When I'd moved to Florida, I'd known that the state was prone to hurricanes.

One day I had the radio turned on, reading a book while my cat, Chappy, cuddled up on the couch seat next to me. Even though I was half listening, I could still make out the words,

"Tropical Storm Tobias is not expected to make significant impact in Tampa Bay, becoming a Category one at it's worst."

Sighing, I pull my laptop onto me, logging in to view more about the storm. Every source said the same thing. May strengthen into a category one, if even. Should only be a category one. Minimal preparations needed. Chappy begins to Meow at me, wanting food. I go into the kitchen to get his food, realizing we're out. Slightly annoyed I have to make the journey out to Walmart right before a storm, despite it's small size. I say goodbye to Chappy, driving out into the town. On the way I pass the Waffle House, noticing something that almost made me stop driving in my tracks.

The Waffle House was closed.

On the rest of the drive to the store, I worry a lot. It's a small storm, why of all places is the waffle house closed? Everything else is open, except the Chick-fil-a, because it was a Sunday. I Quickly buy the food and stop in the Waffle House parking lot, Checking inside. Looking in the window, I notice the manager hurrying inside a room, quickly shutting the door behind him. I call my friend, Akira, who lives up north in the Lutz area.
"Dude, we're in trouble."
"What?" He answers, confused. Is he cooking? I hear boiling water in the background.
"The Waffle House is closed!" I yell, opening the car door, "I went to Walmart to get cat food and I saw the closed sign on the way!"
"No way, you're insane." He says in disbelief, " 'S only supposed to be a category one."
"Check your local one, bet they're closed too."
It takes a minute as he asks the Alexa in the back if his local location is open. "The Waffle House on (___) is currently closed, but it's 12-"
"No way. We gotta go now. All them are closed." He says, continuing to make whatever he was making.
"Meet at my house, we have to get out of here."

Akira hangs up. I get home and open the door, quickly feeding the cat.

4 hours later, me and Akira are flying down I-75, trying to get out of the state. Chappy isn't bothered, shut in his crate with a blanket on the floor in front of the seat, originally on the crate. I notice the sky ahead of me turning a deep green color, not even something seen during a Tornado. A screech, louder then any howling winds, Akira shouts for me too drive faster, but I can't. Then suddenly we speed past a sign.

Welcome to Ohio.

That doesn't make sense. We were just going past Ocala and Gainesville a minute ago. Suddenly the car runs out of gas, causing us to slowly come to a stop. Two planes howl down the road behind us. Spirit and Ryan Air. We're so done for. The sky suddenly turns a Deep, Blood Red. I flee into the woods, holding my cat. As an unkown creature approaches, I think to myself.

No wonder Waffle House was closed...