Chapter 1: Unusual Calm
Scene: White space fills everything for several seconds.
Scene: The white transitions to someone's POV staring up at the sky.
POV: Their eyes drift from the sky across the grassy field surrounding them.
Distant Voice: A voice mutters something too distant to make out.
Distant Voice: -rui
POV: A blink.
Distant Voice: Warui
Warui: His eyes open beneath a tree in the middle of the grassy field.
Field: Trees are scattered throughout the grass. Wind passes through their leaves and moves Warui's hair.
Warui: He looks out over the distance of the field.
Warui: He blinks a few times.
Chena: Warui
Warui: He turns his head toward her.
Chena: She stands holding a woven basket of apples and a silver necklace with a square pendant hangs from her neck.
Warui: huh?
Chena: I'm telling your mom you didn't even help me pick any apples
Warui: wait no, I can get one right now
Warui: He turns and reaches for an apple above him on a branch.
Chena: I've got enough
Warui: He drops his arm and turns back toward Chena.
Chena: She lifts the basket in her right hand, showing Warui that it is filled to the top with apples.
Chena: She turns away and starts walking.
Chena: come on, I wanna give them to our parents already
Warui: He turns fully to follow her. A silver necklace with a square pendant hangs from his neck as well.
Warui: He begins following Chena across the field.
Chena: She walks ahead of him.
Chena: you're so weird you know
Chena: why were you zoning out like that?
Warui: He watches Chena walking ahead of him.
Warui: Softly. oh the..
Field: A breeze of wind blows across the field from their right.
Warui: His hair blows gently with the wind
Warui: the wind was calming
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Warui: He continues walking with Chena.
Chena: She continues along the path with Warui.
Path: Several minutes pass as the two approach a town.
Town Entrance: A woman leans against a fence post.
Warui: He skips, then breaks into a jog toward her.
Warui: mom!
Warui's Mom: She pushes herself away from the fence and steps forward.
Warui: He stops a few steps in front of her.
Warui's Mom: you two took your time
Chena: She catches up and stops beside Warui.
Chena: it's because someone didn't help, auntie
Warui's Mom: She looks toward Chena and chuckles, then looks at Warui.
Warui's Mom: you've gotta help Chena sometimes
Chena: sometimes?
Warui: Scoffs.
Warui: Low. I know
Warui's Mom: She takes a step back.
Warui's Mom: why don't we eat the apples in the field?
Chena: sure auntie
Warui: I guess that's nice
Warui's Mom: She takes a step away.
Warui's Mom: okay, let me get us something to sit on
Warui's Mom: you two wait here
Chena: how about uncle and my parents?
Warui's Mom: She turns her head while continuing into the town.
Warui's Mom: we'll save apples for them after
Chena: Laughs and smiles.
Chena: okay
Chena: She looks at Warui.
Chena: your mom's sometimes means all the time
Warui: yeah, when it goes through your ears
Chena: no-
River: He comes running from the entrance of the town.
River: guys!
River: guys!
Chena: She looks toward the town entrance.
Warui: He looks toward the town entrance and sees River.
Warui: what?
Chena: hm?
River: He stops in front of them, puts his hands on his knees, and pants.
River: He looks at Warui.
River: I heard from your mom
River: He pants.
River: that you're eating apples in the field
Warui: we are
Chena: She nods.
River: can I join?
River: I didn't have breakfast today
Chena: of course
Warui: yeah
River: He stands straight.
River: yes!
River: grandma was too lazy to cook
Chena: She chuckles.
Warui: I'm actually a little thir-
Town: A sudden, violent gust of wind slams into the town in front of them.
Town: Roofs rip away from the buildings. Debris launches through the air.
Town: Sharp, precise slashes of wind follow fragments of a second later, cutting through the town and nearly leveling it.
Wind: The roar is deafening.
Warui: The force throws him backward onto the path. He lands on his butt, then rolls onto his stomach.
Chena: She is blown backward onto her upper back and rolls onto her right side.
River: He is blown backward onto his upper back and rolls onto his left side.
Chena: The basket falls from her grip. Apples spill across the path as the basket rolls away.
Path: Chena lies beside Warui. River lies behind them.
Warui: His hair whips wildly in the wind.
Chena: Her hair lashes around in the wind.
River: His hair is thrown around by the wind.
Warui: He watches another wave strike the town.
Warui: From his perspective, he tries to crawl forward and reaches out with his right hand.
Warui: He blinks.
Warui: Another blink.
Warui: A slower blink.
Warui: His eyes open.
Building: Warui lies on a blanket on the floor.
Warui: He stares at the ceiling, then immediately sits up and starts panting.
Warui: He looks to his right.
Building: Children and adults lie across the floor or sit talking to one another. Some hold their injuries while others are being tended to.
Warui: His eyes drift downward.
Warui: He sees Chena beside him, lying on her back asleep.
Warui: He turns to his left.
Building: The same scene stretches across that side of the room: injured children and adults lying down, sitting up, talking, and being tended to.
Warui: He looks down.
River: He lies on his back asleep beside Warui.
Warui: He looks ahead.
Warui: His eyes lower.
Warui: Under his breath. mom?
