Lightning Before the Thunder

Chapter 1: Carter

My lungs burned and I could feel my heart pounding inside my rib cage. There was a stitch in my side and the taste of iron was rising into my mouth, but I smiled amid my strained breaths. I loved running, and the pain in my legs was just a sign that they were getting stronger. A few hundred yards ahead, I could see where the path led out of the woods. I pushed myself forward and sprinted the last stretch, soon emerging from the trees into a path between rows of corn. I slowed to a walk and checked my watch.

"Twenty-four minutes! That's a new best!" I shouted, though there was no one to hear me except my dog. Fluffy smiled up at me, though I knew it wasn't from pride.

"Do you want a treat?" I reached into my pocket and Fluffy's tail became a wagging blur. I laughed and gave the dog his treat. "Good boy."

A flash of light in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I looked up and noticed dark clouds approaching from the west, accompanied by flashes of lightning and loud claps of thunder. In an instant, Fluff was off like a shot, sprinting as fast as he could to the house. I chuckled.

"Biggest dog I've ever seen, and he can't even handle a little thunder."

Rain started to fall as I walked the path back to the farmhouse. The cold water felt nice on my warm, sweaty skin. I paused to bask in the refreshing drizzle, my eyes closed and face lifted to the sky.

There was another bright flash and I jumped in surprise. Lightning had struck in the cornfield, setting dozens of crops ablaze. I started running toward the fire, thought better of it, and instead broke into a sprint toward the house. I hoped the rain would put the fire out, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

"Should've brought my phone with me," I said to myself. Looking behind me, I could see that the fire was smaller but still blazing furiously. I urged my legs to take me faster, but the dirt path was starting to get muddy and slick.

There was a sudden blinding flash as lightning sliced the air directly in front of me. In the same moment a piercing screech stabbed into my ear. I stumbled backward and slipped, landing on my back. My head hit the ground hard and I lay there for a moment, not wanting to move. When I finally managed to sit up, I massaged the back of my head gently, then looked up to see if the bolt had done any damage.

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. I shut them tight and opened them again several times over. Had I really hit my head that hard?

There was a girl kneeling on the ground in the exact spot the lightning had struck and I was certain she hadn't been there before.

I must have a concussion, I thought. But then I remembered the scream I'd heard when the lightning struck. I knew that was real, and this girl was the only explanation for it.

I decided to accept the girl's existence. After all, she looked real. She was small and thin, her body suggesting a girl in her early teenage years. I tried to get a glimpse of her face, but I couldn't see past her blindingly white mane. Every hair stood on end from remaining static electricity. It looked to me like she was wearing a hospital gown, though her hair was so long and wild I couldn't see much of her.

I slowly inched toward the cowering figure. I reached out a hand, but decided against it when a bolt of electricity shot out toward my finger. I pulled away, but the shock found its target. It felt like touching the metal on a trampoline after rubbing your hair on the mat. Though I wouldn't admit it, I was too scared to try again. Instead, I cleared my throat to get her attention.

The girl's head shot up faster than the lightning crackling around us and I could finally see her face. Contrary to her childish body, her face looked old and tired. Her cheekbones and jawline were as sharp as blades and her eyes looked to have seen hundreds of years. They were a shocking electric blue, and I could have sworn I saw sparks, as if a storm were brewing inside. I couldn't look away. Tentatively, I reached forward again. There was no spark this time, but before I could touch her the girl pulled away and pushed herself backward. She opened her mouth but could only manage a small squeak.

"It's okay," I offered. "I won't hurt you."

She looked up at me with pleading eyes, took a shaky breath, and fell limp.

A/N: This story will switch point of view every chapter.

Cover and writing by me

This chapter's photo by Jonathan Bowers