Chapter Two: Wonderful Weather We’re Having, Huh?

Not rain nor sleet nor hail can stop the rain. Note how mysterious catastrophic explosions aren't on that list.

Lance Powers took a step inside the small cabin, his large build seeming to fill what little empty space it had. He wasn’t a tall guy, but he was already a sophomore in college and was tougher than steel. His long black hair fell evenly over his olive skin, making him look like some kind of rock star. Charlie closed the door and went back to his cot, waiting for one of the other two to break the awkward silence. Lance did his best to break the ice

“So, uh, I was hoping I could talk to you about what happened on Friday.” Lance began, “I’m sorry I couldn’t pull him off you in time before he slammed you. I feel kinda bad about it.”

Victor smiled. He was glad that at least one of the senior counselors wasn’t a complete douchecanoe. And knowing that he had one of the camp’s toughest staff members as a friend certainly didn’t hurt.

“Relax, man.” he assured calmly, “I’m just happy that you tried to help me at all, y’know?”

Lance ran a hand through his hair. “Thanks, man.” he said, “I couldn’t just stand there as that buttnugget pummels some poor wimp.”

Gee, thanks. Good to know my reputation precedes me.

Victor and Charlie exchanged silent and amused glances. This was not quite what they were expecting. Usually people are a lot less forthcoming with their thoughts, but Lance seemed to have no filter.

“Uh, no problem, man” Victor responded dumbly, “I appreciate the honesty.”

“Yeah man, no problem” Lance shrugged

The three boys sat motionless and silent for a few minutes, the only sounds an unseen cricket and the distant call of a faraway owl. Lance, obviously uncomfortable, began to rise from his seat on Charlie’s bed.

“Alright, I should probably get back to my cabin. It’s already midnight and I gotta wake everyone up at seven tomorrow.”

Victor nodded, eager to bid his new ‘friend’ adieu. He had made the night somewhat awkward, and all he wanted was to get some damn sleep. Lance shuffled out of the cabin, only to stop right outside the door.

“Hey, uh, is there some kind of fireworks display that’s supposed to go off tonight?”

Charlie looked up from his book and glanced at Victor curiously. Victor shrugged.

“Uh, we usually get notified if something that big is going to happen, why? What’s up?” Victor inquired, slowly making his way to the door

Lance paused, his attention lost to the sky “Oh, uh, I dunno, I think that, uh, there’s some kind of a festival or something going on.”

Victor took a step outside and followed Lance’s gaze. What he saw reminded him of a tidal wave, only there was no water. It was like a force, some kind of displacement of air, almost. The wave towered over the treeline, its nearly invisible power knocking the older trees down completely. It was rushing over the landscape at an incredible speed, racing towards them faster than any firework or light show ever could. As the wave raced onwards, the ground beneath the boys’ feet began to shake and rumble like an earthquake.

“Get inside.” Victor ordered, his tired croak quickly shifting into a powerful command, “Now!!”

Lance’s gaze momentarily lingered on the wave before he turned and bolted back into the cabin. Victor slammed the door and locked it, for what little good it would do. Charlie leapt out of his bed and was about to ask what was going on, but there was little time and they had to spend it wisely.

“Charlie, get away the windows!’ Victor shouted, his voice becoming decreasingly audible over the growing roar of the earth’s heaving, “Lance! Help me block the door!”

Lance began to position Victor’s metal-framed bed in front of the worn wooden door, and Victor rushed to help him. Charlie grabbed his and his friend’s bag and threw them into the bathroom. Once the bed was barricaded against the door, Lance and Victor both hurried into the bathroom. The three boys silently huddled in the far corner away from the door, as the camp’s emergency sirens were drowned out by the rumbles of the convulsing earth around them. A loud bang pierced the clamor as the front door’s lock shot from its place and the boys’ first line of defense smashed against the far wall. The what little light the room had vanished as the room’s single bulb exploded, sending glass shards in every direction. Victor felt shards pierce the skin on his thigh, but he was too horrified to care.

The rumbling grew violent, cracking the walls and shaking loose weaker parts of the cabin’s foundation. A small hole ripped open in the ceiling as a tiny portion of the roof went flying from the small building. Victor covered his ears as a high pitched screeching split the air, overpowering the boys’ screams. The dark night sky grew brighter and brighter, as though the sun itself had come to greet them.

I’m going to die here. Victor realized, I’m going to die before I’m even in college.

The instant the thought dawned on him, the shaking began to subside. The screeching faded away as quickly as it had come, and the cacophony of the force’s destruction grew quieter and fainter as it ravaged the rest of the world behind them.

Author's Note

If there are any more POV errors, they'll probably/hopefully end in this chapter. If not, then I really need to do a better job editing. Also,