Awake because of the Storm

It's been a while since Grace stepped out of her house. The rain and the monster winds have stopped and NorthWood, the small town near FourWood City, finally spoke its silence. Most of Grace's next-door-neighbours were also starting to come out of their own houses, the ones that used to stand towering over and proud; now destroyed. The people also looked conflicting.

It's been a whole week since anyone came out of their home. Most of them didn't look injured or starved since they probably had a lot of food stocked up. Grace had too; luckily, had just come home from a heavy shopping that night, when it all began. But that night was also game night. The Friday where all the people-mostly youngsters-went to watch the final match of soccer between the two leading schools. It explains the sorrow weeps of the families down the streets.

Grace was supposed to be at that game. Her friends had invited her over because of one of their brothers. She had refused, saying that she only had that night to submit her report on the 'New Models'. Since the storm, or whatever it was, no one really knew what was going on. The news had stopped the day after, obviously because there was no one or place to telecast the information.

Grace subconsciously clasped her necklace and rubbed it around her fingers, trying to calm herself.

There were no survivors the first night; none were expected for the rest of the week. Everyone knew the ugly truth: the people who were out for the game were not coming back.

It didn't help that she remembered the night Cristal clear…

Grace picked up the one kilogram bag of sugar from the bottom shelve on one of the center aisles. Tossing it into the overloaded trolly that contained more than three TimTam biscuit packets, she made her way over to the billing section. As she scanned the tin foods, she thought of how she was going to find time to squeeze all the data she'd collected and turn them into information for her month's work. She knew that it was wrong to push the editing day back, now she had a night to finish everything and send it to her strict boss who picked his nose when he thinks that no one is watching. Not to mention the old glasses that smelled like toilet water.

Grace pushed the trolly to a side once she had everything in her car and hoped in, turning the heater on. Sure, it was the last days before the wet season, but today was extra cold for some odd reason. Not wanting to wait and get caught in an unexpected rain, Grace turned the car on and wheeled out of the food center.

The highly maintained roads of the City were quieter than usual, most of the cars heading towards the field. The night looked dull but dangerous as Grace could almost hear the owls hooting through the car window and over the sound of her engine. As she entered her town, her phone rang, a picture of a cheerful man with proud eyes flashed at the front. After a few turns here and there, Grace drove into her family house's driveway as she slid the green light on her touch screen.

"Hey dad." Grace got out and opened the boot taking the bags into each hand, her phone tucked in-between her shoulder and ear.

"How's today?" A deep voice spoke back through the speakers. A stranger would think that the man was angry, but Grace knew very well to differ the man's angry and playful voice.

"Good, nothing bad or good. But I do have a huge project to finish before midnight." Grace juggled with the keys before entering the empty home. She placed everything on the kitchen counter before going back to close the front door.

"I thought I'd told you not to do that anymore? It's not a healthy process to lead a good life!"

"I know dad, I've just been a bit busy this month and you know that. The interviews only had a few data, but took triple the time."

"That's on you for choosing the job," her dad replied making her chuckle.

"And I don't regret it, if that's what you're implying."

"I know, I know. You'd never give up!" Her dad paused before sighing into his phone. "Did you take your pills for the day?"

Grace rolled her eyes and doubled checked the lock. "Do you really need to ask that every single time you call? You know I don't miss a tablet, you raised me well."

"I know, I just don't want you to miss them and then have a bad day. You can't miss even a pill Grace, if you do-"

"I'll start getting hallucinations like grandpa." She cut her dad's line and muttered the rest for him. "I know dad, you've said a million times. Anyways, I just got home and I need to start on this project if I want to hand it in by tonight."

"Sure Dove, I���ll talk to you tomorrow. Your mum's bugging my that Tom and Jerry's foods's run out. I have to get them before she bites my butt off." Grace laughed in return, listening in to hear a bark. "And that's Jerry for you. Well Dove, get working, don't forget to eat. I love you."

"Love you too." Grace waited for her dad to hang up and made her way to the dinning table to grab her laptop that she'd left in the morning. Just as she opened the screen, a thunder bombed through the house making Grace yelp out loud.

Grace froze, waiting for something to happen but when nothing popped up from the doorway, she patted her chest. She blinked away the flashes that emitted through the windows and rushed to cover the house with curtains. The storm was turning into something big and Grace wishes that it would go away soon.

Just as she closed the last window in the living room, another boom made its presence and Grace heard a few screams and yells. People are stuck outside! She thought rushing to the front door. Could she save them? She didn't know; Grace hated the thunder as well.

For the sake of her beating heart and the nagging in the back of her head, Grace unlocked the door and as she let go of the lock, another flash clicked through the streets. Grace quickly stepped back when the door opened by itself, making Grace hold it, trying to push it back.

The wind pushed at her from every side and Grace squealed before managing to lock the wooden piece back to its place. Grace huffed, laying behind the door, wondering what she was going to do alone in the family house that had four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a large kitchen that reminded her of the horror movies. After collecting her breath, she hastily charged at the tv, turning it on to the news channel before running towards the bathroom. Once she was clean and had her pants up through the rush, Grace walked into the living room to watch the lady in the news, crawl around the room with a mic in hand.

'Breaking News: the city council is very despondent to say that this storm has turned into something so horrendous that the world is yet to experience. All the town residents are ordered to stay home and not to leave; no matter what. All the imports and exports are paused immediately and will not continue until further notice. This includes people traveling to and from FourWood City; the airports are closed and the railways are stopped.

'There hasn't been a storm like this since the 18 hundreds and the scientists are trying to figure out the cause for it, right now. So far, no one who'd stayed out are announced returned and the people who are staying in are to take precautions since no one has been able to calculate the duration of the storm. Food and light are important, and it is advised to stay on the ground floor or under.

'The radio and stations for mobile uses are cut and are out of use because of the bad storm and the internet companies are failing to giving out connection to everyone due to poor signal.

'Everyone is ordered to stay safe…' the News lady said on and on. Grace flinched as another thunder echoed through the house before taking two steps at a time to the first floor. She walked into her room, grabbing the blue jumper that hung on the door handle and shakily took one of the 'Harry Potter' books, her diary and a pen. She then rushed to her luggage, putting them all in and added her data on the models, her laptop charger, her cash stash that she'd collected since high school times and a few extra pair of under-wears.

She went back down and grabbed the shopping bags from the counter to the dinning room to place them on the floor near her luggage. Grace sat down in front of her chair, opening her phone, calling 'Dad the Hero'; it went straight to voicemail. Grace sulked, not like the feeling that was crawling into her heart. She grabbed her heart and jumped on her seat when she heard a few crashes and trees breaking from outside.

The storm only grew wilder and worse.

When she'd wasted a few more minutes, just sitting and trying to calm herself, Grace set to work. No matter what the situation, she still had to finish her work and submit it before she gets fired.

Grace ignored the burnt feeling that rushed through her body, telling her to stop everything and run around the town, wild. She stopped listening to the noises that made her angry. She ignored the screams for help and blocked her head from any new obstacles; she was alone but she was safe. There was no way, that Grace was going to let herself go craze just because of some silly storm.

"Grace…" a voice made her turn to the right. Grace got reminded of the situation she was in and took a deep breath. A friend she knew since high school stood there. She was one of her neighbors and she was also crying, the mascara was dry and it almost looked as if it was her second skin. "Tommy didn't come home that night." She uttered and broke down again. Grace rushed to the mini fence that separated them and held her up. She fully let her guard down and screamed on top of her lungs.

If it was one of those normal days, everyone would've freaked out over her cries, but it was not normal today. Everyone was either crying themselves, crying for the others or doing something to stop the pain. Charlotte, Grace's friend, was crying with no tears, she'd probably ran out of them by crying day and night.

Charlotte started to slide away from Grace's grip, as she lost balance and cried on the grass. Grace rushed over to the front, crossing over her property. She didn't speak to her, just held her patting her back as she wet the single girl's blouse. Grace didn't care really; it wasn't she who had to smell her clothes. They were the same outfit that she'd worn at the start of the last shopping she had made. The storm was too strong, too wild. It was clear that nobody moved away from their hideouts for the week unless it was to get food or go to the bathroom.

That's what Grace did anyways.

It's was then that Grace had realized, for the first time after breaking up with her last boyfriend since last year, she felt grateful for being alone. She knows that she would've not handled if anyone she loved dearly died to this. Grace felt a load of pity and guilt make its way for Charlotte. Poor girl only had Tommy since her parents died when she was little. Tommy had been Fiona's childhood friend who stood by her side through schooldays, and then later married her because they liked each other more than friends. A year after graduation in high school, Grace got an invitation fo their wedding. A little early, but that's love, and theirs was a whole new story. Now, five years later, Fiona's a widow. People would say that they've had their time seeing each other and being together since the nappy days, but it's still not fair. Not fair at all.

Thinking about family made Grace remembered the missed calls she'd given her own dad on the first night of the storm. He'd not answered or returned the calls, most probably because there was no signal afterwards but it didn't stop Grace from worrying.

"Hey, we should go." Grace said to her, noticing the town-people heading towards the Central Clock Tower, where all the meetings and notifications get shown every week. It was a traditional thing to do in their small city.

"We'll come back later and talk everything out, okay?"

Charlotte shook her head. Not only was she emotional, she was also stubborn. "I can't." She said. Her voice blearily audible. "I don't want to face anyone yet."

Grace wished that she could slap the girl to knock some sense into her. Everyone had been stuck home alone, not knowing what was happening outside, and she still wanted to go back.

Grace grabbed her through her armpits and tried to pull her up. "Come on now Charlotte. We have to know what they are talking about."

She shook her head again. "You don't get it Grace." She turned her head up to face Grace. "I'm pregnant."

That stopped Grace.

Oh god. She must be terrified. She's young and alone, Grace reviewed in her head. Just lost her husband and now has a baby growing inside her.

Grace tried to hide her feelings as she picked the widow up and gave her support to stand. "Did…" she didn't know if she should ask, but she tried her best not to sound pitiful. "Did Tommy know?"

Grace winced. It sounded exactly how she didn't want it to sound.

Fresh tears made its way down her cheek. Great, Grace knew what the answer was.

She dusted her friend and herself before she took her in her arms again. "Hey, it's okay," Grace soothingly spoke.

Charlotte's hot pink, silky dress was half ripped at the bottom and didn't blend into the background like Grace's dark blue jumper did. The pink sewed cloth was originally long so Grace decided that the girl could hold it on for few more moments. She also noticed the dark purplish-red make on Charlotte's wrist but didn't comment on it.

"We'll figure a way out. You're not alone on this Charlotte. I'm here and there are so many more people left. We'll get through this, okay?" She didn't wait for her reply. "Now, it's better if you stop crying. It's not good for the baby. Is that all you've been doing inside?" Charlotte weekly nodded. Grace sighed before asking her neighbor if she could walk with her. "We'll go see what's happening out there. And then, get some food into your stomach. I know what you've been through is tough, but you need to stay strong and healthy for the baby."

She nodded again.

Grace had an arm around her the whole time until they arrived at the Central. There were a lot of people crowded around, but not enough to say that it was the whole town. The storm had really made a change in them all. Half of the maroon painted Clock Tower was missing, a few blocks of it scattered across the junction. Some of the people recognized Grace, since the NorthWood Town knew most of everyone. They let her into the crowd without pushing and shoving, thanks to Charlotte in her arms.

"We'll start with the lists of missing people. Ryne, my girl, get yourself suited with whatever you need. Pen and a paper would be a good start." There were a few weeps around the crowd until the same voice quietened them down. Grace finally made her way to the center, where there was a small empty circle for the speakers to stand. She wasn't surprised with who was standing in front, it was Malick Walter. He was the owner of the bakery around the corner, someone who shined out for having the perfect life with a perfect wife. But, he was also the only one to return from the war a few decades ago. So, he had the respect automatically shoved at his face.

He never took advantage of it, and used it with care. He was looked upon as a wise man. His eyes recognized Grace instantly and rushed to side-hug her and ask for her health. How would he not? She was his niece after-all. Also the first customer for the bakery.

"I was so worried when I could reach to you." He said.

Grace told him about Charlotte, whispering in his ear so only a few people around were the ones who'd heard. He breathed in a heavy breath before turning to his wife motioning her to come. She walked into the circle and took Charlotte into her arms.

"It's okay darling. I'll take care of you." She spoke softly and took her away.

"The councils are all out of the topic to talk about," Malick explained to his niece and rubbed his forehead, already tired out. "All of them were at the game and we only have a few of the families that relate. I had no one else to help me out so here I am. The ones who are alive are hurt pretty bad since their houses toppled over. The City is rounding up most of the towns together but I said that we'd be fine here. We can travel around without knowing what might happen in the future.

"Obviously the councils and the chairmen disagree with me but our town is what matters to us the most."

"Are you sure?" Grace couldn't help but ask. "Won't it be easier to let them figure it out?"

"No," Malick bit his lips, trying to control the weird feeling that ran through his blood. "They won't get anywhere, we'll handle it. I just need you to stay alert and safe. Can you do that Grace?"

Grace gave Malick a surprised look, confused and amused at the same time. Her uncle never hated her but didn't show much of his love towards her in the past as well. "Of course uncle Malick."

Malick gave her a thankful nod and stood back at the front of the circle, while Grace blended in with the people. She touched her pendant, to check if it was still there and when she was sure, she tucked her arms crossed under her chest and listened up.

"As I was saying," Malick raised his voice, turning to the group. "Once Ryne gets back, start forming a line to get the names on the list. For those who are stable with everything that's going on, make sure to get your names on that list with Lucas, like I said. It's been tough. No one knows what's going on, us NorthWoods are alone on this so we're going to have to take everything in a slow pace. Don't panic, that's the last thing we need." He tried to sound sincere, but the years of training and years of working at the battle ground made him sound more commanding and bad. "For now, we only have Fred, who was able to return home a few minutes after the storm had started."

Grace's ears perked up at the news. She'd confirmed that no one returned from the storm. From what her uncle was saying, she knew that no one from the city knew about this.

"He'd said that the storm was moving away from his side, so he was able to rush into his house before it came his way. What he saw; it was dark obviously, but he said that there was something at the mountains."

There was a round of gasps. No one was surprised. The mountains, something the NorthWood Town tried to avoid seeing or talking about. Most of them didn't know why, Grace including, but they didn't dare to ask. It was told from the early ages of their great, great grandparents. They are not to talk about the mountains, or to even look at it. No one was to go near it, even if it was a life or death situation.

"Quiet down now." Malick ordered. "I know, but Fred says that he saw something in those mountains and he thinks that the storm came from there."

Grace scanned through the faces in front of her for a tall yet childish looking man. Fred had dirty blonde hair and a runner's body but Grace couldn't spot him. The one year older, good for nothing prankster was missing the meeting.

"It's highly impossible for that, but he was very sure of himself, even through the dark and wants us to believe him. We could just pretend that we do and say that Fred's right, but we also don't know any other reasons or witness to let this go. This weather destroyed not only our town, but also many places around the country." He let out a ragged breath before continuing. "I tried to contact people from across the country, but didn't get a reply. Those people have never ignored my calls, but ever since this, I've had no return calls. Some were able to call back, to say that they didn't have anywhere to stay and hide."

Grace sucked in a breath too quickly and started to cough. She'd thought that the storm was within the FourWood City, not the whole country. Was that even possible? But she didn't care about that, it was the fact that she had her parents alive and running a peaceful life before the disaster. She'd not worried about them since they were out of town, even if her father didn't answer the infinity number of calls; they were in the other state. But now, she wasn't even sure if they were alive. What if they'd gotten stuck in the storm?

Grace could feel the burning sensation of fear and worry rush through her body, connecting with the core of her eyes. "What?" She gasped out in favor of the others. "Are you saying that the whole country was affected by this?"

Her uncle only nodded before turning at the sound of footsteps. Ryne had returned with a few papers and a pen in her hand from a store nearby. No one needed to say anything for the people to move and line up. Everyone had someone that they had lost this week.

Grace didn't know if she was supposed to write.

She was getting lost in the crowd once again, getting pushed around until she felt someone drag her away, and into a free space. Grace turned to find her uncle looking nervous. "Look Grace, I called many people to see about what was happening." He said, almost in a whisper. "And I'd called your mother as well." Oh no, Grace could feel her heart start to pound ten times faster. She didn't want to hear the rest but her feet didn't listen to her plea to run away. She waited for him to say anything but he was shuffling around with his right foot, the one that had taken the hit in battle. The same foot that made him quit his job and get a prosthesis.

"What is it uncle?"

"She's fine." Grace let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I talked to her, and she'd said that the storm was wild there as well, not like here but enough to cause a few houses to fall. Your sisters are safe at their homes," she nodded half-heartedly, remembering the three older ladies, one tall with brown dyed hair and the other two: twins, that all owned some kind of business in the more popular cities around the country.

Malick sighed, rubbing his face with both of his hands. "It's your father."

She let out a sob as soon as she heard him break down the grieving news.

"He'd gone to get the dogs' food." Grace let the tears down not bothering to wipe them, the saltiness being too much as some rolled into her open mouth. "Didn't come back. Sarah's been coping by a thin string. She'd said that she'll be strong for you."

The fact that her uncle had finally said her mother's name -considering her as his sister after all these years of silent treatment- because of her father's death, confused her to if she should be crying or smiling. He didn't say anything as he hugged his niece, rubbing her back in comfort as he whispered to stay strong; the way her father would've wanted her to be.

The girl sinked right into the large man, lips quivering and body shaking; shivering. Grace didn't know what to say or do. Her father was the closest to her in her family, and they were that pair of father and daughter that no one could separate. He'd always supported her with every decision and gave the best advices. Grace never felt alone, even if she was the oddest daughter with the only black hair that none of her family members had; he was always there for his favorite daughter. He was the one to teach her how to ride a bicycle, who made her eat vegetables, the one who taught her how to protect herself from human danger. He was the only who who gave out the best hugs to Grace. She knew that she shouldn't think this, but she had so many other relations who could've been the victim. But it had to be him. Her own very hero.

He was gone.

Suddenly, the familiar feeling of uneasiness rushed into Grace's mind, as if she was missing out on the most important thought from the past. The same sourness and the burning feeling she'd felt on the first night of the storm came back making her stumble with Malick's hold. She tried to search for that something in her brain, but couldn't brake the invisible wall.

Malick took Grace inside the bakery and gave her a piece of his best velvet cake. It was her father's favorite type of cake. Malick, knowing this, baked them for her after he'd come from the City.

Just looking at it made her cry even more as she took a bite. It didn't even taste good, probably because of the taste of ash from all the bitter news, but she didn't care. Everyone who knew Grace knew that she took her emotions out with food.

Just like the bundle of roses I once had, her father used to say.