Convergent

1. The Flashback

It all started when Erin's father got home from a long, difficult day at work.
"Erin, start reading your school textbooks. Wait- why weren't you already reading?! I specifically told you this morning that right when you get home from school to start studying!"
"Father! I don't want to read. I want to go outside. I don't- never mind. Sorry Father I will go start reading right now." Erin quickly walked out of the room before her dad could question her. She hated Erudite. Why was everything always work, work, work? As Erin started reading, she remembered a memory she had tried to hide. No- Erin started seeing the black appear as she tried to fight the impulse to blackout. Then her eyes slowly closed and a memory from when she was 3, 13 long years ago, resurfaced and she had front row seats.
It was a warm Summer day and Erin had been outside playing with her mother. The huge Elm brought shade down on half of the yard. The rest had many sun dapples on the grass. Erin and her mom were sitting in the middle of the yard watching the clouds and eating the picnic they had brought outside. Erin's blond hair shimmered with late morning dew. Her mothers dark hair was in a long braid. Then the sky darkened and her father screamed for them to come inside. The problem was, glass shatters and the buildings weren't shatter-proof. That's when the bombs started flying down. Erin's mom grabbed her wrist and yanked her out of the house, where her dad grabbed Erin's other wrist and they ran, passing alleys and watching glass fall down. They suddenly stopped. A wall of flame was blocking their path. They turned and ran back. Erin's dad made it through a little opening in the flames and yanked Erin with. But Erin's mom never came out.
"Mother! Mommy.. Please come back..."
But the last words her mom had said were, "Run! Run! Hur-"
Erin's dad just kept on running with Erin, past their home and then getting in the truck. That night, they were out of the bombing area and ended up driving to the outskirts of Chicago and there her dad stopped.

That's where the flashback always stopped.