The Windmills

           Nothing has felt right since they installed those massive windmills along the lake. The vision of  them all lined up is a haunting scene. My father tells me there's nothing to be worried about. "They provide sustainable energy!" he'd say. But I couldn't shake this feeling there was something wrong. They reminded me of War of the Worlds. Alien-esque towers. Keeping a watchful eye on the city. Impending terror with every blink of their red lights.
"That's strange." My father said reading his morning paper.
"What's that?" I inquired.
"They found dozens of dead rodents around a windmill by the lake." He informed me. His brow quizzical.
My heart dropped to my stomach. I knew it. This is the start.
"I told you, something bad is going to happen." I replied with caution.
"That's absurd. They're windmills. This isn't like any of those sci-fi books you read." He reprimanded me.
              I had been saying for months I didn't trust them. And everyone called me crazy. My ideas were wild. Far fetched. My gut was telling me different.
"I'm telling you, nothing good will come from those windmills." I warned.
              Maybe no one believed me because I was only in 7th grade. A child. What did I know? I was walking to school when I noticed it. The birds started to flock to them. I know from movies and books that's never a good sign. The rodents and now birds? Doom was looming over us. If only someone would believe me. You can see them in the distance. Some moving. And some not at all. I couldn't decide which was worse.
"Hey did you hear what happened?" My classmate said running up to me.
"I told you all. Those windmills aren't what they seem." I asserted.
"You're crazy." They mocked, laughing and walking away.
            I settled into my class, waiting for the days lessons to begin. I sat alone in the back of the room. My class rambunctious, amusing themselves until the teacher arrived. She never did though. No one even noticed she wasn't in her usual place. I did. My schools vice principal walked in. His face long, worried.
"Class, um, I need you all to settle." He advised.
No one was listening though and the class remained unruly.
"SIT DOWN, EVERYONE!" He yelled.
His chest was heaving. His eyes filled with concern.
"I need everyone to follow me to the gym." He directed us. "Single file."
            We grabbed our things. Following him down to the gym. It was already packed with students. I noticed multiple teachers missing. The remaining ones all had the same look. Fear. Huddled around a tv cart, you can hear a news anchor.

"We interrupt this afternoons programs to report a city wide emergency. We are reporting mass suicides on the shores of the lake. It appears people are walking into the lake and drowning themselves. Shelter in place has been issued."

Shrills echoed the space.
"The windmills!" I hollered.