The Journey The Only Survivors

Chapter II: SOS

The sun began to set behind the mountains to our left, making a beautiful orange and pink sunset. Bryan swerved through the cars, continually leaving distance between the storm and us. I turned to look out the back window and could barely see it in the background. It was becoming more like a twister as it relentlessly threw around more cars and tore down more buildings in its path. I rubbed my neck as it began to cramp up from the repetitive looks behind me.

"We should probably take shelter or something"—I turned back around and felt my heart beat faster and more irregular—"

"Do you see that twister?" Bryan said. Sweat droplets formed on his forehead. "It's destroying everything in its course!" He had to slow down a bit to pass some cars bunched up together.

"I know but—" A tree burst from the ground in front of us. "Watch out!"

Bryan hit the brakes, but it was too late. The car slammed right into the tree.

It took a few moments to regain my breath from the airbag's explosion. Bryan looked at me, and our eyes met. I nodded and turned my head to make sure Amy and Luke were okay. Neither had a single scratch on them, but they were shaking in fear. As they pushed out the door, I tried to deflate the airbag, but it didn't seem to want to budge. Both airbags in the back, as well as Bryan's airbag in the front, deflated, but mine was still the same as it was when we crashed. It was hard for me to breathe. Bryan came to my rescue, and, with his pocketknife, he punctured a hole in the airbag. I stumbled from the car.

As I regained my balance, sharp pain shot through my lungs; I felt bruised and beaten. I gasped for breath and started shouting as loudly as I could in utter incredulity.

"What in the world just happened? A tree! A tree grew up right in front of us—in the middle of the road! How does that happen?" I flailed my arms in anger, the anger that was evident in each word that stumbled from my chapped mouth.

I felt lost in my own reality. I was glad Bryan had slowed down a bit though; otherwise, we all may be hurt.

"I have absolutely no idea," Bryan said. "This world is becoming stranger by the minute." He shook his head, understanding my disbelief.

Amy looked up at me intently; tears began to form on the sides of her eyes. Luke held Bryan's hand tightly and was also already tearing up, and Amy moved over closer to me.

I clutched my stomach out of pain and groaned. It felt as if knives were cutting me open.

"You okay?" Bryan asked me—his eyebrows rising and lips quivering in sympathy. Amy put her hands on my elbow, trying to keep me steady. I smiled down at her, thanking her thoughtfulness.

"I'll survive." I couldn't help but speak in a sarcastic tone. Bryan nodded and looked up at the twister, which grew steadily closer to us.

"Come on, kids," Bryan said. "We've gotta run now."

"B-but I wanna go h-home," Amy said, whining slightly and holding onto my elbow more firmly. A single tear fell down her red cheeks.

The only problem was that we didn't have a home—the twister would have demolished it, but I didn't have the heart to tell her that.

"I want Mommy and Daddy," Luke said, pouting his lips.

"I-I'm tired," Amy said. "Mom w-would know what t-to do." She began to cry more prominently now. It pained me to see my little siblings in such horrible dismay. As much as I wanted to help them, I couldn't. I had as little understanding as they did.

"Why can't we go home?" Luke asked.

Another sharp pain clasped at my lungs, and I almost lost my balance.