The Candle Factory
The Reality: On the night of December 10, 2021, an EF 4 tornado tracked across multiple states hitting mostly rural communities. Most famously, the tornado hit the town of Mayfield, KY, destroying the historical district of downtown. “Over 3,778 residences, 183 commercial properties, and 103 other buildings” were damaged, including the county courthouse and police station. In total in Graves County, 24 people died with 200 reported injuries (NOAA’s National Weather Service). The tornado tore through Mayfield’s candle factory, killing 9 individuals, including Jill Moore who sought shelter in the restroom before the tornado hit. The employees were forced to work that night despite multiple warnings of extreme weather. The tornado started in Jonesboro, Arkansas and lasted 165 miles becoming the 9th longest recorded tornado in US history (NOAA’s National Weather Service). What follows is a reimagining of the events of December 10, 2021.
“There is a chance of severe weather later this week,” Trent Oakerson, the local weather forecaster explains to the morning news viewers. “A warm front will move through our region later this week on Friday. Along with this warm front, the chance of severe weather will rise over the whole Local 6 region. Now, it is still early in the week, but our in-house models are all showing steady trends towards this severe threat. As we get closer to Friday, we will be able to have clearer information on this potential threat.”
“In the middle of December! The middle of December!” David expressed questioning the possibility of severe weather in a winter weather month. “Probably won’t happen. Those meteorologists are always wrong. They can’t predict anything!”
As the days closed in on December 10th, the confidence in the forecasts for the severe weather had increased with the possible severe weather making national news. David started to become worried about the severity of the incoming weather because he realized he was scheduled to work at the local candle factory on Friday night. He was comforted, however, by knowing he was working with Jill Moore, his work bestie. Still, David pleaded with his employers, requesting that he and Jill along with everyone scheduled have the night off due to the suspected severe weather. He tried to reason with his bosses by expressing how other surrounding businesses aren’t staying open, but they would not budge.
On the morning of December 10th, David woke up to run some errands before his dreaded night shift. When he got outside to get into his car, he noticed the air was thick and very hot. Throughout the day, store after store, the talk of the town was of the unseasonable severe weather chance of the night. Every time he walked in and out of a store, he noticed the air getting worse, feeling warmer and more humid.
For a midday meal before work, he met up with Jill at Mcdonald’s. After ordering their favorite, the Fillet-O-Fish, they sat down next to the window. The conversation carried on as per usual with their lighthearted joking and casual storytelling. Then, there was a break in the conversation while Jill looked outside, as if she knew the danger to come. Her face became dull, almost emotionless except for the hit of worriedness. David noticed and consoled her, putting his hand on top of her hand.
“It’ll be okay,” he explained, trying not to sound hesitant.
“I sure hope so,” Jill responded while attempting to find comfort in David’s words.
Later, at six o’clock, David and Jill arrived to start their shifts. The atmosphere in the factory was equivalent to the air outside, hot and thick. There was an unusual level of chatter between the workers in the building, but the energy was not excitement. David and Jill went to their respective assigned locations to start the shift after they said their good-byes.
The first hour of the shift went by as usual, slowly, except for the unusual level of conversation. David overheard his co-workers discussing how they would rather be in the company of their families instead of working. David didn’t engage in the conversation due to the nerves overtaking him because he didn’t want to face the possible future. Suddenly, David got a notification on his phone of reported tornado damage down in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He felt his heart drop for an unknown reason. He had a feeling; he just couldn’t put his finger on it. To get out of his head, he put his phone away.
At 9 pm, David overheard news of a devastating wedge tornado in neighboring Fulton County. Phones started to alarm, and the workers were informed that the tornado was headed straight for Mayfield, Ky. Everyone started to panic. While David looked over at Jill who was across the room, the tornado sirens began to sound.
With 20 minutes of reaction time, the workers rushed to the restrooms to find the safest place in the building. In that process, David lost sight of Jill. Everyone suddenly became aware of how serious the situation is due to the tornado emergency warning, a rare warning issued when an incredible threat is proven present. David sat in a bathroom stall next to his co-workers, wondering where Jill was. Unkown to everyone, Jill knew the danger coming their way and knew how to stop it.
Jill ran to the top of the old factory building, trying to see sight of the approaching storm. With the intense thunder and lightning illuminating the background, Jill was able to find the direction the storm was coming from. Jill tried to focus over the loud sirens and flashing visual display, trying to conjure up the strength of her ancestors from beyond. The ground started to shake as the rain fell from the night sky. Jill could feel the presence of the approaching tornado. Jill knew she had to try harder to stop the tornado in its track.
Back in the building, everyone was petrified in fear as they heard a “freight train” near.
“Ohhh my God! I don’t want to die,” someone pleaded for their life in the stall over.
“What is that noise?” another questioned the intense noise nearing.
“It’s the tornado,” David responded with little emotion in his voice.
As they all huddled together, with the tornado’s roar growing louder and louder, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere. The tornado quieted and dissipated until there was no noise. The employee’s shock consumed the now quiet bathroom. David could hear the sobs from neighboring people. In some time, he got up and walked out the bathroom door to find Jill walking by herself, wet. They ran to meet each other in the middle and hugged.
“Where did you go, and most importantly, why are you so wet?” David questioned.
“I went to the other bathroom down the hall with others. You know, the ones with the showers,” Jill lied, trying not to cause further questions. “When we went to cover, I bumped into the handle and accidentally turned the shower on.”
“Well, I’m just happy we are okay,” David expressed with relief.
“Me too,” Jill agreed.
As a result of Jill’s ancestorial will, there was a sudden strong wind from the southeast that altered the tornadoes’ path which caused it to narrowly miss the candle factory and Mayfield proper, hitting a much less populated area. The southeast wind was strong enough to weaken the tornado, completely diminishing 10 miles past the candle factory. David and Jill with all the other co-workers were able to evacuate the candle factory after the tornado passed. There was visible damage to the surrounding area, but zero fatalities from the surrounding area.
A few months later, David was sitting in his living room watching the evening news after a long shift. He learned how a strong southeast wind that came completely out of nowhere altered the course of the storm. He came to the realization of what could have happened to him and his friends and his beloved town and was thankful for the “Act of God.”
Work Consulted
NOAA’s National Weather Service. The Violent Tornado Outbreak of December 10-11, 2021. www.weather.gov/pah/December-10th-11th-2021-Tornado.
