My Paradise

1

I felt weird. My eyes fluttered open, my grey eyes greeting a clean wooden ceiling. Funny. I don't remember us having a wood ceiling. I rose from my bed, the soft sheets wrapped around me. I stepped onto cold wooden floor pressing onto my bare-feet.

" Emily! " My fathers voice called outside. He sounded distant as I opened the door, sunlight shining bright into my eyes. I smiled and as my eyes adjusted to the bright light, I took in my surroundings. There was people everywhere, I saw a few kids running alongside a big lion, it's mane was fluffy to the point I'm pretty sure I could crawl inside of it.

I could see my family surrounding somebody. My father no longer had greying hair nor wrinkles that used to be sprinkled across his and my mother's face. Both of their hair was full and grey colored exactly like mine and they looked so beautiful and young. Their skin was fair with no scratches or pimples or even make - up.

They stepped back, wide grins splattered across their faces as a young man turned to me. I could feel my breathe being caught in the back of my throat. Was it truly him?

∆

( 2 years earlier in America, Kansas )

( Emily's POV )

The wind threw my hair around vigorously, roaring like a lion as the whirl came closer to view. Tears stained my eyes, rolling off my face as I searched for my older 15 year old brother. My heart thumped against my chest so hard, I was hoping my brother would hear it and it would lead him back here.

" Justin! " I screamed, my voice raspy with tears. Everything was too blurry and I felt my hair poking alongside my eyes.

" Emily! Get back! " I could see his tall figure, one hand covering his eyes from the dirt flinging across the open air while his other hand waved for me to go away. I continued to step forward, ignoring his orders.

" Justin! We have to get to the shelter! " I watched as it seemed harder for him to walk towards me. Suddenly, a whirl of dirt and all kinds of concrete and wires was right behind him, making his tall figure of 5 feet and 6 inches seem so smaller compared to it. I prayed this was all a dream, " Justin! " I screamed again, the point I could barely even speak. I could hear my parents screaming for me to get back but I couldn't leave him. I couldn't. I watched as my only brother was pulled back and disappeared into the rushing tornado like he was paper. It ripped him off his feet and it was almost like he just vanished in thin air.

Hours later, our city was in destruction. People wandered the streets, taking in the destroyed houses. Trees were torn from their roots, wires hung to the ground as sparks ignited from the ends. There were never any bodies found. I dropped to my knees amongst the rubble and glass, telling myself that we'd find him. That he was alive. The tears threatened to fall and this time, I let them.

They poured from my eyes, as my heart dropped. I sobbed loudly as my parents kept me tight in their arms. My tears lasted long into the night, and my brother was never found.

∆

( Present time ) Paradise
( Still in Emily's POV )

I stared at the tall boy in front of me with wild hair with grey and happy eyes, his big arms opened and I ran into the them without hesitation. He crushed me into a warming hug as I never felt more happy in my entire life. I never thought I'd be able to hug him ever again, to hear his jokes. I laughed in his arms, " you're back! You're alive! " I never wanted to let go of him. He laughed, shaking me gently.

" Of course I'm alive. You think Jehovah would keep you from seeing me? " He let go and I felt my mom's soothing embrace as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I never wanted this to end. It never would.

°

My mother and Justin spent the next hour helping people build houses of wood as me and my father plowed into the ground, planting fruit after fruit and vegetable after vegetable. I laughed out loud as I picked some fresh cauliflower from our little garden. Just a few months ago I would laugh in your face if you told me I'd be eating every vegetable in the world. I took a bite of it, smiling as it's delicious taste lingered on my taste buds. I ate bite after bite until my father's arm rested heavily on my shoulder, his mouth opening into a wide laugh.

" As happy as I am that you want to keep eating, we gotta keep on working. Come on " he ruffled his hand in my hair before I soothed it down again, " let's plant the strawberries. I want to eat them as soon as their done " he tossed me some seeds and I planted them in the fresh soil.

There were a series of footsteps behind me and I turned, a group of Zebras trodded towards me. Their black and white stripes shined under the sunlight as they yipped. I walked towards them, my hand running smoothly across one of their snouts. It's ear twitched slightly as it pushed me playfully back. I laughed at it's gesture as it ran off, it's small herd running after it. I smiled gravely, this was all here. Paradise.

No roads, no fear, no death, no government, no walls. Just perfectness everywhere. I watched as Justin and my mother walked towards us with wide smiles. My mom looked at the fresh soil and fruits and nodded, " wow! Great job, guys! " She kneeled down, her hand reaching into the brown and soft dirt. Justin pulled me in, his hand ruffling my hair before I straightened it all out again.

This made me happy. Everything was all right in the world. And it would forever stay that way.