Prologue
Bonnie - 23rd April 2081
My backpack bounces crazily as I run. Luckily, the field seems to be relatively flat and the ground isn’t unforgiving. There’s a lighthouse across the field that shines out into the ocean horizon - the smell of the sea invades my nose but I don’t have time to take it all in. I’m sprinting like my life depends on it, mostly because it does depend on it.
Six of us surfaced, two of us remain.
Myself and Xander.
We’re both trying to outrun the newest danger set upon us. The roaring behind us only gets louder and a glance to my right, meeting Xander’s panicked brown eyes, tells me everything I need to know.
The tornado we’re running from is closing the gap.
My attention returns to running, my legs propel me forward despite the screaming ache from them to stop.
A grunt pulls me from focus, and I watch Xander’s frame hit the ground in my peripheral vision. I slow up, turning my head to focus on Xander - he’s already trying to get back on his feet but he stumbles, falling down once again.
“Bonnie, go!” Xander shouts through the wind, I barely heard him as the roaring of the wind now whips louder around me as the tornado spins closer.
Xander is no longer trying to get up, he’s flattening himself down on the ground in the hopes that the tornado will change course or pass over him without harm.
I know that’s futile, Xander knows it too.
Both of us learnt a long time ago that these so-called natural disasters were anything but natural, each disaster is calculated and designed, too perfect and immaculate to be anything but man-made.
I come to a stop as I’m at an impasse on what to do. The lighthouse is only a hundred yards away, I could make it if I start running now. Lighthouses have basement structures that I could go down and wait it out.
I look to Xander again, who continues to shout at me to get to safety.
The tornado spins closer, debris spinning in its orbit. My eyes lock onto the base, where I watch the twister rip a fence panel at the edge of the field out of the ground. The pieces become airborne and start to spin, corners of the fence panel hit the ground as it picks up speed with the wind.
My eyes may be on the loose wooden panels, but my mind has travelled forward in time to realise the fence’s trajectory. They’re about to plow into Xander, who lays face down and is entirely unaware of the other imminent danger besides the ‘natural disaster’.
The tornado roars closer and I feel frozen in place, rendered immobile from not knowing what decision to make.
Save myself, or sacrifice us both?
I can feel debris smacking me as the tornado turns into my path, it’s as if the contact has connected my brain back to my body and I leap into action, my feet moving as quick as they’ll let me.
I just hope I get there in time…
