Weather Control

Chapter 1

Three years later 

Jace, Leo, Kim, and a couple other member of our gang sat around our meeting table. We might be considered lazy today because we hadn't done much of anythings. In reality, we were waiting. The tornado was going to come today, collecting a small amount of sixteen-year-olds, never to be seen again. Almost nobody knew why. The few that did know, including me, weren't allowed to talk about it. "The consequences would be dire" they had said.

 At the moment though, I was losing a heated game of cards. I didn't really play cards much. Kim forced us to learn how to play years ago. Today, it was a grateful distraction.

The small pile of coins that didn't add up to much sat in the center of the table: winner takes all. I drew two cards and discarded them both. I cursed. I still needed a spade and a ring card to win and Jace, the person that happened to be discarding to me, was collecting them. I was almost sure of it.

Kim's hand disappeared underneath the table to itch his leg. He was cheating again. I knew he was. I just couldn't tell how he was doing it. Kim picked up two cards. He discarded the first card and placed the other in his hand. He grinned. Kim flashed his lovely hand of spades and knives, all lined up in a perfect way to win. "Score!" he shouted and raked in the money. "Try to beat that Thorne," he said to me.

I rolled my eyes. "You cheater," I said. He smirked and nodded. The rest of the players took their last turn. Jace's hand was full of rings and the remaining spades neither Kim nor I possessed. I still didn't have any good cards after my turn. Leo, Jace's younger brother, shuffled the cards. Leo had figured out long ago that letting Kim anywhere near the cards before the game started could lead to the rest of us going broke in mere minutes. We all sat in silence. I twisted the ring on my finger. It was simple except for a stone inlaid in the center that always matched the color of my eyes. A gift from my mother.

Something whizzed past my ear, snapping me out of my thoughts. I straightened my back quick enough my chair tipped over and I fell on the floor. Jace roared in laughter and his brother covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smile. I trained my eyes on Kim. He looked so smug. 

"You threw a knife at- at my head," I sputtered, eyes wide and probably a very deep shade of purple. We weren't supposed to be training today. 

Jace laughed even louder.

Kim flicked his bright red, knitted scarf over his shoulder. "Not quite at your head. Would you mind getting that for me, kind sir?" he asked sweetly.

I shook my head but I couldn't hide the small smile that found its way to my lips. 

I righted my chair and lightly punched Kim in the arm. 

The door opened and we al looked up. Lucy came into the building- it was a one room space- and said, "The bells." That was all she needed to say. The bells rang for the tornado to tell us to hide, to help us stay safe.

"Alright crew," Jace said standing up and pointing to the door, "let's go." We followed him outside. The sky had darkened to green, blocking out any mid-day sunlight. The greenish hue took place due to the people in the clouds, the ones that controlled the wind, wore green. The tornado would be coming quite soon. Jace took a sharp turn down the road to the tallest structure in our town: the clock tower. The clock tower was the only thing that was perfectly safe and open to anyone with one exception: any sixteen-year-old had a chance of getting picked up by the tornado, so they weren't allowed to come. This year, Jace and I were the only ones in our gang who wouldn't be allowed to be safe in the clock tower. 

At the clock tower, Jace said goodbye to Leo, his younger brother by two years. Leo was horribly afraid of storms and Jace was worried about him. Jace hugged Leo tight. It may have been the last time they would see each other. Seeing their love made me wish Spike were here with me. Hopefully I would be seeing him soon.