“We’ll be safe here,” my father said.

We looked over the edge. What I saw was unbelievable. The whole patio, the whole pool area was under water! It was like watching a raging, racing river, white water slamming up against everything. Caught in its grip were lounge chairs and branches and the salad bar and people! Some people were being tossed around like rag dolls, while others were clinging to trees. Two men were standing on the top of the diving tower, surrounded by water.

The air was filled with the sound of shrieking and hollering, objects smashing, wood splintering and snapping, and then there was an explosion, and the crash of breaking glass!

“It’s taken out the windows in the lobby!” my father exclaimed.

“All those people down there in the water! We have to help, we have to do something!” my mother screamed.

“I don’t know what we can do…maybe I can reach somebody down below…you two stay here…unless you need to climb higher.”

He started back down the stairs. I could see that the first landing was still just above water, but I couldn’t see around the corner as he disappeared. I couldn’t just stand there, not knowing. I broke free of my mother’s hand and ran down the stairs.

“Sam!” she screamed.

I ignored her and jumped down to the landing. My father was just below, half in the water, reaching down to help a women still caught in the current. Her head was all bashed and bleeding. He pulled her up and out.

“Let me help,” I said.

He looked surprised to see me, but then nodded his approval. “Bring her up to your mother.”

I didn’t want to leave him but there really wasn’t much choice. I took the woman he’d rescued by the hand. She looked dazed, her eyes glazed over and staring straight ahead. She didn’t even acknowledge me as I led her up the stairs. We had gone only a few steps when we reached my mother, who was coming down, looking for me. Before she had a chance to yell at me she saw the woman and offered her a hand.

“You come up with us,” she said to me.

I shook my head. “I’m fine. Dad’s below. He might need my help.”

She looked as though she was going to argue or object, but she didn’t.

“Be careful!”

As she started up the stairs, I went back down. My father was now almost completely under water. He was still standing on the stairs. The way the stairwell was aimed, the force of the water, the wave, the current, couldn’t pull him out. I went down a few steps, stopping when the water was just above my waist.

My father turned around and saw me. I thought he was going to order me back. I didn’t want to go back.

“Keep your hand on the railing—it’s solid—and come down farther.”

That wasn’t what I’d expected. I didn’t know whether I was happy or not. I did know I was scared.