When Lightning Strikes

I quickly ran to the bus just as it pulled up to the stop. I let out a relieved breath as I climbed up into the giant metal beast and took a seat in the front row of the bus. It takes about 10 minutes of quietly listening to my iPod before I notice the school. As the bus arrived at the school I glance back hesitantly at my sister to see where she sat. Although I already had an idea where she was located, I turned around anyway and found her seated in the back making crude jokes and laughing obnoxiously.

She was surrounded by some of her good friends. Most of them were people that we have known since elementary. Eva has this charisma and gravity to her. When she speaks people are drawn to her like magnets, infected by her wide smile and easy going attitude.

I sigh heavily and stood up, the harsh winter air slapped the delicate skin on my face as I step slowly towards the door. I ambled down the stairs and clunk noisily towards the entrance of the school. A cold breeze battered me and wrapped around my slight form. My body erupted in goosebumps and I hugged my thin sweater tighter.

I regret not wearing a thicker jacket but I didn't have any time to grab a it this morning. I quickened my pace and practically ran into the schools lobby. Smiling, I felt the warmth wash over my almost hypothermic body. After I was comfortable, I mended into the crowd of hormonal teenagers and continued to homeroom.

I sat through all of my classes on the verge of sleep. If not for the loudness of the students and the bell, I  probably would have been left on the the desk in deep sleep with drool pouring out of my mouth. 

Lunch wasn't any better. It consisted of the same disgusting sandwich that I always choke down. The peanut butter was slightly hardened and the globs left over on the wrapper were scab-like and reminded me of the time I had pink eye and the crust clamped my eye lids shut. The jelly that coated the inside was much worse and left my bread soggy and undesirable.

As usual school wasn't any different from any other school day. Math, English, social, science... same old courses, same old conversations, same old boring.

**************

I decided to leave on the regular 2:17 buses today in lieu of staying after in the library or hanging out with some of my weird friends. As I boarded the bus I noticed my sister was already on, which was strange because she usually had detention after school. She was yet again located in the back. 

After one last glance, I lowered into my usual spot in front of the bus and listened to my I Pod. A few seconds after I inserted my head phones into my ears, I received a text message from one of my friends asking if I wanted to go to a party. I wasn't suprised that we were invited and I immediately replied with a solid no. Honestly my friends should know better after what happened last time we were "invited" to a party. It was horrifying and the pictures that were taken still haunt me. My sister was probably the culprit since she liked humiliating me as much as possible. 

The bus stopped and I recognized it as my destination. We were picked up and dropped off on Stanley Street which was about a block from our house. The walk wasn't too bad since it was only a five minutes tops, however having to endure my sisters early morning PMS and wacky personalities both two and fro was extremely annoying and taxing on my own mental health.

I quickly climbed off and started to trudge home. I heard my sister following and peered at her. 

"So... why aren't you in detention today like usual?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders and walked past me.

"Hellooooo, are you going to answer me?"

She chuckled and replied simply, "I didn't have detention today. The teacher that was supposed to watch over us developed a bad stomachache and they couldn't find another victim to watch after a room full of delinquents so they cancelled it."

My eyes shot open as I came to a dead stop and looked wide eyed at my sisters back.

"What did you do?" I whisper horrified.

"I didn't do anything other than buy the wonderful Mrs. Toma a coffee. She was so tired today. I was just being a concerned student, looking out for my favorite teacher."

I could tell she was smirking the entire time she was speaking and decided not to ask her what exactly she slipped into poor Mrs. Tomas' coffee -- although I had an idea.

Dad had asked two days ago where his x lax went. I was too grossed out at the moment to even think that my sister would've taken it. I changed the subject.

"Hey Eva, did you remember to bring your keys today... 'cause I forgot mine?" I inquired; half knowing she didn't have them, but secretly hoping she actually did.

"No, I didn't have time to grab them since you took too long to wake me up. I barely had time to put eyeliner on!"

I rolled my eyes at her, making her snort. Shoot! what were we going to do. Neither of us have our house keys.

Suddenly it got very dark and I peeked at the sky, grimacing as I did. I noticed that a rather large storm was approaching. The clouds were almost purple and thunder rumbled ominously. A thunderstorm? In the middle of winter... How odd. The bright blue of the sky seemed to appear dimmer by the second. In mere minutes the bruised clouding ate the what was left of the sky above us.

Thunder boomed in the background. The air seemed to thicken and a summer wind blew in. "This doesn't make any sense." I thought.

Just a second ago it was at most 20 degrees outside and now... it was almost uncomfortable. Waves of sticky heat licked at my damp skin and I was tempted to rip my sweater off. Freaky, this morning I had wished that I could have brought my winter coat. I glimpsed at Eva. She was covered in a light sweat and was grabbing at her sleeves. I watched as she she shrugged off her jacket and rolled her long sleeves to her elbows.

Eva gave me a curious glance and asked "How did it get so hot all of a sudden?" Her face contorted and she gasped. A few water droplets landed on the sidewalk.

"Is that rain? Man, this is so weird." she paused " How in the world does a freak thunderstorm even happen during the winter?" Eva whimpered almost too quietly to hear.

I had no answers to her questions so I just continued to walk. A gale force wind soon whipped around us pushing us away from our destination.

I looked to my sister fear evident in our eyes. We quickened our pace eager tp be closer to home.

 "Whats going on?" she asked again with no viable answer I disregarded her question.

She seemed lost in her own world of befuddlement.  I didn't have time to think further as tiny hail pellets started to fall gracelessly from the sky. We both started sprinting to our house trying to avoid the little balls of pain.

I rushed into my backyard, my sister in tow, just when the heaviest rain started to fall. I started to panic and frantically looked for any cover from the storm. I noticed the old club house that my sister and I used to play in when we actually got along. I glanced at my sister and nodded at the structure and we slowly battled the fierce winds that had picked up just a moment before.

Thunder boomed constantly. Flashes of light decorated the sky some more intense than others. We were blinded by a particularly bright flash and forced to stop walking.

At this point my sister and I were both huddled together. We attempted to form a circle of protection with our school bags. We held our arms above us as if we were praying to a higher life form.

Thunder crashed, getting louder as the storm center approached. We both whimpered in fear and made one last attempt to reach the club house. Right before we reached the inner sanctity of the wooden building our skin prickled painfully. My breathing hitched and I wailed. Absolute terror and adrenaline rushed into my body and my blood thickened. I was frozen to the spot clutching onto my equally frightened sister.

BOOOOOOM! With a finality that seemed almost poetic the strongest and most brilliant white light was speared from the heavens. 

Moments later we were enveloped in its deadly shine.

***************

Karen