me about
tornadoes or something. They heard something about that on the radio." Diana replied. "Yeah, I heard too." Taylor walked
back into the kitchen.
"Ok, hang it up Tay!!" Jessica yelled. Taylor hung it up and made his way back upstairs.
"Joey?"
"Hey Jessie."
"Hey. Um, is everything ok?" Jessica asked.
"Well yeah, except this storm. Our lights are out. Are yours?"
"Ours are too. Zac said he heard something about tornadoes on his radio."
Jessica informed her.
"No way! That's freaky... this came out of nowhere!" Joey exclaimed.
"I know! I just hope nothing happens. We have been lucky so far. No tornadoes." Jessica looked over at Avery. She was
staring wide-eyed at her. "Joey, I'd better go. Avery is a little scared."
Joey looked back out the window.
"Yeah, me too."

Phoebe looked up when Taylor entered the room. "Here. They are a little damp, but not much." She smiled and took her
clothes. "I'll be right back." Phoebe went into their bathroom once again to change. Taylor sat down. He thought of his dad.
Should somebody wake him and let him know? Is he ok? Taylor's mind ran with all different thoughts. Maybe his mom would
go see how he was in a little while. Taylor looked back out the window. The wind was picking up. He shook his head, praying
that nothing would come of this storm. But he couldn't help but worry. Phoebe came back out into the room. She folded and
placed his clothes on the bed. "Ok, well I guess I should go. Walk me home?" Taylor smiled at her. "Sure! Why wouldn't I?
Let's go." Phoebe followed him out of the room and downstairs. Taylor took her hand and opened the door. "Wait, let me get
an umbrella first." He went over to their coat rack. One was sitting beside it. "Ok got one." They stepped outside onto the
porch. Taylor popped it open, holding on to the side of it so it wouldn't bend. They walked quickly down the driveway and
sidewalk. It was freezing cold! Phoebe got the chills as soon as she stepped out there. They ran up her steps and under the
porch roof. Phoebe brushed her hair out of her face. "Well, I will see you tomorrow then. If anything happens, please call me
tonight. No matter how late, ok?" Taylor nodded. "Ok, I will." He gave her a kiss and a hug. "Bye!!" Taylor walked back
down the steps. Phoebe waved and watched until he got back to his house. Something in the sky caught her eye. Despite the
coldness she felt, she walked to the end of her porch and gazed up at the clouds. There were alot of them. One had a funny
shape... slightly. Phoebe stared at it. The cloud seemed to change every few seconds. It was not very far away... but still close
enough for her to tell what it was. "Oh my god..." Phoebe felt her heart start to beat faster. She turned and ran to her front
door. She opened it up and screamed, "Mom, Dad!! There's a tornado!! Hurry! Get outside!" She heard her mom and dad run
from the kitchen. Phoebe turned and hopped off the steps. She ran throught the rain with her parents behind her. She ran up
Taylor's steps. "Taylor! Open up!!" Phoebe screamed and pounded on the door. Luckily, Taylor was right inside. He flung the
door open. Noticing that her parents were with her, he knew something was very wrong. "Taylor! We have a tornado!"

Phoebe pointed to the sky and her parents were staring too. "What? That can't be?" Taylor ran outside and looked up. "Oh my
god... MOM!! DAD!!" Taylor screamed and ran in the house. Not one minute later all his family members and their sleepy dad
Walker, were all outside and running to the cellar located in the backyard. "Ok, hurry, get in!" Walker and Clarke held the
cellar door open while everyone went down the ladder. Diana held Zoe close to her and Isaac had Mackie in his arms. Avery
was with Taylor... trembling. Georgia and Phoebe sat down and then her father and Walker joined them inside. The cellar door
was closed and locked with two dead bolts from the inside. "Ok everyone stay calm! We do not need to panic." Walker stood
in front of both families trying to calm them. Zoe wasn't crying, but clearly upset. Mackie was clutching onto Isaac with his face
burried in his neck. Avery and Jessica had now joined and they were sitting together with their arms around one another.
Phoebe was trying her best not to cry. Taylor looked from her to his family and then back to her. Clarke sat down beside
Georgia to comfort her. "Zac, are you ok?" Taylor whispered while Walker tried to explain some procedures. He nodded.
"Yeah... I'm fine." Zac put his head in his hands. "I'm so scared Taylor." He quietly sobbed. Phoebe's eyes filled up with a new
set of tears when she heard Zac sniffle. She had really taken a liking to him. It hurt her to see anyone in the Hanson family like
this. "Is everyone ok?" Diana asked outloud when Walker finally joined her on the floor. "We're ok over here." Clarke spoke
up. Georgia looked a little in shock, but she had to keep her mind straight for Phoebe. For the next few minutes no one talked.
They all sat there and waited for the tornado. Never in their lives had any of them been this scared. Jessica kept whispering to
her mother about Joey. She didn't want anything to happen to her best friend. Mackie ran over to Walker and he took him in
his arms. Isaac quickly went and sat by Zac and Taylor. When the winds started to pick up and the noise became so loud, they
all knew that this was for real. It wasn't a dream. It was reality. They were going to have to face it and hopefully, survive
through anything the tornado brought. The extreme noise lasted only a few minutes. Maybe three at the most. Then it started to
get quiet. You could still hear the tornado going farther and farther away from them. Walker stood up and looked at the cellar
door. "It didn't shake. Nothing at all..." Everyone stood up and went over to the door. "I don't understand... wouldn't we have
felt something?" Georgia questioned. Phoebe wiped away her tears and ran over to Taylor. "Are you ok?" He asked, giving her
a hug. "Yes, I'm ok. Are you guys ok?" Isaac and Zac nodded, still a little shaken from the whole thing. "Is it safe to go
outside?" Clarke asked. Diana looked at her husband. "Is it, Walker?" He motioned for everyone to be quiet. All he could hear
now were voices. "I think the neighbors are outside. It must be safe then." He informed. Everyone stood still and watched
Clarke and Walker unlock the door and swing it open. Walker rubbed his hands together and took a deep breath. "Well let's
see just how bad this was." He took Diana's hand and started up the ladder, followed by the rest of the Hanson's and the Blue
family.
"I don't believe this!" Diana exclaimed looking at their slighty damaged property. Georgia and Clarke stared at their home too.
Almost untouched. Phoebe shivered and looked at the other side of the street. Almost every house over there was missing
something. Diana took the children into their house. She needed to get them away for a few minutes. "I'm going inside to help
mom." Zac took off after his mother. It was so late and all the neighbors were out, some hysterical. A couple of minutes later, a
fire truck, ambulance and a few police cars pulled onto their street. Now they knew about the tornado. Taylor and Phoebe ran
down to the sidewalk. A Channel 9 news crew pulled up to the curb. "Oh my god, Taylor Hanson!! Is the band ok?" The
blonde sprial headed reporter exclaimed, jumping out of the van. Taylor just looked at Phoebe. A camera was now in his face.
"We're at the scene of the storm now, with Taylor Hanson. From the popular group, Hanson. It seems to me that the tornado
barely missed their house, but caused a ton of damage to the neighboring homes." The reporter now looked at him. "How did
you escape this terrible tragedy?" Taylor looked in shock. Not only was he confused on how in the world these people weren't
effected by the storm, but by how she ignored the neighbors who were hurt and their homes were damaged. "My family and
our friends," he put his arm around Phoebe, "escaped by locking ourselves into the cellar in my backyard. How we escaped the
damage from the tornado... luck, I guess." A younger man standing beside the reporter scribbled a few things down onto a
notepad. "Well, you must have had alot of luck. Oh look! Here comes the guitarist, Isaac Hanson! Isaac!" She ran into their
yard, shocking Isaac the way she had Taylor. "Over here please!" Taylor and Phoebe looked straight ahead. A blinding flash
went off. Someone was taking pictures of them. "Ok, one more from this angle.... great! Thanks!" The photographer ran off
and over to Isaac, taking a few snap shots of him as well. Phoebe was rubbing her eyes. "These news people are crazy! Who
cares if we were involved! Look at the rest of our neighbors!" Taylor exclaimed, out loud so that anyone could hear him. He sat
down on the curb. "I can't believe this Phoebe. All they care about is getting that shot, that little bit of news that will make them
more popular on the tv. It makes me sick." Phoebe sighed and sat down beside him. She looked on and saw a few injured
people on stretchers. The police were taping off the street for safety matters. Zac had seen the news people and came back
outside in curiousity. Now they had their claws in him as well. How wonderful. All three Hanson brothers, and a girlfriend, on
the evening news. And it was even live in some areas where the people had power. Some electrical people were now on the
scene, trying their best to help the situation. Isaac broke away and ran over to Taylor and Phoebe.
"That woman is driving me crazy. She started to ask me when our tour would be back on!" Taylor looked shocked at that. "Oh
that is it. Be right back." He stood up and started over to the news camera. "Taylor! Oh god... don't do it!!" Phoebe tried to
catch him, but Isaac held her back. Taylor yanked the microphone right out of the reporters' hands. She looked surprised, and
the camera was now pointed to Taylor. "Ok, listen up, and listen up good! This is not Entertainment Tonight! If you are here,
now, then I suggest you pay attention to the damage and hurt people caused by this TORNADO. Have you all completely lost
your minds?? Do you not realize what is going on?? Stop talking to us!! We were not hurt by this tornado. Go talk to someone
who was!!" Taylor chucked the mic at her feet and gave the camera man one last look. Phoebe and Isaac couldn't believe their
own ears. It was about time someone stood up to them! Taylor grabbed Zac and went inside his house. Phoebe and Isaac
soon followed.
Diana had the children in the living room with a few candles lit. She was calming Zoe and Mackie. Jessica and Avery looked up
when Taylor came inside. "Taylor! Why did we see flashing?" Jessica asked, very concerned. "Because the freaky news crew
found that is was of dying need to interview us and take pictures just because we have the band. They are sick!" Isaac and
Phoebe entered the room. Zac kept his mouth shut the whole time. "Taylor, please. I'm trying to get Zoe to sleep. I'm sorry
about all this, but the news will be the news no matter what happens. And the fact that this took place right in front of your
home, makes in more news worthy. You'll just have to get used to this kind of thing. Believe me, I don't like it anymore than
you do." Diana stuck Zoe's bottle back into her mouth. "These children need to just go to sleep." She whispered. Jessica's eyes
watered up. "What about Maddy and Joey!" She exclaimed. Isaac felt his blood run cold. "Oh my god! What if something
happened to them?" He grabbed his coat, almost falling because he could barely see. "I'm going over there! You guys are
coming with me." Phoebe, Taylor and Zac ran off to get something warm to wear. Diana looked up at Isaac. "You better be
careful. I want you back soon. If something has happened to any of their family, you come back here and direct and ambulance
their way." Isaac nodded. "It's late Isaac... look out for your brothers and Phoebe. And make sure it's ok with her parents as
well." Phoebe, Taylor and Zac came back into the living room. Taylor gave Phoebe a sweatshirt to wear. Isaac grabbed the
flashlight that was on the coffee table. "Don't worry mom. We'll be back soon."

NEXT CHAPTER