Random Things (Some Short Stories)

Explosion (Chapter 2)

I wake up to the smell of breakfast wafting from the hallway. As I go through it, I slowly put on my school clothes. I sit down to a plate of warm eggs and sausage.

"Its a different kind of sausage today, a barbeque type flavor. I hope you like it." I cut the end and chew, the BBQ flavor seeping into my every taste bud.

"Mom, this is awesome! I love it." I smile up at her.

I finish my breakfast and grab my bag.

"Bye mom!" I look behind me and wave.

"Bye, honey!" Her eyes glitter with happiness. I head out the front door and down the street to school. As I go, I see the towering structure that is the nuclear powerplant that fuels our whole town.

At school, I greet all my friends.

"Hey, can I borrow your homework?"

"How are you doing! Yesterday, I..."

"You have any food?"

I soon get through them, then the bell rings.

When schools over, I hang after school for 30 minutes, then go back home. My little sister is awake and playing with her dolls.

"Sis! Play outside, with car!" She jumps up and tugs me to the back yard. I can barely take off my backpack before I'm out the door, and she gets in the pushable car. I then begin to push her around the yard.

Then the explosion happens.

We hear a boom, and we look toward the sound. I see a wave of wind and a mushroom cloud before the shockwave nocks me onto my back and into a bush, where I feel the neighbor's fence fall on me before I black out.

I wake up to a crackle of dead twigs under me. I first wonder why I'm out here before I remember what happened. I then remember my sister.

"Sis? Annabell?" She's no where to be seen. I stop searching for her when I notice the damage around me.

Houses in shambles, glass in the dead grass, tree leaves blown off to reaveal bent and cracked dead wood. Everywhere, I see ruined landscapes. And the lack of people make it even worse.

It then hits me that my home and family are gone. I start crying. I wipe away the tears to see black liquid. I scream, and wipe off the thick fluid. Wait, my hand was different too... I look at my hand again to reveal scaly claw-like fingers and hand. All up my arm, too, is scales. Black, evil looking plates with an oily sheen. I look down to see legs like an animal, with two bends instead of one. Like, a cat, or horse. I also happen to have wings and a tail, lined with spikes that turn to a dark red at the tip.

Maybe the radiation got to me? If so, why did this happen instead of nasty deformations? Isn't that what's supposed to happen when you are exposed to radiation? At least that didn't happen... But what if I'll never be normal again? What if I'll be a freak forever?

"Hello?" A voice rings in my head, breaking me from my thought train.

Am I going crazy?

"I assure you, your not going crazy."

"Then who are you?" I speak both out loud and in my mind. I hear crackling of grass, and a giant green snake comes out. I start to back away.

"Calm down. My name's Stan, and I want to help you." Was that the snake?

"Yes, yes I am." He spoke. With his mouth. "This is a lot to take in, I know, but over time you will remember."

"I guess that's one way to introduce yourself." My snarky side pops up, a aide that doesn't serve me well with teachers.

"I've learned from the best." He has a look in his eyes that tells me he misses something.

"What happened?" Hopefully, whoever this was, didn't die.

"She... Went away for awhile, on a mental vacation." Stan looks uncomfortable, so I change the subject.

"Earlier, you said you'll remember." What did I forget?

"Again, if I told you now, you wouldn't believe me. It will come in time. For now, I need to protect you"

"From what?"

"There are these people called the Takers. They are an alien species that wants to take the universe. First, they need to eliminate you."

"What?! What do I have to do with it? I was just in a meltdown explosion, and I need to deal with aliens killing me, who are advanced enough to take the universe?!" This was outrageous! Before now, I was a normal person!

"Ride on my back. Your wings aren't ready to take your weight." He then seems to create four legs and a pair of bright red wings from his body, although there was nothing there earlier.

"How?..."

"I was designed by the best." He gives a weak smile, but his eyes are blury with memories. He shakes it off, then motions to get on his back. I do so, and he flys toward the city.