THUNDER

 

     Thunder. The boat rocked back and forth as thunder lit up the booming sky. 

     More thunder. Alex, a fifteen year old boy, pulled his sailor hat over his head, trying to block out the bullets of rain attacking them. 

     With his other hand, he gripped the wet and grimy railing with all his strength. Why had he gotten on this boat? Why had he agreed to take the job? 

      Because he was desperate. He had to get some money to get home to his family. But now he may never see them again. 

     More thunder. 

      “ALEX, BE USEFUL!” Someone bellowed into the boy’s ear, making him jump. 

      The sailor grabbed Alex’s arm and started to drag him down some stairs, that led into the bottom half of the boat. 

      “We’re going down there?!” Alex cried in terror, as he got dragged into darkness below the deck. 

      Something hit the side of the ship and the two sailors flew into the wall. Alex felt something crack as his own body slammed his arm into the wall. Piercing pain shot all the way up his arm, and he cried, only to have the thunder drown it out. 

     More booming thunder. Alex sunk to the floor of the stairs, cradling his broken arm and staring at the man in front of him. 

     The man struggled to his feet, wincing. Leaning against the wall, the glaring man shouted “WE NEED TO GET THE WATER OUT BELOW THE DECK!” 

      Alex opened his mouth to reply, to say that it was probably hopeless, and that they should just crouch down and let the raging ocean swallow their helpless bodies. 

     But he didn’t get the chance to. Something even louder than the thunder sounded on Alex’s right, and a huge hole punctured the space between him and the sailor ahead. 

      Water rushed in and Alex couldn’t even scream before the crushing weight slammed him into the stairs and then pulled him into the ocean. 

      It was the most terrifying two seconds, Alex had ever experienced. And that’s saying something; Alex was an  orphan and he usually got beat up by mugs by the daily. 

     But it was always worth it because while they thought they had the upper hand, he would pickpocket them— hoping for food. Then he would go back home and feed his two, sick, little sisters. 

      But as he tumbled in forced, spine-breaking, somersaults, his life flashed in front of his eyes. 

      Mostly happy memories flooded his last sane thoughts; making his sisters laugh. Seeing their smile when he would bring home bread or on holidays, moldy cheese.

      Then he tumbled into a rock, jagged edges pierced his neck, ribs breaking between the force of the merciless water and dangerous rock. 

      Then he blacked out. 

      Bright light engulfed his vision. He was floating... then a soft voice whispered 

     “Alex”

      Alex groaned, confused why he wasn’t in pain anymore. 

      “Am I in heaven?” He asked feebly. 

     The voice chuckled, a warm sensation that vibrated throughout his body. Like thunder would, but a more comforting sensation. 

      “Almost there.” He didn’t understand. What did that mean?

      “I’m giving you one last chance.” The voice continued. “Your sisters need you.” 

      Alex felt a lump getting lodged in his throat. This supernatural voice was right. He couldn’t leave his sick sisters alone. They were sick. 

      The pain inside him—for himself and his sisters—made him break down, tears flowing down his non-existent cheeks.

      “What troubles you, young man?” The voice said in a sympathetic voice.

      Alex’s words came out scattered, in between sobs. “I...my sisters...sick...i cant...there’s nothing i can do....i can’t help them.”

      Alex curled up into a ball, and cried. “I’ve already let them down!” 

      There was silence.

      A warm sensation suddenly brushed against his cheek, as if someone was wiping away his tears. “Worry not, little one. When you wake up, they will be alright.” 

     Alex opened his eyes and looked up to see something brighter than white, tinted with gold, spread their wings. 

      The wings engulfed Alex, soft feathers brushing against him. 

     Suddenly his eyes started to flutter closed. 

     He grew tired. “Awake, Alex.” 

      Alex opened his eyes. 

      The sound of trains and cars sounded in the distance. Water from a wooden roof dripped onto his face.  

      Stunned by what just happened, he scrambled into a sitting position. suddenly something crashed into him, knocking the wind out of him. 

      “Alex!” Shrieked a little girl’s voice. 

      The girl enveloped him into a tight hug. 

      “Ally?” Alex asked in a breathless voice. Ally, with eyes so dark as night, that you could swear you could see little stars blinking in them, beamed up at him. 

      “Your’e okay!” Alex hugged his no longer pale sister. 

      “Where’s Abby?” A girl with dark-brown hair like Ally’s and his own, jumped up from under some blankets, staring at him with disbelief. 

      “Your’e back already?” she asked. Before he could respond, she crashed into him, trapping him in another hug. 

      Alex hugged both of his sisters for a long time. Thankful that they were alive and well. thankful that they were okay. 

      “How are you not sick?” he asked. 

      “I don’t know!” Ally replied brightly. 

      “We just woke up and we were okay!” Abby flopped down onto some blankets that Alex had never seen before. 

      “Oh,” Ally began, staring intently into Alex’s eyes. “Before you appeared here, a lady came by and gave us those blankets.”

      Protective Alex switched on and he frowned. “who? why?”

      Who would visit their tiny, pathetic shack? 

      “She said something about wanting to adopt us?” Ally said in a puzzled voice.

      Then she handed Alex a small card. on the small card was a long name Alex couldn’t pronounce. He couldn’t pronounce it but he recognized it. This was the name of one of the most powerful people in the city. 

     And if what Ally was saying was true, they wanted to adopt them?! He was definitely not missing this chance. 

     “Pack up.” He declared as Abby’s head popped out from under one of the blankets. 

      “We’re going to see who this person is.” Ally and Abby pounced away, stuffing items in their backpacks. 

      How? Alex thought, watching them, in disbelief. Am I dreaming? 

      He suddenly had a feeling that someone was watching him... someone he had never seen but just talked to...

      Who are you? He thought to the supernatural force that saved him.

     “My name...” the golden voice echoed in his head. “Is Thunder.”