It started out as a normal day for Willow. She got up, ate breakfast, and went to school. Even when she arrived at home, nothing was different than usual. She sat in her chair by the window and watched the sunset. It was then that she noticed something was wrong; the sunset was the wrong color. Usually sunsets were pinks and oranges. Tonight it was flaming red. Something wasn’t right.
She ran outside to further investigate the phenomenon in the sky. She noticed something else; the colors were changing and casting an array of shadows on her. Little red and black specks began falling around her. At first, she studied them closely while, at the same time, avoiding them. Curiosity finally took over and she reached out to catch one in her hand.
“Ouch,” she yelped. After getting a quick peek at her hand, she ran inside to wash it off. It was all very confusing to her. The red sky, the hot specks. What could it be?
“Willow,” a boy’s voice hollered from outside, “Let me in! What’s going on?”
“Just a second,” Willow yelled as the rushed to the door. “Rowan? Is that you?”
“Yes, now let me in!” he commanded. Willow cracks the door open to confirm that the boy outside is Rowan.
“Rowan,” she gives him a big hug, “I’m so scared, I don’t know what’s happening! One of the red and black specks that came from the sky burned me!” She shows him her burn mark and he grabs her hand. “Ouch,” she says as she pulls her hand away, “It still hurts!”
He giggles a little bit, “Sorry, I just wanted to look,”
“Well looking doesn’t include touching!” she snaps at him.
“We should go find out what’s going on,” says Rowan, “Come on, we can ask the neighbors.”
They approach the first house, Willow’s neighbor. Willow can’t help but be distraught by the fact that no one is home. The two make the same discovery for the rest of the houses on the block. At the very last house, they found a note on the door. It said, “If anyone is reading this, you need to GET OUT NOW! Go before it’s too late! I have hidden a spare key under my gnome. Use it to get in the house and take whatever you need. Run to the mountains… It’s the only safe place. RUN!” Rowan drops the note.
“Willow… What is going on?!” he screams.
“Shhh! Stay calm,” she picks up the gnome and pulls out the key, “They said we need to take supplies and run to the mountains.”
Willow unlocks the door and enters the house. What once was a very neat and organized home is now a trashed set of walls with a roof and a door. They find that the key opens another door that was left untouched. Inside, they found two already prepared backpacks containing food, water, extra clothes, and some other things. They head outside to find that what was a light sprinkle of specks is now a steady downpour. They each find a surgical mask and windbreakers and put them on to protect themselves from the hazardous specks.
So far, they haven’t seen any other people on the streets. What they both knew was that whatever was happening, everyone else already knew about.
“Why didn’t anyone tell us,” Willow asked, “Did they just forget about us?”
Rowan shakes his head, “No, they wouldn’t have done that to us.”
“So what are we supposed to do?” asked Willow.
“Go to the mountains,” he answers, “It’s the only safe place.”
Willow and Rowan spend the next few hours trekking up the gradual slope leading to the steeper trails of the mountains. There was not a human being in sight. The people of their town usually kept to themselves but they never expected them to keep something like this from them.
Willow and Rowan have known each other since they were toddlers. Their parents used to make them have play dates, and Rowan would break her toys or hide them from her. As they grew older, they also grew closer. When both of their parents died, they turned to each other for support and survival. Willow was always good with planting, harvesting and foraging. Rowan was a born natural at fishing and hunting. Together, they’ve kept one another sane, and alive.
Although the village was small, it wasn’t close. Rumors spread like wildfire, but no one gets to know each other well enough to find out if they are true or not. The most that was sad on a daily basis was a simply hello, and nothing else.
When they finally reach the mountains, they are surprised to find that there is no one there. There is, however, another note. No doubt from the same person who left the note back in the village. The note reads, “If you’re reading this, you’re too late. We’ve all been saved. Anyone who wasn’t rescued is most likely going to die within days, maybe hours. This world isn’t safe anymore. We’re being taken to a new one. Don’t get caught in the flames. Find the ship in the woods.”
“Ship in the woods? How could someone have possibly gotten a ship out of the water and into the woods?” Rowan asks puzzled.
“I’m more concerned about the ‘new world’ part,” says Willow.
“I guess we need to journey to the woods if we want to live…” Rowan says matter-of-factly.
As they turn to walk into the forest, a massive ball of fire falls from the sky and strikes the earth miles away. “We have to hurry!” Willow screams.
They sprint down the slopes to the woods and spot something they’ve never seen before; a large metallic sphere. “What is that thing?” asks Willow.
“I think that’s our ship,” replies Rowan.
As if a button has been pushed, a door opens to welcome them as they approach.
“I don’t know if we should do this Rowan,” says Willow.
Rowan turns and points at the wall of fire that is yards away from engulfing them. “I don’t think we have a choice.”
They climb into the sphere and the door closes, locking them inside of a chamber filled with buttons, switches levers, and gauges flashing many different colors. They find a third note that reads, “Now that you’ve made it this far, there’s only one more step. Pull the green lever, flip the blue switch, and then press what will be a flashing red button opposite of the door. It you follow these instructions; you will be taken to the new world. If not, you will burn. Act fast.”
After carefully following the instructions, they are lifted into the air and out of harm’s way. The only question on their minds now is, “Where is this thing taking us?” They finally give in to sleep and wake up in the sphere, but they’ve stopped moving.
“Where are we?” asks Willow.
“This must be the new world. Let’s go check it out.” says Rowan.
Together, they venture out into their new environment, which isn’t much different from their home planet’s environment.
“Rowan, Willow,” a voice calls from behind them. They turn around to find a tall, slim, brown haired woman; the one who lived in the house where they found the first of the series of notes. “I’m so glad you made it!”
“Where are we?” asked Willow again.
“We’re on new Earth. Our old Earth was destroyed by a meteor. I’m so sorry for not telling you, leaving notes was all I could do.” She gives both of them hugs and shows them to their new homes. “It’s not much, but it’s something.”
“No, it’s great, thank you ma’am.” says Rowan.
After the woman leaves, they take a few moments to absorb what has just happened.
“Did that all really just happen?” asks Willow.
“I guess we have to start a new life here and leave our old one in the ashes.” replies Rowan. They embrace and fall back asleep, exhausted.

THE END