CADENZA'S PERFECT PARTY PLANNING SOON TURNED INTO AN INSTANT FAILURE. Because of one word: Typhoon.
Typhoons are primarily like cyclones or intense tropical storms. According to Google, a typhoon is 'a tropical storm in the region of the Indian or western Pacific oceans.' Which sounds about right. Imagine a storm but with hail stones as large as baseballs falling from the sky, trees being ripped from the ground and buildings rattling from the waves of gushing winds.
'Typhoon' could easily be another word for disaster.
Early Saturday morning, a hallucinating storm rushed past the resort, where experts and locals instantly reported the signs to the public through morning news and radios - that Nana and Remmi translated because it was Japanese.
The centre point of the storm was directed from the east, just outside of Kawaminami. Unfortunately, that's where our favourite main character's villa was located nearby. Less than five kilometres (three miles) away from their place.
Dark, threatening clouds covered the usual blue sky and intense winds blew past at forty-nine kmph. Doors, windows and screens were locked and everyone was trapped inside with no way out. It was too dangerous to do otherwise.
Remmi's ears deafened as buckets of rain poured down past the house and thunder hollered through the clouds above.
Remmi was one of those people that hated storms, as well as Tatiana, Kim, Garroth, Aaron and Nana who weren't too fond of them either.
Cadenza was miserable. A great number of her plans warmed and complimented the backyard of the villa. Without the sunshine that was replaced with spilling rain, there wasn't much left for her to do anymore.
Garroth had suggested board games, as they had done when the power went out not too long before. But instead, many of them retreated to their rooms in the comfort of their interests to keep them occupied. At least they still had power.
Some browsed their phones, some read a book, some played video games and some even slept. As an example, Lucinda studied and experimented with her witchcraft that she'd fallen back on, while Cadenza sketched her latest design that would've looked perfect on Lucinda if she brought it to life. One day, all her designs had found themselves in the world one way or another.
Nana and Zane were in their room cuddling and minding their own business. Zane read his novel, just as Nana had on her Bluetooth headphones and drew on a sketchpad. Nana winced each time thunder rolled around and each time Zane gave her a caress on the cheek or rubbed her arm to comfort her.
But Garroth had other plans. He wanted to round everybody up and use the storm for them to play board games. He went from door to door to bring them all together.
The only person he couldn't find was Melissa but she texted earlier that day she was staying with a friend elsewhere.
Through many protests and harmless threats, they reluctantly sat down at the dining table. Some had had enough and sulked by resting their heads on the table. Others pulled out their phones, while some daydreamed.
Garroth assigned them into pairs with the person sitting next to them, and most of them were already beside their significant other.
As the odd ones out, Dante and Cadenza were paired up.
"Alright! We're playing Uno!" Garroth happily announced, dividing seven cards into eight groups. He'd previously removed the extra personalised cards that come with each set and added another pack to the deck, just so the game could last longer.
"No," Laurance groaned, "Travis always wins. So does Katelyn! How is that fair?"
"Ranking up the competition are ya?" Katelyn asked, cocking a head tilt.
"We're gonna smash you guys," Remmi taunted as she picked up her and Kasey's cards.
"Physically or mentally?" Vylad questioned.
"I- shut up."
The first card was a red nine and they started with Aaron and Aphmau because their names began with an A and worked around anti-clockwise. Surprisingly, Nana didn't flinch when the sky powered its dance outside, yet the girl was heavily involved with the game to care.
Team Travlyn eventually won after an exhausting difficult game. Being the sore loser he is, Laurance demanded a game of Twister, knowing he'd have a chance against everyone else.
~ "Okay, Nana, right-hand blue," Aphmau instructed and Nana followed. Garoth spun the wheel and groaned. "What'd you get?" Aph asked.
"Right foot, yellow."
"Hey look! You're gonna fit right in!" Zane teased as his older brother stuck out his tongue and proceeded with the game. Next was Remmi, only because she's one of the youngest and most flexible.
"Remmi, left-hand red."
They trudged along, the game becoming more complex as they continued. Somehow Remmi uncomfortably found herself left as a bridge around her older sister.
"Dante, right-leg green," Aph said as he moved his leg from its previous blue dot and misjudged the distance.
Slipping on the plastic flooring, he brought down the other three with him, followed by an almighty crack in their backyard. Lightning. One by one, each light turned off, unwillingly leaving them entirely without power.
Reading the first hunger games book in three days isn't bad, is it?