Storm

Chapter Three

Present Tense/Past Tense
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I made sure to keep quiet so that I wouldn't wake up anyone, observing all of the doors as I walked down the hall. Closed. Closed. Closed. I reached the stairs and began to walk down, looking around, my heart beat pounding in my ears. Thump Thump. Thump Thump. Thump Thump. I reached the end of the stairs and began to walk down the hall, observing the doors. Closed. Closed...
Open.
I caught my breath as I stopped dead in my tracks. Thump Thump Thump. Thump Thump Thump. Thump Thump Thump. "Mom?" I whispered. No reply. "Dad?" I asked, the worry and fear beginning to show in my voice. "Hm..." I heard a voice sing from the inside of the room. "Hm..." I slowly moved one foot in front of the other, edging closer to the room.
Thump Thump Thump.
I entered the room.
Thump Thump Thump.
I was immediately wrapped up in the cold air that seems to embrace the dinning room.
Thump Thump Thump.
"H-Hello?" I whispered, shivering and holding my arms against myself, rubbing my hands together to keep warm. "Hm..." The voice sang again as I walked farther into the room.  I reached for the wall, trying to find the light switch.  My fingers flipped the small switch and I had to stop myself from screaming at the sight before me. 
A girl.  A transparent girl sat in the corner of the dinning room, rocking in her chair, singing her quiet song.  Her long black hair came down to her waist, and her long white dress appeared to be quite old.  She looked out into nothingness, her pale blue eyes seeming to tell many stories all at once.  Suddenly, she snapped her head in my direction. "Sweetie!"  She said happily.  I was about to reply when a high pitched voice from behind me said, "Mommy!"  I turned around to see a little girl with curly blonde pigtails running towards me.    I gasped as her translucent form ran straight through me and to the mother.  I looked again towards the mother, now with a little girl sitting on her lap.  "How are you?"  Asked the mother.  The little girl smiled.  "Did you see the clouds?"  Clouds?  There are no clouds.  Expect for the technology made sky, there are only real clouds outside in the... "What clouds?"  Asked the mother curiously, her face seemed anxious, but she would not show this in front of her daughter.  "The clouds mommy!  Outside!"  The mother picked up the little girl, setting her on the floor.  She ran towards the dinning room wall, where a misty window was projected.  The mothers eyes widened, and she turned around to run back to her  daughter.  But before she could even put her foot back onto the ground, the window broke and the clouds crashed into the room, consuming the mother and then making their way to the child.  "No!"  I screamed, running towards the little girl.  I reached out my hand, but she was consumed.  The only thing in the room were the clouds.  Gray and dark.  Booming with thunder and lightning.  A cool breeze fell upon my neck and I turned screaming, tears threatening to fall from my eyes.  The mother stood before me, her once pale eyes now consumed in darkness.  "Help us."  She said in a scratchy whisper.  "Help you."  She began to walk towards me.  "The storm is coming.  Go!"  She pointed off into the distance.  "Warn them!"  She screamed at me with an intent urgency.  I felt the tears streaming down my face.  "W-Why-"  My breath caught in my throat as I tripped over a dinning room chair.  I fell backwards, and hit my head on the floor.  My vision became spotted, but I could make out the faint image of the mother leaving, and another girl entering the room, rushing to my aid.  Something warm trickled down my head.  "Janey..." 

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I jolted up from my bed and felt a throbbing pain in my head.  Was it all just a dream?  I looked around my room.  Everything seemed normal.  I lied back down and took a deep breath.  What is going on with me?  My door opened and I jolted up again.  "Ow!"  I said as the pain in my head returned.  "Honey, you shouldn't do that."  Said my mother as she entered the room and placed a cold rag on my forehead.  "What happened?"  I asked, squeezing my eyes tight in pain. "You banged your head on the floor pretty hard."  My mother began, her face grave.  "Your father picked you up and took you to your room. Then we called the medical center and they sent us some medication to help you feel better.  The only thing I thought to be weird was... was... well, your eyes... they were white."  My mother looked into my eyes, looking uncomfortable, and I felt all the color drain from my face.  "W-White?"  My mother nodded and I made a sound like a croaking frog.  "Has that ever, happened before?"  Asked my mother.  I looked at her and quickly answered, "No.  Maybe my eyes just rolled back into my head from passing out.  It's fine mom. I'm fine."  My mother sighed as she got up from her chair and brushed off her skirt.  "Alright,"  She said, "Just, be careful, ok?  You should be able to get up now.  Just take these."  She handed me some small purple pills and a glass of gray liquid.  I nodded and my mother smiled before leaving the room.  I placed the purple pills in my mouth and washed them down my throat.  I felt better in almost an instant and got up to get ready for the day. 
    I walked over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of ripped jeans, a white tank top, a black sweater with small holes in line formation all over it, and some white socks.  I brushed my black hair quickly, but it didn't do much.  It still stuck out in the most random of places.  I ran downstairs and went to the closet and pulled out my black sneakers, throwing them on quickly and running outside.  I looked up, feeling suddenly strange.  The sky was darker, and what are those miniscule white dots in the clouds?   I lifted up my hand as one of the dots seemed to fall from its resting position.  The dot fell slowly, and softly landed in the palm of my hand. Plunk!  I gawked at what I saw before me. Water.  A drop of water no smaller than a crumb sat in the palm of my hand.  The Storm is coming.  The words echoed throughout my mind.  What storm?  What does this mean?  I looked back up at the sky to find that the clouds have been replaced by a shining orb of light.  Were the dots ever there?  What's happening to me?  How could water fall when there's a technology made sky?  My breathing increased and I broke into a run for... wherever.  I just had to get out of here. 
    I had barely been running for even a minute when Wes ran up to me.  "Hey!  Slow down there hot shot!"  I stopped dead in my tracks and looked around.   I was at the park.  Peaceful enough.  Away from all of my problems.  "Hey."  I replied.  Wes stared at me with a worried expression.  "Are you alright?  You don't seem normal."  "I'm fine.  I just... need to sit down."  I plopped down onto the green grass and sighed, my heart racing.  Wes plopped down beside me and sighed as well.  I slowly began to lie down on my back and stare up at the sky.  I sighed as Wes watched me in fascination.  "What are you looking at?"  I asked him.  Wes blushed a slight shade of pink as he answered quickly, "Nothing."  He looked back out into the distance and I closed my eyes.  Instantly, images of last night's events flashed through my mind and I jolted up.  Only to be met by a head bumping into mine.  "Ow!"  Wes mumbled some curses as he held his head in his hand and muttered soft ow's.  "S-Sorry."  I said, slightly embarrassed.  "It's fine.  Just a slight bruise."  I paused for a moment. "What were you doing right in front of my face?"  Wes looked like a boulder had just dropped in his stomach.  "I-I had to have some way to admire your beauty."  Wes wiggled his eyebrows and I rolled my eyes while slightly blushing.  "God Wes, so cheesy."  I punched his shoulder lightly and he muttered another soft ow.  I smirked and stood up.  "Want to go and see if Bradley and Meg are up for a game of Longest?" Wes smiled so wide, I thought his entire face was going to break in half.  "When have I ever not been up to that?"
    Wes and I walked over to Bradley's house and picked him up.  Then, we went over to Meg's and brought her out to the park, where we all sat in a circle.  "Ok everyone."  I said.  "Today we have brought you here to play a game of Longest."  Meg smiled and Bradley paled a little bit.  Wes nudged his shoulder and smirked.  "Don't worry Bradley, you might not lose this time."  Meg giggled, making Bradley's pale face blush Crimson red.  "Shall we go over the rules?"  I said as Wes continued my sentence.  "Rule number one:  Once we give you a dare, you must do the dare.  Rule number two:  If you do not do the dare, you shall be eliminated.  Rule number three:  Whoever lasts the longest,"  "Without cheating."  I added, glaring at Wes, who rolled his eyes playfully.  "As I was saying, whoever lasts the longest, will be declared the champion."  "Ready?"  I said excitedly.  "Go!"  We all said at the same time.  "Janey!"  Said Meg first.  "I dare you to go over to that tree over there, the one surrounded by people, and start singing to the birds!"  "Challenge accepted!"  I said as I walked over, and, in my best princess singing voice, sang to the birds.  I earned a couple of odd looks, but, some people actual gathered around, thinking it was a performance.  I walked back over to the group and they all sat there gawking.  "My turn."  I said as I turned to Bradley.  "Bradley.  You have to go up to that group of teenage girls and ask them to give you a makeover."  Bradley gulped nervously.  "Good luck buddy!"  Said Wes as he held in his laughter.  A few minutes later, Bradley came back with bright pink lipstick, silver eyeshadow, pink blush, and mascara on.  Wes burst out laughing as Bradley looked horrified at us all.  "Never, ever, ask me to do something like that again!  This will haunt my nightmares forever!  So much pink!"  "Your turn buddy!"  Said Wes.  Bradley turned towards Wes and smiled mischievously.  "I dare you to go around the park shouting, 'Has anyone seen my patch of grass?  I left it here somewhere!' And then drop of the ground at a random moment, kiss the ground and say, 'I've found it!'" Wes got up, a huge smile on his face and ran off.  He came back with dirt on his face and a helping of grass in his mouth.  "I didn't say eat the grass!"  Said Bradley laughing.  "I fell!"  Said Wes, spitting out grass as he said so.  "My turn. Meg, I dare you to pretend you're blind and walk around the park!"  Meg smiled anxiously and stood up.  "Alright."  She said as she walked off.  As soon as she finished, she came back with a bruise on her arm.  "I kind of bumped into a lamppost."  She said after a minute of our laughter. 
    Longest went on for quite a while before it was down to just Wes and I.  "Janey, I dare you to go and scare that lady over there!"  Wes pointed to a woman with slick black hair running down her back in waves.  "Fine."  I said as I walked over to the lady.  I snuck behind her and tapped her left shoulder, ducking to the right.  She turned around, but, by the time she did, I was behind her again.  She shrugged and turned around.  I was too late and she saw me and gave a slight scream.  Although, hers was not the only scream.  I had screamed as well.  The lady, she was the one from my vision last night.  I stood there in shock as I stared at the live lady in front of me.  "Hello?  Are you ok dear?"  She waved a hand in front of my face and her whole image seemed to change again.  Her face changed and her eyes became a light brown, her hair, a blonde color, her whole appearance, different.  "Hm?  Sorry.  You just, look like someone I know."  The lady shrugged and walked away.  I sat there, frozen, for a few seconds before walking back to the group, a fake smile plastered on my face.  "Done!"  I said as I approached the group and sat down at my spot.  Meg stared at me in shock and Wes and Bradley had the same reaction.  "What?"  "Nothing."  Said Meg as she looked to Wes.  "I think it's Wes's turn to be dared."  I looked over to Wes and smirked mischievously.  "Go over there, to the tree, and try to find a spider."  Wes looked at me and paled.  "No!  You win!  No spiders!  Nope!"  We all laughed at Wes's terrible fear of the creepy creatures and stood up from our spots.  "How about we head over to the bridge?"  Said Bradley.  "Sure!"  We all replied at once.  We ran off towards the bridge and touched the sides made of cool rock.  I looked over the right side and saw the tiny waves splashing over the pointed rocks at the bottom of the cavern.  "You know, that cavern wasn't always there.  It's mainly used as a water source now, but it has an enchanting history."  I turned around swiftly to see a man.  He was hidden in the shadows, but, I could clearly see the glint of his silver hair.  He took a step out from the shadows allowing me to see his pale blue eyes and his wrinkled face.  I recognized him.  The man from the other day.  The man who warned me.  But how could he have warned me?  That was in my head.  "What do you mean?  How... How could it not have been there?"  The man laughed to himself.  "My dear, there is so much you have yet to discover."  The man's face became grave.  "Yet, so little time."  "What do you mean s-so little t-time?"  I said, feeling quite frightened.  The man smiled as he said, "Oh nothing."  "You know what's wrong with me, don't you?"   The man sat there in silence for a moment before changing the topic.  "This cavern used to be-"  "I want to know what's happening to me!"  The man looked my way and shook his head.  "The only way you'll figure that out, is if you listen."  I shut up immediately and the man took this as a sign to continue with his story.  "This cavern, used to store the bodies of the dead.  The people who died... after the storm."  I sat there in silence.   "B-But that's our drinking water."  "No, it's not."  "How do you know?"  "Research.  Your water doesn't come from there.  That's water from the storm above.  It's leaking in.  Just like last time."  "What do you mean, last time?"  The man sighed and looked over at me.  "The last time the storm came, many lives were lost.  When the first ever civilization came to be on Storm, we didn't have the technological advances we do now.  No one knew that we weren't safe.  We tried to block the walls, stop the leaking, the lighting, the booms of thunder, nothing worked.  When all hope seemed lost, four men decided it was best if they went into hiding and did some research on Storm and its, well storm, while slowly, our people died and withered away.  When they finally reached the conclusion that they had to restart, they took a small group of, normal, extraordinary people, and saved them.  Well, you can guess what happened to the others.  The people who were saved were forced to help build the metal walls and the machines that help us with our everyday lives.  They saved us, as well as destroyed us.  But, there are people, special people, who have the so called spirit of the storm inside them.  They are specially chosen by... the storm itself."  I took a deep breath.  "Am I one of those people?"  The man nodded and looked off into the distance.  "But, why is the storm trying to warn me?  Doesn't it want us to leave?"  The man chuckled and began to cough.  "Child, do you think we would still be here if the storm wanted us dead?"  "I suppose not."  "Exactly.  The storm works in strange ways.  The storm wants to warn you.  The last time this happened, the first time this happened, the lady who had been warned had been named crazy and had been ignored.  The four men, who we today call our scientists, still don't realize their mistake.   They know the storm's coming again.  And they're prepared to do exactly what they had done the last time."  "But, you're not telling me everything."  "That's as much as I know.  I was only sent here to give you this information."  "By who?"  "By the girl within the storm."  "Huh?"  "You'll find out soon enough.  "I shall see you again when the time comes."  The man began to walk away and I leaped to stop him.  "Wait!  I still have so many questions!  What'll happen to me?  My family!  I can't go insane!  Please!"   But it was too late.  The man had disappeared as fast as he had come.  I fell to my knees and let a sob escape me.  What'll I do?  There's a storm inside me.  What even is a storm?  Who sent him?  Who's the girl within the storm?  Is she inside me?  I'm going insane already.  "Hey!"  Said Wes from behind me.  I turned around and smiled.  "Hey."  "Where did you go?  We were looking for you!  You didn't follow us to the bridge!"  "Sorry.  An old friend of mine stopped by and I thought it would be rude if I did not say hello."  Wes seemed to relax a little bit and he sighed.  "Ok.  We were worried sick about you!"  "Janey, are you sure you're ok?"  Said Meg as she approached.  "I'm fine Meg.  I promise."  She smiled and nodded.  "Ok.  Well, lights out is going to happen in about ten minutes, so, we'd better get home."  We all agreed and left the park to head home. 
    We dropped off Bradley and Meg, giving both of them hugs, and then headed for our houses.  I approached my house, Wes following behind me, and left out a breath I'd been holding in for a while.  "Well, goodnight Wes."  "Goodnight Janey."  I walked towards my house but stopped as a hand grabbed my arm and turned me towards them.  "Wes!  What's wrong?"  "I-I uh, well... "  Wes shook his head and leaned down so that his face was inches away from mine.  Then, he broke the gap between us and gave me a soft kiss.  My eyes widened in shock and I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks.  Wes pulled away and smiled at me.  "Don't let the bedbugs bite."  Wes walked back to his house as I just stood there, blushing a crimson shade of red.  A smile spread across my lips.  Wes, you sly dog.  I turned around and walked over to the front door of my house, leaning against it and sighing, then, I pushed it open.