Maximum Cataclysm

Chapter One: The Woman Of Visions

Summary
In the year 2167, five days after a red comet/meteor crashed in the Pacific Ocean, somewhere in between Japan and the Philippines. Anastasia has had terrible nightmares ever since, or at least, she thought they were only nightmares. When one of her friends from the past comes calling to her, she soon finds out these ‘Dreams’ or visions, and they are more important than she ever expected.

Chapter One
The Woman Of Visions

Flashing images stung throughout Anastasia’s head, flashing a bright white light. Her head rang with sharp pain, she could’ve sworn it was just a dream, but the images she was seeing…she felt like she was there. She could see what looked to be a stone building? No, a temple, it was overgrown. Her eyes flashed, now it was, a red droplet? Descending down into a dark abyss somewhere before pittering out. Once more her eyes flashed brightly, it was the ocean, she looked down, she saw a large whirlpool swirling around, it was humongous, larger than anything natural she had seen. Another flash followed, this time, it was a huge city, walls of flame flailing about, buildings crumbling to ash. The final flash came, she swung her body up as she awoke, her hair flinging about. She awoke to the bright morning sun. Anastasia felt the sweat roll down her body, her limbs had been shaking profusely. Her breathing was heavy and quick, it seemed so real but so ominous like something was behind her, looming over her. Her head was pounding, she put her shaky hand up to it. Her head felt like it was on fire, this seemed all so weird to her. “It was just a dream, Ana, don’t freak out.” She told herself, hopping out of bed.

The morning sunrise flooded through the window, shining down onto the bed. Anastasia was already getting dressed, slipping her white T-shirt on with her blue Levi jeans. She huffed as she went over to the blinds the sun piercing her eyes, blinding her. She reached over to the brown curtains and swung them into each other, blocking off the light. Anastasia yawned and stretched, her body cracking as she bent from sleeping. She had walked out of her room, down through the hallway. The hallway was a dull blue, as well as the rest of the house. Pictures filled the hallway, most of them were of her parents. She walked out to her living room, a couch was placed in the middle of the room with a dark, wooden table with a stone center in front of the couch. “Good morning Mom and Dad.” She said to a nearby family photo sitting on the table. Anastasia was much younger in that photo, only 16, the last picture they took together. Anastasia walked out the front door, the sun engulfing all of her in light. She blocked her eyes with her hands, while not as bright as before, it was still an eyesore. She placed her elbows on the porch, crossing her hands and began watching the day go by. In the distance, she saw the large rectangular and sharp shapes of San Francisco, behind that, the ocean reached out to the far ends of the earth. Anastasia enjoyed living her quiet life, it was better than the chaos the world has thrown itself into. However, her quiet morning would come to an end soon. A matte grey jeep drove up to the dirt path that leads to the driveway of Anastasia’s house. Anastasia was confused as to how someone found her house, it isn’t exactly well known anymore. Her heart sunk, seeing the K.E.A.P.L. logo the side of the jeep. She clenched her fists before swinging around and slamming the door, turning the lock and leaving against the door. “Like hell, the last thing I wanted to see today was that damn logo.” She grumbled to herself. Anastasia listened, she could hear a car door open, then slam shut. It was followed by an adult man’s voice, he sounded like he was in his mid 30’s. While his voice was muffled through the door, he was clearly talking to himself, or on a phone. Anastasia continued to listen as the man walked up the stairs that lead to the porch, his footsteps were heavy and clunky, possibly wearing boots. Anastasia jolted as she heard four knocks on the door. “Hello? Anastasia? Do you remember me? I know it’s been a while, I just want to ask you something, if that’s ok” The man’s voice said. She recognized that voice, while she hadn’t heard it in a while, she remembered it all too well. It was a former associate of her parents, Kayne West. He had worked with Anastasia’s parents ever since they were first hired into the K.E.A.P.L. at a young age Anastasia always enjoyed it when Kayne had come over for a visit, whether it be business or just to stop by. However, that changed after her parent’s death five years ago and she shut herself away from the world, basically cutting ties with everyone she and her parents knew. Kayne was an overall nice man, doing what correct thing for people, no matter if it was the K.E.A.P.L. or simply helping the elderly. Kayne was tall, standing around 6’3 and heavily built. While not a hulking bodybuilder, he could still thrash you around like a stuffed toy. His hair was always messy, never being combed or brushed. Anastasia could never get a good look at his eye color, though she believed them to be blue. Another knock hit the door “Anastasia? Come on, open the door. I saw you on the porch, I know you’re home.” He exclaimed through the door. Anastasia contemplated whether or not to acknowledge him, she looked at the family photo on her table, then back to the door. Anastasia mustered up her confidence and faced the door, hesitantly reaching to the door handle ‘Just get what he needs done Ana, then he’ll leave’ she told herself. She grabbed the cold, yellow knob and twisted it, opening the door. There, stood Kayne, nothing much changed about him from the last five years, his hair had gotten longer, reaching down to his ears. A scar that wasn’t there before stretched across from the left side of his lip up to his right eye. It wasn’t a nasty scar, just lightened skin. He wore what looked like shoulder and knee padding, and a vest that was similar to that of a SWAT team vest. Anastasia remembered how he had gotten that scar, he got it on the same day her parents died, it seemed like not only a painful reminder to Kayne but a reminder to Anastasia when she stared at it for too long. “What is it, Kayne?” Anastasia huffed, not feeling a little bit happy about his visit. “Hello Anastasia, you’ve grown a lot since we’ve last met, allow to let myself in.” Kayne said, trying to sound nice. He began to walk in before Anastasia blocked the doorway “Hold it right there monster boy, why do you think I’d let you in?” Anastasia asked with an eyebrow raised “well I'm a friend right? Shouldn’t I be able to come in?” Kayne replied with another question. “Kayne, you haven’t visited me in 5 years, and even if you did try to visit I still wouldn’t let you in.” Anastasia explained to him with a small huff. Kayne let out a deep sigh, scratching his head, possibly thinking of what to do “Please? May I come in? I just want to ask one question, then I’ll leave, I promise.” Kayne said with a smile and a nod. ‘Last time you promised anything, I ended up like this’ Anastasia hissed in her mind. “Fine, but then you leave.” She replied with a stern look, moving out of the doorway. “Perfect, I only have one question” Kayne smiled, he walked through, examining the house. He let out a large inhale and exhale of air “Still feels like the last time I was here, your parents would be proud of how well you’ve managed their house!” Kayne said with a proud voice. Anastasia walked past him, ignoring his praise for the upkeep in the house. She walked over to the kitchen, placing a coffee cup under the black and gray coffee machine, turning it on and waiting for the process to finish. Anastasia put her arms out on the counter next to the coffee machine. “So why did you come, Kayne?” Anastasia asked. “Well, if you watched the news, a meteor landed in the Pacific Ocean somewhere in between Asia and Hawaii. It was red, and any electronics that the meteor passed over had distorted, we didn’t-”
“Just get to the point Kayne” Anastasia interjected, however, Anastasia knew what he was talking about, a few days ago, the news was blowing about a red meteor that took a nose dive into the Pacific ocean and that boats had started to go missing. “People around the world have been getting visions related to it, I wanted to just come and ask if you have had these visions too?” Kayne asked, finally getting to the point. Anastasia felt her heart sink and butterflies swarm her stomach, was he serious? Maybe it was just a coincidence? ‘You have to be kidding me, my life is just coming back crawling to me to haunt me’ Anastasia thought to herself with disgust. Anastasia sighed, her fists balling up, her head feeling heavy. “Yes ok, I’ve had visions.” She sighed, spitting out the words reluctantly. “What have you seen Ana? Anything could help” Kayne asked quickly. “I saw, I’ve seen, some, old temple, that meteor falling into some black abyss, a giant whirlpool, and...a city in flames.” Anastasia admitted, something about saying the words made her feel light-headed like she was about to fall. They both stood in silence for a moment, before Kayne finally decided to speak up. “That’s nothing like what others have been seeing, your seeing way more than anyone else has” Kayne began explaining to her. ‘Why me, why me, why me’ Anastasia rambled on in her head. “Thank you, Ana. Your help is much appreciated, I’ll leave now, you may not think so. But you have contributed to the K.E.A.P.L. a lot.” Kayne said with a smile. He turned to face the door, going to grab the knob. A part of Anastasia kept telling her to follow him, that it was the right thing to do. ‘Don’t go Ana, DO NOT GO’ she told herself. She gave in, something about seemed right. “Kayne, I’m coming with you” Anastasia uttered to him. “Huh? You're coming? Why?” Kayne asked with absolute shock in his voice. “It’s only till we get to the bottom of this. Something about this seems...wrong” Anastasia said to him. Kayne continued to stare at Anastasia in shock as she said those words to him. “Are you sure that you-”
“Yes Kayne, I do” She nodded to him. “That burning city, it’s, unsettling” She continued. Kanye smiled and walked over to her, putting a hand on her arm “Thank you Ana, you’re shedding your shell” Kayne happily replied to her. “I wouldn’t call it that.” Anastasia uttered under her breath. “So what’s the plan then?” Anastasia asked. “I’m going to call my superior’s, with your more ominous visions, we need to find that crash site. We have a good idea what to look for since it's in the ocean" Kayne explained to her with a confident smile. "Welcome to the K.E.A.P.L, Anastasia" Kayne said reaching his hand out to shake her hand. Anastasia used her confidence to lift her arm up and shake his hand. She wasn't sure if she was prepared for whatever was to come, but she was ready, she was done hiding in the dark.