Trapped

After leaving the cafeteria, Weems and Krista run into Les, Pete, and Julie. The three got the radio from the office but are in the middle of a confrontation. Krista manages to keep Les from pummeling Pete, and Weems observes you “can’t underestimate the power of a pretty girl’s voice on a teenage boy” (109). The group breaks into the nurse’s office to get supplies—blankets, medicines, and other things.

Later, the group huddles around the radio. They hear a recorded emergency alert message, and after some fiddling, they find a station with a live person broadcasting. They learn over 11 inches of snow have fallen with no end in sight and emergency response personnel remain swamped. Weems concludes they are “on our own for the duration” (119). No one was coming for them, and even if someone did, there was nowhere for them to retreat to. After eating, the group settles down for the night. Weems can’t sleep and decides to pray, even though he hasn’t done so since he was little. Jason joins him, and together they pray “for clear skies” (123).