The Storm

Staring blankly, she loses herself in her own thoughts. Images flash through her head like a child holding the remote to her mind. She sighs and lifts herself up from her bed and she swings her legs over the side of her mattress. It's not uncommon for her insomnia to keep her from sleeping, though tonight she noted, it felt different. The air was thick, solid almost. She tried breathing but felt as though the moisture of her lungs were evaporating with every breath. Yawning, she slowly stumbled to her open window and breathed in as much fresh air as her lungs could hold and gazed over the landscape of the city.

       It was eerily quiet. No sirens wailing in the distance, nor drunken punters yelling in the streets on their way back home from the pubs. Instead, there was just silence, with the lights from the south bank of the river reflecting off of the gentle ripples of the water. She took this moment in, as she had always dreamt of living in tranquillity, though it was difficult for her to leave the city, she couldn't bare to leave her sister. It was soon after releasing a sigh, that she noticed the sky growing dark. Like a black tidal wave sweeping in from the ocean, tremendous clouds barrelled themselves over the skyline. Swallowing starlight and the never ending abyss of space. Flashes of lightening illuminated patches of the clouds, and the soft rumble of thunder soon reached the delicate ears of the girl watching. Suddenly, a strong gust of freezing wind blew against the building and in through the open windows. She gasped and turned her head to the side, she hated the feeling of wind sucking every ounce of air her lungs possessed. She slammed the windows shut to stop the doors throughout the house banging against their frames, as though a demonic spirit was making their presence known. Droplets began spitting against the window, and soon turned into waterfalls streaming down the glass. The wind continued howling, shooting the rain directly into the pane. It was so strong, she thought, the glass would surely break. Downstairs, a sudden crash and scream pierced through the sound of wind and rain, she stood and muttered "when it rains, it pours, I guess" and quickly turned to run downstairs.

       Expecting to find the back door damaged as it had collided with the kitchen counter, and her sister chuckling to herself for being so startled, she wandered into the dining room, adjacent to the kitchen. "So much for a still night tonight! I'm sure the weather man said-", she stopped. Her heart and stomach simultaneously sunk down into the pit of her body, and lurched up into her throat. She made no sound, not even a guttural whimper. Her eyes wide. Her breathing shaky. Her palms and neck and chest and back sweating, with each body hair standing on end. The wind continued to batter the house, though she heard nothing. She was fixed in place. Tunnels formed in her eyesight as she struggled to make sense of the mess in front of her. Terrified, she began to walk backwards, so to not disturb the beast that was currently feasting upon her sister. The stench of blood wrapped around her nose and expanded her throat. The pungent smell so strong, she could taste it. She stepped backwards once more. Bump. The antique table. The golden picture frame that cradled an old photo of the family. The solid wood floor that the frame soon collided with. The gasp. The growl. She ran.

       Groaning, she rolled to her side and blinked heavily. From the pit of her stomach, she felt it rising. Remembering the state of her sister's mangled body, and the smell and taste of flesh, she puked. Everywhere. Through the sobbing and puking, she managed a croaky "Ashleigh". Her dear sister, offering her home in the city so that Shannon could make something of herself. Shannon cried hard. Her piercing blue eyes glowing red with anger, disgust and heartbreak. Her chest heaved as she gasped for breath between sobs. The image of her beautiful sister, torn open for the world to gaze upon her insides. Her emerald eyes blankly staring straight at her younger sister. Her throat gashed and blood still pumping from the wounds. The sound of whatever that creature was gnawing through flesh and bone. The memorable crack of Ashleigh's femur splintering under pressure from the creature's jaw. Puke. Shannon lazily wiped her mouth and sat back, her legs huddled up to her chest. She sat like that for what seemed like hours. Sunlight streamed in through the broken windows and cracks in the ceiling, Shannon lifted herself from the dusty concrete floor and peered out of the window. She prepared herself to see the giant creature feasting upon innocent families during their morning walks, she took a few deep breaths and slowly peeked over the window ledge. A family of four walking down the road. A father and mother, holding hands and smiling, they couldn't have been older than 30, so madly in love like her parents were, and their two children. Twin girls, skipping together in beautiful summer dresses. The giggles and chatter were pure bliss, Shannon thought, until she noticed the bush beside them rustling. Shannon froze. She needed to do something to warn this family of the impending creature ready to maul its victims in a frenzy of teeth and blood. Shannon shook as she clutched onto the window ledge and felt her voice erupt from her throat. "RUN!" she shouted, as loud as she could. The family jumped and their eyes opened in terror as Shannon pointed to the shaking bush. Suddenly, it jumped out. A friendly neighbourhood cat holding its prize of a de-feathered bird in its mouth stopped, stared at the family, and hastily ran off. The family laughed and shook their heads, and continued on their walk.  Shannon, confused by the family's nonchalant way, sat back and considered returning to the house. Surely it must have been an awful dream? Too many insomnia filled nights, the lack of sleep causing her brain to malfunction and hallucinate. She looked around the old room filled with broken furniture, and made her way out the door and into the sunlight. Slowly walking onto the street, she headed for home, the place she felt most safe, until that crazy storm.