Neon's Prey

"Come with me!" I urged as I reached her side.

"What?" she whimpered, still hiding under her desk, shaking and too scared to move.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her out, despite her resistance. When she finally saw the fan dangling above her, her fear shifted, and she let me pull her away.

We barely made it out before the fan crashed down, shattering into sharp pieces. A shard nicked her arm, drawing blood. She cried out, clutching the wound as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

"What's going on? Are you guys alright?" Mr. Gonzales stormed over, his face pale but composed.

Before anyone could answer, a deafening crash echoed from outside. A building nearby had collapsed.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the earthquake stopped. The classroom was in shambles, but we were all alive.

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't panic," Mr. Gonzales said, his voice steadying as he wrapped a piece of cloth around the girl's wound. "It's over now."

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Not long after, the bell rang at last, signaling that the earthquake was over and it was safe to evacuate. I grabbed my bag and quickly headed for the door. 

"Hey, where are you going?" Josh called out, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

"Out, obviously. Where else?" I replied, already making my way out of the room while Mr. Gonzales was not looking.

"Wait up! I'm coming with you!" he said, jogging to catch up with me. 

When we stepped out into the corridor, it was eerily empty. The floor was scattered with chunks of the ceiling, shattered glass, and bits of broken fluorescent bulbs that had fallen.

"Do you think Mr. Gonzales will scold us for this?" Josh kept asking, his voice buzzing in my ear. I paused and sighed as I turned to face him.

"Then why don't you just go back?"

"Nope, I'm good," he replied immediately, grinning, making it clear he wasn't going anywhere.

As we made our way to the ground floor, the scene was pure chaos. Police officers and paramedics rushed in, spreading throughout the school, while ambulances lined the street, their sirens wailing. Some students had serious injuries from the earthquake, and paramedics were quickly getting them into the ambulances, but thankfully, it seemed like no one had lost their life.

The building that collapsed, right next to where I had been earlier, was still under construction. I overheard someone mention that luckily, no workers were inside because it was their day off. Seems like they dodged a bullet.

Then Josh turned to me, his expression uncertain.

"What now?"

Parents began pouring onto the school grounds, frantically looking for their children. I couldn't help but feel envious as I thought about my uncle, who was probably still at work. He worked far away, in a place he never mentioned, only saying it was "dangerous and far."

"hmm..."

I stared at the gates, a plan already forming in my head.

"I'm sneaking out," I said. "You coming?"

Josh hesitated before he shook his head and gave me an answer.

"No, I'll wait for my dad."

I didn't wait for a second answer. Slipping through the gate while the guards were distracted, I felt a flicker of relief. But it was short-lived. Just as I thought I'd made it, a firm grip on my backpack yanked me back.

"Where do you think you're going, brat?"

I turned around, expecting to see the guard, but instead, I was met with a familiar figure. My uncle, tall and broad-shouldered, loomed over me, his face a mix of curiosity and mild annoyance.

"Uncle? What are you doing here? I thought you were at work!" I blurted out, my voice tinged with surprise and relief.

"I just finished early. I was on my way to pick you up when this happened. Are you okay?" he asked, scanning me for any signs of injury.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured him, though his doubtful frown told me he wasn't entirely convinced.

"So, what were you up to?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as if he already knew.

"Uh…" I faltered, scratching the back of my neck, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I saw you and thought I'd catch up."

His unimpressed stare bore into me for a beat before he let out a long sigh, muttering something under his breath.

"You're terrible at lying, you know that?"

Before I could respond, he ruffled my hair roughly, a mix of reprimand and affection, and gave me a light smack on the back of my head.

"Get in the car, troublemaker. We're going somewhere."

"Hmm?" I glanced at my watch; it was barely ten in the morning. Still, my curiosity was already bubbling as I climbed into the backseat.

"It's still so early, though?" I asked, but Uncle didn't respond. He didn't even offer a hint of what he had in mind. Instead, we set off, driving toward a quiet neighborhood about twenty minutes away from my school.

Uncle was so caught up in the song blaring from the radio, singing his heart out, when suddenly, the music faded into a soft static. A light melody lingered, drifting away, and then there was only the quiet rustle of shuffled papers.

"Huh? Just when I was about to hit the chorus!" Uncle groaned, his face falling as the music cut off unexpectedly.

"This is Joy, coming to you live on 102.3 FM Alert Radio, breaking in with an emergency news update. We're currently reporting an unprecedented series of earthquakes that have shaken multiple countries across the globe in the past several hours.

Last night, at around three in the morning, simultaneous earthquakes struck six countries: China, the United States, Japan, Canada, Brazil, and France. The earthquakes lasted a staggering 15 minutes, causing widespread devastation. Thousands have been injured, many have lost their homes, and the death toll is high as authorities continue rescue operations and assess the damage.

But it didn't end there. Just moments ago, around 9:30 a.m., another wave of earthquakes struck four more countries: the Philippines, Finland, South Korea, and Russia. These quakes also lasted about 15 minutes, sending citizens and authorities into a state of high alert. The fact that earthquakes of this magnitude are occurring simultaneously across continents is unprecedented in history.

In light of this global crisis, donations are now open to provide immediate aid to the countless affected families and individuals worldwide. Your support can help provide shelter, medical aid, and essentials to those in urgent need.

Stay tuned to 102.3 FM Alert Radio for more updates, and please, stay safe out there." The music resumed, but the mood had definitely shifted.

"Woah, that's insane!" we both said, almost in unison.

"Is this the end of the world or something?" Uncle muttered, still trying to process the news, so much so that he forgot about his favorite song's chorus.

Minutes passed in silence, and without warning, Uncle eased off the gas and pulled the car to a stop in front of a dull gray gate.

"We're here," he said, his voice laced with mischief, but still no explanation. He got out of the car, leaving me more puzzled than ever.

"What are we doing here?" I asked, stepping out and scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.

Uncle ignored my question, casually opening the gate as though it were his own.

"Come on, don't just stand there. Get inside," he called out with a playful smirk, his voice buzzing with excitement.

The house behind the gate was two stories tall, its exterior modest but elegant. No flashy designs, just clean lines and a simple yet luxurious vibe that somehow put me at ease.

"No way," I muttered, having a feeling of both doubt and excitement creeping into my voice.

Without hesitation, I rushed inside, darting through rooms, even heading up to the second floor. The entire house was already furnished; everything was new, fresh, and strangely in line with my taste. It wasn't a mansion, but it wasn't small either, just the right size.