DEMIS (A Clash With Lightning)

1

A crash of thunder pierces the ears of Jasmine Andrews. Most people hate the rain, but something about it soothes her. She walks out to the balcony of her apartment and watches the steady rain pouring harshly from the sky. She sighs as she reaches her hand out and lets the water hit her skin.

Jasmine's nerves had been killing her for weeks. She had been plagued with anxiety, constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting for something awful to happen. She gave her skin a firm pinch and sighed again, trying to get her mind out of the gutter.

It was a soft 'meow' that finally pulled her from her dark thoughts. She turned to see her cat, Sally, watching her from the door, curious—most likely wondering why her owner was standing out in the rain. Jasmine cracked a smile at the cat's innocent yet judgmental expression.

She headed toward the door and scooped Sally up into her arms. Sally protested violently, wriggling to escape Jasmine's wet embrace. Jasmine gave her a kiss on the head and finally let her go. Sally scurried away, shaking her damp fur.

A ding sounded, and Jasmine pulled her phone out to check the message. It was a text from her mother that read, "Please come stay at my house tonight. I have a bad feeling."

Jasmine's mouth twitched upwards into a smile. She knew her mother was probably just finding an excuse to get her to visit. As much as she wanted to see her, she had to be up at 6:00 a.m. for work.

Jasmine responded, "Sorry Mom! I can't tonight. I have work early tomorrow."

Her mother's response was almost instant: "Please promise you will at least make sure your doors are locked tightly tonight."

"Of course," Jasmine replied, then added, "I love you."

"I love you more."

Sally jumped onto the counter next to Jasmine and meowed, seemingly having forgiven or forgotten about being rudely drenched. Jasmine smiled at her and petted her head softly, which made Sally purr.

It was time to wash up for bed. Jasmine didn't forget the promise she made to her mother, so she locked her front door before heading to the shower.

Walking into the bathroom, a frown crossed her face as she noticed the lights flickering. The weather outside had seemingly come out of nowhere. The day had started sunny and clear, but now a brutal thunderstorm had rolled in, like a switch had been flipped. Zeus must have been very angry.

After her shower, she settled into bed. Sally jumped onto the bed and snuggled into the pillows beside her.

Jasmine slept surprisingly well. It wasn't until a loud boom of thunder caused both her and Sally to leap out of bed. Jasmine slipped off the edge and hit the floor. She groaned in complaint and reached for her phone on the bedside table to check the time. It read 3:00 a.m. She rubbed her eyes, knowing there was no chance she'd be able to get back to sleep. She decided to head to the kitchen to make some coffee, with Sally trailing behind.

Jasmine's body jolted when she saw lightning strike just outside her kitchen window, followed by ear-splitting thunder. The intense rain outside didn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. She started the coffee and did a double-take as she glanced down the hallway. She could have sworn she saw something move, but it had to be her imagination.

"Gods help me. I am losing my mind."

After pouring a cup from the pot, Jasmine headed to the living room to relax on the couch. She planned to turn on the news to see if there were any reports on why Zeus might be so angry. But as she walked into the living room, she let out a shriek of surprise.

A tall, Amazonian woman was sitting comfortably on her couch. The woman was stunning, as if she belonged on a runway or in a fashion magazine. Her dark skin was flawless, her long braids cascading down her back. Golden flowers adorned her hair, and she wore a pure white dress with slits running up the sides of her legs, along with golden sandals. Not just gold in color, but actual gold. Her skin was smooth and perfect, without a single blemish. She wore a serious expression, and her aura radiated power.