Heavy rain falls from the the gray-colored sky. Small animals hurriedly take refuge in the branches and holes in the ground, while the land creatures sought shelter among the burrows, rocks, and caves. Puddles formed in the wet earth as the raindrops soaked into the ground. The sound of thunder reverberated throughout the area. It wasn't enough to shake the ground, but those didn't dare stay out while Taranis was about.
In the a clearing, an empty space stood where a trees should be. To the naked eye, it would appear this way. However, hidden from prying eyes, a small cabin stood amidst the the trees.
As the rain continues to pelt down on the cabin, a faint glow illuminates from the window. An old woman sits in a rocking chair, watching the flames dance before her.
The room she was in was pretty modest; wood paneled walls with few paintings hanging from them. On the fire place were a few pictures of her and smiling children; her and a man some years ago smiling with a little girl won't puffballs and big toothy smile. And finally, it was her with the man, nearl 25 years younger, on wearing a white dress and he in a black suit. Both were staring lovingly at each other as if they were the only two people in the world.
The bright embers highlighted her dark brown face; the glare of squared glasses seemed obscure the worry in her brown eyes as she rocks absently in place.
Looking away from the flames, she glanced over to the beige couch where two children lay.
Two young girls lay opposite each other with a gray wool quilt covering their bodies. The older girl with chestnut-toned skin was lying down on her side, with shoulder-length ebony braids secured with a silk scarf.
Her head was resting on her hands and her feet pulled close to her lean figure. She made a soft whistling sound through her parted-full lips, her body still as if she slept like the dead.
Sleeping behind her was a younger girl, who was smaller in stature, laid on her back. Her skin was a warm caramel color, with a round-shaped face and her thick, dark chocolate-colored curls piled high on her head.
She rested one arm on the outside of her blanket on her stomach while the other, also outside the blanket, rested on her sister's leg. Her legs were straight, which stopped at the back of the older girl's head. Unlike her sister, whose breathing was nearly non-existent, she snored loudly enough for it to be heard throughout the small cabin.
The old woman slowly stood up from her chair, walking quietly towards the sleeping girls.
Once her shadow towered over them, she reaches down and stroked each of the girls' heads. She smiles sweetly at her grandchildren, only to have the smile disappear as quickly as it came. The corners of his mouth went down, causing her face to be creased with distraught.
"It's almost time," she says, gazing upon them. "I can only hope that you both will be ready when the time comes."
Lightings strikes, illuminating the dark figures outside of the cabin.
. . .
The loud thunder strike startles the younger girl, who nearly screeches from the sound.
"Amara," she shakes her older sister who wakes at the sudden movement of her shoulder.
"W-What is it, Kiera?" She responds, rubbing a hand over her eyes. She scowls at her sister, wondering what gods forsaken reason she had for waking her.
Kiera, withering slightly from her big sister's stare, shifts her head towards the window near the fireplace. She started rubbing her sensitive ears which were being assaulted by the pouring rain.
Understanding crosses Amara's face as she hums in response. She shifts from the position, leaning closer to the other girl and placing her hand on her sister's head.
"Rain's bothering you?"
Kiera nods her head, rocking back and forth.
Amara takes her hand off her sister's head, leaning a little closer to give her a tight hug.
"I'll go find your headphones," the older girl inquires.
She unwraps the rest of the soft blanket from her body, grabbing her grey sweater from the ground.
She effortlessly slips it over her arms, zipping it up to her neck to block out the chill, and walks over to the window by the fireplace. As she warmed herself by the fire, she casts her eyes on the droplets making a 'plunking' sound on the window.
Scanning her eyes across the scenery, she stopped until she spots a shadow lurking near the window. Amara's gaze sharpens. She glances at the window again but can make nothing out in the pouring rain.
She searches for a candle and a lights it with a lighter that was nearby. She walks back to the room into the dining room where it was connected, passing the matching, wooden, tables and chairs that looked a bit worn from years of use.
Amara opens the door at the end of the wall revealing the small kitchen inside. It was just an ordinary kitchen with a white sink, and dark wood cabinets and a white gas stove sitting in between dark-colored counters. Once more, she looks outside of the kitchen's big and rectangular window at the rain smearing itself onto the window.
"I think I see them here."
She spots the black noise canceling headphones on the counter. Picking them up in her free hand. As she turns to make around she nearly screams when her sister appears before her.
"Jeez Kiera !" Amara exclaims, her breathing out of place. "Don't scare me like that.
"There's someone outside." She proclaims, staring up at her sister with giant doe eyes.
Amara frowns, glancing at the window then turning back to look at her nervous sister. "There's nothing there."
"But I did see something!" She wraps her blanket tighter, breathing becoming tight and panicked.
"Hey, hey it's okay."
Amara places her hand on her sister's shoulders, careful not to instinctively hold her down. This would not be good if she had one of her episodes now.
"It was probably a branch or something-"
"Girls!"
Both girls look back to find their grandmother rushing toward them. "You all need to come with me."
"Grams?"
"I need you both to listen to me and listen well. I need you both to hide and don't come out until its quiet."
Amara stiffened at the choice of words her grandmother used."
"What..?"
"Amara, if I don't come back, I need you to take this."
She shoves something into Amara's hand. It felt hard and small; something that would easily fit in her pocket.
With scrunched up eyebrows, she stared back at her grandma. Her hair, normally in a neat bun, was disheveled. Her mouth in a thin line and looked serious on her otherwise stern face but her eyes were full of fear.
"What is this?"
Before her grandmother could answer, a large booming sound could be heard from outside. Kiera screamed, and Amara jerked from the sudden sound.
Without hesitation, their grandmother grabbed the girls by their arms, leading them back to the living room. She pulls a rug back, revealing a secret door in the floor. Coaxing the girls inside, Amara begins to protest.
"There's no time." Their grandmother says, silencing Amara's cries.
"Remember, don't make a sound and don't come out until I tell you to."
With that, she shuts the door as darkness consumes them.