I have just experienced the scariest thing that has ever happened in my life! I'll start from the beginning. [I want to type this for my sake, not just yours] It has been really, really stormy out today here in central Iowa. It started pouring sheets. I mean hard! But we got out of class 10 minutes early so Kelli, Alison, and I were already on the bus, waiting for Nathan and Jon. We sat for about 5 minutes before we left because if the rain didn't let up [which it did] they were going to send us back into the school to wait it out. Anyway, we dropped off about 1/3 of the bus and the gravel roads [i'm on a country bus] were really soft and bad. The sun had come out and the rain was past but everything was still drenched. We're going on this really bad road [a semi got stuck on it and started sliding down the hill toward us this winter] and everything was normal. We were talking about the threats that have been made toward the school. [shootings this friday and next friday. Kelli is coming to my house this friday and next friday I'm coming to hers 'cause there is no way in hell you're getting me in that school] The bus started sliding sideways [which it has done often this winter] and we all grabbed the seats. [long story but its funny, we weren't seriously doing that 'cause we're scared or anything] But the bus didn't stop sliding. Then everything started going in slow motion. The bus started tipping toward my side [the right side] the bags and stuff started falling but the people didn't. Yet. Okay, here's what the seating looked like, at least for us.
Well, Kelli tried to keep herself up but she couldn't. She fell, half on the seat in front of me and half on me. I banged my head on the side of the bus and couldn't see anything because of the seat in front of me. But from what I was told later, Nathan held himself up but he started slipping. He fell but he avoided Alison. Jon held himself up the whole time and then let go and landed on his feet later. Nevin [Nathan's lil bro] grabbed Jeff [Alison's lil bro] and Britany [bratty 6th grader, Alison/Nathan/Kelli/Me 8th, Jon 9th] and kept them from going out the window. I'm not sure who landed on who but that doesn't really matter. Anyway, Debbie [driver] stayed in her seat because of her seat belt. Nathan and Jon were up first and Nathan saw smoke coming from the front so he reached over Kelli, who had gotten half-way up, and me, who was up but against the, well, the roof, and opened the back door. I jumped out first and ran up to the road to see if anybody was around. Nobody was. I ran back down to the bus where Kelli and Alison were helping the lil kids out from outside. Jon and Nathan were helping them out from the inside. Soon, everybody was out and [amazingly] nobody was hurt except form bumps and bruises and small cuts. Debbie radioed in while we helped everybody out. Then Nathan and Jon went through and got everybody's bags out of the bus. I left to make sure Jordan [my lil bro] was OK. He was crying and shook up but he was okay, not even a bump or bruise. Then Jon and Nathan climbed out. There were two shattered windows. Alicia ['nother bratty 6th] had hit one of the windows and shattered it and the other one broke on contact with the ground, we think. Soon Myron [bus friend's dad/volunteer fireman] showed up and went over everyone to make sure they're OK. Sara [bus friend] and Grant [her lil bro] were with their dad, Myron. Soon another bus got here along with the Carlisle fire department and the Hartford fire department plus their cops and ambulances. We were all herded onto the bus. Kelli hurt her shoulder but was okay. Alison didn't even break her glasses. Jon was fine and Nathan had a headache. I have a lump on the side of my head but I'm fine. They did a head count and a bunch of that stuff. Indianola's fire department and ambulance showed up, too. We were sitting on the bus for an hour. Kelli's dad showed up first, then Alison's, then mine and Nathan's. [same time, not same parents] I'm not sure when Jon was picked up but he was talking to his mom when I left. Doug [my 2nd cousin] was there 'cause he's a volunteer fireman. I have never been so scared in my entire life. Its really scary. I hope you guys never have to do that. I'm really glad to know that Jon and Nathan and Alison and Kelli are really good friends. I guess that's what happens on the bus 'cause Jon is older than us. Nathan and Jon were really great. Alison was kind of in shock. Kelli was pretty good and I guess I was too. [we were checking after our sibs from time to time] Okay. I have that off my chest and I can go know. Just thought you'd like to know.
