I watched the clouds begin to gather as the sun was blotted out by the grey. The clear blue sky was replaced by cloud tears, in other words, beautiful rain.
I smiled as I watched, minutes passing as I waited for the signature smell of dinner. It made itself known with a mouth-watering aroma of meat and pizza just before I leaped into the air, startled by sudden thunder.
"EEEK!"
My family of 8, not including me, began laughing while my face turned from shock and fear to a deadpan that could frighten emotionless people. They looked away, holding back giggles.
I shook my head and looked back at the window, vaguely seeing my reflection present in it.
I saw my unusual natural green hair and sharp amber eyes staring back. My nose was ever so slightly crooked and my scarred lips were a bit lower than average. The scar went from below my lower lip to below my right eye.
I looked back at the rain outside, left hand grasping my ammolite necklace after a second glance and try, having missed it and brushing my black long-sleeved t-shirt the first time. I smiled lightly as I held it and gazed at the rain. I stood there for a few minutes before my portion of food was served. And I had been called to the table.
My family of 8, myself excluded, was quite close even if I do say so myself. We were extremely competitive and that probably had a hand in it but the biggest reason is our annual hiking trip to different countries. The next one is coming up and it's to the Himalayas, finally. We've been preparing for it since our first family trip.
At one point in our dinner conversation, my Eldest brother made a joke, which proved later to be true for some of the things that happened.
"I guess work will be cancelled yeah? We can't exactly build anything like this after all."
Everyone thought it to be funny, even me, for a while.
Then near the end of the day, we heard something worrying. News of a storm, just like that one, was playing everywhere in the world. We had access to near all of our own news channels and looked online for news of other countries. Finding exactly the same thing replaying in every country, from Zimbabwe to Canada, even smaller countries like Monaco, Nauru or Vatican City.
It was frightening.
The next day we just did our own things, trying to relax in the dark atmosphere gained from the grey skies and strange weather.
The day after, we reconvened in the dining room and decided to talk about what to do.
"The first option is to find a storm shelter, ours isn't finished yet and we still need to reinforce it so it's not an option." My father began the discussion, leading with possible plans of action.
"The second is that we contact people and we get together, hide somewhere safe, power in numbers and all. The last, and most viable option, is that we stay in our house and calm down, ration food and stay as safe as possible. We have canned food in the bunker that one of us can go get as well."
My mother spoke next, heading the conversation.
"They are viable, but all have a certain amount of risk and that's the problem, do we want to risk staying here or should we go to the community center and hole up there. It'd probably be the best option wouldn't it? There's bound to be food and we can take our own, we can probably bring more than others with our hiking packs."
My eldest sister added to the conversation shortly after a small silence.
"Wouldn't that also have a risk? What if the storm doesn't pass? We'd need to share food at one point or we'd be outcasts. In a storm like this? Being an outcast isn't a good thing in this kind of storm. We'd probably be sent out to fend for ourselves. But, could we afford to share? Could we afford to be outcasts if the storm goes on for months?"
More of us began to add opinions while I sat next to my youngest siblings, my two little brothers and little sister.
The most popular idea we had in the end, with the most pros as well, was to go to our father's cousin's house and then altogether go to the community center. That way we'd have more people, they are also a family of 9, I swear my dad's family are rabbits damnit. We'd also have more food and more ways to carry food from places on the way. We made the plan and worked out as many details as possible for 2 days, on the 5th morning, only tellable by the clocks, we called them and they agreed. Just in time too, as everything electronic just shut down a few minutes after the call.
A good twenty minutes of preparation later and we were ready for the trek over to the center.
"Triple check time." Dad said, only for my elder, not eldest, brother to interrupt him.
"We already checked twice, you sure we need to check once more?"
My dad refuted him near instantly.
"Would you rather go weeks regretting forgetting something?"
We all shut our traps and checked again. In the end, both me and two others forgot something. My brother, the one who spoke, and my Eldest sister forgot their iPhones while I forgot my Rabbit. I had the cage and the food but I somehow forgot to bring my Rabbit, Specks, along.
A quick trip to and from our Rabbit pen brought me Specks and made me ready to go.
Dad looked around and then nodded after seeing most of us ready.
"Alright, everyone take a trip to the toilet and then get raincoats on."
He smiled.
"We'll be braving the storm today Lads and Lassies."
