Eva stepped out of her room just as another thunderclap split through the house, louder than before, sharp enough to make the walls tremble. The lights flickered once, twice—then went out completely.
Darkness swallowed the hallway.
"Eva!" Paris's voice came again, this time closer, panicked.
"I'm here," Eva replied immediately, moving toward the sound without hesitation. Her steps were quick but controlled, her mind already shifting into focus. Fear didn't help. Thinking did.
Another rumble followed—but this one didn't come from the sky.
It came from below.
Eva stopped.
The floor vibrated beneath her feet.
Not lightly.
Not briefly.
Violently.
"Dad!" she called out.
"I'm in the living room!" Olisa's voice answered, strained.
The house shook harder.
Paris ran into her, clutching her tightly. "What's happening?!"
Eva grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. "Stay close to me. Don't panic."
The ground jerked again, stronger this time, throwing a picture frame off the wall. It shattered loudly against the floor.
Earthquake.
Eva's eyes sharpened. "We need to get out. Now."
She grabbed Paris's hand firmly and moved toward the living room. Olisa was already there, bracing himself against the wall, his expression tense.
"This isn't just a storm anymore," he said.
"I know," Eva replied quickly. "We can't stay inside. The structure might not hold."
Another violent shake ran through the house, making the ceiling creak dangerously.
Olisa didn't argue. "Move!"
They rushed toward the door, but just as Eva reached for the handle, the ground split again—harder, deeper. The entire house lurched sideways, throwing them off balance.
Paris screamed.
Eva tightened her grip on her sister, pulling her close to keep her from falling. "Stay with me!"
The front door burst open under the pressure of the wind, slamming violently against the wall outside. Rain poured in instantly, carried by a furious gust.
Outside, the world had changed.
The street was no longer just flooded—it was breaking.
Cracks tore through the ground like jagged lines spreading rapidly, splitting the road apart. A nearby car sank halfway as the earth beneath it gave way.
Eva's breath hitched—but only for a second.
Think. Move. Survive.
"Dad, we go left!" she shouted over the noise. "Higher ground!"
Olisa nodded, already moving.
They stepped out into the storm, the rain hitting them hard as the ground continued to tremble beneath their feet. Every step felt unstable, uncertain.
Another crack shot through the street—closer this time.
Too close.
The ground beneath Paris's foot suddenly gave way.
She slipped.
"Eva!" she cried.
Eva reacted instantly, yanking her back just before the ground collapsed completely, leaving a dark, gaping split in its place.
Her heart slammed hard against her chest—but her face stayed focused.
"Watch your steps!" she said sharply.
They moved faster now, navigating through the chaos, avoiding widening cracks and falling debris. The storm roared above them, the earthquake raged below—it was like the world itself was tearing apart from both directions.
A loud crash echoed nearby.
A section of a building ahead began to collapse.
"Back!" Olisa shouted.
But it was too late.
Part of the structure broke free, falling directly toward them.
Time slowed.
Eva's mind calculated in seconds—distance, speed, impact.
No escape.
Then—
The wind surged.
Not randomly.
Not wildly.
Precisely.
A powerful force slammed into the falling debris, pushing it sideways just enough for it to crash beside them instead of on top of them.
The ground shook again as it hit.
Silence followed for a brief second.
Eva's head snapped up.
Her eyes searched through the rain—
And she saw him.
Luke stood across the broken street, his figure barely touched by the chaos around him. The wind moved differently near him—controlled, directed.
His eyes were locked on her.
Not surprised.
Not alarmed.
Expecting.
Eva's breathing steadied, despite everything happening around her.
He did that.
Again.
"Eva!" Olisa's voice snapped her back.
"We have to keep moving!" he said.
Eva tore her gaze away from Luke and nodded. "Go!"
They ran again, pushing forward until they finally reached a slightly elevated area where the ground was still stable. The shaking began to weaken slowly, though the rain continued to pour.
Paris clung tightly to Eva, trembling. "Is it over?"
Eva scanned the area, her chest rising and falling steadily.
"For now," she said.
But her mind wasn't on the earthquake.
It was on him.
She turned back toward where she had seen Luke.
He was gone.
Again.
Eva's jaw tightened slightly.
This wasn't coincidence.
This wasn't random.
Storms. Earthquakes. Destruction.
And him—always in the middle of it.
Her gaze hardened, determination settling in.
"Next time," she muttered quietly, "you don't disappear."
Because now—
She wasn't just reacting anymore.
She was going to find answers.
No matter what it took.
And deep within her, something stirred again.
Stronger than before.
Like the earth itself had heard her.