Chapter three

Rowan looked out of her window one last time before she closed it.

The clock on the wall said 10:30, about time for Rowan to go to bed.

After changing into her pajamas, a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt, she quickly brushed her teeth and hair, eager to get to bed.

"This storm will probably clear up in the morning," she muttered to herself. "I guess I'll go to school with Griffin."

Rowan flicked her light out, but not before hearing a huge clap of thunder near her apartment.

...

When Rowan woke up, the rain was still coming down hard, and the cloud didn't seem to clear up at all.

"Great, I'm gonna have to use some of that extra cash to take a bus this morning."

Getting her grandmother situated and getting ready, Rowan grabbed the small amount of extra cash she kept in a locked box beside her bed.

Climbing down the fire escape and trying her best not to get completely soaked, Rowan ran to the bus stop and waited patiently for her ride to school.

As soon as the bus came, she got on, paid, and looked around for Griffin.

There he was, sitting in the very back, earbuds in and reading a book.

As she walked down the aisle towards Griffin, a huge clap of thunder shook the bus, almost making Rowan lose her balance.

The startled people, getting more and more tense by the minute, attempted to settle back down until another loud boom shook the bus again.

As soon as Rowan sat down next to Griffin, he took out his earbuds and closed his book.

"Hey," he said, sounding slightly surprised.

"You're coming to school today?"

Rowan, sliding off her backpack and setting it in the seat next to her, nodded.

"Yeah. I thought about what you said yesterday, and... you're right. I really should start going to school more."

Griffin smiled and winked.

"Finally! You listened to me for once."

Rowan playfully shoved his arm and looked out of the window.

"How about this weather?" Griffin asked.

"Pretty crazy, right? In all my time of living here, I can't say I've ever seen anything like it."

"I haven't either. At first, it sort of made me nervous, but I guess I'm alright now."

Rowan knew that the "I guess I'm alright now" part was a lie. She still had a very bad feeling about all of this.

Suddenly, the loudspeaker over the bus made a staticky noise and the driver made an announcement:

"I'm sorry everyone, but you're going to have to exit the bus. The roads are too flooded to go anywhere. A full refund will be repaid."

A swarm of annoyed voices muttered about on the bus. Guess everyone's gonna have to find some other means of transportation.

Rowan sighed. She had no other way to get to school, and Griffin didn't either.

Why didn't they just close it for today altogether? If the buses can't get anywhere, then why even keep school open?

Barely before Rowan could finish her thought, the loudspeaker boomed over again.

"Hurry up, people! You have to get off of this bus and evacuate immediately! I just got a message saying that it's a citywide emergency, go!"

With Griffin right behind her, Rowan grabbed her backpack and got off of the bus as quick as possible.

She had to get to her grandmother and get out of here immediately.

How? She didn't know. All she knew is that she had to leave as soon as possible.

Running towards her apartment, Griffin still behind her, she scrambled up the fire escape, opened the window, and looked in horror.

He grandma wasn't there.

"Grandma!! Grandma, where are you?!"

Rowan searched the entire apartment, but her grandmother was nowhere to be seen.

Griffin laid a reassuring had on her back.

"Don't worry, Rowan. I'm sure a rescue team of some sort has her. She'll be okay."

Slightly reassured by Griffin's voice, she took a deep breath.

Just as long as she was safe.

"I have to get some stuff from my room. What about you? Don't you need to go back to your house?"

Griffin shook his head.

"I'm sure my parents are gone by now, and I have everything that I really need in my backpack. Go get your stuff, I'll be right here."

Running to her room, Rowan grabbed the essentials.

She stuffed the small cash box down into her backpack, along with two protein bars, a water bottle, her little bracelet from when she was younger, and a change of clothes.

Walking back to Griffin, she sighed shakily.

"Let's go."