Hello. This is me again, and I wanted to try writing an AU story. First off, I was reading Day of Doom when the idea for this hit me. Then I was reading Shadow Children (by Haddix) and I got more ideas.

I guess you could call this a crossover, but didn't want to write something for Shadow Children that much, so I did it here.

Tell me what you think?

(Edit: 9/19/2017 So...I'm completely rewriting this, and I also totally realize that that date is not when I updated...but, that's when I started.

Um, yeah, have you ever looked back at something you wrote a while ago and been like, "OMG! I thought this was good?" That's me. So...yeah...anyway, its going to be a lot different, so I would recommend reading the whole thing again, and not just skipping to chapter 13

Edit again, 4/12/2018: I finally finished. And, I guess . . . you have to read all of it, and not just skip to chapter 13, because if you don't, you're going to be in for a huge surprise come chapter 100 or so. Just kidding. This will never have chapter 100 and I'm not that longwinded, lol)

Amy Cahill hadn't known what true hunger was until the famines hit. Sure, she'd gone hungry before. Everyone had accidentally skipped a meal, or forgotten to eat for a while. But this hunger was different, it was a gnawing ache, that grew and consumed your mind until all you could think about was food. It was beyond hunger, it was starvation.

It had all begun with a worldwide drought. Everyone had been astonished that such a thing would happen. Who had heard of a worldwide drought? Nationwide was rare. Worldwide, impossible. But still it happened.

There was not a drop of rain anywhere. The sun seemed to be dimmer, even near the equator, and the stunted crops cried out silently for warmth. For the sunlight was nothing more than a weak lightbulb in the sky. It could easily be compared to a harsh winter without snow. Nothing outside would grow. Greenhouses were utilized everywhere, trying to use every drop of solar energy that entered the atmosphere. But before long, clouds began to cover the sunless sky and these too were useless.

With the sighting of the clouds, people had assumed it meant rain but as the angsty sky began the norm everywhere, hopes were smashed as easily as rotten apple by a car. Yet people remained optimistic. They had food left over from last season, the government had secret stashes, and they were issued rations cards. And plus, the drought couldn't last forever...it would be over soon. Or so they thought.

But still, even with these high hopes in their hearts, the prices on food increased dramatically. As the reserves were quickly depleted by the huge population, former enemy countries began to ally with each other in an attempt to keep humanity alive.

A can of beef, a true luxury, was rumored to have been sold to an Ian Kabra for an entire grand. When she had heard, Amy had laughed, saying to Dan, "Look at Ian. He's probably horrified that he has to eat common food now."

Livestock were butchered, for who wanted to keep feeding their cow when they could eat it and its food? People put their pets down and, if they were hungry enough, ate their food, and in more desperate, hopeless areas, the corpse of the animal itself.

As the months passed by, violence over food erupted more and more often. People finally seemed to realize that this was not something to shrug off. And in third world countries, conditions were deplorable. Humans began to resort to animalistic methods to fill their mouths. They stole and murdered for a hunk of shriveled bread.

Even then, throughout all this, some people still had high hopes for the next season. When the clouds had finally dropped their watery burden the next March, people had rejoiced. It was logical that after the rain was done, the sun would come out, right? But when it continued to rain for the entire months of March, April, May June, and July, people's hopes had dramatically dropped. Nothing grew. After all, what could grow in an underwater world besides algae and destruction?

The clouds continued dumping their gallons of water, and lands became quickly flooded. In some lucky areas, the rain was nothing more than a depressing drizzle, but most places weren't as lucky. Winds began to rise, stirring the waters of the sea, tempests were born. These tempests became hurricanes, which wiped out the entire southern hemisphere. No one could live in those regions. Immigrants poured into the northern U.S. and Europe. The crowded conditions made food even more scarce and criminal activity spiked. Murder was a daily occurrence, and cannibalism was not unheard of. The rest of the world become flooded, like one large ocean, with highlands being large sandbars in the middle of a vast, raging sea.

People got around on boats, and places that rented out boats for sea travel in the past were considered as inherently risk, as cars were less than useless. They wer underwater. Fish thrived, but were quickly depleted as they were the only food source that could be eaten without a twinge of guilt, or spilled blood.

The patter of raindrops on the roof caused Amy to turn her chair and stare out at the soggy world. The winds were harsh today, and the waves beating against their front door were large and strong, as if determined to beat down the mansion.

The green manicured lawns, and the beautiful orchards and the lush forests of the Cahill mansion were gone. First destroyed by the lack of sun, and now they were all but underwater. Thankfully the mansion (or what was left of it) was on top of a large hill, or otherwise, Amy and Dan would be homeless, just like so many other unfortunate souls.

Running a hand through her stringy red-brown hair, she couldn't help but notice that there was a small motorboat coming towards her house. Weakly, she wondered who would have enough fuel to come all the way here, as there was nothing left.

Rising from her chair and leaning against the wall for support, she padded towards the door and opened it. The angry winds lashed out at her, biting her, stinging her face. Her small body shivered at the impact, and she quickly relented, and shut the door, forcing it to close, shoving the strong winds out of her house.

She was so small. Weighing only seventy-five pounds was not a good thing for an eighteen-year old girl. But she was the least of her worries. Her thoughts were always on her brother. Dan was barely eighty pounds, which was more than small for a fifteen-year old male. She feared for him, and would do anything, even sacrifice herself, if she knew that this famine would stop, and her brother would survive.

Walking back towards the window, she gasped in surprise as she noticed that the boat was tied securely to her front porch. Looters. She thought. "I don't have anything." She said, determined not to open the door.

"Amy! Open the door this minute before I get swept off this porch."

Huh. That voice was oddly familiar. Shrugging aside her suspicion for a moment, she opened the door and looked up into the face of Ian Kabra.

Ian was a business man, who was distantly related to them, linked through the destiny of the Cahill family.

"Hello, Ian." Amy said, swallowing. He was quite handsome, even though he too had lost weight, and it made her stomach churn to look at him.

"Hullo, Amy. I've come to ask you and your brother's help."

Amy arched her eyebrows in suspicion. "With what?" She asked, before she realized that Ian was still standing out on the porch, and the wind was whipping wildly into the house. "Come in, and get out of the cold." She said, shutting the door securely behind him.

Rubbing his arms as if to try and keep from shivering, Ian stepped inside. He gasped with his first glance at the room. The floor was riddled with holes where water had eaten away at the wood, as it had so many other places. The blankets wound up in a ball on the couch from where Amy had slept last night, trying to keep herself warm. The kitchen door was hanging on its hinges, and the carpet was filthy.

Ian looked at Amy, and inhaled sharply, as if clearly seeing her for the first time. She was more than skinny. Her ribs showed through the sweatshirt she wore, and her hands trembled if she didn't stick them securely in her pocket. Her eyes were gaunt, hollow, and her cheekbones showed clearly. "When was the last time you've eaten?" He asked gently.

Amy turned away from him, avoiding his piercing gaze, and looked out the window, her hands gripping each other securely in her sweatshirt pocket. "I don't know."

Ian's eyes narrowed. "Yes, you do know." He accused, glaring at her.

Amy looked up at Ian, and then quickly glanced down, his gaze boring into hers. "What day is it today?"

"Monday, the fifth." Ian replied.

Amy paused. "Last Sunday." She answered.

Ian's eyes widened. Reaching into his coat pocket, he dug around for a while, and then produced a granola bar. "Sorry." He apologized. "Its homemade."

Amy's eyes were wide, and her hands reached for it on their own accord. Then she stopped, and yanked them back. "But...Dan."

Ian sighed. "You. Will. Eat. This. I have more, and I'll give one to your brother, but only if you eat this."

Amy nodded, snatched the granola bar, and peeled off the plastic wrapping. "Raisins!" She gasped. "How'd you get them?"

Ian frowned. "My own private indoor, uphill greenhouse."

"Oh." Amy said, taking a bite of the oats and raisins. Never had a simple homemade granola bar tasted so good. Just as she was about to finish, she stopped, and wrapped the rest of it up. "Where's Dan?" She asked.

"I don't know." Ian shrugged, and glanced at her. "Its your house, not mine."

Amy sighed. "Could you call him for me? My voice isn't strong enough."

Ian looked at her, concern written on his face. "Goodness." He gasped. "Daniel!" He yelled. No response. "Dan Cahill, get your ass over here!"

Dan emerged from the kitchen. He too leaned on the wall for support. Ian looked quite concerned when he saw him, and Amy knew exactly why.

He was losing weight rapidly. He needed more nutrition than what he was getting. He should be tall, and muscular. But Dan barely looked ten.

"What are you doing here?" He said, his voice deep for one so small. It was probably the only thing that could mature with his diet.

Amy looked at Ian. "Now that I think about it...I don't even know."

Ian nodded. "I didn't ever get around to telling you did I?" He rummaged around in his pocket, pulled out a phone, and handed Dan a granola bar.

Dan's mouth went wide, and he tore it open with the zeal of someone who has been starving.

"There has been a plot uncovered. Some rebel Cahills who have been banished from their branches are trying to...mess up some heavenly bodies."

Dan was picking out all the raisins, and shoving them into his mouth, his hands moving at the speed of a cheetah's feet.

"They are planning to explode Mars, and the force of it will dispel earth out of orbit, causing it to hit the moon." Ian paused, and then began again. "The position of the planets will have to be very precise. I'll show you more later...but for now, all you need to know is that it doesn't happen very often. So if we can stop them, then we'll be good."

Dan pulled off a piece of the bar and shoved it in his mouth. Amy arched her eyebrows and mouthed, "Chew. Slowly." Dan glared at her, but slowed his pace down.

"Izdereanywaystoshopit?" Dan asked, his mouth full of granola.

"What?" Ian asked. "Speak English."

Dan swallowed. "Is there anyway to stop it?"

Ian nodded. "Of course. There's always a way. Catch the rebel Cahills, and stop their plot."

Amy frowned, and then she sank down into her chair. "But...why?"

Ian rolled his eyes. "The stupidity of some of these people astounds me. They're threatening the earth, and all of its occupants, and they think that because of this they're going to be welcomed back with open arms?"

"So..." Amy paused, her eyes looking out at the sea of water. "You're saying that we have to stop them?"

Dan frowned. "But what about the famine? All of us will die out before we even get anywhere."

Ian sighed. "I don't know. I'm not sure why the famines are happening. We just have to be smarter about it." Then he smiled. "I built a tower. But...this tower's base is able to withstand water, and the tower will be able to withstand high winds. But on this tower, I'm working on placing greenhouses."

Dan frowned again, and took another bite. "Dere's no sun!" He said, around a large mouthful.

Ian rolled his eyes. "Yes, there is! Don't you know anything? The clouds just block it, so it doesn't look like there's anything."

Amy nodded. "He's right, Dan."

Ian broke in. "Everything should be back to...near normal by next year...we'll figure out something to do with the water. Heck, people have been dying of thirst, we just have to figure out a way to store it and clean it, and we could solve world problems. That is, if we survive." His face took on a grim look, and he looked Amy in the eyes.

"Will you help me?"

Was it good? Bad? Awful? Amazing? Should I even bother to continue? Should I delete this story? Please tell me!

Review guys. Thanks so much for reading this!

(Edit: So...yeah, obviously this is going to be so much different. So...stick with me here. Thanks guys!)