WE #6 ~ CK

     Before it happened, everything was perfect. The memory of that last day continues to haunt me even now.  We had just abandoned high school for the day, backpacks sunken towards the ground with their heavy loads. When your house is within walking distance of school, traversing through fields becomes a habitual adaptation. Discovering new short cuts, maybe aspects of nature once overlooked seems almost second nature. That particular afternoon, the warm autumn sun peaked its rays through clusters of fiery-tinted leaves. The old familiar heads of goldenrod sprang up haphazardly from the earth, and a chill arose that seemed to penetrate the very soil itself.
    Navigating the sea of autumnal terrain next to me was my best friend, a tall, tawny-haired boy with blue-grey eyes that bloomed with life. On my other side, joyfully skipping a few feet ahead of us was my little brother. His fluffy blonde hair and excited grey eyes were completely unfamiliar with the stresses of life, and I very much envied that. As we meandered through the field leading homeward, Sam and I lagged behind a bit, discussing the day, while my six year old sibling lightheartedly sang a tune to himself. Undoubtedly, he had learned the little melody from school that day.
     Continuing on with our conversation, I was suddenly struck by the sight of a figure farther up the field. I paused for a moment as the shadow neared us. And then, she materialized from the ever-dimming light. A girl of no more than seven or eight years of age appeared several yards from us. I puzzled over this new development because there was something in her face that struck me. I had seen her somehow, though where or when, I could not determine. The girl refrained from her journey for a moment and gazed off into the distance, reminiscing. And then I realized, the girl was me.

     “Sam, pinch me!” I whispered, a bit harshly.
     “What?” his gaze was quizzical.
     “Just do it!” I muffled.
     A sharp squeeze swallowed my wrist, and I winced slightly. But the girl remained.
     I turned to my best friend, grabbing his sleeve.
     “Sam, something’s not right.”
     “What are you talking about?” he questioned. “We’re almost to your house.”
     “No, that girl….she….” my voice trailed off.
     Suddenly, the sky grew dark. A tormented wind hurled across the plain and a great swarm of clouds fused into a foreboding mass. My little brother’s steps were suspended in their tracks as he peered heavenward. I clutched his and Sam’s hands as a wild streak of lightning snaked through the darkness. And then, a tornado devoid of light swerved through the grass, approaching us. We started to run, but I knew it was hopeless. There would be no saving us now. As the vortex whirled overhead, I caught a glimpse of those same longing brown eyes I had beheld only moments prior. She was within the swirling destruction prepared to claim our lives. Was this a time portal? I wondered. But there would be no musing over questions anymore, for in an instant, we were swept up into the twister, and all reality was torn away as we were sucked into the majestic storm.