The Day the World Turned Red

The calendar above her purple desk held bold red X’s, leading the countdown to the purple and yellow stars surrounding the 17th day of June. It was finally here. For months, she’d been excited for this day. Today she turned thirteen and was finally a teenager.

The birthday party was still a couple of hours away, which suited her fine. She didn’t want the stupid party, at least not the one her mom had planned. The one where she could only invite one friend and everyone else had to be family. She had hoped her mom would change her mind, but she hadn’t.

“It’s not fair.” She yelled to the birds, singing their cheery tunes, wings fluttering through the leaves. She stomped her way to the park. Hands fisted at her sides, cheeks puffed out, and arms crossed.

Jasmine Michaels, the most popular girl in school, didn’t have to have this lame family birthday party. She got to invite her friends, even boys, and they got to swim. She huffed, stomped her foot, and then drooped.

“Stupid, lame birthday.” A single tear slid over her cheek and landed on the concrete. It sizzled, bubbled up, then disappeared.

She needed the park. It had always been her safe space. The squeaking sound of the swings and the squeals of babies made her smile. The merry-go-round was her favorite spot. She often laid on it, especially when she felt confused or broken, and spun and spun. It took the scattered little pieces and slammed them together until they made sense.

Today only a small boy sat on the swings. He smiled at her as she walked past. Covering her eyes, she looked around for his mother, found no one, and shrugged.

The sun reflected off the tall slide. The one she and her best friend Jamie had often screamed and slid on when they were kids. Sweat dripped from her head and rolled over her neck. Nose scrunched, hands on hips, she kicked a rock across the grass. “Pfft, I don’t need this stupid slide now. It’s for babies.” She swiped beads of wetness from her eyes and continued to the merry-go-round. Shoulders drooped. When Jamie moved away, she was going to miss her something awful.

Her stomach flipped and flopped. Why couldn’t Jamie’s mom work in the valley? There were salons everywhere. Instead, she was taking a job thousands of miles away. She didn’t understand. Her toe connected with another rock. It landed next to the slide. She needed to remember to tell Jamie at the party. Maybe she could stay.

She grabbed the bar of the merry-go-round, then jerked her hand back. Red and raw, her hand throbbed.

Then the air seared hot and the light flashed red. The earth shook. Bridget, blinded, reached out, heart racing for something to grab. Scorching her hand, she snatched her hand back and sucked the sore fingers. The earth roared. Her legs wobbled, then gave way. She landed on her butt.

“Ouch!” Rocks, jagged and sharp, cut through the back of the brand-new jeans her mom had bought for her birthday.

Her eyes, heavy in the heat, refused to open. Each try caused an explosion of pins and needles through her head. Everything she reached for burned. Her mouth, dry, squealed, “Hey! Is anyone out there?”

The ground rumbled as if in response, then heaved, tumbling her head over foot. “Oof! Oh! What is happening?” This time she landed on something crunchy but soft. She ran her hands over the surface, sure it was some kind of dried grass. “Uh oh…” Her stomach rolled. “No, I feel -” bile rose from the pit of her stomach and out, “sick.”

“Hey! Gross, why’d you do — “

Bridget crinkled her nose at the dry heaving behind her. Still unable to see, she waved. “You okay back there?”

His voice shook. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. I guess.”

“Can you see?”

“No, everything is red and hot and I can’t open my eyes.” He sniffled. “I really want my mom.”

“Hey, don’t — “ Crawling, she inched and shuffled, hands burning, toward the sound of the boy crying. “Don’t be sad.”

Sweat poured off her body, every breath a fight. Something sliced through her hand. “Ouch!”

“Hey! Hey, you okay?”

“I… I think so.” It stung, the pain pulsed up her arm, and she held on to a scream. “Hey kid, what’s your name?” Her bottom lip cracked and split open.

“Blake. My name is Blake.”

“Hi Blake, I’m Bridget.” He sounded like he was to the left of her. Not far now. “Can you keep talking to me, Blake? I am trying to find you.” She reached into the empty air.

“I just want my mom.”

She stuck out her hand toward his voice, felt cloth, and a knee.

“Whoa! Hey, something’s touching me. Oh, it hurts!”

“It’s just me.” She took a shallow breath, tried to swallow, and choked, her mouth full of cotton. Every part of her body was on fire. “Yeah, I hurt too, all over.”

Task accomplished, she laid back on the crunchy ground and cried. No tears fell from her eyes. She was so thirsty. She missed her mom, she’d know what to do. Why’d she been so dumb about the party and run away?

The ground crunched beside her. Her arm burned from the heat radiating off Blake the closer he got to her. Thankfully, the air cooled. It wasn’t as hard to breathe. She tried opening her eyes, only to slam them shut. The air still burned.

“Bridget?” His voice was barely a whisper. “Do you think everyone is ok? Do you think my mom and dad are alright?”

“I don’t know.” She sniffled. She’d been so mean to her mom before she left, over a stupid party. “I really hope so. I was really mad at my mom when I left.”

“I wanted to get away from my brother, Jarod. He’s older than me. I’m eleven. He wouldn’t leave me alone. He never leaves me alone, and he hates the park. So my mom said I could play.”

Something hit the ground with a thud.

“What was that?” She sat up and tried looking toward the sound. It hurt to move her eyes and things were fuzzy.

“Oh. Sorry. I threw a rock.”

“That’s ok, I thought maybe someone was coming. Can you see yet?”

“Um, better, but no. Everything looks like it has clouds over it.”

“Yeah, me too.”

They sat in silence. She tried to listen for any movement, but everything was quiet. No birds, no bugs. It was like the world was empty. Only she and Blake survived, both blind.

Her mind wandered as she tried to ignore the pain. What if they were alone? They couldn’t see. What would they eat? Her stomach groaned in answer. They needed to eat. She had to think of something. Maybe they could start walking in the direction she thought her house was. But what if they got lost? That wouldn’t work.

Then she heard it, leaves dancing in the wind. A cool breeze followed, gliding over her. She jumped up, ignoring the searing pain coursing through her body.

“Blake! Do you feel it?”

“Yeah! Woo-hoo! Oh! Ouch! Why do I hurt so much?”

“I think we’ve got a bad sunburn or something. It’s what it feels like to me, anyway.”

“Oh, yeah. I suppose so.”

“Wait. Quiet.” She patted his leg and felt him tense.

He whispered. “Ouch, that burns.”

“I’m sorry.” She stood. “Do you hear it?”

“Hear what?”

“Our families, they are calling for us.” She lifted her arms to wave. “Over here! We’re over here.”

Her eyes cleared as the temperature continued to drop. She watched as her Mom ran across the street. Tears streaming.

“Bridget. Oh, Bridget, you’re ok.” She wrapped her arms around her and squeezed.

Bridget did what she could to hold back a scream, but a groan escaped. “I-I’m ok mom.”

“Oh honey, you’re burned, everywhere.”

Blake’s mom squealed as she rushed and grabbed him. He screamed, and she quickly set him back on the ground, examining the bright red burns on his exposed face and arms.

“Mom?” She looked around and pointed. “What happened?”

The grass, green when she arrived, now crisp and brown, rustled in the cool breeze. The leaves on the trees were white.

“The news said it was a freak solar flare. There was no warning. I couldn’t find you. I checked everywhere, and you weren’t there.” She sobbed. “How am I supposed to keep you safe if you go running off?”

Reaching out, she hugged her mom. “I’m so sorry, mom. I’m sorry we fought. I’m sorry I ran away.”

“I don’t care about any of it.” Gently, she hugged her. “I’m so glad you are ok. It’s all that matters.” She stepped back and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go home. We can call the doctor, and see if we can take care of these burns.”

They walked, holding hands. She smiled at Blake, resting in his mother’s arms. He waved.

She looked up at the sky. It glowed red, and the trees stood out white in contrast. It was a scary, beautiful picture, one she’d remember. The day the world turned red.

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_{Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash. Altered by Jennifer Brewer via Canva.}

_{***Disclaimer*** This is a work in progress and as such is likely to change before reaching the finished product. Thank you for your understanding.}