The Cyclones

It all started in a small town. I lived on the edge of town with my grandparents. My house was a lovely two story house, with a badge siding. The shutters around the windows were a rusted red color. The house was rectangular in shape and wider horizontally than vertically. The bottom porch was a finished red wood which was painted the rusted red color to match the shutters and wrapped around the bottom part of the house. The living room had clear, double glass doors that led out to the porch. Additionally, the porch was screened in with a glass storm door that was outside of the front door.

In my narrow kitchen, I was sitting down to eat with my grandparents, my friend Paul, my friend David, and David's pug. My sister joined us along with my brother. My youngest sister was at work. I was arguing with my brother about a Futurama themed Adventure Time when we looked to the left of the wall. The wall used some kind of video game logic. when there was a threat of some sort, the wall would become see through, so that we could prepare for the threat. I looked up and the wall was gone, revealing a very wide and scary tornado.

The tornado was about five miles in width, darkish brown in color, and very, very terrifying. What was even more terrifying was the realization that we did not have a basement. My grandfather rushed outside to the porch, where the tornado's wind was already picking up and secured the storm door that was opening and closing with the wind. He inserted a key to the door which brought up a computer program, using the door and a screen. He input some numbers and his code. A voice thanked him and he ran back inside, securing the second door. He yelled at all of us to get down under the table and to hold on.

I grabbed David's pug with one arm and grabbed the table leg with the other. Then, the tornado hit and everything seemed to slow down and happen in slow motion. All of us were anchored down by grabbing onto the table but there was still enough force to lift all of our bodies off of the ground. My grandfather shouted at us not to let go for anything. The fact that my body was suspended in the air while holding a pug was quite difficult.

David glanced over at me holding the small, scared dog. The computer program was working as designed though, the house was still in tact. Finally, we were being lowered back down and the tornado made its way back into the clouds. My grandfather asked if everyone was all right. I nodded and told him that I was going to take a walk to check on our neighbors. He agreed with me and proceeded to help my grandmother back into her chair. I entered a code on the storm door and it released, leaving me free and out of the house.

I walked about a quarter of a mile, looking at all of the damage done to the houses whose families did not pay extra to the federation for the storm door. When you were living on a planet like this one, the storm door was well worth the investment. I had almost made it to the railroad bridge before I saw them. As I turned around and looked, there were three water cyclones that had formed in the lake a little further down the street from me but they were heading my way and quickly. There wasn't enough time to get to the bridge for cover. The cyclones were getting closer, passing over cars in the road, sucking up up, and spitting them out like candies.

Three cyclones, I thought, I'm not going to get to say goodbye to my family because of three cyclones. Then, it's as if they passed through me. The cyclones left everything in black and white that they destroyed. I died. It was quick.

As I lay there dead, my body started flashing red, in contrast to the black and white environment. The next thing I know, I'm sitting at the long dinner table with my family, playing cards. I see that both of my wrists have these weird black metallic cuffs that have wires hooked up to some sort of battery. My brother noticed the light (or life)in my eyes and explained that the three cyclones had killed me and most of the town. He was able to bring me back but told me that my life came with a price. I had such severe brain trauma and damage from the cyclones since I faced them head on and without any kind of shelter or shield, that I would never again be able to make my own decisions again.

He demonstrated this by pressing one of the many buttons on the battery and I played a card. He told me that the fashion cuffs were the receivers for the commands. Finally, he looked me in the eyes and apologized for doing this to me but he just couldn't let me go. I pressed a button on the battery that let me hug him and I said, "let's play some cards."

The Nightmare from Last Night

I had two sets of nightmares. One involved my grandfather (I dreamed about him last night, too) and the other involved one of my best friends that I grew up with but we've grown a part.

And, no, before you ask, I have not played any zombie games or watched zombie movies yesterday.

The first nightmare was about my grandfather.

We were back in his hospital room, watching him die all over again. That was rough enough. After he took his last breath and died, a team of nurses and doctors came in, moved us out of the way, and started to resuscitate him. They brought him back. I looked over at the monitor and saw a heartbeat. I was so excited! My grandfather would live! My family and I gave each other hugs and we were so happy. Then, my grandfather spoke to all of us.

"Who are you?"

He didn't remember anything about us ... who we were, what he was doing in the hospital, nothing. All of his memories were gone. My heart sank. This, to me, was worse than death. He didn't even recognize my grandmother. She tried to get him to remember, and then she started to cry. The doctor suggested putting him in a nursing home because he would need around the clock care. He couldn't even remember how to get dressed. It was so hard to watch. This wasn't the grandfather I remembered. Then, I woke up.


The second dream took place in Augusta. I was with my long time friend, the one I grew up with, and his family. I was visiting because I haven't been to Augusta in a long, long time. I got to meet his wife and say hello to the new arrival. Everything was going great until I heard a bunch of sirens go off outside. We flipped on the news to find that SRS was having some sort of melt down and everyone needed to evacuate quickly. I grabbed the wife by the hand and my friend followed us. We made it to the last helicopter but there was only room for three. I shoved my friend aboard with his family, and before they could do anything the helicopter took off. I stood there and watched, knowing I was going to die, but that they would be safe. He had kids and I didn't. He needed to be with his family. If I was lucky, I would find transport somewhere else. But before I could do anything, the helicopter blew up. I screamed. The fiery wreckage rained down around me. I sank to my knees. I was the one who made them get on that helicopter. I was the reason they died.

The Nightmare With My Grandfather

Let me give you some background before I tell you what I dreamt. Last year, on March 24, I lost my grandfather. He was my dad and helped to raise me. He was one of the most caring, loving person I've ever met. He was always willing to do things for other people - fix their cars, washing machines, electrical work. He worked at a paper mill and was a very hardworking guy and I love and miss him VERY much. When I got the call that he was dying, I drove as fast as I could to Augusta. I was there with him when he took his last breath, and let me tell you, that is NOT something that leaves your mind very easily. It was so rough. I'm still having problems dealing with it because he was such an important part of my life.

Now for the dream:

I was in the hospital room with him, holding his hand. He was breathing through his mouth and his breathing was very labored. I knew that he was going to go at any minute but I just couldn't bring myself to come to terms with it. He looked at me and rasped that he loved us all (as the entire family was in there) and then he drew his last breath. It was the death rattle. He was gone. I was so upset and crying so hard. He was basically my dad. He bought me my first car, taught me how to drive a stick, bought me clothes, let me live with him when I had no where else to go, took me on trips, and made prom special for me. He was such a great guy.

Then, things changed. His glossy eyes flew open and he moaned. My grandmother was excited because she thought he was alive. She was trying to hug him but I held her back. He ripped out his IV's and started heading towards us trying to grab us. My grandfather was a zombie. I acted quickly and grabbed the IV pole. To my family's horror, I bashed his head in with the metal IV pole. My family was cussing at me and trying to fight me but I saved their lives. That was horrible. It was the most horrible thing I've had to do.