The Risen

Chapter 21: The Explosion

        Days go by, and nothing remotely interesting happens. I find myself thinking about school, since it is only a month and a half away.

        I find out that if I don't take the blue pills daily, my ability to read thoughts disappears. I am ok with this, since it is extremely painful.

        One warm evening, though, Mom decides to take Keira and me out to ice cream. I get vanilla with caramel syrup and sprinkles. I take my ice cream and go find a picnic table to sit at. Keira quickly joins me, with mint chocolate chip ice cream and chocolate syrup.

        Mom is about to order her ice cream when a massive BOOM sounds, and I'm sure the whole city heard it. 

        I turn to where the sound came from. A green--yes, green--mushroom cloud rises up from the center of the city, about two miles away.

        All around me, almost in unison, people take out their phones and take pictures as well as videos of the green cloud. 

        I glance over at Keira. Her mouth hangs slightly open, gawping at the smoke. At first I think she's just in shock, but then she grabs me and shakes me, whispering, "The smoke isn't disappearing!"

        I follow her wide-eyed gaze. What she said is true; instead of dissipating into the sky, the green cloud is spreading out, coming for us. 

        Mom grabs my arm. "Come on, we're leaving. I don't know what that cloud is, but I don't like it." 

        She doesn't have to tell us twice. Keira and I instantly stand up and run to the car. Mom unlocks it and drives like a crazy person back to the Doble's house.

        Mom turns on the news as soon as she gets in the house. Already, a news reporter is standing in front of the green smoke.

        ". . . are perplexed at this mysterious explosion that took place just minutes ago in the heart of Moddo City . . . " the man says, but I am not really paying attention to him. I watch the smoke behind him, floating steadily towards the camera. 

        Mrs. Doble, Keira, Mom, and I watch the reporter ramble for a few more minutes before the green cloud finally engulfs him. He continues talking for a few seconds, but then he falls silent, invisible in the fog.

        The camera person backs away, taking the camera with him/her. The camera swings around, and the footage gets shaky, the sky blending with the pavement. The speaker picks up heavy footsteps. 

        I hold my breath for a few moments. There's a bellow behind the camera, and suddenly the camera falls to the ground. The footage turns sideways. I twist my head so I can see better, but almost immediately regret it.

        The camera person screams, and it is clear she's a girl. She lays on the ground, the reporter on top of her, pinning her body to the ground. There's a fierce glint in his eyes. His hands fly to her neck, and he's strangling her live on camera, while we watch helplessly.

        The lady's face shifts from tan to bright red. A tinge of purple starts creeping on to her cheeks from lack of oxygen.

        Mrs. Doble shuts off the TV, just as the chilling sound of screams and yells start up in the distance. 

        "Lock the doors!" Mom whispers.

                                                                                         ^^^^^

Hey, guys! Sorry this update took me . . . well, probably a couple of months, but I had SERIOUS writer's block, as you can probably tell. Also, I was working on my new story, Secrets From Society. If you haven't read it yet, YOU SHOULD. Anyway, thanks for being patient with me. Hopefully the next update won't take as long!