Children of the Storms- ABC Story

Thunder rumbled behind them, the sounds gaining on them and rattling their bones. Everything shook. Loud cracks of the storm bounced off of abandoned cars and empty houses, echoing all around them. Roads were lit by white, aggressive flashes, spontaneous and unwelcoming. Sprinting along the lonely road, they finally realized they couldn't outrun it anymore. What was the point? 

On the day the world fell to pieces, if we were left living, Dan thought,  why should we run from the likes of a storm? 

Unfortunately, all we have left to run from is our own species...those who we used to call members of our race. Danger is found only among them.

Violet was still running, but Dan slowed down, turning around to look at the black, booming front that was overtaking them. Before this all happened, they had this thing between them where they'd say the alphabet when they were scared, to calm them down. His poor Violet had been saying the alphabet in her mind for five years now.

"X...Y...Z...." she said, slowing down upon noticing Dan's absence.

"You know, we've spent enough time running," Dan yelled to her over the pounding thunder and oncoming rain, "and I think it's time we make the choice to enjoy something!"

How could she enjoy a life like this, when everything she once loved, once cared for...

Finally, a smile slipped onto Violet's lips. (A smile... she had forgotten what that felt like...)Children of the storms, they were young and happy long ago, splashing and running in the scariest of storms. Invincible. 

Over the sounds of the storm, he could hear her laugh-- the most beautiful sound the world has heard since the day. 

Quickly, they ran to each other and turned to face the storm , the rain inching toward them in a loud, rushing curtain. 

Just when Violet started to question their safety in this storm, the first drops hit her... then more... and then she was surrounded by a storm, only able to see Dan inches away from her nose, looking up at the heavens and baring his teeth in a wide grin. Kings of the world, children of the storms. Genuine happiness was scarce in this world, and they had found it, if only for the duration of the storm.

Cracking a smile at her, Dan jerked her arm, and they ran. Not away from the storm, not to anything really... they just ran: for fun, for the sake of their memories, they ran. Zealously sprinting for the sole purpose of joy-- not survival. 

Many years had passed since the day everything went wrong; many lives were lost, many tears were shed. Perpetual happiness does not exist these days, but you are able to see sparks of what once was in those moments when you finally let yourself have peace.