The Water at Briar Creek: Real-World Flood Safety Tips

This story was originally written for the AI Invitational: Hidden Hazard, a writing challenge in which each contestant was assigned a natural hazard and asked to weave practical preparation and safety tips into an original short story without ever naming the hazard or the tips, instead showing them through the characters’ actions. Now we’re taking the challenge one step further.

The Water at Briar Creek, a Gold Medal story written by Ethan of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, follows Nora and her grandson Eli as rising water turns a familiar trip into a series of choices about when to leave, where to go, and when not to take a risk. We’ve gathered the safety lessons into practical tips you can use to prepare for a flood, recognize potential dangers, and make safer decisions before, during, and after the emergency.

By the time Nora Bell realized the rain sounded different, the lights had already flickered twice. She stood at the kitchen window, watching the backyard disappear beneath sheets of gray. Rain had been falling since sometime before dawn, but this was heavier. The gutters overflowed in solid curtains, and Briar Creek, normally hidden behind the trees at the bottom of the property, had become visible between the trunks.

Her twelve-year-old grandson, Eli, appeared beside her carrying a red panda stuffed animal under one arm. “Grandma?” he asked. “I see it,” Nora answered. The creek had climbed over its banks.

Nora reached for her phone. Three alerts waited on the screen, the newest only two minutes old, and she opened it instead of swiping it away. “Emergency warning,” she said. Eli’s eyes widened. “For us?” Nora nodded. “For this whole area.”

The message said residents near Briar Creek should move to higher ground immediately. Nora read it twice, then looked toward the hallway. “Shoes on. Get your backpack.” When Eli asked about his things, she told him, “Only what’s already packed.”

The backpack had been sitting in the hall closet since spring, when Nora’s sister had teased her for preparing for disasters that never happened. Inside were bottled water, protein bars, flashlights, batteries, a first-aid kit, a battery-powered radio, phone chargers, copies of important documents sealed inside a plastic pouch, and several days of Nora’s prescription medication. Eli returned wearing sneakers, his backpack on his shoulders and the red panda still tucked beneath his arm. “You’re taking him?” Nora asked, and Eli replied, “He’s emergency equipment.” Nora almost smiled. “Fair enough.”

She unplugged the toaster and coffee maker, then moved quickly through the house. There was no time to carry furniture upstairs, but earlier in the week, after hearing forecasts of prolonged heavy rain, she had moved photographs, insurance papers, electronics, and anything irreplaceable from the lowest shelves. Now she grabbed her purse, emergency bag, and the waterproof document pouch. Outside, something cracked, and a tree limb struck the ground near the shed. Eli jumped, and Nora said, “We’re leaving now.”

Their planned destination was the community center on Ridge Road, nearly two hundred feet above the creek. Nora had driven the evacuation route before, partly because she liked knowing where she was going and partly because getting lost during an emergency seemed an especially stupid way to spend an afternoon. They climbed into the SUV, and Nora backed out and headed east, away from the creek. Three blocks later, traffic stopped because water covered the road ahead.

It didn’t look dramatic, and that was what bothered Nora most. There were no enormous waves, no cars floating past, nothing that looked like a movie, just muddy water sliding steadily across the pavement. The pickup in front of her pulled around the stopped cars, and Eli asked, “What’s he doing?” Nora watched the truck ease into the water. “Making a bad decision.”

For several seconds, nothing happened. Then the rear of the truck shifted sideways. Eli sat forward, and Nora immediately put the SUV in reverse. “But that’s the way to Ridge Road,” he said. “Not anymore,” Nora answered.

She backed into a driveway, turned around, and took the alternate route she had marked months ago. Behind them, the pickup’s brake lights glowed red through the rain. Eli asked how deep the water had been, and Nora told him it didn’t matter because they couldn’t know what was underneath it. “The road could be washed out, and moving water can push a vehicle around before the driver realizes he’s in trouble.” When he asked, “So never drive through it?” Nora answered, “Never.”

At Oak Street, Nora stopped again. This time there was no vehicle ahead of them, but water crossed the intersection from one ditch to the other, carrying branches, a trash can, and something that looked like part of a wooden fence. Eli pointed toward the sidewalk and asked, “Could we walk across?” Nora shook her head. “No. Same rule. We don’t know how fast it’s moving or what’s under it.”

She turned around again. The radio interrupted its music with an emergency broadcast saying several roads were closed and people in low areas were being told to leave immediately. Nora listened carefully until the message repeated, then said, “Ridge Road from the north. That’s our way out.” The rain hammered the roof as she changed direction.

As they drove, Eli looked through the rear window and asked, “What about the house?” Nora told him it was insured, but Eli explained that he meant their things. “They’re things,” Nora said. “My computer is a thing,” Eli replied, and Nora agreed that it was a very expensive thing. When he added that his Xbox was also a thing, Nora told him, “A suspicious number of your things require electricity,” which finally earned a small laugh.

They reached the community center twenty minutes later. Volunteers directed cars into the upper parking lot, and Nora parked well away from the drainage channel along the lower edge before they hurried inside. Dozens of people were already there, including Mrs. Patel from Nora’s street, who waved from a folding chair. “I thought you might stay home,” Mrs. Patel said, and Nora replied, “I considered it for about three seconds.”

Mrs. Patel admitted that her husband had wanted to wait. Nora glanced around and asked where he was, and Mr. Patel raised one hand sheepishly from nearby. “Good,” Nora said. A volunteer handed Nora and Eli blankets and pointed toward a table with water and snacks.

Eli sat beside Mrs. Patel while Nora checked her phone. The power at home had gone out, which she knew because the security system had sent a notification before losing its connection. Then Eli said, “Grandma, Max.” Nora froze as she realized their cat was still inside the house.

For one horrible moment, neither spoke. Eli reminded her that Max was inside, and Nora pictured the orange tabby sleeping on the back of the upstairs sofa. “I forgot him,” she said. Eli immediately said, “We have to go back,” and Nora stood instinctively.

Before she could move, the emergency broadcast sounded again from a radio across the room. Conditions near Briar Creek had worsened, roads were becoming impassable, and residents were warned not to return to evacuated areas. Nora sat back down. Eli stared at her and said, “But Max. You said we don’t leave family.”

“We don’t,” Nora told him, taking his hand. When Eli insisted that they had to get him, Nora explained that if they went back and became trapped, rescuers would have three lives to save instead of one. His face crumpled. “I should have remembered him,” Nora said. “That was my mistake. But going back now would be another mistake.”

Eli hugged the red panda against his chest while Nora called emergency services. She gave them their address, explained that an animal remained inside, and provided the location of the spare key. The dispatcher made no promises. For the next two hours, Nora and Eli waited.

The community center lost electricity just after four, but emergency lights came on and volunteers brought out battery lanterns. Nora kept her phone on low-power mode and stopped checking it every thirty seconds. They had charged their devices fully the night before, and the portable battery in her bag could keep one phone running for hours, but she wasn’t wasting it. Eli found a deck of cards, and they played gin rummy on the floor.

At 5:17, Nora’s phone rang. A firefighter had reached their street before access was cut off, found Max upstairs, and taken the furious but unharmed cat to an animal shelter outside the affected area. Eli shouted so loudly that half the room applauded before anyone knew why. After Nora hung up, she told him, “Sometimes the safest way to help somebody is to let the people with the equipment do it.”

“I still think Max rescued himself,” Eli said. Nora laughed and told him the cat would absolutely tell the story that way. They spent the night at the center. By morning, the rain had weakened to a drizzle, but officials told everyone to wait before returning home.

Several neighbors became impatient. “The rain stopped,” Mr. Patel said. Nora answered, “That doesn’t mean the water has.” It was nearly noon before officials finally reopened their neighborhood and allowed residents to return.

Nora drove slowly toward Briar Creek. Mud covered lawns and driveways, branches hung from fences, and a sedan sat crooked against a utility pole. The brown line on the houses rose higher as they descended the hill. Their own house had been reached, with water having entered the first floor and retreated, leaving mud, leaves, and debris behind.

Eli reached for the passenger door, but Nora stopped him. When he protested that they were home, she pointed toward the side yard, where a power line lay across the grass. Eli immediately pulled his hand back. They stayed in the SUV and called the utility company.

Only after a crew arrived, confirmed the line was no longer energized, and officials said the property could be approached did Nora allow Eli out of the vehicle. At the front door, another problem waited. The house smelled wrong, not just wet but sharp. Nora stopped and immediately told Eli, “Outside.”

Eli didn’t argue, and they stepped back into the yard. Nora called the gas company from the driveway rather than touching switches, plugging anything in, or searching for the source herself. A technician arrived and found damage near the meter. He told Nora she had done the right thing and that if they smelled gas after something like this, they should get out and let professionals handle it.

They waited again, and by late afternoon they were finally allowed inside. Mud coated the kitchen floor, the refrigerator stood silent, and a cabinet door had swollen shut. Eli opened it anyway and stared at the food inside. “Can we save any of this?” he asked.

“Not anything that touched that water,” Nora said. Eli looked mournfully at a cereal box that was damp along the bottom and asked about it. Nora told him it was gone. “That is an unopened box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch,” he protested as Nora picked it up with gloved hands and dropped it into a heavy trash bag.

Eli placed a hand over his heart. “I’m sorry for your loss,” Nora told him. “Thank you,” he answered solemnly. Then they continued working.

They wore waterproof boots and rubber gloves while cleaning. Nora would not let Eli touch the muddy residue with bare skin, and when he found a cut on his ankle, she cleaned and covered it before he continued helping. Upstairs, the rooms were untouched, and Eli ran into the guest room before returning with Max’s empty travel carrier. “He really was upstairs,” Eli said, and Nora answered, “Smart cat.”

“Smarter than us?” Eli asked. Nora considered it. “Today? Possibly.”

Nora opened the windows once the house was declared safe and began photographing every damaged room before they moved or discarded anything. She photographed floors, furniture, appliances, walls, and ruined boxes, taking wide pictures and close-ups before calling the insurance company. Eli watched her photograph the dead refrigerator and asked why they needed pictures when it was obviously ruined.

“Because later I may need to prove exactly what happened to everything,” Nora explained. “We document first and clean second.” Eli nodded solemnly, then photographed the discarded cereal box. When Nora asked whether that was for insurance, he answered, “For history.”

That evening they returned to the community center because the house still had no electricity and wasn’t ready for them to sleep there. Nora stood for a moment in the driveway before leaving. Briar Creek was back between its banks, and from there it looked almost harmless again. Eli came up beside her holding the red panda and asked, “Grandma, are you going to make a bigger emergency bag now?”

“No,” Nora said. Eli looked surprised until she added, “I’m making two.” He grinned, and Nora told him there would also be a note attached to both of them in enormous letters.

“What’s it going to say?” Eli asked. Nora looked toward the upstairs window where Max had waited alone while the world below him changed. “GET THE CAT.” Eli laughed, Nora locked the door, and together they walked back to the SUV.

Behind them, Briar Creek kept moving through the trees, carrying muddy water south as quietly as if nothing unusual had happened at all. Real-World Flood Safety Tips

• Pay attention to emergency alerts and act quickly. When Nora receives the warning to move to higher ground, she doesn't wait to see whether the water gets worse. Flood conditions can change rapidly, and an evacuation warning is the time to leave, not the time to start deciding whether you should.

  
  

• Keep an emergency go-bag ready. Nora already has water, nonperishable food, flashlights, batteries, first-aid supplies, a battery-powered radio, chargers, important documents, and necessary medications packed and ready to go. Preparing these essentials before an emergency means you are not searching for them when every minute matters.

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• Include your pets in your emergency plan. Prepare for your pets just as you prepare for the people in your household. Keep carriers or leashes accessible and have essential pet supplies ready to take with you, such as food, water, medications, and identification or veterinary information. When it's time to evacuate, make sure your pets leave with you so you are not faced with trying to return for them later.

  
  

• Protect important belongings before the water arrives. After hearing the forecast, Nora moves photographs, insurance papers, electronics, and other irreplaceable items away from low shelves. When flooding is possible and there is time to prepare safely, moving important belongings to higher locations can reduce damage and loss.

  
  

• Know more than one evacuation route. Nora has already driven her planned route to the community center and knows an alternate way to get there. Flooding can make familiar roads impassable with little warning, so knowing another route can keep one blocked road from leaving you trapped.

  
  

• Move to higher ground or a designated safe location. Nora and Eli head for the community center on Ridge Road rather than simply driving away from the creek without a destination. During a flood evacuation, the goal is to get away from rising water and reach a safer location where you can remain until conditions improve.

  
  

• Never drive through floodwater. Nora turns around instead of following the pickup truck into water covering the road. You cannot tell from the surface how deep the water is, how strong the current may be, or whether the pavement underneath has been damaged or washed away. A road that looks passable may not be.

  
  

• Never walk or wade through moving floodwater. When Eli suggests crossing the flooded area on foot, Nora refuses. Moving water can knock a person down, conceal holes or damaged pavement, and carry debris that cannot be seen from above. Getting out of the vehicle does not make a flooded route safe.

  
  

• Use reliable sources for information during the emergency. Nora uses her battery-powered radio to hear official information about road closures and evacuation routes. Phones and internet service may become unreliable or batteries may run low, so having another way to receive emergency information can be important during an extended disaster.

  
  

• Don't reenter a dangerous area to rescue a pet. Nora desperately wants to go back for Max, but she doesn't risk returning through worsening flood conditions. Instead, she contacts emergency services and gives responders the information they need. Entering an evacuated area can endanger you and potentially create another person who needs to be rescued.

  
  

• Don't return just because the rain has stopped. The end of the storm does not necessarily mean the end of the flood. Water may still be rising or moving through an area, roads may be damaged, and electrical or structural hazards may remain. Nora waits until officials say the area is safe before returning home.

  
  

• Treat every downed power line as dangerous. When Nora sees a downed line in the yard, she keeps Eli in the vehicle and contacts the utility company. A fallen line may still be energized, and electricity can travel through nearby water or the ground. Stay well away and let utility professionals determine when the area is safe.

  
  

• Leave immediately if you suspect a gas leak. When Nora notices an unusual gas odor, she takes Eli back outside and calls the gas company. Don't flip switches, plug or unplug electrical devices, or search the building for the source of the leak. Anything that creates a spark could ignite leaking gas.

  
  

• Avoid direct contact with floodwater and contaminated mud. Floodwater can contain sewage, chemicals, bacteria, sharp objects, and other contaminants. During cleanup, Nora uses protective boots and gloves and keeps Eli from handling the muddy residue unnecessarily.

  
  

• Clean and protect cuts or other wounds. Even a small break in the skin can provide a route for contaminants to enter the body. Nora cleans and covers Eli's cut rather than allowing an open wound to remain exposed during cleanup.

  
  

• Throw away food that has been exposed to floodwater. Nora discards food that came into contact with the water rather than trying to salvage it. Floodwater can carry dangerous contaminants, so food exposed to it may no longer be safe to eat.

  
  

• Photograph the damage before beginning cleanup. Before damaged belongings are moved or discarded, Nora photographs the affected rooms and items. Creating a record of the damage can provide important documentation when filing an insurance claim.

The water eventually recedes, but the decisions made before, during, and after a flood can have consequences long after the rain has stopped. The Water at Briar Creek began as a challenge to hide practical safety advice inside a story, but Nora and Eli’s experience is a reminder that preparation doesn’t have to be complicated to matter. A packed bag, a planned route, a charged phone, a remembered pet, and the willingness to turn around instead of taking a chance can all make a difference when familiar places suddenly become dangerous. Maybe that is the most important lesson Briar Creek leaves behind: you can’t always control when the water rises, but you can decide what you’ll do when it does.