The P.U.L.L || #Wattys2017

Chapter 11: Dark Clouds

The huge wave crashed towards the sea. The townspeople, looking back while running, witnessed the unbelievable sight. The town was safe from the enormous wall of water. The fleeing townspeople cheered. They didn't have to evacuate from their respective places anymore.

Some of them went towards the shore to see if they aren't actually dreaming. To their surprise, they found three unconscious bodies lying on it. Someone went towards them to check their pulse. Fortunately, they still have their pulse, but it's weak. After a few moments, the people began to realize who they were.

They were carried towards the house of the elderly woman who took care of them after the crash. There, the elderly woman began to take care of them once again.

.....

Joshua woke up. Where am I? He thought. His vision began readjusting as if he had been asleep for a long time. Eventually, he was able to recognize where he was. He was in a very familiar room. Seems like I've been here before. But when? He wondered.

He tried to feel his arms and legs. They were as sore as ever. He began to groan as soon as he tried moving his stiffed neck. From the corner of his eyes, he could see two figures, lying unconscious just right beside him on both sides. Guess I'm not alone. He said to himself.

Then, he began to remember everything that happened. The crash. The town. The tsunami. He began remembering it all.

He bolted upright and quickly regretted it when all his muscles began to ache. Rick?! Emma?! What happened to them? He asked himself.

Then he saw them right on both sides of him. They were still unconscious. Well, at least they don't look critical. And they are breathing. Phew that was some experience. He thought, calming down after seeing both of them.

"Oh, you're finally awake." Someone said to him.

He looked around to see who it was. Apparently, it was the elderly woman who took care of them before. She smiled at him as she sat on one of the chairs in the room.

" For a moment, I though you have gone quite mad. I saw you with my own two eyes, literally running towards disaster." The elderly woman told him. "I thought you already had a death wish or something like that. But I guess I thought wrong. Whatever you did to that tsunami, it saved the whole town."

"Thank you for looking after us all this time ma'am." Joshua politely said.

"Oh, it was nothing. As I said before, It wouldn't hurt to have a little company, you know." She responded. "Just take your time resting until you fully recover. Just go downstairs if you want to eat something. There's always soup waiting for you."

"Thank you ma'am." Joshua said as he rested again.

.....

Three days had passed. The three of them fully recovered after their long rest. After eating their breakfast exceptionally early in the morning, they began to pack their things. The three of them agreed to immediately leave the town after fully recovering. They realized that everyone around them are now in danger. Not unless, they stay away from everyone until they finished what they had set to accomplish.

"Well, I guess we'll be leaving soon, don't you think?" Rick started the conversation while packing. "It's not like it would take us a long time packing, you know. We hardly have any things after the plane crash."

"Yeah, except for the navigational tools you put in your backpack." Emma said.

"Are you leaving already?" A voice from behind them, said.

"Yes ma'am, thank you for taking care of us." Joshua said, after realizing that it was the elderly woman talking to them. " We hate to impose, and we really need to do something important."

"Oh really? Well, we can't help that, can we?" She responded. " Just remember that you're always welcome here.  It's been a long time since someone actually visited me." She smiled at them.

"We will ma'am. Once we're done we will try to pay you a visit." Emma said. 

"So, where do you live?" The elderly woman asked, out of the blue. "I don't have anyone to write letters with, you know."

"Er, well, that is." Rick stuttered.

"We live in North America ma'am." Joshua replied as he grabbed a piece of paper and began writing his address. "We came here to meet someone really important."

"Oh, I see. Then I guess you better go. That someone must have been waiting for the three of you for a long time now. "She said.

.....

The elderly woman gave them packed lunch before they left. Rick and Emma happily gave their address to her after seeing Joshua give his. Pretty soon, they left and headed towards the Quillers' house. 

They haven't gone a long way when they saw a black car driving towards the town. Rock and Emma paid it no mind. They just continued walking. However, Joshua, after seeing the car, began to stop short right in is tracks.

That car! I've seen it before! If my hunch was right, those are the kidnappers. They're probably looking for us right now! Joshua thought.

"Joshua? What's wrong?" Emma asked after seeing his face turn pale.

"Follow me, quick!" Joshua quickly responded.

Joshua ran towards the trees on the side of the road. Rick and Emma, not knowing what's happening, just followed him. They thought that it might be an emergency, judging from the way he acted.

"Quick, hide behind that bush!" Joshua alarmingly whispered at them.

The moment they hid behind it, the black car passed  right in front of them. It was going fast, but Joshua had caught a glimpse of the passengers of the car.

The kidnappers.

My hunch was right, those were really the kidnappers. Good thing they didn't see us. He sighed in relief.

"Why, what's happening, Joshua?" Emma asked. 

"The kidnappers, those people, riding in that black car, are the kidnappers." Joshua replied.

"Then we follow them. They might lead us to the one behind all this you know." Rick told them.

"No, we don't need to. If my hunch is right, they're probably looking for us right this moment. Following them would be a waste of time. Right now, we need to move fast." 

"Okay, so what do we do next?" Rick asked.

Emma stood up and dusted herself. "Of course, we need to head towards the Quillers. We need all the information we can get to stop the PULL, you know."

"And to stop the one behind all this. The one who stole the PULL." Rick said.

Suddenly, the sky became black once again. They looked up. The sky was completely covered in darkness in just a short amount of time.

Wait, don't tell me. Joshua thought. It has been three days with no sign of the PULL causing a supernatural event. Rick and Emma weren't surprised. It's just about time the PULL, or rather, the mastermind, makes a move once again.

It began to rain, getting heavier and heavier as time passes. A few outbursts of wind began making their way everywhere.

"It's a storm! How come the PULL became this strong?" Rick asked, trying to hold his ground as the wind began to blow stronger.

"It's not just a storm." Emma said. pointing at the sky.

The clouds began to swirl as the winds began getting stronger. Eventually, it turned into a massive, funnel shaped cloud.

They stared in amazement as it got closer towards the ground.