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A. 8

It was just as the family knew, difficult. In a single file line, Michael, Tina, Isabella, Dori, and Nadia were walking together. They had blanket after blanket after blanket on them as they each held it up over their heads, taking turns holding the blanket while they were wrapped up in their clothing with their gear. The first city, Plada, should not have been more than a 1 hour walk, and getting to Acosta was one more hour from Plada, in a car. On foot, the total time would take an approximately 2 and a half days. The family were prepared to rest, but they hoped there would be shelter along the way as they did not buy tents due to the intensity of the rain.

The thick blanket in the sky covered them as they began to place one foot in front of the other towards Plada. The parents were aware of how long they would be walking for, they just prayed the rain would no intensify along the way. The girls were quiet, they all walked with their heads down. Moving towards their destination was not easy, their feet were growing tired quickly and just when they thought they could survive two days worth of acid rain Tina and Michael were already dealing with doubts, "I don't know if I can do it," Tina whispered to her husband under her breath as they walked forward, their boots crunching the ground beneath their feet.

"Listen, we don't have a choice, please be positive before our girls hear you. The rain isn't bad right now but we don't have time to waste being emotional." He snapped back.

Tina sniffled, "I know that but how long before we can take a break? I mean, c'mon Michael, we're making it but we all need a break."

Michael sighed, "okay, I'm going to see what I can eye out, we're at the edge of Samola judging by the traffic signs, if we walk a little longer we should be able to find the outlets and we can take shelter under one of the roofs."

Tina smiled, "thank you so much baby, let's make it happen." Michael nods.

After another five minutes of silence Dori whispers to her mother, "Mom, there's nobody else out here, just the rain and property damage."

"Shhhh," Tina snaps as she tries to take a peek around from under the comforter, she notices the same thing.

The whole world was still, except for the rain that was hitting cars, roof tops, and the ground with sizzling thuds. It was as if God's tears were stinging Samola and all the family could do was move around. The family could witness the disintegration of cars, flowers, and items left outside. People were nowhere to be found, it felt as if the family were the last to be out of their home.

This wasn't the Samola the Holman family knew. This Samola was dark, empty, and unsettled, it was suffering and the land was deteriorating. The skies overhead were churning with mild thunder, but they knew the rain was bound to start pouring again. The family continued to move.

One foot in front of the other, they made their way towards Acosta. Thud, a body dropped.

The whole family stopped moving to turn around to see who hit the ground, Nadia begins to scream, it was her sister, Dori.

"Shhhhhh!" Tina hissed at her daughter, "I don't know who else is out here so shut up, she's going to be okay - she may just be hot," she whispered to her daughter angrily.

Michael came to check his daughter out by placing his ear to her nose, she was breathing. Once he noticed she was alright he looked around to see which building they could move under safely, "we're headed to that pharmacy over there." He pointed towards the one where the cross was tilted, as if the rain had the power to push it clean off of the building.

The girls nodded. Tina and Isabella picked up Dori and covered her under more blankets, Michael and Nadia led the way to the pharmacy, exposing their bodies to the rain without the protection of the covers.