before Usually his mom did all the laundry Thankfully Grey hadn’t shrunk anything or turned anything pink He grabbed a fresh shirt and pair of shorts for his mother and placed them in a duffel bag along with a new toothbrush still in the package and a tube of toothpaste Then he headed out of the apartment locking the door behind him Even though it was barely ten in the morning the late spring sun beat down from a cloudless blue sky Another hot day Grey thought the there it was It was also extremely bright Grey was glad he’d snatched his red Angels baseball cap off the hook by the door before he left He pulled it low over his eyes and hurried down sidewalk The community center was straight down the road from where Grey and his mother lived When he got swarming with people Roadblocks had been set up around the parking lot Cars trucks and vans snuck down side streets their drivers searching for a place to park Nearby a section of street had been set aside for news vehicles A couple of news vans had large antennae jutting from their roofs Numerous reporters were milling about microphones in hand talking with one another and preparing for their newscasts Grey spied the dark-haired Natalie Gates from Action Ten News among them
A Hollisworth Police Department patrol car was stationed at the entrance to the parking lot A tall muscular officer stood near it with his arms crossed Grey recognized him and waved Morning Officer Kapoor he called The policeman smiled Greyson he said How are you today Good thanks replied Grey Officer Kapoor was one of the four Hollisworth police officers who were often stationed at the community center entrance Grey had gotten to know all of them but Officer Kapoor was the nicest He pointed at Grey’s cap Did you catch the Angels game last night Yeah but I fell asleep during the eighth inning Grey answered Did they win Yep the officer said Scored the go-ahead run after the Yankees pitcher threw a wild pitch Catcher lost it in the dirt It was crazy Grey whistled Cool How’s your mom holding up Officer Kapoor asked
Grey shrugged Pretty good I guess But she didn’t come home last night so I’m guessing her tank is just about on empty by now He held up the duffel bag Bringing her a change of clothes You’ll be a sight for sore eyes I bet Officer Kapoor said Head on in Thanks Grey said Officer Kapoor nodded as Grey slipped past the roadblock and into the parking lot Since the mudslide the lot had been filled with delivery trucks bringing fresh bottled water food clothes and bedding Now that the recovery effort was underway there was a line of short white school buses parked beside one another As Grey approached the glass front doors of the community center another bus pulled into the lot its tires and sides splattered with mud Grey stopped and watched as the bus passed It parked near the others The doors swung open and a group of weary-looking volunteers and residents stepped out The volunteers each wore bright orange vests Some of the homeowners carried full black plastic garbage bags One of them a middle aged man trudged past Grey He had a beard and he walked with his shoulders slumped and his mouth tightly closed
How is it up there in Winston Hills Grey asked him The man turned His eyes looked empty hollow Deep bags had settled under them The poor guy has probably been working nonstop Grey thought Fine the man quietly croaked Everything is just fine Then he continued on his way Grey’s face scrunched up in confusion Fine he thought How could anything about this whole situation be considered fine Grey shook his head casting one last look at the man before heading toward the community center’s front doors The center was brimming with people Grey felt like a salmon swimming upstream as he navigated the busy halls Approaching the cafeteria Grey stopped A line of white plastic tables had been set up Volunteers were handing out brown bags of food and bottles of water Grey figured his mom had barely had time to think no way had she stopped for food Grey picked up a bag and a bottle Then he made his way up to her second-floor office He found her
