Catastrophe

'A' Beginning

It was so windy I was surprised the little bare tree out front hadn't snapped in half from the pressure of the wind, it was already almost at a 90º angle. My mother, brother, baby sister, and I were all in the living room listening to the radio. The weatherman kept saying "STAY INDOORS, AVOID WINDOWS, DO NOT GO OUTSIDE IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!" over and over again like it was on re-run.

"Mom, do you think dad is on his way home?" Brandon asked.

"I think the store is going to keep him there until the storm is over, so he doesn't get caught in it." She said, unfocused.  Brandon just nodded, lips pressed in a tight line, and continued to stare out the window.

A few minutes later, I start to hear creaking like the door is barely hanging to the hinges against the wind. I get up to find the nearest table to push it up against the door to keep it from flying in. As soon as I get up, a hand tightly closes around my wrist. I turn around and look right in my mother's eyes. I see naked fear in them and give her a weak, forced smile. She lets go of the hand and I walk away to go blockade the door. I walked into the room next to the door and find a small glass coffee table near the window. I crack my knuckles and then walk to the side of the table with my back to the window. A sudden strong wind breaks the window behind me making me lose my balance and I fall into the glass table. I open my mouth to scream but get a mouthful of glass instead. The impact of the hit made me see black spots in my sight. I try to fight off the unconsciousness, lifting my head one last time to see Kirstin in my mother's arms, both of them crying and Brandon rushing towards me yelling," Stay with us A! We can't lose you... A! NO!!" before darkness surrounded me.

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"...She'll live?" asked a worried woman's voice.  

"Yes, she was injured badly but she'll live, Ms. Marks."  Marks? I finally get my eyes open but immediately close them again with a low moan that hurts my throat.

"Oh right, there's a light in your face, my bad." The (I'm assuming doctor) said while turning off the light above me. I slowly open my eyes and lean my head forward. I see two figures, man and woman, as I assumed, the man was a doctor, and the other human being was Ms. Marks? My aunt's name is Ms. Marks, but this isn't my aunt. This woman was much taller and younger, early-thirties maybe? My aunt was average height for a middle aged woman, had a blonde bob and wore way too much make-up. Thing One (Ms. Marks) had puffy, red eyes from crying and was struggling not to give me a big bear hug. She stared at me with... nothing in her eyes though. She started whimpering stretching her arms out to me, but brought them back before she could tackle me. Instead she took my limp hand in hers and squeezed HARD, to the point of pain where I let out a small cry. She immediately released my hand and whispered "Oh my God, you're alive. Thank God! You worried me sick!" I stared at her with confusion because, even if she was my aunt, my aunt HATED me, why you ask?  I DON'T KNOW, that's what's bothering... she would never tell me (not that I would tell anyone why I hate them but...) "Oh, Doc! She did lose her memory! Look she doesn't even remember me! It's okay, baby, it's me your aunt, Heather." What...? Heather? Baby? My aunt's name isn't Heather and since she hated me, she would never call me "baby."

Confused I turned my attention to the doctor. He was staring at me intensely like he was trying to read my mind. He walked over to me and put a hand on the rail next to my arm and whispered, "I don't know how you survived. Nobody else in your little neighborhood lived. Nobody? How? Why? Why you? Why are you so special? Huh? Huh? And, girl, trust me that wasn't luck. I say it was... I say this is some sort of magic," he spat,"only a few hundred people survived...in America" At that my eyes bulged and my throat burned when I tried to tell him I don't even know why I'm alive. I turn to look at Thing One for help and she sees me, she clears her throat. The doctor immediately jerked back and tried to play it off like he dropped a pen or something. 

"Soooo Doc when is she going to be able to leave?" Thing One asked awkwardly.

"Depends on how fast she heals. I mean at the least..." he turns to me glaring, "Even if she somehow miraculously heals before then..." and turns back to Thing One, "A month. We will need to take tests and she will possibly need physical therapy when she can get up and walk." 

Apparently Thing One is over my "almost-death" because she looks perfectly fine. Oh I'm so glad someone actually cared while I almost DIED!  Note the sarcasm. Instead she has her lips pressed in a tight line and her eyes narrowed like me being in the hospital has interrupted her plans of catching butterflies and having picnics in the park. She finally nods and asks,

"And while she heals here, I will be allowed to stay here?"

The doctor gives her a "Where-else-are-you-gonna-go-woman? The-world-just-fell-apart-and-you-still-think-you-have-somewhere-to-stay?" look and said,

"Of course you can stay in the bed next to her unless another patient comes in, so I'm just gonna warn you now... sorry not sorry if we have to push you off the bed to put some other wasted life there." I just stare in horror at the doctor at the phrase "wasted life".

"Speaking of wasted lives, this one needs rest so I would suggest you shut your eyes an fall asleep before I do it for you myself." He said his hand in a fist. I immediately squeeze my eyes shut and start counting sheep in my head. I do eventually doze off to the sound of Thing One yelling at the doctor about how people are not wasted lives.

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Hey guys! Hope you liked Chapter 1!!!!  This is the first story I have ever written, and I'm nervous... please comment and vote!!!  Love you! to all my supporters out there!

--Avalon101 out! :)