It was a Saturday and I was boarding up the windows and putting all the valuables and delicates up high. Doing all the things one does in preparation for a hurricane. Being from New Orleans, this was normal for me. My parents were trying to stay calm and I was doing the same. We have been through hurricanes before, but not like this one. Normally we would evacuate, but it was just too late and we did not have enough time or any place to stay.

Early Monday morning, it happened. The lights went out and the wind started to roar outside. I knew what to expect, but it was still scary for me. We stead up all night listening to the rain and thunder and tried to sleep as much as we could. The next morning came and everything was fine, or so we thought. My parents and I walked outside and started to pick up the branches and twigs that were lying everywhere. Then we saw it. Water. It just kept on rising and rising and inching closer. We got back in the house and tried to blockade the water from coming in, but it was not working. The water came into the house too quickly and with too much force. We tried to get as much as food and water as we could upstairs just in case we were there longer than expected.

As we were sitting and praying, my dad saw the water peeking over the last stair and we all started to panic. He got everyone in the attic and we just waited there, scared out of our minds. As he shut the attic door, the water started knocking and doing everything it could to get in. My dad was able to make a whole in the roof and we all climbed out the house, praying the water would not get any higher. With just the clothes on our backs, no food or water, we waited there, hoping, praying, and wishing someone would come soon to save us from this unexpected tragedy.