Tom joined the crowd of boys. The boys and girls filed into the school in two separate lines. They weren’t supposed to talk, but today there was a buzz of whispers. Tom caught Peggy’s eye as they entered their grade-three classroom. They weren’t sitting long before the teacher made an announcement. “The town has declared a state of emergency,” she said. “The school is closing. You must all go home to help your families prepare for the flood.” “What about the dykes?” asked a girl. “The dykes will slow the water for a while,” said the teacher. “But they won’t stop the flood.” Tom and Peggy met outside the school. “Come on!” Peggy said, starting to run. Tom joined her. He couldn’t help grinning. He had gotten his wish for an extra day off school. They climbed the first fence on their way home and stopped. The field had been damp when they walked through it earlier. Now, muddy water glistened on the surface. Green shoots of newly planted corn poked up through the water.
