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CHAPTER 1

She woke up to the sound of rumbling. Rain poured down her bedroom window as lightning flashed across the sky followed by the crash of thunder. Her brother, Tom, sprawled amongst his covers with his messy hazel hair, slept peacefully through the storm. In the room next door, her parents were up and ready to initiate the security protocol. In a few seconds, her door was swung open and any chance of getting any more sleep was gone.

"Get your brother, the Thunderstorm is going to get worse."

"Yes, Father." Said Dalia

The Thunderstorm occurs every year, once a year. Ever since the Great Disaster, the weather has not been in favour of the population. The Thunderstorm was just one of the many casualties that mankind had to deal with. The soil started to turn acidic much earlier than usual, winter became longer and summer became shorter, countries at the equator's level's temperature rose. Sometimes, the climate would shift as fast as a ray of light would hit Earth, which was given the name of the Change. Such a simple name for something so disastrous. By now, the world has adapted to these changes, but at the time, billions were found dead all across the globe, men, women, children and animals alike. The human population has minimized itself to a few billion human beings. The Great Disaster was the most catastrophic event in all history.

Dalia grabbed her brother and ran downstairs. The escape pit was ready and her parents were waiting for them.

"Go first Dalia. We will meet you at the other end." Shouted her mother over the storm.

And so she jumped into the pit, Tom in her arms.Once they arrived at the other end, she hid with her brother under one of the tables in the room. The thunder crackled over their heads as they waited for their parents. Her family was always trying to find the positive in this messed up world, and they always told each other that everything would be fine, but Dalia was worried, and her brother couldn't share his opinion, considering he was still asleep. She heard about the horrible deaths caused by the Thunderstorm, Every year, they slid down the escape pit and most times, their house would get destroyed. She never knew a home; moving again and again made sure of that. Every time that storm came back, Dalia would see the solemn look on her parent's face, because they knew that that could be the last time they would see each other. Even Tom, at the age of seven, understood the dangers and the consequences. Dalia wondered how different her life, or any other life, would have been if it wasn't for the Great Disaster.

"What's going on?" An awakened Tom asked, pulling his sister out of her thoughts.

"It's going to be alright, Tommy. Everything is going to be alright."

"Where are Mom and Dad?" The worry in the little boy's voice was getting deeper and deeper "How long has it been since we separated?"

"They will be here soon. Just sit tight." Dalia pondered her younger brother's last question.

It felt like hours had passed before their mother appeared at the bottom of the pit carrying something in her arms.

"Hurry, we've only got a few minutes."

"Where is dad?" The little boy asked

"He's on his way, Tom, now run."

"I'm not leaving without him." He insisted

"Don't be ridicul-"

Tom did not let his mother finish her sentence as he grabbed the emergency ladder and started to climb toward the small gap in the ceiling that only he could have fit through.

"Tommy!" called his sister

She rushed to the ladder, but it was too late. Her brother managed to squeeze his small body through the miniscule hole.

The rumbling was louder than ever. The lightning hit the house so hard the entire room shook. Dalia turned to face her mother.

"He's going to be fine, right?"

Her mother did not answer and hung her head.

"Mom?"

When she raised her head to look at her daughter, her face was brimmed with tears.

"Oh, Dalia, my beautiful little girl." She pushed her daughters hair away from her face. "You know, sometimes telling yourself lies over and over again would not make them come true."

"Mother, you are not making any sense at all."

She chuckled "One day, I will. I promise.We all learn one day."

The ceiling collapsed, unable to withstand the weight of the pouring rain. Her mother pushed Dalia aside just in time, the ruins seperating them.

"Go! I'll get your brother and your father." Her mother yelled from the other side. "Take this with you."

She threw something through the small crack. Her daughter didn't care much for what it actually was, she trusted her mother, quickly picked it up and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Keep it safe." Her mother's voice was firm.

Dalia nodded and ran, knowing there was nothing else she could do.

As she got closer, she could see that the emergency exit was open. She does not know for how long though, and that left her thinking how much time they had left.

As soon as she emerged outside, bright light blinded her. When she turned around, she saw her father with his son in his hands and his wife waiting for them-

And then the doors started to close.

She screamed for her family to run, but she knew that it was useless.

Her eyes started to fill with tears. All she could do was stand there,paralyzed, and watch as the doors slowly seperate her from her family. At the very last moment, right before the doors shut, Tommy, with a smile, mouthed his last words.

Everything is going to be alright.

And then she let the light take her away.

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Hello! I'm an aspiring author that has always wanted to write a story and this is a great opportunity to do so. This is the first chapter to a completely new story, and not a fanfiction. So if you wouldn't mind leaving a like and a vote, that would be great!