Unusual Calm

Scene: White space fills everything for several seconds.

Scene: The white transitions to someone's POV staring up at the sky.

POV: Their eyes drift from the sky across the grassy field surrounding them.

Distant Voice: A voice mutters something too distant to make out.

Distant Voice: -rui.

POV: A blink.

Distant Voice: Warui.

Warui: His eyes open beneath a tree in the middle of the grassy field.

Field: Trees are scattered throughout the grass. Wind passes through their leaves and moves Warui's hair.

Warui: He blinks a few times.

Chena: Warui.

Warui: He turns his head toward her.

Chena: She stands holding a woven basket of apples and a silver necklace with a square pendant hangs from her neck.

Warui: Huh?

Chena: I'm telling your mom you didn't even help me pick any apples.

Warui: Wait no, I can get one right now.

Warui: He reaches for an apple above him on a branch.

Chena: I've got enough.

Warui: He drops his arm.

Chena: She lifts the basket in her right hand, showing Warui that it is filled to the top with apples and walks past Warui.

Chena: Come on, I want to give these to our parents already.

Warui: He turns to follow her. A silver necklace with a square pendant hangs from his neck as well.

Chena: You're so weird you know.

Chena: Why were you zoning out like that?

Warui: [Softly]. Oh the...

Field: A breeze blows across the field from their right.

Warui: His hair blows gently with the wind.

Warui: The wind was calming.

563

Warui and Chena: Continue along the path as the two approach a town.

Town Entrance: A woman leans against a fence post.

Warui: He skips, then breaks into a jog toward her.

Warui: Mom!

Warui's Mom: She pushes herself away from the fence and steps forward.

Warui: He stops a few steps in front of her.

Warui's Mom: You two took your time.

Chena: She catches up and stops beside Warui.

Chena: It's because someone didn't help, auntie.

Warui's Mom: Chuckles.

Warui's Mom: Warui, you've got to help Chena sometimes.

Chena: Sometimes?

Warui: Scoffs.

Warui: [Low]. I know.

Warui's Mom: She takes a step back.

Warui's Mom: Why don't we eat the apples in the field?

Chena: Sure auntie.

Warui: I guess that's nice.

Warui's Mom: Okay, let me get us something to sit on.

Warui's Mom: You two wait here.

Chena: How about uncle and my parents?

Warui's Mom: She turns her head while continuing into the town.

Warui's Mom: We'll save some apples for them later.

Chena: Laughs and smiles.

Chena: Okay.

Chena: She looks at Warui.

Chena: Your mom's sometimes means all the time.

Warui: Yeah, when it goes through your ears.

Chena: No-

River: He comes running from the entrance of the town.

River: Guys!

River: Guys!

Chena and Warui: Look toward the town entrance.

Warui: What?

Chena: Hm?

River: He stops in front of them, puts his hands on his knees, and pants.

River: I heard from your mom.

River: He pants.

River: That you're eating apples in the field.

Warui: We are.

River: Can I join?

River: I didn't have breakfast today.

Chena: Of course.

Warui: Yeah.

River: He stands straight.

River: Yes!

River: Grandma was too lazy to cook.

Chena: She giggles.

Warui: I'm actually a little thir-

Town: A sudden, violent gust of wind slams into the town in front of them.

Town: Roofs rip away from the buildings. Debris launches through the air.

Town: Sharp, precise slashes of wind follow fractions of a second later, cutting through the town and nearly leveling it.

Wind: The roar is deafening.

Warui: The force throws him backward onto the path. He lands on his butt, then rolls onto his stomach.

Chena: She is blown backward onto her upper back and rolls onto her right side.

River: He is blown backward onto his upper back and rolls onto his left side.

Chena: The basket falls from her grip. Apples spill across the path as the basket rolls away.

Path: Chena lies beside Warui. River lies behind them.

Warui and River: Their hair is thrown around by the wind.

Chena: Her hair lashes around in the wind.

Warui: He watches another wave strike the town.

Warui: From his perspective, he tries to crawl forward and reaches out with his right hand.

Warui: He blinks.

Warui: Another blink.

Warui: A slower blink.

Warui's POV: Goes black.

Warui: His eyes open.

Building: Warui lies on a blanket on the floor.

Warui: He stares at the ceiling, then immediately sits up and starts panting.

Warui: He looks to his right.

Building: Children and adults lie across the floor or sit talking to one another. Some hold their wounds while others are being tended to.

Warui: His eyes drift downward.

Warui: He sees Chena beside him, lying on her back asleep.

Warui: He turns to his left.

Building: The same scene stretches across that side of the room: injured children and adults lying down, sitting up, talking, and being tended to.

Warui: He looks down.

River: He lies on his back asleep beside Warui.

Warui: He looks ahead.

Warui: His eyes lower and he tilts his head downward.

Warui: [Under his breath]. Mom?