Claws of Unity

"School day"

The sun cleared the darkness of the apartment as the birds sing and cars honked in traffic. My annoying little sister was at it again, trying to steal my lunch that I had already paid for. I had packed it the night before, and there she was, sneaking into my room to grab it. I caught her red-handed as I came out of the bathroom.
"Stop going in my room!!" I yelled, completely fed up with her antics. I snatched my lunch back from her as she reached out to grab it again. Seriously, how hard is it for her to just leave my stuff alone? But no, she always has to push my buttons. Just another day in the life of a tired and irritated teenage girl. She starts bawling and yelling, "Mom always makes me sandwiches, why do you always hoard the good stuff for yourself!!" She sobs. "You're such a selfish jerk!" She shouts. So there we were, me and my little sister, locked in a heated argument over my lunch. She was whining about how Mom's lunches were gross and that I should share with her. But I wasn't having it.
I shot back, "Why should I share when I'm the one who paid for it and packed it myself? Mom's lunches might not be as fancy, but at least she makes them with love." My sister rolled her eyes and retorted, "Love doesn't taste as good as your fancy lunches, sis. Come on, just share a little, I'm your sister after all."But I stood my ground, "Sorry, I worked hard to save up for my lunches, and I'm not about to give them away just because you don't like Mom's cooking." And that's how we ended up in a boisterous argument that probably woke up the neighbor next door. As soon as the TV started blaring with sirens and reporting the alarming news about people turning into anthropomorphic beings, my little sister and I froze in place, our argument immediately forgotten. Fear crept over us as we listened to the urgent warnings from the news reporter, urging citizens to be aware and stay safe.

My sister's eyes widened in terror, and I could see the color drain from her face. I tried to remain calm for her sake, but inside, my heart was racing with fear and uncertainty. The reality of the situation sunk in as we realized that our world was changing in a way we never could have imagined.

In that moment, we clung to each other, seeking comfort and reassurance amidst the chaos unfolding on the TV screen. The fear of the unknown loomed large over us, but we knew that we had each other to rely on as we faced whatever was to come next. I couldn't believe it when Mom burst through the door in a panic and quickly switched off the blaring TV. She was in a hurry, as usual, and immediately handed down orders for me to walk my little sister to school. "That disease hasn't spread to our area, so we won't be infected! Get to school now!" she shouted, her voice filled with urgency. I nodded quickly, grabbing my sister's hand and leading her out the door, still shaken from the news report we had just heard and saw of those people transforming. Mom's words offered some reassurance, but the fear of the unknown lingered in the back of my mind as we hurried off to school. As I walked my little sister to school, her small hand clutching mine tightly, I could see the worry etched on her face. "Jannie... I'm scared, what if it does get to us... what will we do!?" she whispered, her voice filled with fear. I paused for a moment, trying to find the right words to comfort her in the midst of all the uncertainty. Then, a mischievous grin spread across my face as a thought crossed my mind.

"It means no school and free lunches, plus we might even get super powers... HAh!" I exclaimed, trying to lighten the mood with a touch of humor. My sister's eyes widened in surprise, and a giggle escaped her lips. In that moment, the weight of the situation seemed to lift slightly as we shared a moment of laughter amidst the fear and uncertainty. As we continued on our way to school, I held onto the hope that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together, armed with laughter and a sense of optimism. As I sat down at my desk in first period, my mind was consumed with the news from that morning. The worry of the spreading disease lingered in the back of my mind, casting a shadow over everything else. But as the teacher handed out the quiz, I knew I had to focus and push those thoughts aside, at least for the moment. I glanced down at the paper in front of me, feeling my heart race with anxiety.

As I read through the questions, my mind started to race with doubts and fears. What if I couldn't concentrate? What if I failed? What if... No, I told myself firmly, I had to push through this. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and began to count to ten in my head. With each number, I could feel the tension slowly dissipating. By the time I reached ten, a sense of calm had washed over me.

I started to answer the questions on the quiz, one by one. Surprisingly, the answers came easily to me. It was as if the worry and anxiety had been replaced by a sense of clarity and focus. As I finished the last question, a wave of relief washed over me. I had managed to overcome my test anxiety and complete the quiz with confidence. Despite the lingering concerns from that morning, I realized that I was stronger than I thought, capable of facing whatever challenges came my way. But, that was when it started... the stuff on the tv.. My heart pounded in my chest as I saw the news from that morning come to life right before my eyes. The boy beside me let out a blood-curdling scream, and I watched in horror as a student transformed into an anthropomorphic canine being. The fear washed over me like a tidal wave, leaving me frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.