Running Wild - Running to Safety ~ Book 1

“CLOVE” I wake up looking at the source of the noise, it’s Mum. A gush of wind shakes the old, wobbly house. She runs to the next room, Matthew’s room. I chuck the covers off and follow Mum, clinging to the walls as the house shakes. “Go wake, Eleanor.” she says to me urgently. I do as she says and run to Mum and Eleanor’s room, I walk to the corner hoping that the house won’t shake, and I reach into the broken wooden cot. I pick up Eleanor and wrap her in a blanket to keep her 

secure. Mum runs out with Matthew and passes him a backpack, she does the same to me, but she takes Eleanor out of my arms.

“Clove, if anything happens read this.” She passes me a dirty envelope and I tuck it in my pocket. We run down the stairs, into the old storm bunker. Mum closes the door firmly behind us. “Mum- what’s happening?” Matthew asks, “There’s just another storm” she says making Matthew smile a little. I rummage through the bag, some flashlights, a radio, a few packets of jerky, two filled water bottles, an empty bottle, and four old blankets (possibly for Eleanor). Mum sees me looking through the bag and says “Just in case” she smiles and hugs Eleanor.

After she says that, she fixes my messy brown hair, and does the same the Matt, we all sit in silence for a while. I open my mouth to speak but then the bunker shakes, “Mum-” I am cut off by Mum who says “We need to go” I take my backpack and Matthew’s, so he does have a heavy load. Mum opens the bunker door with a struggle and climbs out with Eleanor in an arm. I let Matthew go up first, then I start climbing.

The wind has changed, it’s very strong so I take hold of Matthew’s hand and pick him up, Mum is already walking towards the Neighbours, who have seemed to come out of their bunker, I run so I don’t get lost in the wind. I stop in my tracks as I hear a creak, Mum looks my way. I run nearly tripping. Bits of houses fly everywhere. A scream comes from in front of me, the Neighbour’s house looks as if it’s about to give up, it leans towards Mum and the Neighbours, Mum doesn’t see neither does the Neighbours, but the Neighbours daughter tries to get their attention.

Something breaks, and the house falls I run over, the neighbours and Mum are trapped under a pile of wood, I place Matthew down and I try to lift the wood up, Mum grabs my arm “Don’t-, leave us, get to safety- read the note” She passes me Eleanor through the small gap, I tie the blanket so she is strapped to me and so I can hold Matthew’s hand. We run to the small woods and take shelter under a big rock; I untie Eleanor so I can look in Matthew’s bag. His bag has bunch of food, water, spare batteries, another flashlight, and a knife. A place the bags down beside me, to read the letter, it reads:

Dear Clove,
Run towards the sandstorm, it’s the only safe place. I know it seems crazy just do it, trust me. Keep your brother safe, Eleanor doesn’t need protecting she’s the key.
Love, Mum

What does Mum mean? Eleanor’s the key? What’s happening right now?
“Clove will we be, okay?” Matthew asks. “Y-yes” and I give a small smile. “We have to run to the- sandstorm" I say.
“The letter it said to” 
“You sure?”
“Yes” and he doesn’t say another word.

I pick Eleanor up after I put the bags back on, I take Matthew’s hands and we run. The wind is powerful, and Matthew is struggling to keep up. Eleanor cries as the wind whips us in the face, the big, orange, cloud of sand is coming closer by the minute. “Matthew we’re nearly there-” I am cut off by screams in the distance, the house that collapsed on Mum, isn’t to be seen... I realize that I stopped as soon as my little brother tugged on my sleeve. “Clove!” he screams.

“Sorry” I say loudly, suddenly a giant gust of wind pushes us over. I lose my grip on Matthew’s hand. “Matthew!” I shout, the sand surrounding us. “MATTHEW!” I shout louder, I feel for the blanket that is wrapped around Eleanor, and cover her face, “MATTHEW!” I scream his name- “CLOVE HELP!” I follow the sound, I finally see a vague outline of him and reach my hand out, struggling to walk to him. He sees me and grabs my hand; I pull as hard as I can. 

I finally get him to my side, “you, ok?” I ask
“got a few scratches, is Eleanor, ok?” Matthew says as we begin to run to the cloud of sand.
“Yes, she’s the key”
“The what- “Matthew is cut off by a small cloud of sand hitting us. We keep on running, I trust Matthew to run on his own, so I hug Eleanor tightly. The cloud is coming closer each second, now it’s a few metres. Matthew stops in fear. “Matthew come on!” I shout
“A-are y-y-you sure... -we r-run i-i-into i-it” he stutters
“Yes, take my hand” I’m only holding Eleanor with one hand now. Matthew’s courage sparks and he runs to me and Elanor, together we run into the cloud. 

BOOM! Noises like cannonballs, yell in my ears. I can’t hear anything else. I wonder if Elanor is ok, I try shouting, but I can barely hear my own voice! I feel Eleanor moving around, and Matthew struggling in the wind. Suddenly Eleanor stops moving, and I feel a tug, Matthew collapses by my legs. I feel dizzy- “M-Matthew… E-Eleanor” I can barely make out the words. BANG!

“They’re still asleep-“
“I know”
“How did you even find me”
“Clove said something in her sleep”
“Did Eleanor keep them safe”
“No scratches, Matthew is fine, so is Clove”
I hear voices, I sit up and rub my eyes. “Mum is that you-“
“Clove you’re awake” a voice says
“I’m here” Mum says “So is your father”
“Father?” I say confused
“He saved you-“mum was. Cut off by the father who left us. Ugh.
“Eleanor saved you” my ‘father’ said.
“Speaking of Eleanor where is she” I asked, waiting for an answer.
“Safe” Mum said
“Safe where?” I asked
“Nowhere” ‘father’ says
“What do you mean nowhere?” I ask
“Nowhere, as in the state” Mum says “Just know that everything is ok now, you’ve done your job”
I sit, leaning against the side of the jeep, and listen to everything Mum says. We finally arrive in Nowhere, I look back toa and see a huge orange cloud of sand- the same as the one l saw back at my house.

“Mum-“I am cut off by the amazing view of a city, I see a huge screen, with a tape of Me, Matthew and Eleanor running toward the sand cloud. I realised everything would be ok, and Mum and ‘Father’ would explain it to me. I couldn’t wait to hug my siblings. Everything is ok.