Previously: After helping an old addict we know, named Butch, who got hit by bullets in his leg and on his side, we went out again in the boat. We see a U-Haul tilting and rocking in the floodwaters and we found a couple inside, pleading for help. We got them to the Superdome and we told the guards they need to get to the uptown projects as soon as possible. When we return back to the projects, I slipped getting out of the boat and hit my face in the water. I don’t know what it was but something bit me in that water. It swoll my whole face up.
After seeing my face bein’ all swolled up, everyone was asking me what happened. I told them something bit me in the water. They asked me did I see what it was. I say no because it hit so fast.
After that, we got right back into the boat and returned to the National Guard at the Superdome in order to “escort” the Guards and make sure they got to the projects. We arrived and found a whole new K-9 squad with dogs.
They on a big boat and four big German Shepherd dogs on the boat with them. They follow us to the projects. After we arrive, they got out they boat, and we got out of our boat.
One Guard askin’ us questions. “How many people y’all have here?”
I told him “Four floors, 387 people.”
He ask, “How do you know?”
I said, “We keep a count by this walkie talkie, to make sure we ain’t missin’ anyone.”
He say, “It’s dangerous for y’all to be here like this. Anything can happen.”
I ask him if he sure they can get us up outta here.
He say not as fast as you think, but we will get you all out. I promise you that.
We tell him it’s a lot happenin’ so far since we been here. We move bodies out of the water and we help people with medical problems.
He say no matter what happen, don’t no one go out for no reason. Because anything can be in that water. That’s when he recognize the swelling on my face. He ask, “What happened there man?”
I tell him how I fell and something bit my face in that water.
After we finish talking we ask him again, “You sure you can get us all outa here?”
He say yes and ask, “Would you like to escort us upstairs?”
They chained up the dogs on the first floor and we took them up the steps to each floor. They ask people, “You all right?”
Some say yeah but not as good as we could be. Some old ladies say we need medical assistance. Some need dialysis machine, some need heart medicine, others need diabetic medicine.
Right there he asked us, “Who ever flew on a plane or a helicopter?” The majority are low class people, who never took a plane or left Louisiana before.
So he explained, don’t be scared. Aint gonna be nothing happen. The way we tie you up, you gonna be safe. It might be 24 or 72 hours, but we get you out of here.
I was sayin’ to myself, “I don’t care what they do; I’m just ready to get on dry land.”
We told one Guard about the shootin’ that went on in the project, and he said, “That’s why we have the dogs.” They be like huntin’ dogs, huntin’ people down, finding bodies.
After going on each of the four floors we came back down with them: me, Calio, KK. We asked them how many days or hours before we get outa here. Please tell us the truth. They responded back to us, “It’s not gonna be too long. We gotta go back to the base, get some helicopter.”
He explained it so good, talkin’ to us like we was in the military. The Guards stand up on the balcony with us and explained and make sure we tell everybody don’t be scared because nothin’ gonna happen, we gonna be safe getting out.
When he told us how they were gonna escort us out, though, Calio and KK and my eyes got so big.
He say what we gonna do, we gonna tie a rope around you and clamp it down. Some be hoisted up to the helicopter. That’s when our eyes got big. I brought up, “Who gonna go first up in that plane?” That’s when we got real quiet, the three of us. I never flew on a plane, they never flew on a plane. That’s like scary.
Calio tell me to be patient, but after that I was like this is takin’ too long, we gotta do something.
To be continued . . .
