Bringing Hope

Careful What You Wish For

The sun's setting behind the horizon of roofs as you peer out from your window. Another peaceful day, thanks to the Justice League. Honestly, you're starting to depend on those baddies because lately it's been boring since the departure of those aliens that were trying to take over the world-- what were they called again? Oh. Right. The 'Reach'. And you drank their stuff, too! Tasted good, though, and you just couldn't help yourself to have at least three cans a day. That was until it became uncovered they put a 'special' additive into the mix which apparently had the motive of controlling you like some kind of slave. Blech! You remember hauling yourself to the bathroom after freezing up when the news was delivered worldwide, vomiting everything you had eaten that they, and maybe even for the whole week. Groaning at the memory with that sickening thought wrenching in your gut, you pull yourself away from the window and drag your feet to the bed where you flop. Really, though, you start to think. It's boring as hell.

A rupturing, Earth-shaking BOOM suddenly rocks the house and sends a few items from shelves spilling to the ground, and you even hear shatters which brings to suspicion some of your mom's favorite China has also taken victim. The bed continues to rumble but you've already scrambled off of it and made a bee-line out your bedroom door.

"(Name)!" Your mother cries out as you see her clinging to the walls as another BOOM sends both you and her stumbling. "Are you okay?!"

You get back to your feet and run towards her side to help her down the stairs. "Yeah! Are you? What's going on?! An Earthquake?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" She answers and glances at the kitchen for a brief, solemn look at her China cabinet. You notice there's chaos in there, and fishing out for the untouched ware would take too much time. Another BOOM, and this one sends both of you reeling towards the living area where you roll around on the ground trying to find cover from the breaking ceiling.

Breaking ceiling?!?

A sharp look upwards and it's a tell-all; the house is caving in and you and your mother are in the middle of it. As if on cue, your mom cries out and the section of the roof she's under collapses.

"Mom!" you scream, lungs filled with the debris of paint and scattering drywall. No answer. "Mom! Mom, can you hear me!? Mom!!" You cough while crawling out from a fallen beam and make your way to the large pile of rubble that leaves half of a torn-up couch revealed, only to leave to imagination just exactly what's been left under the cave-in. Where your mom was last seen.

Holding back your tears, you pressure forward and with bare hands scraped and bloodied, you try to unstack the debris undoubtedly trapping your mother. "Mom! Mom!" you continue to shout, choking on the unfiltered air of rubble, clawing through the wood and broken pipes. Still, no answer except another rupturing BOOM which sends you staggering backwards, and for a brief moment you see the remaining roof of the second floor split into lines like a spider web, the sound of the unmistakeable snaps of wires, drywall, and plaster echoing in the air. You look back to where your mom had last been and close your eyes.

Mom. I'm so sorry, you think before propelling yourself up to your feet and vaulting your way over glass and strewn nails where bare feet meet the ground while time shifts into slow-mo and the house slowly caves in behind you.