113 Rising

I couldn't believe that I was stuck in my room, it was the last day of school and even though I was exempt from my finals for this year, I was unable to enjoy them. I was grounded, grounded I had for the third time this month been out late without an explanation, but I was regretting it now. All my friend for the past few days had been texting me and hassling me the last few days that I did attend my senior year about the greatest party of our teen lives, and now I couldn't go. I was in my room day dreaming about lounging next to the pool, loud music in my ear, a cool drink in my hand, and my friends all at the party. Then I would be jolted back to reality how could any one avoid the 113 degree heat I had four fans running in my room alone. Our A/C had broken down due to the heat and the maintenance guy wouldn't be here til Monday. I had to endure extremely hot weather till then. "Michael!" My mother yelled from down stairs, I ran past my door and to the edge of the stairs. "Yeah?" I replied. "Take care of you sister while I go get some groceries" she replied. "Do I have too" I replied, that the last thing I wanted while I was grounded I thought to myself. "I guess another day up in your hot room will do you some good" She threatened. "no, no I was just kidding mom you know I love Rachel my favorite sis" I exclaimed back to her. I walked down the stairs as I was walking down I received an SMS it was a picture of me with a group of friend at a Halloween party last year I was wearing a black wig no matter how good that wig was pieces of my blond hair were peaking through well not blond more like sandy blond. I was wearing green contacts I was suppose to be a vampire but looked horrible my friends all complained and told me I should have gone with my natrual eye color showing, hazelish I guess. Anyways it made me laugh. "What are you laughing at" Breaking my train of thought, it was Rachel she was in the living room. "Mind your own business" I replied, "Mind you own business, blah blah blah" as she mocked me as she laughed. I then walked across the TV and onto the recliner and sat there. "I have to watch you" as I stared, "Oh you like my long beautiful hair" she smirked. My sister was only 14 and she was already acting like she was queen. She took more after my dad very confident in everything she did. The TV began blaring after fading to black from the last commercial, "Are you ready kids, aye aye captain" it was spongebob. Something we both enjoyed at least. As the theme continued I was reminded of how my sister and I used to spend more time doing this exact same thing when we were a bit younger, but that had changed when I turned 16 and even more now being 18. It made me realize that maybe I had not been spending enough time with my family. Although I was grounded I was happy now at least I could take this time and spend it with my sister, and the rest of family. My train of though was broken by a sudden rush of cool air, Rachel had turned on the 3 huge fans in the living room. "Yuck I feel so sticky!" she exclaimed. I nodded in agreement, as we sat there and laughed at Mr. Krabs and his obsession with money and spongebob with his oddly prompt disposition. Small news flashes had been scrolling all week at the bottom of the TV. They read please try to remain inside meteorologist predict that the heat will get worse before subsiding. Try to remain cool, do not prolonged period of sun exposure without sunscreen, if possible avoid the sun at all cost. Then it displayed the current temperature 113 then the same message repeated but this time the temperature had gone up 114. Then it cut to commercial; mid way commercial they were interupted. "we are sorry to interupt your scheduled broadcasting but we are reciving calls from all over the united states about strange behavior..." is all I heard when we heard the car wheel screech to a halt, as I looked out the window to see what was going on the door slammed open. It was Mom she was out of breath, like she had been running, she was trying to speak but her eyes were blank and filled with horror. "Mom! whats wrong, calm down and tell me what wrong", My sister was begining to panic and she began to cry almost unanimously with my mom. "Mom calm down you're scaring Rachel!" I yelled. It seemed to help, as she resumed her breath, she began to speak. "Let's go she said, lets go get Dad and go!" she said frantically. Rachel continued crying, as I comforted her. "Mom! tell me whats wrong" I looked at her with a concerned expression. Her eyes again went blank as she almost fainted. She slumped down on the love seat as she began to speak "I was at the supermarket and was checking out I had just seen Mrs. Thomas she had checked out first and waved to me as she step out of the electronic sliding doors, she seemed to wait for me like she does usually to speak to me whenever I see her. Then I heard loud screaming comming from outside as I had just finished chekcing out. I ran outside thinking something had happen. As I walked out there was Mrs. Thomas standing in shock as this wave of fire ants devoured her dog, but she just stood there, there was nothing I could do, she..I tried pulling her away but they just devoured her, all that remained was raw flesh. I couldn't do anything...I couldn't" She cried out, it's okay Mom, I replied, as soon as I replied, she quickly stormed up stairs, as she yelled "We have to go and get dad, the reports on the radio said it getting worse and we need to move", Frantically grabbing a few things she could. She now stood by the door "well let hurry grab, those water jugs" She directed at Rachel and me, we had water jugs in the living room when we filled up with purified water I had forgotten to place them in the proper place, at least they were more accessible now. As Rachel and I stuggled to pick up the first one, we heard a scream. It was Mom, we quickly turned around and witness the most horrific thing we had ever encountered a wave of black widows had began to attack Mom. "No Rachel cried" as she lunged forward to help mom, but held her back it was too late. The black widows had Injected their venom into Mom, her skin was covered in blisters as she liquefied slowly. The Windows were now turning our direction we were trapped between the door and the living room wall as the slowly crawled our way I gathered all my stregth and threw the water jug at our window as to break it. I quickly stepped out and motioned to Rachel "come on" I yelled "come on!". She jumped and I grabbed her hands and pulled her out the window a few Windows were crawling on her shoes, "Take off your shoes" I yelled. She reacted quickly kicking her shoes off. "Are you okay! did any of them bite you?" her face was in shock she seemed unable to speak, "are you okay!" I shook her. "yes" she replied. "Come on we still need to get to dad" The windows now crawling out the window as they all created webs as to rappel themselves down. The widows were all over Mom's car but mine was still by the sidewalk unaffected. Luckily Mom forgot to take my keys and still had them in my pocket. I grabbed Rachel and pulled her toward the car opened the passenger side and placed her inside. I ran to the other side and was now sitting, I was on a Adrenalin rush, but it was now wearing off. Tears ran down my face, Mom was dead.

I had no time to be crying the widows were approaching close as each tear ran down my face. I started the car, as I adjusted my mirror I couldn't believe my eyes darkness was closing in. I turned back to see what the darkness was as it got closer the car began to clink and clank loudly my window quickly began to fill up with locust, I pushed the gas in a panic and we were off. I swerved passed cars filled with every type of insect imaginable some people hadn't even made it to their car, while some were swerving in the distance. The temperature meter in my car now read 115. I turned on the radio as to see if there was any news, anything important we should know. "...This is horrific we are now receiving some footage from citizen across the globe, as event unfolds it seem that, all the insect have gone crazy, and have began to attack people, we advise to lock your doors, or go to your local shelter" I turned the volume down and reached into my pocket, I dialed my fathers cell phone number. There was silence for a moment then it began to ring, which was a relief to know. The lined picked up, "hello, hello dad, can you hear me?" silence again followed by static, then the signal resumed "Michael is that you? Is Rachel okay, is your mother okay" he asked. I took a deep breath "Rachel here with me shes a bit shocked she hasn't moved since we got into the car, dad...Mom's dead" as I began to tear again remember the horrific sight that I had witness. "she was eaten by Black Widows" I replied. "it's okay son just head to the observatory i'll be waiting for you there, I love you" he replied, "I love you to dad" as I hanged up. I could tell from his voice that he was trying to keep his composure. Maybe dad could explain what was happening, he was an astronomer he had a particular interest in the sun. "Is dad okay" Rachel finally began to speak since watching our mother die. "He's okay, were going to see him as soon as we get there" I replied. The temperature meter was now 116 the cars AC was beginning to feel a bit warm but still cooler than outside. I needed to hurry, I took a side road avoiding as many car possible but we quickly realized that some places were blocked by insect and all types of animals going wild. I was running out of ideas until I came upon a small bridge I could make it the only problem was there was huge flock of birds swooping uncontrollably, it had caught other cars it's grip. Maybe if I backed up and throttled the gas I could make it, it was our last chance. I put the car into reverse and went as far back as I could, after all my car was a mustang, i was going to push the engine as far as i could. I reversed it enough to give use space between the looming dark cloud that quickly approached behind us, reeving the engine. "Rachel put your seat belt on" I directed. she looked at me with fear in her eyes, and did as she was told. "Don't worry I'll make it" I assured her. I then floored it into the swooping flock the meter quickly read 60mph then 80mph then 90mph peeking at around 97mph we hit the flock the car jolting to the side as bird blood splattered across the window, the side window integrity was now cracking, as bird began to peck it way through shattering the window. The bird that had broke through was no win the car I swerved right, then I swerved left as it began digging his beck into my hands. Rachel began to scream at the sight of my hand being pecked to a bloody pulp, the surprisingly she rolled her window down despite the flock now chasing closely grabbed the bird firmly from its head and tossed it out the window the draft from the wind dragged it under the cars wheel. "Thank you" I said in relief, my had was no partially bleeding. "your welcome" she replied in relief as she rolled her window up. I then sped up heading toward our destination.

We had finally reached the observatory which about 60 miles away from our home. It was still intact as we arrived it seemed that some of the scientist had decided that now was the time to leave. The black locust cloud was barely visible on the horizon but knew that, that meant we had little time. Dad was waiting outside patiently scanning to see if he could spot us, when he did his eyes lid up. I quickly parked and he ran to him, he embraced us. "are you okay?" she looked at both of us with relief and concern. We nooded as to confirm we were fine, he then grabbed my hand. "what happened?" he asked. "Birds attacked us on the way" I replied. "Come inside we have a first aid kit, i'll patch you up" he replied. We rushed inside passed the front desk, and a few offices until we reached the medical section. It had a few first aids kits and a few antibiotics vile and syringes. He cleaned me up, wrapped me up and gave me a dose of penicillin just in case. He laid Rachel on the bed they had there and gave her a relaxer, she quickly passed out soon after. "what's going on dad, do you know? Why is the sun so hot?" I had a million question. "Well we think we know what going on, me and a couple of colleagues reviewed some data that was apparently missed, we in joint with the university botanist department discovered something interesting. I'll explain, but first we must get moving too before we are devoured. Grab your sister and put her in the van, while I grab my stuff from the observatory room." He explained. "Yes, dad" I replied, I was happy to say that, I was happy to know that my father was there for me. It was a relief. I grabbed my sister, she was relatively heavy but nothing I couldn't manage as I walked closer to the exit one of the last scientist to leave was visible to the glass door, he quickly ran inside. "There's..." he screamed as wolfs from the surrounding woods ravaged him a pack of 5, all attacked him from the side. Encircled him, and snarled and howled, then what seemed to be the leader turned his eyes towards me I was 7 feet away, I stepped closer and closer his eyes dead on meeting with mine, he then snarled and began to dash. I began to run passed the reception desk, past the flapping doors that led to the observatory room. My hands were heavy from carrying Rachel. I screamed "Help, Help Dad!" as I reached the base of the stairs leading to the room where dad was I looked back to see the pack of wolves half way between me and them, then suddenly i felt rachel begin lifted, it was dad we quickly ran up the stairs. The pack of wolves on our trail. As we reach the top my dad placed Rachel high upon a plat form elvator that was used to maintenance the telescope. he pushed the button that signified up. "Now listen to me this is what want you to do see that wall over there in the distance that rail, i need you to stand there and lure them there, can you do that!" he directed. "Yes" I replied in hesitation. "okay when I tell you to jump you will jump to the right okay" he replied. I quickly nodded as I took my position. I wasn't aware of what was going on, I just followed direction. My Dad was now hidden behind the desk I could see his hair peering through the top of the tall computer section. the wolves were now approaching but they were approaching slowly, at first the were heading toward the direction my dad was. I quickly began to make noise as to catch their attention, it worked! the all seemed to lock their stare on their target which was me. The growled and howled, as they walked around the huge telescope toward my left side. Just as dad had planned. The pack was wild it seemed as if they had no control over what they were doing as if only the leader had some internal control over the rest of them. The leader stopped and the pack came to a halt, he then howled no more than 4 feet away from me, he then lunged at me. "Jump" dad yelled, I quickly reacted. As I jumped the pack of wolves no later than a second apart landed where I was standing. suddenly I saw the metal grated floor open it was a maintenance shaft, the pack of wolves now falling into the shaft, then loud cracking noises echoed as they hit the wall and eventually the floor and crushing their bones. I sighed in relief. My dad quickly lowered the platform where Rachel had been sleeping. We had wasted enough time. We ran down the stairs and out the door to a reception of locust to our backs we ran as a few of them jumped and began to eat through our clothing. We ran until we reached he Van, Dad placed Rachel in the back seat I started the engine, Dad got into the passenger side and I drove off. We avoided the main locust cloud by a few minutes, as I looked it my rear view mirror half of the observatory was now covered in locust.

I wasn't sure where I was heading, I turn my gaze toward dad, and he quickly knew what I was thinking. "Head toward the mountain range in the distance" I didn't say anything I just drove that direction. It was getting darker now the locust cloud was fading into the darkness, which worried me. "Dad, what going on?" I finally broke the silence. All this time he had been on his computer going over data, he had saved on his laptop. He still had internet as he connect through satellite. "Well son the sun isn't getting hotter, as you can see the temperature drop two degrees due to night fall, in fact the sun is just fine, it the plants of the earth that are causing all this trouble" he explained. I looked at him a bit puzzled "what do you mean? if its the plants why are the animals and insect all going crazy?" I asked. "Well my colleagues and I discovered some startling news. See when its winter in the northern hemisphere it summer in the southern and usually that balances the green house gases caused by cars, peoples and factories. As you know plant breath in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen, Well what happened in the last winter the plant in the southern hemisphere stopped breathing in 3/4s the amount of carbon dioxide, and when winter came in the southern hemisphere and it was spring here the same happened. Raising our green house gasses exponentially. It like they went into stasis. As far as the animals and insect go I feel its instinctive, they realized what was going on and they realized that people were the problem so in order to save the earth they began attacking us. As if the earth told all its insect and animals to attack the problem, the problem could be fix as a matter of fact since the attack green house gases have dropped, due to factories closing and less cars on the roads." he explained. "so how do we stop it " I asked. "A world renown botanist is meeting us at the top of mountain range, a Dr. Puentes he has figure out a way to release a pheromones that will stimulate the plants to resume their normal cycle. He will release it against the wind a Jet stream that will carry it across the United States which will cause a chain reaction causes the rest of the plant and trees to resume their cycle, and hopefully the worlds." He explained. I was relieved to know there was a solution. Rachel was now waking up. "How was your nap sweetheart" Dad directed his voice toward her. "Good, where are we?" We are meeting a doctor who might have a solution to this whole mess. Rachel smiled and then it quickly faded as I stared at her through my rear view mirror, I knew she was thinking of mom. How she wished she was still here. I turned onto the dirt road that the GPS system directed me to, it lead to the base of the mountain. It cut through the woods to my surprise there was no animals it was quiet, maybe because they were all in the cities now attacking the humans who had threaten the very existence of this world. They knew that it was us that caused green house gasses to rise in recent year in exponential ways. The earth was just protecting the majority, compared to all the creatures and insects and plant life in the world we were the minority. What better way of solving the problem. Getting rid of the nuisance, humanity. I finally reaching the base of the mountain it had a tram which lead to the top Dr. Puentes was patiently waiting for us. It seemed that Dad had the data required to set the machine he had built at the right moment when the wind gust would be at its highest spreading the pheromones in its proper pattern. We all boarded tram at dad request, Dr Puentes assistant was in the control room. "Okay, were ready to be pulled up to the peak Mr. Luna" He directed his assistant. "Alright Boss you got it" He replied through the walkie talkie. The tram slowly started it ascent the wind was strong against the tram. It was a bit nerve racking, but none the less we reached the top after a short trip. Well stepped out onto hope, The wind was stronger now we had to anchor ourselves to the tram. It had seemed that Dr. Puentes and my Dad had all this planned out. As they had serveral ropes to anchor not only ourselves but the device. Rachel and I stayed back as we watched Dr. Puentes and Dad set up the device they checked and rechecked the number time was running out it was not or never. They anchored down the device set the timer and step back to where we were standing at the opening of the tram. "We are making history!" Dr. Puentes exclaimed, as the counter on the released valve counted off. 30........20........10 We all began to count as if it was new years...8...7...6...5...4..3! As the device opened a mountain lion jumped out of the shadows knocking the device down the force of the wind it strongest took the lion with it along with the device. We had failed, the device never released its packages. We had failed, and there was no one to blame for the event that occurred that summer but humanity. We had over filled the earth with machine, machines that caused the destruction of the lives we had grown accustomed to. In the following days the few remaining radio station had statistic on an estimated death toll, the toll wiped out 33% percent of the world population, the rest fled into the caves and mountains and forest. The plant cycle resumed its natural pattern, and eventually the earth reclaimed the cities and towns we had established. They became the new wild and like insect and animals we were forced to hide in caves and forest of the earth, we were forced to hunt, and live like animals did. Occasionally a few creatures and insect would return to their forest, were they ensured that we would stay, they ensured that we had learned our lesson, ensured that the world stability would remain forever. The day the earth temperature rose to 113 is the day humanity ruled the world no longer.