Three years later 

Jace, Leo, Kim, and a couple other member of our gang sat around our meeting table. We might be considered lazy today because we hadn't done much of anythings. In reality, we were waiting. The tornado was going to come today, collecting a small amount of sixteen-year-olds, never to be seen again. Almost nobody knew why. The few that did know, including me, weren't allowed to talk about it. "The consequences would be dire" they had said.

 At the moment though, I was losing a heated game of cards. I didn't really play cards much. Kim forced us to learn how to play years ago. Today, it was a grateful distraction.

The small pile of coins that didn't add up to much sat in the center of the table: winner takes all. I drew two cards and discarded them both. I cursed. I still needed a spade and a ring card to win and Jace, the person that happened to be discarding to me, was collecting them. I was almost sure of it.

Kim's hand disappeared underneath the table to itch his leg. He was cheating again. I knew he was. I just couldn't tell how he was doing it. Kim picked up two cards. He discarded the first card and placed the other in his hand. He grinned. Kim flashed his lovely hand of spades and knives, all lined up in a perfect way to win. "Score!" he shouted and raked in the money. "Try to beat that Thorne," he said to me.

I rolled my eyes. "You cheater," I said. He smirked and nodded. The rest of the players took their last turn. Jace's hand was full of rings and the remaining spades neither Kim nor I possessed. I still didn't have any good cards after my turn. Leo, Jace's younger brother, shuffled the cards. Leo had figured out long ago that letting Kim anywhere near the cards before the game started could lead to the rest of us going broke in mere minutes. We all sat in silence. I twisted the ring on my finger. It was simple except for a stone inlaid in the center that always matched the color of my eyes. A gift from my mother.

Something whizzed past my ear, snapping me out of my thoughts. I straightened my back quick enough my chair tipped over and I fell on the floor. Jace roared in laughter and his brother covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smile. I trained my eyes on Kim. He looked so smug. 

"You threw a knife at- at my head," I sputtered, eyes wide and probably a very deep shade of purple. We weren't supposed to be training today. 

Jace laughed even louder.

Kim flicked his bright red, knitted scarf over his shoulder. "Not quite at your head. Would you mind getting that for me, kind sir?" he asked sweetly.

I shook my head but I couldn't hide the small smile that found its way to my lips. 

I righted my chair and lightly punched Kim in the arm. 

The door opened and we al looked up. Lucy came into the building- it was a one room space- and said, "The bells." That was all she needed to say. The bells rang for the tornado to tell us to hide, to help us stay safe.

"Alright crew," Jace said standing up and pointing to the door, "let's go." We followed him outside. The sky had darkened to green, blocking out any mid-day sunlight. The greenish hue took place due to the people in the clouds, the ones that controlled the wind, wore green. The tornado would be coming quite soon. Jace took a sharp turn down the road to the tallest structure in our town: the clock tower. The clock tower was the only thing that was perfectly safe and open to anyone with one exception: any sixteen-year-old had a chance of getting picked up by the tornado, so they weren't allowed to come. This year, Jace and I were the only ones in our gang who wouldn't be allowed to be safe in the clock tower. 

At the clock tower, Jace said goodbye to Leo, his younger brother by two years. Leo was horribly afraid of storms and Jace was worried about him. Jace hugged Leo tight. It may have been the last time they would see each other. Seeing their love made me wish Spike were here with me. Hopefully I would be seeing him soon.

Kim stood in front of me, arms crossed. "You have better stay safe."

"I will," I said. "I promise." 

He frowned as if he could see though my blatant lie. He turned away and went into the building. Kim was seventeen. I wouldn't have to worry about him anymore than I usually had to.

After our gang entered the clock tower, Jace and I went back to our building. I grabbed my backpack. It didn't have much, only a change of clothes, a small box of bandages and other first-aid supplies, and a hat Kim hat knitted a while back. He was definitely and odd sort of fellow. I shoved my ring inside my bag and slung it over my shoulder. Jace was rummaging around in his small box of possessions. "Hey," I said, tapping him on his shoulder, "you're safe." 

Jace froze.  "And you?" he asked. 

His question wasn't necessary. If I knew who was in danger, I wasn't going to stick around after this tornado. I was going to get taken. "Stay safe," was all I said. I turned to leave.

Jace grabbed my wrist. "Wait." I stopped mid-stride. "You'll be needing this." He handed me a dagger. It was one of his own very few possessions.

I pulled him into a hug. "Thank you," I said. "I'll be back. Promise."

Jace gave a small smile. "Like your word means anything. I never trust a street fighter." 

I smiled sadly in return.

Outside, the wind was picking up. I was trying to get out of the town. I was the only one that was in danger of this tornado, at least from the south side of the city. 

The tornado that came every year plowed down every building until it picked up the ones it needed to. That included many people's homes. If somehow a sixteen year-old child got inside the clock tower that was supposed to be picked up, the clock tower was not going to be standing in the morning of the next day. 

I fled the town as fast as I could. Any property damage was to be blamed on me. Many things were hard to come by in this poor town. All I had to do was cross the river. Maybe I could outrun the tornado.

I knew all about tornadoes: The wall cloud, the updraft, all of it. At the moment though, it had already started to down pour. I was out of the town and into the farmers fields. Thunder boomed overhead. Lighting colored the entire earth in an eerie light. The funnel cloud came, slowly extending to the earth. It was hard to see in the rain. All that could define it was a dark outline in the sky. I have to admit, I was a little terrified. There was so much wind. It ripped at my clothes and hair. Then the tornado was on the ground, making its way to me. It was less than a mile away, rocketing across the farmer's fields. The twister was either getting bigger or coming closer. I wasn't sure which one I was hoping for. 

The in draft was getting stronger and stronger- ripping at my clothes and hair.  I lost my balance and fell. In that moment, the tornado pulled me in. I screamed. I was not afraid of being taken. I was only afraid of how. I flew high into the air, propelled by the wind. If I fell, the would be no stopping my decent. My wings were tucked underneath my shirt and jacket and only fields were beneath me. I shut my eyes against the wind. 

Strong arms grabbed me and pulled me upwards until we were above the storm and the sunshine beat upon us instead of rain.

I opened my eyes. A group of kids, maybe fifteen or sixteen all together, all of them sixteen years old, stood nearby on the clouds looking quite scared. All of them were staring at me. I tried to look behind me to see the person what had grabbed me, but all I saw was the green shirt of someone who controlled wind. "Let go of me, Greenie," I hissed, using the rather insulting name. He let go in surprise. I turned to see a young man who seemed to be in his early twenty's who was very angry. He snarled at me.

Another man came up behind him. This one was taller and older. "Take her with the others, boy," he said, addressing the greenie, "and stop messing around." I smirked at the greenie, only angering him further and walked over to the other teens. 

One of the teens asked, "You gotta name girl?" He wasn't the tallest or the  strongest, but I could tell that already people were afraid of him. The fear practically rolled off of them, but then again, they could just be scared because of all the strange things happening. Did he think he could use our fear when he was just as afraid?

"I believe that, for the time being, my name is none of your concern," I answered him. That did not make him happy at all. He balled his fists and threw a punch that I easily ducked. Fear did strange things to some people. "What is with everyone getting angry at me today?" I asked no one in particular. No one answered. Instead, the crazy boy kept punching at me, so I kept dodging his fists. I causally held up my hands to the boy- the universal sign for surrender- and I took a step back from him. There was no use in fighting so early. From what I have heard through out my short life so far, there would be time for that later. 

He backed off with no problem. I guessed he really didn't want to fight. He was just scared.

"Come on, get in a line," the big man from before interrupted. He started moving, walking across the clouds. 

"What makes you think we'll come with you?" Someone asked. I couldn't see who it was.

"Because," the big man said, "I'm the commander here, and I have the authority to kill you. Disobeying me would be a great instance for me to exercise that authority. That's why you will follow me." The commander smiled a cold smile and started walking, not checking to see if we were following. We followed. I didn't want to die today, and neither did anyone else.

We followed  with more greenies following behind us to make sure none of us escaped. Although, I'm not sure where they though we were going to go. I had a strong feeling that most of us knew not to jump off of clouds. I ended up next to a boy with sandy blonde hair and walked with a limp, favoring his left leg. He was probably the only one here that was actually hiding his fear with a huge grin.

He started talking. "So, hey. That was kinda funny that you got Trevor so mad. He already has made a friend I think, but that one's not very nice either. His friend is the big one over there." He pointed him out. Indeed he was pretty big and the boy's assessment seem correct. The two newly-made friends were walking next to each other.

"Cheer up," he told me, noticing my frown, "It may not be as bad as you think." 

I shook my head. "Sorry, Sunshine. I hate to burst your bubble of happiness, but it is going to be exactly as bad as I think."