The Cyclone
his wife. “Get into the cyclone cellar! You get in too, Dorothy. I’ll look after the cows and horses.”
“Quick, Dorothy! Get inside!” Aunt Em cried as she opened the wooden trap door to the cellar.
Aunt Em climbed down through the trap door into the little hole. Dorothy ran into the house with Toto. But the little dog was afraid of the wind. He jumped down from Dorothy’s arms and ran under her bed. Dorothy caught him quickly and ran back across the room. But it was too late. The wind had blown into the house and shut the trap door. Dorothy could not get into the cyclone cellar. The wind blew harder and harder. The little house shook and Dorothy fell down onto the floor.
Then a strange thing happened. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em’s house began to move. It turned around and around and went up and up. It was in the center of the cyclone where the north and south winds met. The winds pushed the house higher and higher, like a balloon13.
The little house was carried over the prairie for miles and miles. Many hours went by. It was very dark now and the wind went on making its terrible roaring sound. At last Dorothy lay down on her bed with Toto beside her. The girl closed her eyes and she was soon fast asleep.
Hours later, Dorothy was woken up by a hard bump14. Everything had gone still. The house had stopped turning and bright sunshine filled the room with light.