The new planet had its own rhythms, its own way of reminding them they were just guests here. As the rainy season crept closer, everyone could feel it coming. The sky darkened day by day, heavy clouds piling up until it seemed like the whole world was holding its breath. The air felt charged, thick with the smell of ozone and damp earth, and the system kept sending gentle warnings: [Prepare for storms]. [Reinforce shelter].
No one waited to be told twice. People moved with a nervous kind of energy, sealing up windows, clearing out the gutters, checking every last drain and seam. They worked side by side, laughter and teasing helping to keep the nerves at bay. When the first storm finally hit, it was bigger and wilder than anything any of them had ever seen. Lightning ripped the sky in half, thunder boomed so loud it rattled their bones, and rain hammered the roof so hard that shouting was useless.
The wind shrieked through the trees, bending them until Alex was sure they'd snap. Inside, everyone pressed together in the big common room. Someone started a story, someone else sang a song, and soon the whole group was doing whatever they could to drown out the chaos outside. The kids clung to the adults, but even the grown-ups needed a hand to hold onto that night.
By morning, the world was transformed. The air was cleaner than it had ever been, the ground sparkling with fresh puddles. The kids wasted no time—boots off, they splashed through the water, shrieking with delight. Lin stood by the riverbank, shaking her head in amazement at how the water had carved a new path overnight. There was plenty to fix—mud to shovel, a few leaks to patch—but nobody complained. If anything, they were proud. They'd weathered the storm together, and it made them feel stronger, more like a real family than ever before.