The Green Planet

Chapter 1

Green. It was the only color Cecelia could see. Everywhere she looked, plants were there. Even the street she was walking on was being cracked and destroyed by the grass. A year ago, to this day, the world was destroyed. The memory was still fresh in Cecelia's mind, as if it happened yesterday.

It was supposed to be a great day. Her parents were taking Cecelia and her two much younger sisters to see their grandparents in New York. Her sisters were ten and eight at the time, so they didn't get how important it was to see their grandparents while they still could. Cecelia was fifteen. She just got out of school for the summer two days ago. Her mom and dad were listening to the radio in the front seat when it suddenly cut out and became static. "What is this? Is this the kind of music you listened to when you were kids?" Leslie joked with her parents. Leslie was Cecelia's second to youngest sister. She had long auburn hair that was perfectly straight. Leslie was tall, for a ten year old. She competed in so many sports, Cecelia couldn't keep track. Her dad chuckled and said "Yeah! It was all the rage in the 40's."
"Cece ? Looky at what I made!" Stella, who was Cecelia's youngest sister, called from her booster seat in front of Cecelia. "Cece " was Cecelia's nickname and she only let her close friends and family know about it. When she looked over, a horse looking creature was drawn on the coloring book her parents got Stella for the trip. Most of it was scribbles and at first she couldn't tell what it was. When she looked closer, past the rainbows and smiling faces, she could see a horn on what she assumed was the head. "That's a beautiful unicorn! It should be on display. Maybe Grandma will put it on the refrigerator," Cece smiled. Cece had light brown hair, with natural auburn highlights. She had it in a ponytail, like she always did. Her brown eyes sparkled. Stella had red curly hair like mom did. It always bounced when she walked or even if she nodded. Stella had a giant pink crayon in her hand and she smiled. Cece could hear her parents trying to fix the radio, but to no such luck, it was only static. She looked out the front windshield and looked at one of the most landmarks. The Golden Gate Bridge stood prominently. They were leaving San Francisco and were going to take a road trip across the country.

Suddenly, the car in front of them slammed on the brakes and nearly caused them to crash into their bumper. Cece saw her dad slam on his brakes and stop the car immediately. She could hear dozens of cars screeching to a stop and honk. Soon the bridge was in total chaos and no one seemed to want to get off. Cece 's mom and dad shared a look and he opened the door. He stuck his head out and started to gaze out to the bridge. Cece considered her dad handsome, with his athletic body, short brown hair and blue eyes that if you looked into them, you might get lost. Her mom was beautiful. She had long red hair that was always curled. She wore glasses that made her look like some kind of scientist. She hated wearing contacts and only wore them when something important was going to happen or there was going to be a lot of pictures.

Soon enough, Mom was getting out of the car and was looking where her dad was staring at. Moments later however, both of them were rushing into the car and the people on the bridge were running and getting into the cars. Some abandoned their cars and decided to make a run for it instead. Cece started to panic and look towards her parents. They were saying "Everything is going to be fine. Everyone has their seat belts on?" Their mom asked. When Stella said she couldn't get hers on, Leslie tried to reach over and buckle it for her but couldn't reach. Cece and Leslie were both in the back seat, behind Stella who was behind their parents. Leslie and Cece shared a look and hurriedly buckled their seat belts as their parents reached behind them to help with Stella's.
That's when it happened. Cece looked out of the window and screamed just as a wave of seaweed crashed onto the bridge and was racing toward them. All of the cars that sat abandoned were pushed aside or crushed under the seaweed. Some of them rose on top as if riding a tidal wave. The seaweed wave gained speed and raced toward them. Their parents left their doors open and the stench of salt water wafted into the car. Stella and Leslie started to cry. Their parents still worked to get the seat belt on Stella's seat buckled. They finally got it buckled and swiveled in their seats, just in time to see the seaweed wave sweep the car up and above. The sudden movement made the two fall backwards, toward the open doors. Cece didn't know who was the one who screamed, it might've been her. In a matter of seconds their parents fell out and were engulfed by the seaweed.
They sat there, all three of them. Crying as they rode the seaweed. Buckled in the seat safely, Stella had been saved.

Cece shook the memory from her head and focused on why she risked going out into the town. She looked down at the dog who had started following her two months ago. Her sisters decided to call him Cooper. It was a German Shepherd who always brought them dead birds. She looked up at the sky, the sun was just rising above the horizon. "It's 9:00 so I have two hours, which should be plenty of time to find what I need," Cece told Cooper. He barked and wagged his tail. She looked at the side of the street and the stores were covered with vines and other plants Cece couldn't verify. The grass was about as tall as her and could hide any number of monsters, ready to strike. She quickened her pace. The bag on her back started to take its toll already. I should be stronger. She thought as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. Cece started to look for a general store.
About half a mile up the road, she saw a sign that read "Fortuna General Store. For all of your worldly needs!" When she stopped in front of the door, she took out the knife that was concealed in her bag. Cooper crouched and stalked closer to the door. She sighed and raised her knife as she began to follow him.