Cataclysm

Chapter 1

My eyebrows furrowed as I blankly stared at the moving letters on the page. I'm in grade 10 and I still don't know how to read. Tragic. Its not entirely my fault, though. I have Dyslexia and ADHD. My parents couldn't afford to get professionals to help me with my disorders. I question how I even managed to become a sophomore with the marks I received on my report cards. Ironically enough, the book I was currently reading for class is titled "Fahrenheit 451". My best friend true to the book-work she is, had read the entire book in a single day, and told me it was about a future society in which books were banned, and burned if found. I told her of how I wished I was part of that society, and she just told me I was crazy, that books were "beautiful literary creations that take you to other dimensions". "Beautiful" my ass.

I sighed loudly enough for the teacher to hear me at the front of the room. She adjusted her glasses and squinted, looking at me with her dark, beady eyes."What might your question be, Mister Castillo?" She asked, my last name intentionally emphasized with an exasperated tone." This is useless, why do we need to read a book about burning books?" I groaned, causing my classmates to laugh among themselves. "Ollie," My best friend, Lei' Lanie Hollyn Chandler, looked at me with a pleading gaze. She didn't want me to get another detention for the third time this month. She would always attempt to stop me from making bad decisions, or defend me when I got in trouble, even when it would mean putting her perfect record on the line.

And people wonder why she is my best friend."Well, Mister Castillo, the book portrays a meaningful message, and if you could actually read it, maybe you could understand it." The teacher said, eliciting an uproar of laughter from the class. I felt my face grow hot from embarrassment. There was a loud screech of a chair, and when I look over, lo-and-behold, was my knight clad in Willowhaven Academy girls uniform. Lei'Lanie cleared her throat and straightened her posture as everyone averted their gaze from me to her." Mrs. Jennings, I believe that comment was a tad bit inappropriate to use in a classroom, a high school classroom much less. While the book does indeed portray a meaningful message, the message is kind of generic". This is why I love her till the death of me.

" Ah, Right you are Miss. Chandler. That comment was inappropriate to use in an academic environment. I apologize, Oliver, but please, if you are going to ask unnecessary questions in this classroom, don't ask them" The teacher said through gritted teeth. I grinned at Lei'Lanie, watching as she sat down and smiled at me. "You're welcome," she mouthed while rolling her eyes. "Thank you," I mouthed back. She snickered and continued to complete her extra-curricular assignments from her other classes.

" Alright Class, take your two-column notes from yesterday and continue to write the rest of your observations from the book!" The teacher clapped her hands to gain the attention of the class. Everybody groaned, but complied to the task, as their English grades were already low enough. Although, as soon as my classmates got there materials out, the lights within the classroom began to brighten past the normal voltage rate. " Woah freaky," Aiden Walters, a 6'2 idiot from the football team, joked before proceeding to talk to his equally idiotic friends. "That's not supposed to happen, is it?" Michaela Adelain Greene, a cute girl from the cheer squad, questioned while staring up at the lights, a look of worry plastered on her face. The classroom stirred with either joking or worried conversations about the lights.

" Its just a problem with the lights, now please take your notes out and--" As if on queue, the lights immediately shattered, cutting the teacher off. There were sounds of pure hell coming from outside, but no one dare to try and see what was happening at the moment. Everybody, including me, ducked underneath the desks to avoid being impaled by the falling shards of glass.

"Chandler, are you okay!?" I shouted, having a difficult time searching for my best friend due to the sudden darkness. " Don't worry about me Ollie! I'm fine!" Just the sound of her voice relieved me. After a still minute or so, everyone came out from underneath their desks.

 "Dammit, my phone isn't turning on!" Graham "King" Crawford, the arrogant bastard of the school, shouted as he smacked the back of his phone against his palm, causing Lei'Lanie to shoot him a look of utter disbelief. "The lights just shattered and you're worrying about a phone!?" " Listen here girlie, I don't need your dumb-- " Hey ours, too!" The others suddenly chimed in after discovering their phones wouldn't turn on.

I walked towards the windows to see the source of havoc that horrific sound came from. The more I stare, the more dreadful the scenery became. "Chandler, take a look at this!" I yelled at my best friend waving her over. She rushed to my side, her eyes widening and her jaw dropped as she saw what I saw. It only took a single word to describe the scene before us: chaotic. Cars on the freeway beside the school have been either flipped over or brutally dented. Injured families with their children stumbled out of their vehicles, bleeding and broken. The cords of the utility poles had snapped, sparks flying out of the wires. Lei'Lanie and I looked at each other, the both of us having the same thoughts in mind. Everybody crowded against the window while the teacher crowded into the front office.

"OH MY GOD!" A girl wailed as she pointed to the sky. My classmates turned to look where she was pointing, watching as news helicopters spiraled out of control, plummeting towards a nearby shopping center.

 Nobody could peel their eyes away from the helicopter, knowing very well the destruction of the shopping center was inevitable.As the Air craft collided with the building, the flames that followed were instanteous. Slowly, but surely, the flames began to expand, eating away at the flammable materials leaving nothing but rubble and charred remains -maybe people? Ollie didn't want to dwell on it.

" Everyone To the assemble hall! NOW!" The teacher shouted, holding the door wide open for us. No one hesitated as they ran out of the door of the classroom. I took hold of Lei'Lanie's wrist, dragging her towards the assembly hall. "Not the assembly hall!" She shook her head, tugging me and directing us towards the exit as she ran ahead of me." what!? Why not!?" " Be logical, Ollie! Right underneath the assembly hall is the boiler room. With the electromagnetic pulse that affected the lights, the cars and that helicopter, it will surely affect the boiler and cause it to explode!"

As I took A moment and thought about it, I realized; she was right. " But, what about the others!?" I stopped her from running any further. She looked frantic, a bead of sweat rolling down her forhead. " We don't have time !" " Well, we have to try!" " No, Ollie!"It all just happened so quickly. I know I should have listened to her. It wasn't until it was too late that I realized that I had made a huge mistake. The oxygen was violently knocked out of my lungs as I blacked out.

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! Disclaimer !

The pictures in this story do not belong to me, only the story itself. Credits to the rightful owners of the images used. Thank you!

Also, if youd like to read more of this story, leave a heart and stay tuned for more updates. I will not follow a specific update pattern, but I will try to update as much as I can.

I have no idea what to do about the book cover and I'm pretty much hopeless in this department. I would really appreciate some help on that.

Please don't forget to comment and vote.

Lillian